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 .
Priority
Applicant’s claim for the benefit of a prior-filed application under 35 U.S.C. 119(e) or under 35 U.S.C. 120, 121, 365(c), or 386(c) is acknowledged.
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statement (IDS) submitted on 9/11/24 is in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97. Accordingly, the information disclosure statement is being considered by the examiner.
Election/Restrictions
Claims 15-20 are withdrawn and cancelled from further consideration pursuant to 37 CFR 1.142(b) as being drawn to a nonelected invention, there being no allowable generic or linking claim. Election was made without traverse in the reply filed on 4/8/26.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 103 which forms the basis for all obviousness rejections set forth in this Office action:
A patent for a claimed invention may not be obtained, notwithstanding that the claimed invention is not identically disclosed as set forth in section 102, if the differences between the claimed invention and the prior art are such that the claimed invention as a whole would have been obvious before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to a person having ordinary skill in the art to which the claimed invention pertains. Patentability shall not be negated by the manner in which the invention was made.
The factual inquiries for establishing a background for determining obviousness under 35 U.S.C. 103 are summarized as follows:
1. Determining the scope and contents of the prior art.
2. Ascertaining the differences between the prior art and the claims at issue.
3. Resolving the level of ordinary skill in the pertinent art.
4. Considering objective evidence present in the application indicating obviousness or nonobviousness.
Claims 1-4 & 6-14 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Loose (US Patent 9,965,918; referred to hereinafter as Loose), and further in view of Nguyen et al. (US Patent Pub. 20050215325; referred to hereinafter as Nguyen).
Claims 1, 7-8 & 13: Loose disclose a gaming device (abstract), comprising, a display panel configured to provide graphical outputs (figure 1), the display panel comprising, a first planar display region of the display panel (figure 1, element 12) and a second planar display region of the display panel defining a non-zero angle with respect to the first planar display region (figure 1 & element 14, wherein the secondary display is offset, also see figures 4-6), a unitary glass cover positioned over the first planar display region and the second planar display region (cols. 7-8: 65-33, disclose glass display panel enclosing both display regions), the unitary glass cover defining, a first front surface over the first planar display region and a second front surface over the second planar display region (cols. 7-8: 65-33) and a display assembly housing surrounding the display panel (figure 1, housing surrounding display 12 & 14) and defining a first back surface opposite the first front surface and a second back surface opposite the second front surface (figure 7A disclose back surfaces opposite the front surfaces), and the main cabinet configured to abut against the first and second back surfaces of the display assembly (figures 1 & 7). Loose, however, fails to explicitly disclose a first electrical connection comprising a first grid of pins positioned along the first back surface of the display assembly housing and a main cabinet defining a second electrical connection comprising a grid of electrical regions configured to accept the first grid of pins. In an analogous art, Nguyen, teaches of a gaming machine having a master gaming controller, one or more major components, and a universal gaming engine. Furthermore, the master gaming controller is adapted to control game play and authorize payouts and other awards on the gaming machine (0017-0018). Nguyen, also teaches the gaming machine includes a first electrical connection comprising a first grid of pins positioned along the first back surface of the display assembly housing (figures 2B & 3), and a main cabinet (figure 2B) defining a second electrical connection comprising a grid of electrical regions configured to accept the first grid of pins (0043-0045). It would have been obvious for one with ordinary skill in the art, at the time of invention to modify the gaming device disclosed by Loose to include first electrical connection comprising a first grid of pins positioned along the first back surface and a main cabinet defining a second electrical connection comprising a grid of electrical regions configured to accept the first grid of pins, as taught by Nguyen to allow for secure connection of the multiple display assembly.
Claim 2: The combination of Loose and Nguyen teach the display panel further comprises a transition region positioned between the first planar display region and the second planar display region of the display panel and the transition region comprises pixels from the display panel configured to emit light (figure 1 & 7A-B element 708-709 and the display screen having the same pixel density as displays 510 and 520 [0052]). Video display screen 709 (Fig. 7B) is configure to dynamically display aspects of a wagering game (e.g., modulated and dynamic lighting, moving and static text, graphics and images where the two glass elements come together ([0050]). Loose disclose this solution so that one display does not obscure any of the active region of an adjacent display (Abstract).
