DETAILED ACTION
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.
Claims 1-5 and 18-20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Jeffry, III US 2023/0345200, in view of Kornmann et al., US 2019/0022530.
In Reference to Claims 1, 19 and 20
Jeffry, III teaches a system, non-transitory computer-readable storage medium having embodied thereon a program executable by a processor (Fig. 3 and 9 and Par. 85-89) and a method for tracking multi-user engagement across real-world and digital environments, the method comprising storing information in memory regarding a plurality of user accounts associated with different users (Par. 64), wherein the information regarding each of the user accounts includes data regarding interactions within a digital environment (Par. 21 which teach storing game status from user interactions, and Par. 22 and 38, 41 which teaches a server facilitates game actions based on player proximity detections and where the server can further store player proximity detection messages in order to determine player proximity event which trigger game actions. See also Par. 64 “(7) data associated with player actions/input (e.g. current player locations, past player locations, player moves, player input, player queries, player communications, etc.)”), and wherein the interactions are associated with one or more peers of a respective user (Par. 38, 41 and 62 and 64 which teaches storing information regarding player input, interactions and communications including proximity messages. See Fig. 1 and Par. 3 which teach players on client devices interacting in the game where examiner considers these “peers”); identifying that the signal includes a unique code associated with an identified one of the user accounts (Par. 22 “In particular, the information identifies one or more players associated with the relevant client devices 120, such as a player username or ID or a device ID.”, as well as Par. 38 “In one example, the game server 110 receives broadcast messages from multiple client devices and uses timestamps of the broadcast messages and player identifiers provided in the broadcast messages to determine that the devices were in proximity to one another and transmit instructions to the respective client devices to initiate an action (e.g., an in-game item trade).”); determining that at least one of the peers of the user associated with the identified user account are also at the specified geographic location within an interval of the current point in time (Par. 29, 34 and 38 which teach a server making proximity determinations based on timestamped short range signals); and generating a notification that identifies the at least one peer determined to be at the specified geographic location, the notification generated to be displayed on a user device associated with the identified user account (Par. 50 “In some embodiments, the user interface module 230 provides user interfaces relevant to proximity detections of one or more other client device 120. For example, the user interface module 230 may display a notification indicating that another client device 120 was detected and information relevant to the detection, such as a player ID of a player associated with the detected device or a time when the detection occurred.” See also Par. 63 which teaches that the system can perform actions based on proximate players such as “friends” or on the same team or in-game organization).
Further, although Jeffry III teaches server based determination of player proximity and a database for storing player information and initiating location based actions as part of a location-based game (Par. 18-22), Jeffry, III does not explicitly teach wherein the information regarding each of the user accounts includes a unique code that is also embedded in a physical item or receiving a check-in signal over a communication network from a network device associated with a specified geographic location at a current point in time.
Kornmann et al. teaches a system in a location-based game which includes where a server receives and stores information regarding each of the user accounts includes a unique code that is also embedded in a physical item (Fig. 1 and Par. 48 which teaches a user client device for the game such as smartphone which receive a “one-time password” or “OTP” and Par. 49 “a representation of the OTP 170 (e.g., a 2D barcode) may be displayed by the client 120 and scanned by a scanner in the real world (e.g., in a store or check in booth at an event) to gain access to in-game content associated with the real-world location of the scanner.” Where examiner considers a bar code displayed on a user’s smartphone to be scanned by a scanner device to be a unique code embedded in a physical item.) and receiving a check-in signal over a communication network from a network device associated with a specified geographic location at a current point in time (Par. 48-49 as described above as well as, Fig. 8 Par. 106-110 which teaches a “check-in” process whereby a user device displays a 2d bar code which they have scanned at a particular real-world check in location to participate in specific event activities in game. See also Par. 4 “A parallel reality game can also include game features that encourage players to interact simultaneously in the real world and the virtual world, for example by coming together in a defined geographic area in the real world at a particular time and date, and while together in the real world interacting with each other as well in the virtual world.” Par. 111 and 117 which teaches an “access point” which examiner considers a network device and Par. 25 “Access-controlled game features can be included that are available only to players who meet certain criteria (e.g., ticket holders for a special event at specified location and time…”).
It would be desirable to modify the method, system, and medium of Jeffry, III to include special game events at a particular time and place as taught by Kornmann et al. in order to encourage players to gather and interact in the game while also increasing player enjoyment by providing virtual features in the same location as real-world objects and locations to increase the feeling of interconnectedness. And it would also be desirable to require a check-in for such events via a check-in signal from a physical device at a particular time and place to verify location as taught by Kornmann et al. in order to prevent “spoofing” or real-world presence at the location to participate in the event and thereby dilute the value or fairness of the combined virtual and real-world event (see Kornmann et al. Par. 7).
