DETAILED ACTION
Notice of Pre-AIA or AIA Status
The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA .
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
In the event the determination of the status of the application as subject to AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103 (or as subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103) is incorrect, any correction of the statutory basis (i.e., changing from AIA to pre-AIA ) for the rejection will not be considered a new ground of rejection if the prior art relied upon, and the rationale supporting the rejection, would be the same under either status.
The following is a quotation of the appropriate paragraphs of 35 U.S.C. 102 that form the basis for the rejections under this section made in this Office action:
A person shall be entitled to a patent unless –
(a)(1) the claimed invention was patented, described in a printed publication, or in public use, on sale, or otherwise available to the public before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
Claims 1-20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Hughs-Baird et al (US 2004/0121838).
Regarding claims 1, 9, 10, 13, 14, and 20: Hughs-Baird et al discloses a gaming system comprising: a processor (see figure 2; paragraph [0048], showing a processor 38; a memory device 40 for storing program code or other data); and a memory device that stores a plurality of instructions, which when executed by the processor (see figure 2; paragraph [0048], showing a processor 38; a memory device 40 for storing program code or other data), cause the processor to: cause a display, by a display device, of a triggering event (see paragraph [0080], showing the selection display 112 includes a plurality of selections 114, and trigger functions in the game); cause a display, by the display device, of an indication of an award amount display sequence selected from a plurality of different award amount display sequences, the selected award amount display sequence comprising a first quantity of award amounts, the first quantity being more than four (see figures 3-5; paragraphs [0011], [0058]-[0081], showing the gaming device includes or displays an award distributor such as a wheel having several sections. The sections each include awards (or award symbols representing awards) such as values or any other suitable awards. The sequence 108 includes a plurality of groups including elements such as symbols 110 that are initially masked to the player. In this example, the symbols 110 are letters in the sequence 108 which form the phrase "Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous." The player starts the game with a base multiplier of "1.times." as indicated by multiplier display 116 and an award of zero as indicated by the total award display 118. The player uses the number of spins or activations to spin or activate the award distributor such as a wheel 100. In each activation, the indicator 106 randomly indicates one of the sections 102 on the wheel 100. The indicated section 102 includes an award symbol 104 which represents or includes the associated award. The award may be a value such as a number of credits or a symbol, which designates an award. The player then picks one of the selections 114 from the selection display 112, which are initially hidden or masked to the player, to reveal a group including an element or symbol such as a letter 110 as shown in FIG. 3. The awards may include values, modifiers such as multipliers, free games, free spins, credits or any suitable award desired by the game implementor); cause a sequential display, by the display device, of the award amounts of the selected award amount display sequence (see figures 3-5; paragraphs [0058]-[0081], showing the sequence 108 includes a plurality of groups including elements such as symbols 110 that are initially masked to the player; and cause a display, by the display device, of a limited multiplier application sub-sequence in association with the display of the award amounts of the selected award amount display sequence, the limited multiplier application sub-sequence selected from a plurality of different limited multiplier application sub-sequences, the selected limited multiplier application sub-sequence comprising a second quantity of multipliers, the second quantity being more than one and less than the first quantity, wherein the display of the selected limited multiplier application sub-sequence comprises a display, for each of a quantity of but not all of the displayed award amounts of the selected award amount display sequence, of one of the multipliers of the selected limited multiplier application sub-sequence, the quantity being equal to the second quantity, wherein the multipliers of the selected limited multiplier application sub-sequence are respectively displayed sequentially with the quantity of but not all of the displayed award amounts of the selected award amount display sequence, wherein each of the multipliers is displayed simultaneously with one of the sequentially displayed award amounts of the selected award amount display sequence, and wherein at least one of the award amounts of the selected award amount display sequence is not displayed with any of the multipliers of the selected multiplier application sub-sequence or any other multipliers (see figures 3-5; paragraphs [0058]-[0081], showing the sequence 108 includes a plurality of groups including elements such as symbols 110 that are initially masked to the player. In this example, the symbols 110 are letters in the sequence 108 which form the phrase "Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous." The player starts the game with a base multiplier of "1.times." as indicated by multiplier display 116 and an award of zero as indicated by the total award display 118. The player uses the number of spins or activations to spin or activate the award distributor such as a wheel 100. In each activation, the indicator 106 randomly indicates one of the sections 102 on the wheel 100. The indicated section 102 includes an award symbol 104 which represents or includes the associated award. The award may be a value such as a number of credits or a symbol, which designates an award. The player then picks one of the selections 114 from the selection display 112, which are initially hidden or masked to the player, to reveal a group including an element or symbol such as a letter 110 as shown in FIG. 3. The awards may include values, modifiers such as multipliers, free games, free spins, credits or any suitable award desired by the game implementor).
Regarding claims 2, 11, and 15: Hughs-Baird et al discloses wherein the at least one of the award amounts of the selected award amount display sequence that is not displayed with any of the multipliers of the selected multiplier application sub-sequence or any other multipliers comprises a first one of the displayed award amounts of the selected award amount display sequence (see figure 3; paragraphs [0011], [0054], showing the bonus game includes an award distributor such as wheel 100 having a plurality of sections 102. An award symbol 104 is associated with each section 102, and at least one award is associated with each award symbol 104. In one embodiment, the awards are values such as the values illustrated on wheel 100 (i.e., 15, 50, 100, 5, 20, 10, 5 and 25). It should be appreciated that any suitable award may be used in the bonus game including, but not limited to, free games, free spins, multipliers and any combination therein. Additionally, in one embodiment, at least one of the sections includes a terminator or terminator symbol. In another embodiment, the sections of the award distributor include a plurality of terminators or terminator symbols).
