CTNF 18/782,914 CTNF 85507 DETAILED ACTION Notice of Pre-AIA or AIA Status 07-03-aia AIA 15-10-aia 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 § 112 07-30-02 AIA The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112(b): (b) CONCLUSION.—The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor regards as the invention. The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA), second paragraph: The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the applicant regards as his invention. 07-34-01 Claims 1-20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA), second paragraph, as being indefinite for failing to particularly point out and distinctly claim the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor (or for applications subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, the applicant), regards as the invention. Claim 1 recites “data” (lines 4, 6, 12, and 16). The first instance of a claim element should generally subsequently be followed by referring to the element using “the” or “said”. Reciting “data” after the first instance makes it unclear whether all instances of “data” refer to the same claim element or different claim elements. Independent claims 10 and 12 and claims 4-5, 7-8, 11, 15-16, and 18-19 recite similar language and are similarly rejected. Dependent claims 2-3, 6, 9-10, 13-14, 17, and 20 inherit this discrepancy by nature of their dependencies. Appropriate correction is required. Claim 1 recites “any amount of any outstanding marker” (line 6), “an amount of an outstanding marker” (line 9), “the marker” (line 11), “the amount outstanding marker” (line 13), and “the amount of the outstanding marker” (lines 16-17). It is unclear whether “the marker” refers to “any outstanding marker” or “an outstanding marker”. Similarly, it is unclear whether “the amount” refers to “any amount” or “an amount”. It is also unclear whether “outstanding marker” (line 13) refers to “any outstanding marker” (line 6), “an outstanding marker” (line 9), or a new “outstanding marker”. The first instance of a claim element should generally subsequently be followed by referring to the element using “the” or “said”. Independent claims 10 and 12 recite similar language and are similarly rejected. Dependent claims 2-9, 11, and 13-20 inherit this discrepancy by nature of their dependencies. Appropriate correction is required. Claim 5 recites “a gaming establishment account” (line 4). Claim 1 , upon which claim 5 depends, recites “an account maintained by the gaming establishment credit system” (lines 17-18). Consistent usage of the same terms is much preferred over creatively describing the same elements using different language. Using similar, yet slightly different claim language creates confusion. It is unclear whether each term is intended to refer to the same claim element or whether each term refers to a different claim element. Dependent claims 7, 16, and 18 recite similar language and are similarly rejected. Appropriate correction is required. Claim 8 recites “the determination of the amount of the outstanding marker” (lines 1-2). There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim. Dependent claim 19 recites similar language and is similarly rejected. Appropriate correction is required. Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 101 07-04-01 AIA 07-04 35 U.S.C. 101 reads as follows: Whoever invents or discovers any new and useful process, machine, manufacture, or composition of matter, or any new and useful improvement thereof, may obtain a patent therefor, subject to the conditions and requirements of this title. Claims 1-20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 101 because the claimed invention is directed to non-statutory subject matter. The claimed invention is directed to non-statutory subject matter because the claims as a whole, considering all claim elements both individually and in combination, do not amount to significantly more than an abstract idea. Each of claims 1-20 have been analyzed to determine whether it is directed to any judicial exceptions. The determination of subject matter eligibility under 35 USC 101, relies on the Mayo/Alice two-step analysis. In step 1 of the analysis, the claims are evaluated to determine whether they fall within one of the four statutory categories (i.e., process, machine, manufacture, or composition of matter). In the present case, claims 1-9 are directed to a device (i.e., a machine), claims 10-11 are directed to a slot machine interface board (i.e., a machine), and claims 12-20 are directed to method (i.e., a process). The claims are, therefore directed to one of the four statutory categories. Under prong 1 of step 2A, the examiner is directed to determine whether the claim recites a judicial exception. The claims are compared to groupings of subject matter that have been found by courts as abstract ideas. These groupings include (a) Mathematical concepts—mathematical relationships, mathematical formulas or equations, mathematical calculations; (b) Certain methods of organizing human activity—fundamental economic principles or practices (including hedging, insurance, mitigating risk); commercial or legal interactions (including agreements in the form of contracts; legal obligations; advertising, marketing or sales activities or behaviors; business relations); managing personal behavior or relationships or interactions between people (including social activities, teaching, and following rules or instructions); and (c) Mental processes—concepts performed in the human mind (including an observation, evaluation, judgment, opinion). Claim 1 recites (the abstract idea is underlined) a device comprising: a processor; and a memory device that stores a plurality of instructions that, when executed by the processor responsive to a receipt of data associated with an occurrence of a handpay lockup event associated with an electronic gaming machine, cause the processor to: receive data associated with any amount of any outstanding marker of a gaming establishment credit system associated with an identified player at the electronic gaming machine, and responsive to an amount of an outstanding marker of the gaming establishment credit system associated with the identified player at the electronic gaming machine, automatically and without deactivating a line of credit which the marker is drawn from: cause, by a communication of data, a reduction of an award amount associated with the handpay lockup event by the amount of outstanding marker, and cause, based on the award amount associated with the handpay lockup event and by a communication of data, at least part of the amount of the outstanding marker to be transferred to an account maintained by the gaming establishment credit system. Claim 10 recites (the abstract idea is underlined) a slot machine interface board comprising: a first communication interface operable to serially communicate, in accordance with a slot accounting system protocol, with a master gaming controller of an electronic gaming machine having a housing configured to support the first communication interface; a second communication interface operable to communicate with a server of a gaming establishment credit system; a processor; and a memory device that stores a plurality of instructions