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
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)(2) the claimed invention was described in a patent issued under section 151, or in an application for patent published or deemed published under section 122(b), in which the patent or application, as the case may be, names another inventor and was effectively filed before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
Claim(s) 1-20 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by U.S. Pub. 2015/0336011 by Hong.
Regarding claim 1, Hong discloses a dart game device (abstract), comprising: a dart target part having a plurality of scoring areas (para. 54 – see dart target 110); a network communication unit for transmitting first play-related data of the dart game device participating in a play session that imposes play time constraints on two or more devices and receiving second play-related data of the other device participating in the play session (para. 122-124, 140-146 – see network communication and game timing); a display unit for displaying information related to the play session based on the second play-related data (para. 151-158 – see display); and a control unit for determining to include one of a virtual image and an actual image in the information related to the play session, based on communication network information or hardware information of the dart game device (para. 151-158 – see the controller for the display).
Regarding claim 2, Hong discloses the dart game device of claim 1, wherein the information related to the play session includes a second play image of a second player of the other device throwing a dart pin in a time period included in the play session (para. 124-125; fig. 2 – see second player).
Regarding claim 3, Hong discloses the dart game device of claim 1, wherein the display unit additionally displays information related to the play time constraints (para. 122-128, 140-146 – see game play display with the display of the remote play being “related to” the play time constraints because the data is captured within the limited time).
Regarding claim 4, Hong discloses the dart game device of claim 3, wherein the information related to the play time constraint includes at least one of a first play constraint time period including a time constraint for throwing dart pins, a second play constraint time period including a time constraint for a round allowing N times of dart pin throwing, a third play constraint time period including a time constraint for a set including K rounds, or a preset waiting time period between two sets, and the N and K are natural numbers (para. 112-120 – see the time constraint for first play for throwing dart pins).
Regarding claim 5, Hong discloses the dart game device of claim 1, wherein the play session includes at least one of a first sub-play session including a time constraint for dart pin throwing, a second sub-play session including a time constraint for a round allowing N times of dart pin throwing, or a third sub-play session including a time constraint for a set including K rounds, the N and K are natural numbers (para. 112-120 – see the time constraint for first play for throwing dart pins).
Regarding claim 6, Hong discloses the dart game device of claim 1, further comprising: a camera unit for photographing a first play image of a first player of the dart game device, wherein the control unit determines whether to transmit the first play image based on a comparison between a pre-stored previous play image of the first player and the first play image (para. 106-121 – see player recording during dart throwing time).
Regarding claim 7, Hong discloses the dart game device of claim 1, further comprising: a camera unit for photographing a first play image of a first player of the dart game device, wherein the control unit determines whether to transmit the first play image based on a comparison between a pre-stored previous play-related data of the first player and the first play-related data (para. 106-121 – see player data sent after throwing).
Regarding claim 8, Hong discloses the dart game device of claim 6, wherein the control unit determines to transmit the first play image when there is a difference greater than a preset threshold as a result of the comparison (para. 106-121 – see player data sent after throwing).
Regarding claim 9, Hong discloses the dart game device of claim 1, wherein the control unit determines whether to display a second play image in which the second player of the other device throws a dart pin or determines a display method of the second play-related data, based on a comparison between pre-stored previous play-related data of a second player of the other device and the received second play-related data (para. 133-150 – see the videos sent during play).
Regarding claim 10, Hong discloses the dart game device of claim 1, wherein the information related to the play session includes at least one of a play-related image of a second player photographed through a camera unit of the other device or an image generated based on dart game play result information of the other device (para. 133-150 – see play recorded of the second player).
Regarding claim 11, Hong discloses the dart game device of claim 1, wherein when the control unit receives the second play-related data of the other device via the network communication unit, the control unit determines a display image related to the second play-related data among at least one pre- stored image, and the display unit displays the determined display image (para. 133-150 – see play images sent and displayed between players).
Regarding claim 12, Hong discloses the dart game device of claim 1, wherein the control unit determines display attribute information about a second object related to each of a plurality of second players corresponding to a plurality of the other devices, based on at least one of the first play-related data or the second play-related data, and the display attribute includes a first attribute indicating an area in which the object is to be displayed, a second attribute indicating a position at which the object is to be displayed, a third property indicating a display size for the object, a fourth attribute indicating whether to display the object, and a fifth attribute indicating a form of the second object to be displayed (para. 133-150 – see play images sent during play).
Regarding claim 13, Hong discloses the dart game device of claim 1, wherein when the display unit receives third play- related data from the other device participating in a play session other than the play session via the network communication unit, the display unit further displays the third play-related data (para. 133-150 – see play images sent during play).
Regarding claim 14, Hong discloses the dart game device of claim 1, wherein the control unit determines a network rating for the other device related to the object to be displayed on the display unit, based on traffic information of a network formed of devices participating in the play session, and the network communication unit receives at least one of second play result data of a second player of the other device or a second play image of a second player of the other device throwing a dart pin, based on the network rating (para. 167 – see network rating/ability).
Regarding claim 15, Hong discloses the dart game device of claim 1, wherein the first play-related data and the second play-related data include result data played during a time period that at least partially overlaps according to a time constraint imposed by the play session (para. 124-125 – see same time play).
Regarding claim 16, Hong discloses the dart game device of claim 1, wherein the information related to the play session includes a second play image of a second player of the other device throwing a dart pin in a time period included in the play session and a dart target part-related image determined based on the second play-related data among at least one pre-stored image (para. 133-150 – see play images sent during play).
Regarding claim 17, Hong discloses the dart game device of claim 1, wherein based on communication network information or hardware information of the dart game device, one of a pre-stored virtual image related to the dart target part corresponding to the second play-related data and an actual image of the dart pin thrown by the second player of the other device hitting the dart target part is determined, and the determined image is included in the information related to the displayed play session (para. 133-150 – see play images sent during play).
Regarding claim 18, Hong discloses the dart game device of claim 1, wherein the virtual image is a pre-stored virtual image related to the dart target part corresponding to the second play-related data, the actual image is an image of a dart pin thrown by a second player of the other device hitting the dart target part, and the network communication unit receives the actual image when the control unit determines that the actual image is included in information related to the play session, and when the control unit determines that the pre-stored virtual image related to the dart target part is included in the information related to the play session, the network communication unit receives play result data of the second player (para. 133-150 – see play images sent during play).
Regarding claims 19 and 20, these claims are rejected as noted above regarding claim 1.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. See attached PTO-892.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to PETER J IANNUZZI whose telephone number is (571)272-5793. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 9:30AM-5:30PM EST.
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/PETER J IANNUZZI/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3715