CTNF 18/928,291 CTNF 83395 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 § 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 a judicial exception (i.e., a law of nature, a natural phenomenon, or an abstract idea) without significantly more. The claims are directed to displaying game data (mental processes and organizing methods of human activity) involving: displaying a game interface corresponding to a turn-based game (presentation of game could be using pen and paper), the turn-based game comprising a plurality of rounds, each round comprising a plurality of stages, and the game interface comprising a stage progress bar (game rules included with notifications related to stages; note, a state progress bar can be a written graph, chart, diagram, or the like); displaying, in an ith stage of a game round, a first update animation of the stage progress bar in a first update direction based on stage progress of the ith stage, i being a positive integer, and i being less than a quantity of stages of the game round (game presentation using game rules included with additional notifications); and displaying, in an (i+1)th stage of the game round based on an update result of the stage progress bar in the ith stage, a second update animation of the stage progress bar in a second update direction based on stage progress of the (i+1)th stage, the first update direction and the second update direction being two opposite directions (game presentation using game rules included with additional notifications). Claims 1, 12, and 20 do not integrate the abstract ideas into a practical application. The claim does not improve the functioning of the computer itself or another technology; rather, it uses the computer components as tools to implement the abstract idea of displaying game data. No particular machine beyond generic components. Claim 12 recites “computer device”; Claim 20 recites “non-transitory computer-readable storage medium”; Claims 12 and 20 recites “processor”, “memory”, “program”; yet, these are generic computing elements. See MPEP 2106.05(b), (f). The additional elements (virtual game, terminal) are generally linking the use of a judicial exception to a particular technological environment or field of use and do not impose a meaningful limit on the abstract idea. Accordingly, the claim does not integrate the abstract idea into a practical application under MPEP § 2106.04(d). Considered individually and as an ordered combination, the claims do not recite an inventive concept (“significantly more”) beyond the abstract ideas. Generic computer components and environments (computer device, non-transitory computer-readable storage medium, processor, memory, program, virtual game) performing data receiving and sending are well-understood, routine, and conventional (WURC) activities in the field of computer gaming. Under Berkheimer v. HP, 881 F.3d 1360, absent evidence in the record that any claimed element or arrangement is not WURC, it is proper to treat generic processors, memories, programs, and data receiving/sending as conventional. The claims do not recite non-conventional computer functionality or architecture. No specific algorithm, data structure, or hardware improvement is claimed that would transform the abstract idea into patent-eligible subject matter. Therefore, claims 1-20 are ineligible under 35 U.S.C. § 101. The claims are directed to judicial exceptions—mental process and organizing methods of human activity —and do not integrate those exceptions into a practical application. The additional elements, viewed individually and in combination, amount to no more than the abstract idea of displaying game data, implemented on a generic computer, and therefore do not add “significantly more.” Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102 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. 07-07-aia AIA 07-07 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 – 07-08-aia AIA (a)(1) the claimed invention was patented, described in a printed publication, or in public use, on sale, or otherwise available to the public before the effective filing date of the claimed invention. 07-15 AIA Claim s 1-9 and 12-20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102( a)(1 ) as being anticipated by Legends of Runeterra video game as evidence provided by YouTube video, Legends of Runeterra Tutorial Playthrough, all 13 Tutorials! - YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7FJpy89btX4 to HawkTie . Claims 1, 12, and 20. Legends of Runeterra teaches (as required by claim 12) a computer device, comprising a processor and a memory, the memory having at least one program stored therein, and the at least one program being loaded and executed by the processor, to implement a method for displaying an interface for a virtual game, executed by a terminal, (as required by claim 20) A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium, having at least one program code stored therein, the program code being loaded and executed by a processor, to implement a method for displaying an interface for a virtual game, executed by a terminal (Legends of Runetera is a video game applied on computing devices using microprocessors, memory, software, display devices to present video game functionality in virtual environments) comprising: displaying a game interface corresponding to a turn-based virtual game, the turn-based virtual game comprising a plurality of rounds (see HawkTie at 6:46, 7:20, 8:13 “end round” button, 12:26), each round comprising a plurality