that, when executed by the processor responsive to a receipt, via the first communication interface, of data associated with an occurrence of an event associated with the electronic gaming machine that requires operator intervention , cause the processor to: receive, via the second communication interface, data associated with any amount of any outstanding credit marker of an identified player at the electronic gaming machine, and responsive to an amount of an outstanding credit marker of the identified player at the electronic gaming machine, automatically and without deactivating a line of credit associated with the outstanding credit marker: cause, by a communication of data via the first communication interface, a reduction of an award amount associated with the event by the amount of outstanding credit marker associated with the identified player at the electronic gaming machine, and cause, based on the award amount associated with the event and by a communication of data via the second communication interface, at least part of the amount of the outstanding credit marker associated with the identified player at the electronic gaming machine to be transferred to the gaming establishment credit system. Claim 12 recites (the abstract idea is underlined) a method of operating a device, the method comprising: responsive to a receipt of data associated with an occurrence of a handpay lockup event associated with an electronic gaming machine: receiving data associated with any amount of any outstanding marker of a gaming establishment credit system associated with an identified player at the electronic gaming machine, and responsive to an amount of an outstanding marker of the gaming establishment credit system associated with the identified player at the electronic gaming machine, automatically and without deactivating a line of credit which the marker is drawn from: causing, by a processor via a communication of data, a reduction of an award amount associated with the handpay lockup event by the amount of outstanding marker, and causing, by a processor and based on the award amount associated with the handpay lockup event and via a communication of data, at least part of the amount of the outstanding marker to be transferred to an account maintained by the gaming establishment credit system. The present claims are directed to systems and methods to monitor for a line of credit settlement event and, responsive to an occurrence of such an event, pay off an amount of funds accessed from a gaming establishment credit system. The claimed limitations fall under the category of certain methods of organizing human activity. Specifically, the limitations fall into the sub-category of fundamental economic practices because it involves the transfer of money to pay off a marker using money received during plays of games on an electronic gaming machine. The limitations also fall into the sub-category of commercial or legal interactions because it involves business relations involving the repayment of outstanding markers in a credit system. Accordingly, the claim recites an abstract idea. Under prong 2 of Step 2A, the examiner considers whether additional elements integrate the abstract idea into a practical application. To do so, the examiner looks to the following exemplary considerations, looking at the elements individually and in combination: • an additional element reflects an improvement in the functioning of a computer, or an improvement to other technology or technical field; • an additional element that applies or uses a judicial exception to effect a particular treatment or prophylaxis for a disease or medical condition (not considered relevant to the present claims); • an additional element implements a judicial exception with, or uses a judicial exception in conjunction with, a particular machine or manufacture that is integral to the claim; • an additional element effects a transformation or reduction of a particular article to a different state or thing; and • an additional element applies or uses the judicial exception in some other meaningful way beyond generally linking the use of the judicial exception to a particular technological environment, such that the claim as a whole is more than a drafting effort designed to monopolize the exception. The additional elements in the present claims are a memory, a processor, a memory device, a display device, a mobile device, a server, a slot machine interface board, a first communication interface, a second communication interface, a master gaming controller, and a housing. The additional elements do no integrate the judicial exception into a practical application. In particular, the additional elements do not reflect an improvement in the functioning of a computer, or an improvement to other technology or technical field. The additional elements do not implement a judicial exception with, or uses a judicial exception in conjunction with, a particular machine or manufacture that is integral to the claim. The additional elements do not effect a transformation or reduction of a particular article to a different state or thing. The additional elements do not apply or use the judicial exception in some other meaningful way beyond generally linking the use of the judicial exception to a particular technological environment. Accordingly, the additional elements do not integrate the abstract idea into a practical application because they does not impose any meaningful limits on practicing the abstract idea. Under step 2B, the examiner evaluates whether the additional elements amount to significantly more than the judicial exception itself. The examiner considers if the additional elements: • add a specific limitation or combination of limitations that are not well-understood, routine, conventional activity in the field, which is indicative that an inventive concept may be present; or • simply appends well-understood, routine, conventional activities previously known to the industry, specified at a high level of generality, to the judicial exception, which is indicative that an inventive concept may not be present. Thus, the additional elements evaluated under Step 2A are re-evaluated in Step 2B to determine if they are more than what is well-understood, routine, conventional activity in the field. The present claims do not include additional elements that are sufficient to amount to significantly more than the judicial exception. The additional elements are well-understood, routine, or conventional, as shown: a memory, a processor, a memory device, a slot machine interface board, a display device, (Bradford et al., US 6,709,333 B1, game device 100 includes the normal and well known internals needed in order to have a functioning game, such as at least one central processor, associated memory, input/output interfaces, peripheral interfaces to the video display, control buttons and lever, monetary input devices, slot machine interface board (SMIB), together with the firmware and software needed to implement the full functionality of the game (these internals not shown) [C8:7-21]); a mobile device, a server (Qureshi et al., US 2011/0145063 A1, examples of well known computing systems, environments, and/or configurations that may be suitable for use with aspects of the