Claim 3: The combination of Loose and Nguyen teach wherein the transition region has a thickness between 100 and 200 pixels (col. 9: 6-23).
Claim 4: The combination of Loose and Nguyen teach each pin of the first grid of pins is configured to engage with a particular channel from the second electrical connection, and the first electrical connection comprises, a power connection, a video in connection, and a high-definition multimedia interface (HDMI) connection having multiple regions (0043-00048 & 0071 Nguyen).
Claim 6: The combination of Loose and Nguyen teach wherein the display assembly further comprises a touch sensor configured to detect a touch input applied to any one of the first front surface or the second front surface (col. 4: 40-64).
Claim 9: The combination of Loose and Nguyen teach biasing member configured to provide a force to separate the display assembly and the main cabinet (figure 7 Loose).
Claims 10-11: The combination of Loose and Nguyen teach the display assembly comprises a first mechanical connector (Nguyen figure 2), the main cabinet comprises, a second mechanical connector configured to engage with the first mechanical connector and a lock having a locked state and an unlocked state, in the unlocked state, the lock is configured to disengage the first mechanical connector from the second mechanical connector and the biasing member separates the display assembly and the main cabinet and in the locked state, the lock prevents the biasing member from separating the display assembly and the main cabinet (locking mechanism are extremely well known in the gaming technology, as it allows the game machines to be secured and not tampered with. Locking mechanism includes axle-rotating latches, which are extremely common on gaming machines).
Claim 12: The combination of Loose and Nguyen teach a paddle assembly configured to couple to the main cabinet; the paddle assembly defines, a grip formed from a member of the paddle assembly and configured to be grasped by an operator during coupling and decoupling of the display assembly, an alignment member configured to align the display assembly with respect to the main cabinet and in an installed configuration of the display assembly, the paddle assembly is occluded and inaccessible to the operator (figure 9 Nguyen teach paddles which are occluded and inaccessible to the operator).
Claim 14: The combination of Loose and Nguyen teach wherein the display panel comprises an organic light emitting diode (OLED) panel (col. 12: 1-30)
Allowable Subject Matter
Claim 5 is objected to as being dependent upon a rejected base claim, but would be allowable if rewritten in independent form including all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims.
Examiner’s Note
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Castro (20160335836) refers to gaming systems, electronic gaming machines, and mounting bracket assemblies for mounting display assemblies to gaming cabinets. An electronic gaming machine is disclosed which includes a gaming cabinet and an electronic display assembly with one or more video display panels mounted to a display housing. Each video display panel displays aspects of a wagering game. A mounting bracket assembly includes a first bracket attached to the display housing (or gaming cabinet), and a second bracket attached to the gaming cabinet (or display housing). The first bracket includes a connecting plate with one or more ramped channels and a stopping member. The second bracket includes a connecting plate with one or more ramped rails and a stopping member. The display assembly is mounted onto the cabinet by sliding each ramped rail of the first bracket into a respective ramped channel of the second bracket and mating the stopping members.
Urban (20210019986) refers to a gaming systems, methods and machines that incorporate gaming cabinets that include one or more curved or arcuate screens, one or more candles integrated into the gaming cabinet, and/or one or more diffuse lighting elements to provide lighting features or effects.
The referenced citations made in the rejection(s) above are intended to exemplify areas in the prior art document(s) in which the examiner believed are the most relevant to the claimed subject matter. However, it is incumbent upon the applicant to analyze the prior art document(s) in its/their entirety since other areas of the document(s) may be relied upon at a later time to substantiate examiner's rationale of record. A prior art reference must be considered in its entirety, i.e., as a whole, including portions that would lead away from the claimed invention. W.L. Gore & Associates, Inc. v. Garlock, Inc., 721 F.2d 1540, 220 USPQ 303 (Fed. Cir. 1983), cert. denied, 469 U.S. 851 (1984). However, "the prior art's mere disclosure of more than one alternative does not constitute a teaching away from any of these alternatives because such disclosure does not criticize, discredit, or otherwise discourage the solution claimed ...." In re Fulton, 391F.3d 1195, 1201,73 USPQ2d 1141, 1146 (Fed. Cir. 2004).
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to SUNIT PANDYA whose telephone number is (571)272-2823. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 9:30-6:30PM.
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/SUNIT PANDYA/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3715
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