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 .
DETAILED ACTION
Priority
Applicant’s claim for the benefit of a prior-filed application under 35 U.S.C. 119(e) or under 35 U.S.C. 120, 121, or 365(c) is acknowledged. This application discloses and claims only subject matter disclosed in prior application no 13/865432, filed 4/18/13, prior application no 15/462632, filed 3/17/17, prior application no 15/981361, filed 5/16/18, prior application no 16/462934, filed 5/30/19, prior application no 16/932529, filed 7/17/20, prior application no 17/963885, filed 10/11/22, and names the inventor or at least one joint inventor named in the prior application. Accordingly, this application constitutes a continuation.
Double Patenting
The nonstatutory double patenting rejection is based on a judicially created doctrine grounded in public policy (a policy reflected in the statute) so as to prevent the unjustified or improper timewise extension of the “right to exclude” granted by a patent and to prevent possible harassment by multiple assignees. A nonstatutory obviousness-type double patenting rejection is appropriate where the conflicting claims are not identical, but at least one examined application claim is not patentably distinct from the reference claim(s) because the examined application claim is either anticipated by, or would have been obvious over, the reference claim(s). See, e.g., In re Berg, 140 F.3d 1428, 46 USPQ2d 1226 (Fed. Cir. 1998); In re Goodman, 11 F.3d 1046, 29 USPQ2d 2010 (Fed. Cir. 1993); In re Longi, 759 F.2d 887, 225 USPQ 645 (Fed. Cir. 1985); In re Van Ornum, 686 F.2d 937, 214 USPQ 761 (CCPA 1982); In re Vogel, 422 F.2d 438, 164 USPQ 619 (CCPA 1970); and In re Thorington, 418 F.2d 528, 163 USPQ 644 (CCPA 1969).
A timely filed terminal disclaimer in compliance with 37 CFR 1.321(c) or 1.321(d) may be used to overcome an actual or provisional rejection based on a nonstatutory double patenting ground provided the conflicting application or patent either is shown to be commonly owned with this application, or claims an invention made as a result of activities undertaken within the scope of a joint research agreement.
Effective January 1, 1994, a registered attorney or agent of record may sign a terminal disclaimer. A terminal disclaimer signed by the assignee must fully comply with 37 CFR 3.73(b).
Claims 1-20 are rejected on the ground of nonstatutory double patenting as being unpatentable over claims 1-18 of U.S. Patent No. 9626475, claims 1-20 of U.S. Patent No. 9978211, U.S. Patent No. 10319187 and U.S. Patent No. 12121817, claims 1-16 of U.S. Patent No. 10741022, claims 1-12 of U.S. Patent No. 11484798. Although the claims at issue are not identical, they are not patentably distinct from each other because claims 1-20 of the present application are merely broader in scope than of U.S. Patent No. 9626475, U.S. Patent No. 9978211, U.S. Patent No. 10319187, U.S. Patent No. 10741022, U.S. Patent No. 11484798 and U.S. Patent No. 12121817. Therefore, U.S. Patent No. 9626475, U.S. Patent No. 9978211, U.S. Patent No. 10319187, U.S. Patent No. 10741022, U.S. Patent No. 11484798 and U.S. Patent No. 12121817 “invention” meets the limitations of the instant application.
Instant Application
U.S. Patent No. 9626475
U.S. Patent No. 9978211
U.S. Patent No. 10319187
1. A system for facilitating temporary event-specific currency to users in an online game, wherein the users include a first user, the system comprising: one or more physical processors configured by machine-readable instructions to: execute an instance of the online game, and facilitate interaction between the users within the online game in response to user input received from the users through the client devices during gameplay; during a temporary event in the online game that has an event duration, award an event-specific virtual currency to the users based on performance during the temporary event, wherein the users can exchange the event-specific virtual currency during the temporary event for in-game benefits, and wherein the in-game benefits obtained by the users in exchange for the event-specific virtual currency persist in the online game after the temporary event; effectuate, during the temporary event, an exchange of a particular amount of the event-specific virtual currency by the first user for a particular in-game benefit, wherein the particular in-game benefit persists for the first user in the online game after the temporary event; and after the event duration of the temporary event, facilitate particular interaction of the first user in the online game, wherein the particular interaction involves the particular in-game benefit for the first user.