invention include, but are not limited to, mobile computing devices, personal computers, server computers, hand-held or laptop devices, multiprocessor systems, gaming consoles, microprocessor-based systems, set top boxes, programmable consumer electronics, mobile telephones, network PCs, minicomputers, mainframe computers, distributed computing environments that include any of the above systems or devices, and the like [0046]); a slot machine interface board, a first communication interface, a second communication interface (Luciano, Jr., US 8,313,371 B1, a slot machine interface board (SMIB), a well-known game device part in the art; the SMIB, RGC (if any), and network are shown generally as connection 912; in addition to being the interface between the game device and a network, a SMIB will typically be able to read game data (game events, reel results, etc.) and user input/output (including plays and money input and won), which can then be sent over the serial connections to the RGC or floor controller [C13:42-67]); a master gaming controller (Yoseloff et al., US 20070298854 A1, a main game controller motherboard may include a central microprocessor and related components well-known in the industry as computers using Intel brand Pentium.RTM. microprocessors and related memory or intelligence from any other manufacturing source [0091]), and a housing (Smith, US 9,697,691 B2, a common denominator among these games is the use of a housing, a video monitor, processor, wager input system and a player input control system [C1:11-25]). Mere instructions to apply an exception using a generic computer component cannot provide an inventive concept. Thus, taking the claimed elements individually yields no difference from taking them in combination because each element simply performs its respective function as discussed above. The claims merely amount to an instruction to apply the abstract idea using generic, functional, and conventional components well-known in the art. Viewed as a whole, these additional claim elements do not provide meaningful limitations to transform the abstract idea into a patent eligible application of the abstract idea such that the claims amount to significantly more than the abstract idea itself. Therefore, claims 1-20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 101 as being directed to non-statutory subject matter. Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103 07-06 AIA 15-10-15 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. 07-20-aia AIA 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. 07-23-aia AIA 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. 07-20-02-aia AIA This application currently names joint inventors. In considering patentability of the claims the examiner presumes that the subject matter of the various claims was commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the claimed invention(s) absent any evidence to the contrary. Applicant is advised of the obligation under 37 CFR 1.56 to point out the inventor and effective filing dates of each claim that was not commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the later invention in order for the examiner to consider the applicability of 35 U.S.C. 102(b)(2)(C) for any potential 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) prior art against the later invention. 07-21-aia AIA Claim s 1-6, 8, 12-17, and 19 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Sammon et al., US 2008/0026816 A1 (hereinafter Sammon) in view of HARRIS et al., US 2015/0364003 A1 (hereinafter Harris) . Regarding Claim 1 : Sammon discloses a device comprising: a processor (Sammon, the GD 60 of FIG. 1B includes a processor 62, such as one or more Intel.RTM. Pentium.RTM. processors, or similar processors manufactured by other companies such as Advanced Micro Devices, Incorporated [0047]); and a memory device that stores a plurality of instructions that, when executed by the processor (Sammon, the processor 62 is in communication with a memory 80 and a communication port 64 (e.g., for communicating with one or more other devices, such as with a peripheral device); the memory 80 may comprise an appropriate combination of magnetic, optical and/or semiconductor memory, and may include, for example, Random Access Memory (RAM), Read-Only Memory (ROM), a compact disc and/or a hard disk; the memory 80 may comprise or include any type of computer-readable medium [0047]), cause the processor to: receive data associated with any amount of any outstanding marker of a gaming establishment credit system associated with an identified player at the electronic gaming machine (Sammon, the awards output device 68 may include a credit meter balance and a debt meter balance and/or a processor that manages the amount of electronic credits indicated on a display of both a credit meter balance and a debt meter balance. In such an embodiment the awards output device 68 may comprise a device for communicating with a server on which the financial account is maintained [0057]), and responsive to an amount of an outstanding marker of the gaming establishment credit system associated with the identified player at the electronic gaming machine, automatically and without deactivating a line of credit which the marker is drawn from (Sammon, the POS terminal may be configured to display and/or print out an agreement that, for example, specifies that she must play that type of GD and have her winning outcomes of $10 or more appropriated at a rate of 10% during her gaming sessions until a total of $100 is accumulated on (or subtracted from) a debt meter [0083]): cause, by a communication of data, a reduction of an award amount associated with the pay event by the amount of outstanding marker, and cause, based on the award amount associated with the pay event and by a communication of data, at least part of the amount of the outstanding marker to be transferred to an account maintained by the gaming establishment credit system (Sammon, a GD may be configured to have a plurality of display devices such as credit balance meters, debt meter balance meters, and/or gaming requirement meters (for example, see the GD shown in FIG. 1A); for example, as mentioned above, a GD may have a credit balance meter that displays a number of credits in the player's possession, and a debt meter that displays a number of credits owed by a player; as the player wins prizes and has a portion of his winnings appropriated, the number shown on the debt meter may decrease until it eventually hits zero, which may indicate that the player has completed his gaming requirement [0260]). Sammon fails to explicitly disclose responsive to a receipt of data associated with an occurrence of a handpay lockup event associated with an electronic gaming machine. Harris teaches responsive to a receipt of data associated with an occurrence of a handpay lockup event associated with an electronic gaming machine (Harris, for handpay events, if an award given by the additional game exceeds a predetermined handpay threshold, the additional game will lock for handpay and the credits will remain in process by the Transaction Manager until the handpay is cleared [0062]). Sammon discloses methods and apparatuses for providing a benefit to a player in return for the player agreeing to have