Therefore it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of filing of the invention to modify the method, system, and medium of Jeffry, III to include special game events at a particular time and place and to require a check-in for such events via a check-in signal from a physical device at a particular time and place to verify location as taught by Kornmann et al.
In Reference to Claim 2
Jeffry, III and Kornmann et al. teaches updating the stored information regarding the identified user account to reflect current presence at the specified geographic location associated with the network device (Kornmann et al. Par. 28 “Typically, the player's position in the real world is determined by finding the location of a client device 120 through which the player is interacting with the virtual world and assuming the player is at the same (or approximately the same) location.” And Par. 38 “current player positions, past player positions” See also Par. 111-113).
In Reference to Claim 3
Jeffry, III teaches generating a notification that identifies that the user associated with the identified user account is at the specified geographic location, the notification generated to be displayed on a user device associated with the at least one peer (Par. 50-51 which teaches displaying proximate players on a user device and generating signals to implement multi-player activities with the other user’s device via user interfaces and notifications on each device. E.g. an offer and acceptance of proximity based multiplayer activity).
In Reference to Claim 4
Jeffry, III teaches comprising receiving one or more interaction signals from one or more of the user device associated with the identified user account and a user device associated with the at least one peer indicating a real-world interaction (Par. 21-22, 41, 50-51, and 57 which teaches the server receiving interaction signals from users’ devices detected to be in proximity to implement multiplayer game activities).
In Reference to Claim 5
Jeffry, III teaches updating the stored information regarding the identified
user account to reflect the real-world interaction (Par. 21-22 and Par. 64 particularly “data associated with player actions/input (e.g. current player locations, past player locations, player moves, player input, player queries, player communications, etc.);”).
In Reference to Claim 18
Jeffry, III and Kornmann et al. teach where the network device associated with the specified geographic location is one or more of a scanning device, a mobile device, the user device of the user of the identified user account, and a user device of the at least one peer (Kornmann et al. Par. 49 “scanner”).
Claims 7-9 and 12-17 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Jeffry, III US 2023/0345200, Kornmann et al., US 2019/0022530, further in view of Wakeford et al., US 10,086,263.
In Reference to Claim 7
Jeffry, III and Kornmann et al. teach identifying that the real-world interaction corresponds to one or more digital rewards (Jeffry, III Par. 59 “providing a game item as a reward to the player, providing game experience to the player (e.g., leveling up a game character associated with the player)” And Kornmann et al. Par. 65 “reward”).
However, they do not explicitly teach where the interactions correspond to a progress level towards one or more digital rewards.
Wakeford et al. teaches an online game system where player interactions correspond to a progress level towards one or more digital rewards (Fig. 3 and Col. 11 lines 27-64).
It would be desirable to modify the method of Jeffry, III and Kornmann et al. to include tracking progress towards multiple different virtual awards based on user interactions as taught by Wakeford et al. in order to increase the enjoyment of the users by encouraging player to play and complete multiple tasks together in order to obtain the location-based game awards, as well as provide players with information of how you obtain and progress toward the various rewards to they can decide how to structure their play to obtain the rewards they are interested in.
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of filing of the invention to modify the method of Jeffry, III and Kornmann et al. to include tracking progress towards multiple different virtual awards based on user interactions as taught by Wakeford et al.
In Reference to Claim 8
Jeffry, III as modified by Kornmann et al. and Wakeford et al. teach
wherein the progress level is further based on the physical item associated with the unique code of the identified user account and a physical item associated with a unique code associated with the at least one peer (Jeffry, III Par. 59 and Kornmann et al. 65 which teach rewards. And Kornmann et al. which teaches real-world interaction based on a physical item associated with a unique code as described above in reference to Claim 1. Finally Wakeford et al. Fig. 3 and Col. 11 lines 27-64 which teach shared digital rewards between associated interacting players that complete indicated tasks).
In Reference to Claim 9
Jeffry, III as modified by Kornmann et al. and Wakeford et al. teach storing one or more rules specifying different progress levels required to earn one or more of the digital rewards, and updating the identified user account to include at least one of the digital rewards associated with the progress level corresponding to the real-world interaction (Wakeford et al. Fig. 3 and Col. 11 lines 27-64, see in particular Fig. 3. And Jeffry, III Par. 59 and Kornmann et al. 65 which teach providing rewards based on real-world interactions).
In Reference to Claim 12
Jeffry, III as modified by Kornmann et al. and Wakeford et al. teach where the at least one digital reward includes digital content configured to be presented within the digital environment in a next interactive session (Jeffry, III Par. 43 “, reward objects for completing the multiplayer activities” and Par. 59 “providing a game item as a reward to the player.” See also Kornmann et al. Par. 65 “The virtual reward can include a virtual item, virtual energy, virtual currency, power up, enhanced power, experience points, or any other suitable reward.”).