1. A system for facilitating event-based currency, the system comprising: one or more physical processors configured by machine-readable instructions to : execute an instance of a persistent game space in which an online game is played, and to transmit game state information obtained from the instance of the game space over a network to client devices associated with users to facilitate presentation of views of the game space to users on the client devices associated with the users, wherein the machine-readable instructions are further configured to facilitate interaction of the users with one or both of the game space or each other by performing operations in the instance of the game space in response to commands received from the users input into client devices; manage a first virtual currency available in the game space and usable by the users to purchase in-space benefits by storing information associated with the first virtual currency on electronic storage media; manage a predetermined event that occurs in the game space and is conducted during a predetermined event time period and concurrently with the interaction of the users with the game space, wherein the machine-readable instructions are further configured such that: during the event time period, an event virtual currency is distributed to one or more of the users in the game space as a reward for one or both of certain operations or achievements performed in the game space during the event time period, wherein such distribution to the one or more of the users includes monitoring the instance of the game space to identify performance of one or both of the certain operations or achievements performed in the game space and transmitting communications over the network to the one or more of the users that cause one or more of the client devices associated with the one or more of the users to present attribution of the event virtual currency to the one or more of the users, and after the event time period, the event virtual currency is deactivated such that the event virtual currency is not available to the users after the event time period, wherein deactivation of the event virtual currency includes transmitting communications over the network to the one or more of the client devices that cause the one or more of the client devices to present to the one or more of the users that the event virtual currency has been deactivated; and effectuate, for one or more of the users, exchanges of the event virtual currency for in-space benefits, wherein the in-space benefits obtained by the users in exchange for the event virtual currency persist in the game space after the event time period, and exchanging of the event virtual currency for in- space benefits includes updating information stored on electronic storage media and associated with the user having an indication of the amount of event virtual currency and an indication of one or more in-space benefits, and, wherein the machine-readable instructions are further configured to cause view information to be transmitted to client devices associated with users, such that views of the game space of the user are presented to users on display devices of the client devices, and facilitate interaction of the users with one or both of the game space or each other where such interaction includes the in- space benefits for the user.
1. A system for facilitating event-based currency to users in an online game, wherein the users are associated with client devices, wherein the users include a first user associated with a first client device, the system comprising: one or more physical processors configured by machine-readable instructions to: execute an instance of a game space in which the online game is played, and facilitate interaction of the users with the game space in response to user input received from the users through the client devices during gameplay; manage a first virtual currency in the game space, wherein the first virtual currency is exchangeable for in-space benefits; manage user accounts of the users, wherein the users accounts include inventories such that a first user account of the first user includes a first inventory, wherein the first inventory includes a first amount of the first virtual currency; manage a predetermined event in the game space, wherein the predetermined event has a predetermined event time period, wherein the predetermined event time period occurs concurrently with the interaction of the users with the game space, wherein the machine-readable instructions are further configured such that: during the predetermined event time period, an event-specific virtual currency is managed in the game space, wherein the event-specific virtual currency is exchangeable for in-space benefits during the predetermined event time period, wherein the in-space benefits obtained by the users in exchange for the event- specific virtual currency persist in the game space after the predetermined event time period, wherein, responsive to the first user obtaining a second amount of the event- specific virtual currency, the first inventory further includes the second amount of the event-specific virtual currency, and after the predetermined event time period, the event-specific virtual currency is deactivated such that the event-specific virtual currency is not available to the users, wherein deactivation of the event- specific virtual currency includes transmitting communications over a network to the client devices that cause the client devices to present to the users that the event- specific virtual currency has been deactivated; and effectuate, responsive to particular user input received from the first user through the first client device, and during the predetermined event time period, an exchange of a particular amount of event-specific virtual currency for a particular in- space benefit, wherein the first inventory is reduced by the particular amount of event- specific virtual currency, wherein the particular in-space benefit persists in the game space after the predetermined event time period, wherein the one or more physical processors are further configured by machine-readable instructions to cause view information to be transmitted to the client devices, such that views of the game space are presented to the users on display devices of the client devices, and to facilitate particular interaction of the users with the game space where interaction includes the particular in-space benefit for the first user.