a portion of at least one anticipated future winning outcome appropriated during play of a wagering game (Sammon [Abstract]). In an embodiment, the method includes providing an offer for a benefit to a player in exchange for entering into an agreement to appropriate a portion of at least one future winning outcome of a wagering game, and providing the benefit if the player accepts the agreement (Sammon [Abstract]). In some embodiments, the method may also include determining that a player of a wagering game entered into the agreement, and appropriating a portion of the value of at least one winning outcome in accordance with at least one condition of the agreement (Sammon [Abstract]). Harris teaches for handpay events, if an award given by the additional game exceeds a predetermined handpay threshold, the additional game will lock for handpay and the credits will remain in process by the Transaction Manager until the handpay is cleared (Harris [0062]). The primary game will continue to function normally while the additional game is locked for handpay (Harris [0062]). Credits in process by the Transaction Manager will not be added to the master balance while the primary game is locked for handpay, and these credits will remain in process by the Transaction Manager until the handpay is cleared (Harris [0062]). If a handpay on the additional game is reset to meter, a commonly known process, the handpay credits in process by the Transaction Manager for that transaction will be transferred to the master balance (Harris [0062]). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date to combine the method of providing a benefit to a player in return for the player agreeing to have a portion of at least one anticipated future winning outcome appropriated during play of a wagering game as disclosed by Sammon with the means of locking a game for a predetermined threshold as taught by Harris in order to ensure that the player pays off his debts. Regarding Claim 2 : Sammon further discloses wherein when executed by the processor, the instructions cause the processor to communicate data which results in a display device displaying at least one of the amount of the outstanding marker and the award amount associated with the handpay lockup event reduced by the amount of the outstanding marker (Sammon, a GD may be configured to have a plurality of display devices such as credit balance meters, debt meter balance meters, and/or gaming requirement meters (for example, see the GD shown in FIG. 1A); for example, as mentioned above, a GD may have a credit balance meter that displays a number of credits in the player's possession, and a debt meter that displays a number of credits owed by a player; as the player wins prizes and has a portion of his winnings appropriated, the number shown on the debt meter may decrease until it eventually hits zero, which may indicate that the player has completed his gaming requirement [0260]). Regarding Claim 3 : Sammon further discloses wherein the display device comprises at least one of a display device of the electronic gaming machine, and a display device of a mobile device (Sammon, "Debt Meter" display 442 may then be provided in display area 430 to remind him of the debt owed while he plays the GD [0172]). Regarding Claim 4 : Sammon further discloses wherein when executed by the processor, the instructions cause the processor to cause, by a communication of data, any remaining award amount associated with the handpay lockup event, after being reduced by the amount of the outstanding marker, to be added to a credit meter of the electronic gaming machine (Sammon, the player may have agreed to an appropriating scheme that takes the entire amount (i.e., 100%) of any prize won by a player until a predetermined total value is reached, after which time the player is entitled to all winning outcomes [0024]). Regarding Claim 5 : Sammon further discloses wherein when executed by the processor, the instructions cause the processor to cause, by a communication of data, any remaining award amount associated with the handpay lockup event, after being reduced by the amount of the outstanding marker (Sammon, the player may have agreed to an appropriating scheme that takes the entire amount (i.e., 100%) of any prize won by a player until a predetermined total value is reached, after which time the player is entitled to all winning outcomes [0024]), to be transferred to a gaming establishment account associated with the identified player and maintained by a server of a gaming establishment fund management system (Sammon, the awards output device 68 may include a credit meter balance and a debt meter balance and/or a processor that manages the amount of electronic credits indicated on a display of both a credit meter balance and a debt meter balance. In such an embodiment the awards output device 68 may comprise a device for communicating with a server on which the financial account is maintained [0057]). Regarding Claim 6 : Harris further teaches wherein the award amount associated with the handpay lockup event exceeds a maximum limit of a credit meter of the electronic gaming machine (Harris, if an award given by the additional game exceeds a predetermined handpay threshold, the additional game will lock for handpay and the credits will remain in process by the Transaction Manager until the handpay is cleared [0062]). Regarding Claim 8 : Sammon further discloses wherein the determination of the amount of the outstanding marker comprises a receipt of data from a server of a gaming establishment fund management system in communication with a server of the gaming establishment credit system (Sammon, it has been recognized that organizations, such as casinos, who have or are planning large-scale deployments of networked GDs may implement the idea of a single logical Electronic Game Server (GS) that transmits gaming computations and instructions by utilizing multiple physical Electronic Game Servers; requested functions may be handled by a GS or other device, that may be a component of a gaming system (such as a gaming network that includes one or more casino or gaming servers and one or more GDs), and then provided to the GD [0075]; the GS may also be configured to store and/or obtain data identifying the GD that is currently operating under an agreement, data identifying the player of the GD, data concerning the amount of credits available to the player and the amount of credits remaining of the debt owed by the player to the casino, data identifying all other communicating devices associated with that GD, data corresponding to the time and date, and/or any other types of data associated with the benefit that was received, and the agreement entered into, by the player [0095]). Regarding Claim 12 : Sammon discloses a method of operating a device, the method comprising: receiving data associated with any amount of any outstanding marker of a gaming establishment credit system associated with an identified player at the electronic gaming machine (Sammon, the awards output device 68 may include a credit meter balance and a debt meter balance and/or a processor that manages the amount of electronic credits indicated on a display of both a credit meter balance and a debt meter balance. In such an embodiment the