Regarding claims 3, 12, and 16: Hughs-Baird et al discloses wherein the at least one of the award amounts of the selected award amount display sequence that is not displayed with any of the multipliers of the selected multiplier application sub-sequence or any other multipliers comprises a last one of the displayed award amounts of the selected award amount display sequence (see figure 3; paragraphs [0011], [0054], showing the bonus game includes an award distributor such as wheel 100 having a plurality of sections 102. An award symbol 104 is associated with each section 102, and at least one award is associated with each award symbol 104. In one embodiment, the awards are values such as the values illustrated on wheel 100 (i.e., 15, 50, 100, 5, 20, 10, 5 and 25). It should be appreciated that any suitable award may be used in the bonus game including, but not limited to, free games, free spins, multipliers and any combination therein. Additionally, in one embodiment, at least one of the sections includes a terminator or terminator symbol. In another embodiment, the sections of the award distributor include a plurality of terminators or terminator symbols).
Regarding claims 4 and 17: Hughs-Baird et al discloses wherein the at least one of the award amounts of the selected award amount display sequence that is not displayed with any of the multipliers of the selected multiplier application sub-sequence or any other multipliers comprises a first one of the displayed award amounts of the selected award amount display sequence and comprises a last one of the displayed award amounts of the selected award amount display sequence (see figure 3; paragraphs [0011], [0054], showing the bonus game includes an award distributor such as wheel 100 having a plurality of sections 102. An award symbol 104 is associated with each section 102, and at least one award is associated with each award symbol 104. In one embodiment, the awards are values such as the values illustrated on wheel 100 (i.e., 15, 50, 100, 5, 20, 10, 5 and 25). It should be appreciated that any suitable award may be used in the bonus game including, but not limited to, free games, free spins, multipliers and any combination therein. Additionally, in one embodiment, at least one of the sections includes a terminator or terminator symbol. In another embodiment, the sections of the award distributor include a plurality of terminators or terminator symbols).
Regarding claim 5: Hughs-Baird et al discloses wherein the at least one of the award amounts of the selected award amount display sequence that is not displayed with any of the multipliers of the selected multiplier application sub-sequence or any other multipliers comprises a first plurality of the displayed award amounts of the selected award amount display sequence (see figure 3; paragraphs [0011], [0054], showing the bonus game includes an award distributor such as wheel 100 having a plurality of sections 102. An award symbol 104 is associated with each section 102, and at least one award is associated with each award symbol 104. In one embodiment, the awards are values such as the values illustrated on wheel 100 (i.e., 15, 50, 100, 5, 20, 10, 5 and 25). It should be appreciated that any suitable award may be used in the bonus game including, but not limited to, free games, free spins, multipliers and any combination therein. Additionally, in one embodiment, at least one of the sections includes a terminator or terminator symbol. In another embodiment, the sections of the award distributor include a plurality of terminators or terminator symbols).
Regarding claim 6: Hughs-Baird et al discloses wherein the at least one of the award amounts of the selected award amount display sequence that is not displayed with any of the multipliers of the selected multiplier application sub-sequence or any other multipliers comprises a last plurality of the displayed award amounts of the selected award amount display sequence (see figure 3; paragraphs [0011], [0054], showing the bonus game includes an award distributor such as wheel 100 having a plurality of sections 102. An award symbol 104 is associated with each section 102, and at least one award is associated with each award symbol 104. In one embodiment, the awards are values such as the values illustrated on wheel 100 (i.e., 15, 50, 100, 5, 20, 10, 5 and 25). It should be appreciated that any suitable award may be used in the bonus game including, but not limited to, free games, free spins, multipliers and any combination therein. Additionally, in one embodiment, at least one of the sections includes a terminator or terminator symbol. In another embodiment, the sections of the award distributor include a plurality of terminators or terminator symbols).
Regarding claims 7 and 18: Hughs-Baird et al discloses wherein the second quantity is half of the first quantity (see paragraph [0021], showing the lose partial symbol reduces the player's total award such as by one-third or in half or decreases another element in the game such as the multiplier or the number of activations or spins provided to the player).
Regarding claims 8 and 19: Hughs-Baird et al discloses wherein the second quantity is more than one but less than half of the first quantity (see paragraph [0021], showing the lose partial symbol reduces the player's total award such as by one-third or in half or decreases another element in the game such as the multiplier or the number of activations or spins provided to the player).
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. Hirai et al discloses gaming system and methods of operating gaming machines to provide skill-based wagering games to players; Yoseloff et al discloses method of playing a game, apparatus for playing a game and game with multiplier bonus feature.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to ADETOKUNBO OLUSEGUN TORIMIRO whose telephone number is (571)270-1345. The examiner can normally be reached Mon-Fri (8am - 4pm).
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Peter Vasat can be reached at (571)270-7625. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/ADETOKUNBO O TORIMIRO/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3715