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 .
The Applicant’s argument and amendment received on 08/26/2026 has been considered. It is noted that claims 1-5 and 7-15 have been amended. Claim 6 has been cancelled. New claims 16-18 have been added.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
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 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 1-5 and 7-18 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Vanbragt et al (US 2012/0015740) in view of Harp et al (US 9,415,304).
Regarding claims 1, 11, and 13-18: Vanbragt et al discloses a processing device for generating a group of users for a first user to complete a given task in a video game, completion requiring one or more in-game characteristics (see figure 2; paragraphs [0024], [0025], [0033], [0035], showing a multiuser game networking system 520b can be merged, connected, linked, associated with, or otherwise configured to access one or more online social networking systems 520a. When a multiuser online game is associated with an external social network, the game can be shared with other users in the social graph, some of whom may be within a player's social network. Via the game system, the social networking system, or both, a player can engage in a variety of online social interactions (aka "social links") related to the multiuser online game. For example, a first player can send invitations to join the game to friends in his social network), the processing device comprising: an identification unit configured to identify one or more requirements of the given task (see paragraph [0023], showing a player character can acquire certain in-game rewards only after satisfying an asset requirement 110. In one example embodiment, a player character can collect in-game assets during the course of game play (e.g., virtual currency) and trade a number of those assets for a reward. In this embodiment, the acquisition requirement consists of only an asset requirement, wherein the asset requirement is acquiring a certain number of in-game assets and exchanging those assets for the reward); a selection unit configured to select one or more other users from a plurality of other users, wherein a respective one of the other users is selected in dependence upon at least one of the requirements and one or more in-game characteristics associated with the respective other user (see figure 2; paragraph [0035], showing within the multiplayer online game, player A can invite friends from player A's social network to also play the game in step 130. Once player A accumulates a requisite number of a in-game assets and tallies the requisite number of successful invitations for new players from his social network to play the game, player A can exchange some amount or all of his accumulated in-game assets and get credit for the number of successfully invited friends, and thereby acquire some second-level reward in step 256. For example, if player A has acquired 100 gold coins and successfully invited two friends from his social network to play the game (or caused two friends who have already have player characters in the game to establish an in-game social connection or in-game contact relationship), player A can then be entitled to receive, in exchange for the 100 gold coins, a second-level reward); and a group generation unit configured to generate the group for the first user to complete the given task, the generated group comprising the first user and the one or more selected other users (see figure 2; paragraphs [0024], [0025], [0033], [0035], showing a multiuser game networking system 520b can be merged, connected, linked, associated with, or otherwise configured to access one or more online social networking systems 520a. When a multiuser online game is associated with an external social network, the game can be shared with other users in the social graph, some of whom may be within a player's social network. Via the game system, the social networking system, or both, a player can engage in a variety of online social interactions (aka "social links") related to the multiuser online game. For example, a first player can send invitations to join the game to friends in his social network).
In an analogous invention, Harp et al teaches the one or more requirements including a plurality of group requirements that correspond to a combined complement of in-gam characteristics associated with members of a group for the given task, wherein completion of the given task requires the combined complement of in-game characteristics (see claim 1 of Harp et al, showing wherein views of a first instance of the asynchronous online game are assembled by a first client from the view information; coordinate a group activity between individual users in the user group without using synchronous communication to and from the virtual environment server based on assigning tasks to each separate client computing platform's game instance; obtain activity criteria that define a group game activity for the user group, wherein: the activity criteria are obtained via the client computing platform configured to receive selection of the activity criteria from a given user; and the activity criteria includes a timing parameter specifying a predetermined time interval within which the game task by the individual users on their respective client computing platform must be finished for the individual performances to count toward accomplishment of the group game activity; update the user group's progress towards achieving the task based on periodically updating the virtual environment server with game progress from each separate client computing platform; evaluate performance of the group game activity by the user group, wherein evaluation of the performance of the group game activity includes separate evaluations of the separate performances and comparison of the separate performances with the activity criteria).
It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the invention was made to modify Vanbragt’s social gaming as taught by Harp et al’s user cooperation in a virtual environment for the purpose of providing a plurality of users the opportunity for a cooperation task completion activity. This yields the expected result of providing multiple player with a game where task as assigned to a group of users, where the task is completed by the group, thereby increasing the user’s enjoyment of the game play by having a group task activity.
Regarding claim 2: Vanbragt et al discloses in which a respective one of the other users is selected in response to at least one of their associated in-game characteristics complementing users already in or selected for the group of users (see figure 2; paragraph [0035], showing within the multiplayer online game, player A can invite friends from player A's social network to also play the game in step 130. Once player A accumulates a requisite number of a in-game assets and tallies the requisite number of successful invitations for new players from his social network to play the game, player A can exchange some amount or all of his accumulated in-game assets and get credit for the number of successfully invited friends, and thereby acquire some second-level reward in step 256. For example, if player A has acquired 100 gold coins and successfully invited two friends from his social network to play the game (or caused two friends who have already have player characters in the game to establish an in-game social connection or in-game contact relationship), player A can then be entitled to receive, in exchange for the 100 gold coins, a second-level reward).