1. A system for facilitating event-specific currency to users in an online game, wherein the users are associated with client devices, wherein the users include a first user associated with a first client device, the system comprising: one or more physical processors configured by machine-readable instructions to: execute an instance of a game space in which the online game is played, and facilitate interaction of the users with the game space in response to user input received from the users through the client devices during gameplay; manage a first virtual currency in the game space, wherein the first virtual currency is exchangeable for in-space benefits; manage user accounts of the users, wherein the user accounts include inventories such that a first user account of the first user includes a first inventory, wherein the first inventory includes a first amount of the first virtual currency; manage an event in the game space that occurs concurrently with the interaction of the users with the game space, wherein a duration of the event is temporary, wherein the machine-readable instructions are further configured such that: during the event, an event-specific virtual currency is managed in the game space, wherein the event-specific virtual currency is exchangeable for in- space benefits during the event, wherein the in-space benefits obtained by the users in exchange for the event-specific virtual currency persist in the game space after the event, and after the event, the event-specific virtual currency is deactivated such that the event-specific virtual currency is not available to the users, wherein deactivation of the event-specific virtual currency includes transmitting communications over a network to the client devices that cause the client devices to present information to the users that the event-specific virtual currency has been deactivated; effectuate, responsive to particular user input received from the first user through the first client device, and during the event, an exchange of a particular amount of event-specific virtual currency for a particular in-space benefit, wherein the first inventory is reduced by the particular amount of event-specific virtual currency, wherein the particular in-space benefit persists in the game space after the event; and facilitate particular interaction of the first user in the game space, wherein the particular interaction involves the particular in-space benefit for the first user.
U.S. Patent No. 10741022
U.S. Patent No. 11484798
U.S. Patent No. 12121817
1. A system for facilitating event-specific currency to users in an online game, wherein the users are associated with client devices, wherein the users include a first user, wherein the first user is associated with a first client device, the system comprising: one or more physical processors configured by machine-readable instructions to: execute an instance of a game space in which the online game is played, and facilitate interaction of the users with the game space in response to user input received from the users through the client devices during gameplay; manage a first virtual currency in the game space, wherein the first virtual currency is exchangeable for in-space benefits; manage user accounts of the users, wherein the user accounts include inventories such that a first user account of the first user includes a first inventory, wherein the first inventory includes a first amount of the first virtual currency; during an event in the game space that occurs concurrently with the interaction of the users with the game space, wherein a duration of the event is temporary, manage an event-specific virtual currency in the game space, wherein the event-specific virtual currency is exchangeable for in-space benefits during the event, wherein the in-space benefits obtained by the users in exchange for the event-specific virtual currency persist in the game space after the event; after the duration of the event, expire the event-specific virtual currency such that the event-specific virtual currency is not available to the users, wherein expiration of the event-specific virtual currency includes providing notifications to the client devices pertaining to the expiration of the event-specific virtual currency; effectuate, responsive to particular user input received from the first user through the first client device, and during the event, an exchange of a particular amount of event-specific virtual currency for a particular in-space benefit, wherein the first inventory is reduced by the particular amount of event-specific virtual currency, wherein the particular in-space benefit persists in the game space after the event; and facilitate particular interaction of the first user in the game space, wherein the particular interaction involves the particular in-space benefit for the first user.