awards output device 68 may comprise a device for communicating with a server on which the financial account is maintained [0057]), and responsive to an amount of an outstanding marker of the gaming establishment credit system associated with the identified player at the electronic gaming machine, automatically and without deactivating a line of credit which the marker is drawn from (Sammon, the POS terminal may be configured to display and/or print out an agreement that, for example, specifies that she must play that type of GD and have her winning outcomes of $10 or more appropriated at a rate of 10% during her gaming sessions until a total of $100 is accumulated on (or subtracted from) a debt meter [0083]): causing, by a processor via a communication of data, a reduction of an award amount associated with the pay event by the amount of outstanding marker, and causing, by a processor and based on the award amount associated with the pay event and via a communication of data, at least part of the amount of the outstanding marker to be transferred to an account maintained by the gaming establishment credit system (Sammon, a GD may be configured to have a plurality of display devices such as credit balance meters, debt meter balance meters, and/or gaming requirement meters (for example, see the GD shown in FIG. 1A); for example, as mentioned above, a GD may have a credit balance meter that displays a number of credits in the player's possession, and a debt meter that displays a number of credits owed by a player; as the player wins prizes and has a portion of his winnings appropriated, the number shown on the debt meter may decrease until it eventually hits zero, which may indicate that the player has completed his gaming requirement [0260]). Sammon fails to explicitly disclose responsive to a receipt of data associated with an occurrence of a handpay lockup event associated with an electronic gaming machine. Harris teaches responsive to a receipt of data associated with an occurrence of a handpay lockup event associated with an electronic gaming machine (Harris, for handpay events, if an award given by the additional game exceeds a predetermined handpay threshold, the additional game will lock for handpay and the credits will remain in process by the Transaction Manager until the handpay is cleared [0062]). As recited with respect to claim 1 , it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date to combine the method of providing a benefit to a player in return for the player agreeing to have a portion of at least one anticipated future winning outcome appropriated during play of a wagering game as disclosed by Sammon with the means of locking a game for a predetermined threshold as taught by Harris in order to ensure that the player pays off his debts. Regarding Claim 13 : Sammon further discloses displaying, by a display device, at least one of the amount of the outstanding marker and the award amount associated with the handpay lockup event reduced by the amount of the outstanding marker (Sammon, a GD may be configured to have a plurality of display devices such as credit balance meters, debt meter balance meters, and/or gaming requirement meters (for example, see the GD shown in FIG. 1A); for example, as mentioned above, a GD may have a credit balance meter that displays a number of credits in the player's possession, and a debt meter that displays a number of credits owed by a player; as the player wins prizes and has a portion of his winnings appropriated, the number shown on the debt meter may decrease until it eventually hits zero, which may indicate that the player has completed his gaming requirement [0260]). Regarding Claim 14 : Sammon further discloses wherein the display device comprises at least one of a display device of the electronic gaming machine, and a display device of a mobile device (Sammon, "Debt Meter" display 442 may then be provided in display area 430 to remind him of the debt owed while he plays the GD [0172]). Regarding Claim 15 : Sammon further discloses causing, by the processor and via a communication of data, any remaining award amount associated with the handpay lockup event, after being reduced by the amount of the outstanding marker, to be added to a credit meter of the electronic gaming machine (Sammon, the player may have agreed to an appropriating scheme that takes the entire amount (i.e., 100%) of any prize won by a player until a predetermined total value is reached, after which time the player is entitled to all winning outcomes [0024]). Regarding Claim 16 : Sammon further discloses causing, by the processor and via a communication of data, any remaining award amount associated with the handpay lockup event, after being reduced by the amount of the outstanding marker (Sammon, the player may have agreed to an appropriating scheme that takes the entire amount (i.e., 100%) of any prize won by a player until a predetermined total value is reached, after which time the player is entitled to all winning outcomes [0024]), to be transferred to a gaming establishment account associated with the identified player and maintained by a server of a gaming establishment fund management system (Sammon, the awards output device 68 may include a credit meter balance and a debt meter balance and/or a processor that manages the amount of electronic credits indicated on a display of both a credit meter balance and a debt meter balance. In such an embodiment the awards output device 68 may comprise a device for communicating with a server on which the financial account is maintained [0057]). Regarding Claim 17 : Harris further teaches wherein the award amount associated with the handpay lockup event exceeds a maximum limit of a credit meter of the electronic gaming machine (Harris, if an award given by the additional game exceeds a predetermined handpay threshold, the additional game will lock for handpay and the credits will remain in process by the Transaction Manager until the handpay is cleared [0062]). Regarding Claim 19 : Sammon further discloses wherein the determination of the amount of the outstanding marker comprises a receipt of data from a server of a gaming establishment fund management system in communication with a server of the gaming establishment credit system (Sammon, it has been recognized that organizations, such as casinos, who have or are planning large-scale deployments of networked GDs may implement the idea of a single logical Electronic Game Server (GS) that transmits gaming computations and instructions by utilizing multiple physical Electronic Game Servers; requested functions may be handled by a GS or other device, that may be a component of a gaming system (such as a gaming network that includes one or more casino or gaming servers and one or more GDs), and then provided to the GD [0075]; the GS may also be configured to store and/or obtain data identifying the GD that is currently operating under an agreement, data identifying the player of the GD, data concerning the amount of credits available to the player and the amount of credits remaining of the debt owed by the player to the casino, data identifying all other communicating devices associated with that GD, data corresponding to the time and date, and/or any other types of data associated with the benefit that was received, and the agreement entered into, by the player [0095]) . 