Regarding claim 3: Vanbragt et al discloses wherein a respective one of the other users is selected in further dependence upon one or more user characteristics associated with the first user (see figure 2; paragraph [0035], showing within the multiplayer online game, player A can invite friends from player A's social network to also play the game in step 130. Once player A accumulates a requisite number of a in-game assets and tallies the requisite number of successful invitations for new players from his social network to play the game, player A can exchange some amount or all of his accumulated in-game assets and get credit for the number of successfully invited friends, and thereby acquire some second-level reward in step 256. For example, if player A has acquired 100 gold coins and successfully invited two friends from his social network to play the game (or caused two friends who have already have player characters in the game to establish an in-game social connection or in-game contact relationship), player A can then be entitled to receive, in exchange for the 100 gold coins, a second-level reward).
Regarding claim 4: Vanbragt et al discloses wherein the one or more requirements comprise one or more user specific requirements that correspond to the one or more in-game characteristics of a respective other user (see paragraph [0019], showing a player character can only acquire certain in-game rewards after satisfying certain requirements. These combined requirements are considered the "acquisition requirements" of the reward. An acquisition requirement can have various components, including an asset requirement, a game state requirement, and a social requirement, or any combination thereof).
Regarding claim 5: Vanbragt et al discloses the identification unit is configured to identify the one or more user specific requirements for the given task in dependence upon one or more in-game characteristics of respective users in one or more other groups that have completed the given task (see paragraphs [0013]. [0058], showing request may include information identifying the user, such as a user ID, as well as information identifying or characterizing the web browser or operating system running on the user's client computing device and specialty).
Regarding claim 6: Vanbragt et al discloses wherein the one or more requirements comprise one or more group requirements that correspond to the combined complement of in- game characteristics associated with members of a group for the given task (see paragraph [0019], showing a player character can only acquire certain in-game rewards after satisfying certain requirements. These combined requirements are considered the "acquisition requirements" of the reward. An acquisition requirement can have various components, including an asset requirement, a game state requirement, and a social requirement, or any combination thereof).
Regarding claim 7: Vanbragt et al discloses the identification unit is configured to identify the one or more group requirements in dependence upon the combined complement of in- game characteristics associated with members of one or more other groups that have completed the given task (see paragraphs [0013]. [0058], showing request may include information identifying the user, such as a user ID, as well as information identifying or characterizing the web browser or operating system running on the user's client computing device and specialty).
Regarding claim 8: Vanbragt et al discloses wherein a respective one of the other users is selected in further dependence upon whether the respective other user has already received a potential reward for completing the given task (see figure 2; paragraph [0035], showing within the multiplayer online game, player A can invite friends from player A's social network to also play the game in step 130. Once player A accumulates a requisite number of a in-game assets and tallies the requisite number of successful invitations for new players from his social network to play the game, player A can exchange some amount or all of his accumulated in-game assets and get credit for the number of successfully invited friends, and thereby acquire some second-level reward in step 256. For example, if player A has acquired 100 gold coins and successfully invited two friends from his social network to play the game (or caused two friends who have already have player characters in the game to establish an in-game social connection or in-game contact relationship), player A can then be entitled to receive, in exchange for the 100 gold coins, a second-level reward).
Regarding claim 9: Vanbragt et al discloses wherein the identification unit is further configured to identify the given task for the user in dependence upon the first user's past interaction with the video game and/or the first user's progression in the video game, wherein a respective one of the other users is selected in further dependence upon having previously been identified for the given task (see paragraphs [0013]. [0058], showing request may include information identifying the user, such as a user ID, as well as information identifying or characterizing the web browser or operating system running on the user's client computing device and specialty).
Regarding claim 10: Vanbragt et al discloses wherein the identification unit is configured to modify at least one of the requirements in response to a predetermined period of time passing, from a request to generate a group for the given task, without a group being generated by the group generation unit (see paragraphs [0013], [0037], [0043], [0058], showing the acquisition of a reward by player A can depend on the player's social network, in-game assets, character/experience level, character class/type, in-game abilities, amount of time spent playing the game, independent game clocks, attributes of other player characters, etc).
Regarding claim 12: Vanbragt et al discloses further comprising a scheduling unit configured to schedule a start time for the given task in dependence upon an availability of the first user and the one or more selected other users (see paragraphs [0013], [0037], [0043], [0058], showing the acquisition of a reward by player A can depend on the player's social network, in-game assets, character/experience level, character class/type, in-game abilities, amount of time spent playing the game, independent game clocks, attributes of other player characters, etc).
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments with respect to claims 1-5 and 7-18 have been considered but are moot because the new ground of rejection and combination of references does not rely on the rejection and combination of reference applied in the prior rejection of record for any teaching or matter specifically challenged in the argument.
Conclusion
Applicant's amendment necessitated the new ground(s) of rejection presented in this Office action. Accordingly, THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. See MPEP § 706.07(a). Applicant is reminded of the extension of time policy as set forth in 37 CFR 1.136(a).
A shortened statutory period for reply to this final action is set to expire THREE MONTHS from the mailing date of this action. In the event a first reply is filed within TWO MONTHS of the mailing date of this final action and the advisory action is not mailed until after the end of the THREE-MONTH shortened statutory period, then the shortened statutory period will expire on the date the advisory action is mailed, and any nonprovisional extension fee (37 CFR 1.17(a)) pursuant to 37 CFR 1.136(a) will be calculated from the mailing date of the advisory action. In no event, however, will the statutory period for reply expire later than SIX MONTHS from the mailing date of this final action.
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/ADETOKUNBO O TORIMIRO/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3715
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