1. A system for facilitating temporary event-specific currency to users in an online game during events, wherein the users are associated with client devices, wherein the users include a first user, wherein the first user is associated with a first client device, the system comprising: one or more physical processors configured by machine-readable instructions to: execute an instance of the online game, and facilitate interaction of the users within the online game in response to user input received from the users through the client devices during gameplay; transmit game state information obtained from the instance of the online game over the network to the client devices to facilitate presentation of views of the online game to the users on the client devices; manage a first virtual currency in the online game, wherein the first virtual currency is exchangeable for in-game benefits; manage user accounts of the users, wherein the user accounts include inventories such that a first user account of the first user includes a first inventory, wherein the first inventory includes a first amount of the first virtual currency; manage an event in the online game, wherein a duration of the event is temporary; during the event in the online game that occurs concurrently with the interaction of the users, manage an event-specific virtual currency the users can earn during the event, wherein the event-specific virtual currency is exchangeable for in- game benefits during the event and not after the duration of the event, wherein the in- game benefits obtained by the users in exchange for the event-specific virtual currency persist in the online game after the event, wherein the first inventory includes, during the event, a particular amount of the event-specific virtual currency; distribute, during the event, amounts of event-specific virtual currency to the users in the online game as a reward for one or both of certain operations performed by the users or achievements accomplished by the users in the online game, such that the particular amount of the event-specific virtual currency is distributed to the first user; effectuate, responsive to particular user input received from the first user through the first client device, and during the event, an exchange of some or all of the particular amount of event-specific virtual currency for a particular in-game benefit, wherein, due to the exchange, the first inventory is reduced by some or all of the particular amount of event-specific virtual currency, wherein the particular in-game benefit persists in the online game after the event; after the duration of the event, expire the event-specific virtual currency such that the event-specific virtual currency is not available to the users and no longer exchangeable for any in-game benefits, wherein expiration of the event-specific virtual currency includes providing notifications to the client devices pertaining to the expiration of the event-specific virtual currency; and facilitate particular interaction of the first user in the online game, wherein the particular interaction involves the particular in-game benefit for the first user after the event.
1. A system for facilitating temporary event-specific currency to users in an online game, wherein the users include a first user, the system comprising: one or more physical processors configured by machine-readable instructions to: execute an instance of the online game, and facilitate interaction of the users within the online game in response to user input received from the users through the client devices during gameplay; manage user accounts of the users, wherein the user accounts include inventories such that a first user account of the first user includes a first inventory, wherein the first inventory includes a first amount of a first virtual currency, wherein the first virtual currency is exchangeable for in-game benefits throughout the online game; during a temporary event in the online game that occurs concurrently with interaction between the users, award an event-specific virtual currency to the users based on performance during the temporary event, wherein the users can exchange the event-specific virtual currency during the temporary event for in-game benefits, wherein the event-specific virtual currency is not exchangeable for the in-game benefits after the duration of the temporary event, and wherein the in-game benefits obtained by the users in exchange for the event-specific virtual currency persist in the online game after the temporary event; effectuate, during the temporary event, an exchange of a particular amount of the event-specific virtual currency by the first user for a particular in-game benefit, wherein the particular in-game benefit persists for the first user in the online game after the temporary event; after the duration of the temporary event, expire the event-specific virtual currency such that the event-specific virtual currency is not available to the users and no longer exchangeable for any in-game benefits; and after the duration of the temporary event, facilitate particular interaction of the first user in the online game, wherein the particular interaction involves the particular in-game benefit for the first user.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 101
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.
In the instant application, claim(s) 1-20 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 101 because the claimed invention is directed to non-statutory subject matter.
Step 1:
Claim(s) 1-20 is/are drawn to at least one of the four statutory categories of invention (i.e. process, machine, manufacture, or composition).
Step 2A:
However, claim(s) 1-20 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 101 because the claimed invention is directed to an abstract idea without significantly more.