07-21-aia AIA Claim s 7 and 18 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Sammon, in view of Harris, and further in view of Arezina et al., US 2009/0318220 A1 (hereinafter Arezina) . Regarding Claim 7 : Sammon, as modified, disclose the invention as recited above. Sammon, as modified, fails to explicitly disclose wherein when executed by the processor, the instructions cause the processor to cause, by a communication of data, the at least part of the amount of the outstanding marker to be transferred to a gaming establishment account associated with the identified player and maintained by a server of a gaming establishment fund management system prior to being transferred to the gaming establishment credit system. Sammon discloses methods and apparatuses for providing a benefit to a player in return for the player agreeing to have a portion of at least one anticipated future winning outcome appropriated during play of a wagering game (Sammon [Abstract]). In some embodiments, the manner and amount of a player's winning outcomes at a GD that are apportioned and/or appropriated to satisfy the debt associated with the benefit may proceed according to a particular appropriating scheme, and the conditions may be specified in an agreement made with the player (e.g., at the time the player agreed to receive the benefit) (Sammon [0024]). Sammon fails to explicitly disclose how credit is provided to a player. Arezina teaches a method of dynamically adjusting a player's line of credit associated with a wagering activity includes the acts of establishing a line of credit for a player and monitoring at least one factor associated with a player's wagering activity (Arezina [Abstract]). In accord with at least some aspects of the present concepts, in the event that a player wagering using the line of credit 355 obtains a winning outcome that exceeds the value of the credit accessed by the player, the player is advantageously informed, such as by a pop-up window on the display 14, 16, 114, 116 of the gaming machine 10, 110, that the player has now sufficient winnings to pay-off the line of credit 355 or sub-portion thereof (e.g., parsed lines of credit in folders 360) (Arezina [0070]). The player is provided the option of applying the winnings to pay-off the line of credit or to continue. In at least some embodiments, the player is not provided an option and the winnings, when equaling or exceeding the value of the credit accessed by the player, are automatically applied to the line of credit 355 (Arezina [0070]). Although the automated pay-off of the line of credit 355 or sub-portion thereof may be potentially bothersome in that a player who desires to continue to use the line of credit will have to actively access the line of credit again if he or she desired to continue to wager against the line of credit, such feature promotes responsible gaming and instills in the player a continuing awareness of the accessing of the line of credit (Arezina [0070]). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date to combine the method of providing a benefit to a player in return for the player agreeing to have a portion of at least one anticipated future winning outcome appropriated during play of a wagering game as disclosed by Sammon with the method of establishing a line of credit as taught by Arezina in order to allow players to continue playing when they do not have ready access to cash. Regarding Claim 18 : Sammon, as modified, disclose the invention as recited above. Sammon, as modified, fails to explicitly disclose causing, by the processor and via a communication of data, the at least part of the amount of the outstanding marker to be transferred to a gaming establishment account associated with the identified player and maintained by a server of a gaming establishment fund management system prior to being transferred to the gaming establishment credit system. Arezina teaches causing, by the processor and via a communication of data, the at least part of the amount of the outstanding marker to be transferred to a gaming establishment account associated with the identified player (Arezina, a player may be extended a line of credit 355 of $10,000 based on personal assets, income, collateral, credit history, and/or other variables; if the player then funds his or her wagering account with $2500 and then proceeds to win $5000 to obtain a total of $7500 in his or her WA 350, the player may be notified that their line of credit has been raised to $15,000; such notification could occur via a pop-up window on the gaming machine 10, 110 display 14, 114 or through an attendant of the gaming establishment; in at least some aspects, the player is permitted to decline an increase in the line of credit; it at least some other aspects, the player is required to acknowledge and accept the increase to his or her line of credit; if the player subsequently loses all $7500 in his or her wagering account, the player may then be informed that his or her line of credit 355 has been adjusted downwardly back to $10,000 [0074]) and maintained by a server of a gaming establishment fund management system prior to being transferred to the gaming establishment credit system (Arezina, the kiosk 310 and/or associated memory, server, or the like (e.g., external systems 50), is thus configured to access, locally or remotely, a secure memory comprising the player's personal wagering account (WA) 350 and the line of credit 355 [0049]). As recited above with respect to claim 8 , it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date to combine the method of providing a benefit to a player in return for the player agreeing to have a portion of at least one anticipated future winning outcome appropriated during play of a wagering game as disclosed by Sammon with the method of establishing a line of credit as taught by Arezina in order to allow players to continue playing when they do not have ready access to cash . 07-21-aia AIA Claim s 9-11 and 20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Sammon, in view of Harris, and further in view of Gowin et al., US 2010/0124983 A1 (hereinafter Gowin) . Regarding Claim 9 : Sammon, as modified, disclose the invention as recited above. Sammon, as modified, fails to explicitly disclose wherein the processor comprises a processor of a slot machine interface board comprising a first communication interface operable to serially communicate, in accordance with a slot accounting system protocol, with a master gaming controller of the electronic gaming machine having a housing configured to support the first communication interface and a second communication interface operable to communicate with a server of the gaming establishment credit system. Gowin teaches wherein the processor comprises a processor of a slot machine interface board comprising a first communication interface operable to serially communicate, in accordance with a slot accounting system protocol, with a master gaming controller of the electronic gaming machine having a housing configured to support the first communication interface and a second communication interface operable to communicate with a server of the gaming establishment credit system (Gowin, the SMIB 132 may comprise a microprocessor and memory, an interface 145a for communicating with the remote host 136 via the communication path 145, a microprocessor and memory, an interface 143a for communicating with the MGC 128 on the gaming machine via communication path 143 and one or more interfaces, such as 146a, for communicating with one or more peripheral devices [0043] and [Fig. 1]). Sammon discloses methods and apparatuses for providing a benefit to a player in return for the player agreeing to have a portion of at least one anticipated future winning outcome appropriated during play of a wagering game (Sammon [Abstract]). Sammon generally relates to methods for enticing players to play wagering games, for example, by using electronic Game Devices (GDs), such as slot machines, video poker machines and pachinko machines (Sammon [0002]). The GD may be implemented as a system controller, a dedicated hardware circuit, an appropriately programmed general-purpose computer, or any other equivalent electronic, mechanical or electro-mechanical device (Sammon [0046]). Gowin teaches a Slot Machine Interface Board (SMIB) coupled to each gaming machine (Gowin [0042]). A defined communication protocol that describes information that is to be communicated including its format may be utilized between the gaming machines, such as 100a, 100b and 100c, and the remote host via the SMIB. Examples of these protocols include but are not limited to a Slot Accounting System (SAS) protocol and SuperSAS protocol by IGT (Reno, Nev.) and SDS protocol by Bally Technologies (Las Vegas, Nev.) (Gowin [0042]). The SMIB 132 may comprise a microprocessor and memory, an interface 145a for communicating with the remote host 136 via the communication path 145, a microprocessor and memory, an interface 143a for communicating with the MGC 128 on the gaming machine via communication path 143 and one or more interfaces, such as 146a, for communicating with one or more peripheral devices, such as but not limited to the card reader 126, the display 124 and the mechanical key pad 122 (Gowin [0043]). Typically, the commands, instructions and/or that are allowed to be transferred between the SMIB 132 and the MGC 128 via communication path 143 are limited and well defined according to an implemented communication protocol (Gowin [0047]). For example, the MGC 128 may send metering data to SMIB 132 and the SMIB may send commands, such as bonusing commands or instructions and associated data for depositing credits from a remote account to the gaming machine 100a (Gowin [0047]). Examples of information, data or commands that may be sent by communication path 143 include but are not limited to 1) machine information, such as serial number, 2) jackpot notification, 3) money-in (also, called coin-in), 4) money out (also called coin-out), 5) jackpot information (e.g., jackpot awarded and possible hand pay), 6) credit information, such as credits to be transferred to or from the gaming machine, 7) paytable information, 8) bonusing information, 9) reconfiguration commands, 10) door, cabinet or machine status information (e.g., open door, power, or tilt condition) and 11) game initiation and wager amounts (Gowin [0048]). A communication protocol is used to define the information and its associated format that is allowed to be passed between the MGC 128 and SMIB 132 (Gowin [0048]). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date to replace the system controller as disclosed by Sammon with the SMIB as taught by Gowin since they appear to perform similar functions equally well. Regarding Claim 10 : Sammon discloses a device comprising: a processor (Sammon, the GD 60 of FIG. 1B includes a processor 62, such as one or more Intel.RTM. Pentium.RTM. processors, or similar processors manufactured by other companies such as Advanced Micro Devices, Incorporated [0047]); and a memory device that stores a plurality of instructions that, when executed by the processor (Sammon, the processor 62 is in communication with a memory 80 and a communication port 64 (e.g., for communicating with one or more other devices, such as with a peripheral device); the memory 80 may comprise an appropriate combination of magnetic, optical and/or semiconductor memory, and may include, for example, Random Access Memory (RAM), Read-Only Memory (ROM), a compact disc and/or a hard disk. The memory 80 may comprise or include any type of computer-readable medium [0047]) cause the processor to: receive, via the second communication interface, data associated with any amount of any outstanding credit marker of an identified player at the electronic gaming machine (Sammon, the awards output device 68 may include a credit meter balance and a debt meter balance and/or a processor that manages the amount of electronic credits indicated on a display of both a credit meter balance and a debt meter balance. In such an embodiment the awards output device 68 may comprise a device for communicating with a server on which the financial account is maintained [0057]), and responsive to an amount of an outstanding credit marker of the identified player at the electronic gaming machine, automatically and without deactivating a line of credit associated with the outstanding credit marker (Sammon, the POS terminal may be configured to display and/or print out an agreement that, for example, specifies that she must play that type of GD and have her winning outcomes of $10 or more appropriated at a rate of 10% during her gaming sessions until a total of $100 is accumulated on (or subtracted from) a debt meter [0083]): cause, by a communication of data via the first communication interface, a reduction of an award amount associated with the event by the amount of outstanding credit marker associated with the identified player at the electronic gaming machine, and cause, based on the award amount associated with the event and by a communication of data via the second communication interface, at least part of the amount of the outstanding credit marker associated with the identified player at the electronic gaming machine to be transferred to the gaming establishment credit system (Sammon, a GD may be configured to have a plurality of display devices such as credit balance meters, debt meter balance meters, and/or gaming requirement meters (for example, see the GD shown in FIG. 1A); for example, as mentioned above, a GD may have a credit balance meter that displays a number of credits in the player's possession, and a debt meter that displays a number of credits owed by a player; as the player wins prizes and has a portion of his winnings appropriated, the number shown on the debt meter may decrease until it eventually hits zero, which may indicate that the player has completed his gaming requirement [0260]). Sammon fails to explicitly disclose a slot machine interface board comprising: a first communication interface operable to serially communicate, in accordance with a slot accounting system protocol, with a master gaming controller of an electronic gaming machine having a housing configured to support the first communication interface; a second communication interface operable to communicate with a server of a gaming establishment credit system; responsive to a receipt, via the first communication