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 .
Drawings
New corrected drawings in compliance with 37 CFR 1.121(d) are required in this application because figures 1- 8 are too dark and the details of the figures cannot be determined. Applicant is advised to employ the services of a competent patent draftsperson outside the Office, as the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office no longer prepares new drawings. The corrected drawings are required in reply to the Office action to avoid abandonment of the application. The requirement for corrected drawings will not be held in abeyance.
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 – 5, 7 – 11, 13 – 17, 19 and 20, is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Yokota et al (US 2006/0055109).
As per claim 1, Yokota discloses a roulette wheel system (roulette wheel; para. [0018]), comprising:
a stationary rim upon which a roulette ball is launched during a game cycle; (a frame 21 fixed to the support table 13; Figure 2; para. [0093]) (the banked passageway 29 is a passageway to guide the ball 11 rolling on the roulette wheel 12 against the centrifugal force thereof so as to roll the ball 11 in a circular orbit; Figure 3; para. [0097]);
a roulette wheel configured to rotate separate from the stationary rim, the stationary rim being positioned above and sloping downwards toward the roulette wheel; (a rotary disc 22 rotatably received and supported inside the frame 21; Figure 3; para. [0093]), (frame 21 is positioned above and slopes downward toward ball reception member 23, which is part of the rotary disc 22, as shown; Figure 4; para. [0093]);
a plurality of pockets configured to rotate with the roulette wheel, a pocket among the plurality of pockets configured to hold the roulette ball at an end of the game cycle; (reception portions 24 of ball reception members 23 are configured to hold the roulette ball after it has exited the track; Figure 3; para. [0094]);
an optical display system comprising a plurality of lighting elements configured to generate a lighting effect including gaming information (the bottom LEDs 571 and the side LEDs 573 changes their light emission color in accordance with the current state of progress of a game in the roulette gaming machine 501; Figure 36; para. [0321]) corresponding to each pocket among the plurality of pockets during the game cycle (each pocket comprises light emitters 532 and receivers 533; Figure 38; para. [0384]);
a lightguide including a base and a plurality of lightguide elements (rotary disc 522 can be considered a base for transparent portions 522A, these being lightguide elements; Figure 37; para. [0417]), the lightguide extending from the optical display system to a surface area (the transparent portions extend from LEDs 571 of the optical display system to roulette wheel 512; Figure 37; para. [0417]), each lightguide element among the plurality of lightguide elements positioned over a lighting element among the plurality of lighting elements (each transparent portion 522A is positioned over a lighting element 571; Figure 37; para. [0417]); and
a controller providing signal content to the optical display system, the signal content producing the lighting effect (the bottom LEDs 571 and the side LEDs 573 are connected to the main control CPU 580 through the LED drive circuit 585. The LED drive circuit 585 controls the bottom LEDs 571 and the side LEDs 573 based on a control command from the main control CPU 580; Figure 45; para. [0385]).
As per claim 2, Yokota discloses wherein the surface is one of a surface of the stationary rim, a surface of the roulette wheel, and a surface of the plurality of pockets (the illuminated surface is the roulette wheel 512; Figure 37; para. [0417]).
As per claim 3, Yokota discloses wherein the base is an opaque plate having a plurality of holes formed in the plate (rotary disc 522 can be considered a base for transparent portions 522A, these being lightguide elements positioned in holes in the base; Figure 37; para. [0417]), each hole among the plurality of holes corresponding to a lighting element (each transparent portion 522A is positioned over a lighting element 571; Figure 37; para. [0417]), each hole permitting light from the lighting element to pass through the hole without passing to an adjoining lighting element (each transparent member 522A transmits light from lighting element 571 to roulette wheel 512; Figure 37; paras. [0312]-[0313]).
As per claim 4, Yokota discloses the system of claim 3. Yokota further discloses wherein the plurality of lightguide elements is transparent and each lightguide element among the plurality of lightguide elements corresponds to a hole in the base (rotary disc 522 can be considered a base for transparent portions 522A, these being lightguide elements positioned in holes in the base; Figure 37; para. [0417]), wherein each lightguide element passes light from the corresponding hole to the surface (each transparent member 522A transmits light from lighting element 571 to roulette wheel 512; Figure 37; paras. [0312]-[0313]).
As per claim 5, Yokota further discloses wherein each lightguide element is positioned in the corresponding hole (rotary disc 522 can be considered a base for transparent portions 522A, these being lightguide elements positioned in holes in the base; Figure 37; para. [0417]).