For instance, regarding independent claim(s) 1, 12,
Prong 1 analysis:
The limitations of “execute an instance of the online game, and facilitate interaction between the users within the online game in response to user input received from the users through the client devices during gameplay; during a temporary event in the online game that has an event duration, award an event-specific virtual currency to the users based on performance during the temporary event, wherein the users can exchange the event-specific virtual currency during the temporary event for in-game benefits, and wherein the in-game benefits obtained by the users in exchange for the event-specific virtual currency persist in the online game after the temporary event; effectuate, during the temporary event, an exchange of a particular amount of the event-specific virtual currency by the first user for a particular in-game benefit, wherein the particular in-game benefit persists for the first user in the online game after the temporary event; and after the event duration of the temporary event, facilitate particular interaction of the first user in the online game, wherein the particular interaction involves the particular in-game benefit for the first user”, are considered to fall within the certain methods of organizing human activity grouping (managing personal behavior, rules). The mere nominal recitation of generic computer elements does not take the claim out of the methods of organizing human activity grouping. Thus, the claim(s) recites an abstract idea.
Furthermore, dependent claims 2-11, 13-20 merely include limitations that either further define the abstract idea (and thus don’t make the abstract idea any less abstract) or amount to no more than generally linking the use of the abstract idea to a particular technological environment or field of use because they are merely incidental or token additions to the claims that do not alter or affect how the process steps are performed.
Prong 2 analysis:
The above-identified abstract idea is not integrated into a practical application under the 2019 PEG because the additional elements “a system comprising one or more physical processors configured by machine-readable instructions”, are generically recited computer elements that do not improve the functioning of a computer, or any other technology or technical field. Nor do these additional elements serve to apply the above-identified abstract idea with, or by use of, a particular machine, effect a transformation or apply or use the above-identified abstract idea in some other meaningful way beyond generally linking the use thereof to a particular technological environment, such that the claim as a whole is more than a drafting effort designed to monopolize the exception. Furthermore, the above-identified generically recited computer elements do not add a meaningful limitation to the abstract idea because they amount to simply implementing the abstract idea on a computer. For at least these reasons, the abstract idea identified above is not integrated into a practical application under the 2019 PEG.
Moreover, the above-identified abstract idea is not integrated into a practical application under the 2019 PEG because the claimed method and system merely implements the above-identified abstract idea using rules (e.g., computer instructions) executed by a computer. The claimed elements are recited at a high level of generality, and amounts to mere data gathering and data transmission, which is a form of insignificant extra-solution activity. Each of the additional limitations are no more than mere instructions to apply the exception using generic computer components. Accordingly, even in combination, these additional elements do not integrate the abstract idea into a practical application because they do not impose any meaningful limits on practicing the abstract idea. As such, the claim is directed to the abstract idea.
Step 2B:
As discussed with respect to Step 2A Prong Two, the additional elements in the claim amount to no more than mere instructions to apply the exception using generic computer components. The same analysis applies here in 2B, i.e., mere instructions to apply an exception using generic computer components cannot integrate a judicial exception into a practical application at Step 2A or provide an inventive concept in Step 2B.
Furthermore, in view of Berkheimer, the recited additional elements are considered as conventional activity. For instance, Luxton et al. (2012/0015715) teaches the recited additional elements (Fig 1, ¶¶0047-0055).
In addition, with regards to the present claims, the courts have recognized the computer functions as well‐understood, routine, and conventional activities when they are claimed in a merely generic manner (e.g., at a high level of generality) or as insignificant extra-solution activity.
For instance, regarding claims 1-20, each claim describes physical or software elements that provide a generic environment in which to carry out the abstract idea, which is similar to the conventional activity or as insignificant extra-solution activity of selecting information, based on types of information, for collection, analysis and display in EPG, gathering, receiving and transmitting data in Symantec, TLI, OIP Techs., buySAFE, and rules in In re Smith.
Therefore, claim(s) 1-20 is/are therefore not drawn to eligible subject matter as they are directed to an abstract idea without significantly more.
Conclusion
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/JASON T YEN/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3715
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