interface, of data associated with an occurrence of an event associated with the electronic gaming machine that requires operator intervention. Gowin teaches a slot machine interface board comprising: a first communication interface operable to serially communicate, in accordance with a slot accounting system protocol, with a master gaming controller of an electronic gaming machine having a housing configured to support the first communication interface (Gowin, the SMIB 132 may comprise ... an interface 143a for communicating with the MGC 128 on the gaming machine via communication path 143 [0043] and [Fig. 1]); a second communication interface operable to communicate with a server of a gaming establishment credit system (Gowin, the SMIB 132 may comprise ... an interface 145a for communicating with the remote host 136 via the communication path 145 [0043]). As recited with respect to claim 9 , it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date to replace the system controller as disclosed by Sammon with the SMIB as taught by Gowin since they appear to perform similar functions equally well. Harris teaches responsive to a receipt, via the first communication interface, of data associated with an occurrence of an event associated with the electronic gaming machine that requires operator intervention (Harris, for handpay events, if an award given by the additional game exceeds a predetermined handpay threshold, the additional game will lock for handpay and the credits will remain in process by the Transaction Manager until the handpay is cleared [0062]). As recited with respect to claim 1 , it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date to combine the method of providing a benefit to a player in return for the player agreeing to have a portion of at least one anticipated future winning outcome appropriated during play of a wagering game as disclosed by Sammon with the means of locking a game for a predetermined threshold as taught by Harris in order to ensure that the player pays off his debts. Regarding Claim 11 : Sammon further discloses wherein when executed by the processor, the instructions cause the processor to cause, by a communication of data via the first communication interface, any remaining award amount associated with the event after being reduced by the amount of the outstanding credit marker to be added to a credit meter of the electronic gaming machine (Sammon, the player may have agreed to an appropriating scheme that takes the entire amount (i.e., 100%) of any prize won by a player until a predetermined total value is reached, after which time the player is entitled to all winning outcomes [0024]). Regarding Claim 20 : Sammon, as modified, disclose the invention as recited above. Sammon, as modified, fails to explicitly disclose wherein the processor comprises a processor of a slot machine interface board comprising a first communication interface operable to serially communicate, in accordance with a slot accounting system protocol, with a master gaming controller of the electronic gaming machine having a housing configured to support the first communication interface and a second communication interface operable to communicate with a server of the gaming establishment credit system. Gowin teaches wherein the processor comprises a processor of a slot machine interface board comprising a first communication interface operable to serially communicate, in accordance with a slot accounting system protocol, with a master gaming controller of the electronic gaming machine having a housing configured to support the first communication interface and a second communication interface operable to communicate with a server of the gaming establishment credit system (Gowin, the SMIB 132 may comprise a microprocessor and memory, an interface 145a for communicating with the remote host 136 via the communication path 145, a microprocessor and memory, an interface 143a for communicating with the MGC 128 on the gaming machine via communication path 143 and one or more interfaces, such as 146a, for communicating with one or more peripheral devices [0043] and [Fig. 1]). As recited with respect to claim 9 , it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date to replace the system controller as disclosed by Sammon with the SMIB as taught by Gowin since they appear to perform similar functions equally well. Conclusion Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to WERNER G GARNER whose telephone number is (571)270-7147. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 7:30-15:30 EST. Examiner interviews are available via telephone, in-person, and video conferencing using a USPTO supplied web-based collaboration tool. To schedule an interview, applicant is encouraged to use the USPTO Automated Interview Request (AIR) at http://www.uspto.gov/interviewpractice. If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, DAVID LEWIS can be reached at (571) 272-7673. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300. Information regarding the status of published or unpublished applications may be obtained from Patent Center. Unpublished application information in Patent Center is available to registered users. To file and manage patent submissions in Patent Center, visit: https://patentcenter.uspto.gov. Visit https://www.uspto.gov/patents/apply/patent-center for more information about Patent Center and https://www.uspto.gov/patents/docx for information about filing in DOCX format. For additional questions, contact the Electronic Business Center (EBC) at 866-217-9197 (toll-free). If you would like assistance from a USPTO Customer Service Representative, call 800-786-9199 (IN USA OR CANADA) or 571-272-1000. /WERNER G GARNER/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3715 Application/Control Number: 18/782,914 Page 2 Art Unit: 3715 Application/Control Number: 18/782,914 Page 3 Art Unit: 3715 Application/Control Number: 18/782,914 Page 4 Art Unit: 3715 Application/Control Number: 18/782,914 Page 5 Art Unit: 3715 Application/Control Number: 18/782,914 Page 6 Art Unit: 3715 Application/Control Number: 18/782,914 Page 7 Art Unit: 3715 Application/Control Number: 18/782,914 Page 8 Art Unit: 3715 Application/Control Number: 18/782,914 Page 9 Art Unit: 3715 Application/Control Number: 18/782,914 Page 10 Art Unit: 3715 Application/Control Number: 18/782,914 Page 11 Art Unit: 3715 Application/Control Number: 18/782,914 Page 12 Art Unit: 3715 Application/Control Number: 18/782,914 Page 13 Art Unit: 3715 Application/Control Number: 18/782,914 Page 14 Art Unit: 3715 Application/Control Number: 18/782,914 Page 15 Art Unit: 3715 Application/Control Number: 18/782,914 Page 16 Art Unit: 3715 Application/Control Number: 18/782,914 Page 17 Art Unit: 3715 Application/Control Number: 18/782,914 Page 19 Art Unit: 3715 Application/Control Number: 18/782,914 Page 20 Art Unit: 3715 Application/Control Number: 18/782,914 Page 21 Art Unit: 3715 Application/Control Number: 18/782,914 Page 22 Art Unit: 3715 Application/Control Number: 18/782,914 Page 23 Art Unit: 3715 Application/Control Number: 18/782,914 Page 24 Art Unit: 3715 Application/Control Number: 18/782,914 Page 25 Art Unit: 3715 Application/Control Number: 18/782,914 Page 26 Art Unit: 3715
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