As per claim 7, Yokota discloses, wherein the lighting effect communicates at least one of a position of the roulette ball, a number, a symbol, a color, a bonus, a winning outcome, and an animation. (lighting effect indicating color; para. [0321]).
As per claim 8, Yokota discloses wherein the optical display system is one of an array and a continuous circle. (an array of LED’s arranged in a circular pattern around the wheel and periphery; [0311]).
As per claim 9, Yokota discloses wherein the lighting effect communicates at least one of a position of the roulette ball, a number, a symbol, a color, a bonus, a winning outcome, and an animation (the bottom LEDs 571 and the side LEDs 573 changes their light emission color in accordance with the current state of progress of a game in the roulette gaming machine 501; Figure 36; para. [0321]). As per claim 10, Yokota discloses the system of claim 1. Yokota further discloses wherein the optical display system is one of an array and a continuous circle (the optical display system comprises an array of LEDs 571, 573; Figure 36; paras. [0311] and [0318]).
As per claim 10, Yokota discloses, wherein the lighting effect produces visible symbols along a perimeter of the plurality of pockets. (led lights illuminated symbols on the wheel and pockets; para 0311- 0321])
As per claim 11, Yokota discloses wherein the plurality of lighting elements comprises at least one of: an LED array, a projection device, and one or more liquid crystal displays (the optical display system comprises an array of LEDs 571, 573; Figure 36; paras. [0311] and [0318]).
As per claim 13, Yokota discloses a cone covering a central portion of the roulette wheel (rotary disc 522 comprises a central cone as shown; Figure 37; para. [0308]), and wherein the optical display system further produces, based on the signal content from the controller, gaming information on the cone (the bottom LEDs 571 and the side LEDs 573 changes their light emission color in accordance with the current state of progress of a game in the roulette gaming machine 501; Figure 36; para. [0321]; light from side LEDs 573 is transmitted through guide wall 530 and illuminates the roulette wheel 512, including the central cone; Figure 37; para. [0320]).
Independent claim(s) 13 is/are anticipated by Yokota based on the same analysis set forth for claim(s) 1, which are similar in claim scope.
Dependent claim(s) 14-17 and 19 is/are anticipated by Yokota based on the same analysis set forth for claim(s) 2-5 and 7, which are similar in claim scope.
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.
Claim(s) 6 and 18 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Yokota et al (US 2006/0055109) in view of “Watertight and flexible IP68 light guides” posted 6/22/2022 (hereinafter “Heynen”).
As per claim 6 , Yokota fails to disclose:
wherein each lightguide element is positioned over the corresponding hole.
However in a similar field of endeavor wherein LEDs are used to communicate lighting information, Heynen discloses the use of lightguide that are used placed over LED’s and position in a hole of an upper surface or housing. (Heynen page 1, par 1 -2).
It would be obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, at the time of filing, to modify a roulette wheel surface of Yokota to position lightguides therein to convey lighting information from a led display lighting source. This would be beneficial as Heynen discloses “These new IP68-compliant versions enhance their range of light guides that can be assembled in front panels and housing fronts. They can be used if the light guide cannot or should not be attached to the PCB. When the light guide is pressed into a suitable hole on the front panel, it can float contact-free above or in front of the integrated LED.” Heynen page 1, par 2)
Dependent claim(s) 18 is/are made obvious by the combination of Yokota and Heynen based on the same analysis set forth for claim(s) 6, which are similar in claim scope.
Claim(s) 12 and 20 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Yokota et al (US 20060055109) in view of Baerlocher et al (US 6,336,863)
As per claim 12, Yokota fails to disclose:
wherein the gaming information shows at least one of a pocket symbol, a winning amount, and a bonus value.
However, in a similar field of endeavor, wherein an indicator is displayed upon a central cone or hub of a wheel game, Baerlocher discloses a game that comprises a wheel that is used for random selections or outcomes such as an bonus value, wherein an indicator is displayed attached or connected to the central point of the wheel and the indicator may be a physical or simulated indicator by means of a video display. (Baerlocher 3:6-14)
It would be obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, at the time of filing, to modify Kotoka in view of Baerlocher to utilize a known technique to modify similar devices in the same way to utilize a display device that is able to display a bonus award upon a central cone or hub of the roulette wheel. This would be beneficial as it would enable a clear indicator to player what the final outcome of the game may be.
Dependent claim(s) 20 is/are made obvious by the combination of Yokota and Baerlocher based on the same analysis set forth for claim(s) 12, which are similar in claim scope.
Conclusion
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/RAW/Examiner, Art Unit 3715 5/30/2026
/KANG HU/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 3715
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