In Reference to Claim 13
Jeffry, III as modified by Kornmann et al. and Wakeford et al. teach where the digital content is part of a collection of digital content (Jeffry, III Par. 59 “a game item” and see Par. 62-63 which teaches trading of different game items. Examiner the in game items in a game with a plurality of tradable items where players possess some of them to constitute a “collection of digital content.”).
In Reference to Claim 14
Jeffry, III as modified by Kornmann et al. and Wakeford et al. teach where the stored information regarding the identified user account includes another part of the collection, and wherein the stored information regarding a user account of the at least one peer includes a different part of the collection (Jeffry, III Par. 62-63 which teach different items can be traded. See also Par. 64 “data associated with players of the location-based game, such as player profile or account data (e.g. player information, player experience level, player currency, player inventory, current player locations in the virtual world/real world, player energy level, player preferences, team information, etc.” where “player inventory” teaches storing information of each players obtained game items. Thus players can have inventories with different items which they can trade with each other).
In Reference to Claim 15
Jeffry, III as modified by Kornmann et al. and Wakeford et al. teach player inventories, game items rewards for shared activities and different items as described above. However, Jeffry, III as modified by Kornmann et al. and Wakeford et al. as described above does not explicitly teach where the reward for each player for completing the shard award is different.
Kornmann et al. teaches where the reward for each player for completing is different (Par. 121 where players with different OTPs receive different reward items).
It would be desirable to further modify the combination of Jeffry, III as modified by Kornmann et al. and Wakeford et al. to provide different reward items to different players as taught by Kornmann et al. to provide a more interesting and varied reward experience for players or to test which reward items generate the most player engagement.
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of filing of the invention to further modify the combination of Jeffry, III as modified by Kornmann et al. and Wakeford et al. to provide different reward items to different players as taught by Kornmann et al.
In Reference to Claim 16
Jeffry, III as modified by Kornmann et al. and Wakeford et al. teach wherein one or more other parts of the collection correspond to different digital rewards (See above with regard to Claim 15, particularly Kornmann et al. Par. 121 which teaches different game item rewards. As well as Jeffry, III Par. 62 which teaches trading items).
In Reference to Claim 17
Jeffry, III as modified by Kornmann et al. and Wakeford et al. teach wherein the other parts of the collection are associated with different user accounts of other peers, and further comprising one or more of the other parts based on one or more real-world interactions with the other peers (Par. 62 which teaches trading items including based on real-world interactions. See also Jeffry, III Par. 59 and 64 and Kornmann et al. Par. 65 and 121 which teach in game item rewards).
Claim 6 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Jeffry, III US 2023/0345200, Kornmann et al., US 2019/0022530, further in view of Muller, US 2012.
In Reference to Claim 6
Jeffry, III teaches wherein the interaction signals are received from a plurality of user devices of a plurality of peers of the user of the identified user account (Par. 64. See also Par. 59 and 63 which teaches friend requests and where multiplayer interactions can be based on classification as friends), However, Jeffry, III and Kornmann et al. does not explicitly teach the plurality of peers being further associated with a series of one or more upstream peers, and further comprising updating the identified user account to include the plurality of peers and the series of upstream peers.
Muller teaches an electronic game system which utilizes friends lists associate with a player account and further teach the plurality of peers being further associated with a series of one or more upstream peers, and further comprising updating the identified user account to include the plurality of peers and the series of upstream peers (Par. 175 which teaches a player account with association and information sharing based on “friends of friends.”).
It would be desirable to modify the method of Jeffry, III and Kornmann et al. to include updating association based on “friends of friends” in addition to “friends” as taught by Muller, in order to add more players to the list of players for whom proximity based multiplayer interaction would be desirable while still allowing players to limit such interactions to people with whom they have some kind of mutual association rather than the entire game population.
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of filing of the invention to modify the method of Jeffry, III and Kornmann et al. to include updating association based on “friends of friends” in addition to “friends” as taught by Muller.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 10-11 are 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.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. Harrington et al., US 2020/0206630 teaches where players progress towards game awards on the basis of game interactions together. Higgins et al., US 2020/0184776 teaches a gaming system where a code embedded on a player device is scanning by another device and is used to associate that player with another player for determining obtaining game rewards.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to CARL V LARSEN whose telephone number is (571)270-3219. The examiner can normally be reached Monday through Friday; 10:00 am - 6:30 pm.
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, Dmitry Suhol can be reached at (571) 272-4430. 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.
/CARL V LARSEN/Examiner, Art Unit 3715
Prosecution Insights