of stages (see HawkTie at 6:58-7:00 different player turns), and the game interface comprising a stage progress bar (see HawkTie at 5:47-6:04, 7:13-7:15 nexus related to health points, 6:32 health points, 7:52-7:55 leveling up of card values, at 12:41 mana); displaying, in an ith stage of a game round, a first update animation of the stage progress bar in a first update direction based on stage progress of the ith stage, i being a positive integer, and i being less than a quantity of stages of the game round; and displaying, in an (i+1)th stage of the game round based on an update result of the stage progress bar in the ith stage, a second update animation of the stage progress bar in a second update direction based on stage progress of the (i+1)th stage, the first update direction and the second update direction being two opposite directions (see HawkTie at 5:47-6:04, 6:32, 7:13-7:15, 7:52-7:55, 12:41, the health points, card values, and mana all increase/decrease according to different circumstances and stages of the game, the increasing and decreasing of these associated values are directions). PNG media_image1.png 1028 1356 media_image1.png Greyscale PNG media_image2.png 1048 1346 media_image2.png Greyscale PNG media_image3.png 1028 1362 media_image3.png Greyscale PNG media_image4.png 1034 1356 media_image4.png Greyscale PNG media_image5.png 1028 1354 media_image5.png Greyscale PNG media_image6.png 1028 1364 media_image6.png Greyscale Claims 2 and 13. Legends of Runeterra teaches wherein the plurality of stages is divided into at least two stage groups, each stage group comprises at least two stages, and the at least two stages comprise a preparatory stage and an execution stage with an adjacent timing sequence (Legends of Runeterra has multiples phases of gameplay including planning and action stages); the displaying, in an ith stage of a game round, a first update animation of the stage progress bar in a first update direction based on stage progress of the ith stage comprises: displaying, based on stage progress of the preparatory stage, the first update animation of the stage progress bar in a growth direction of filling a progress bar element in the stage progress bar in the preparatory stage (accumulation, i.e., increase, in points related to health, power, mana); and the displaying, in an (i+1)th stage of the game round based on an update result of the stage progress bar in the ith stage, a second update animation of the stage progress bar in a second update direction based on stage progress of the (i+1)th stage comprises: displaying, based on stage progress of the execution stage, the second update animation of the stage progress bar in a direction of reducing the progress bar element in the stage progress bar by using a fill result of the stage progress bar in the preparatory stage as updates starting progress in the execution stage (reduction, i.e., decrease, in points related to health, power, mana). Claims 3 and 14. Legends of Runeterra teaches wherein the at least two stage groups comprise a first stage group and a second stage group; and the method further comprises: displaying, based on an updating process of a stage progress bar corresponding to the first stage group, an update animation corresponding to a stage progress bar in a first display form (showing an accumulation, i.e., increase, in points related to health, power, mana); and displaying, based on an updating process of a stage progress bar corresponding to the second stage group, an update animation corresponding to a stage progress bar in a second display form (showing an reduction, i.e., decrease, in points related to health, power, mana). Claims 4 and 15. Legends of Runeterra teaches wherein a virtual object selection area is displayed in the game interface, and the virtual object selection area comprises at least one candidate virtual object; and the method further comprises: displaying, based on a selection operation on a first virtual object in the virtual object selection area, a character image corresponding to the first virtual object at a position corresponding to current stage progress on the stage progress bar in an updating process of the stage progress bar corresponding to the game round (see HawkTie at 11:31-11:45 players pick and place game cards in specific places within game board). Claims 5 and 16. Legends of Runeterra teaches the displaying, based on a selection operation on a first virtual object in the virtual object selection area, a character image corresponding to the first virtual object at a position corresponding to current stage progress on the stage progress bar comprises: displaying, based on a game selection operation on the first virtual object, the character image corresponding to the first virtual object at the position corresponding to the current stage progress on the stage progress bar, the game selection operation being configured for indicating to select the first virtual object to participate in a game process of the virtual game; or displaying, based on a locking operation on the first virtual object, the character image corresponding to the first virtual object at the position corresponding to the current stage progress on the stage progress bar (see HawkTie at 11:31-11:45 players pick and place game cards in specific places within game board). Claims 6 and 17. Legends of Runeterra teaches wherein after the displaying, based on a selection operation on a first virtual object in the virtual object selection area, a character image corresponding to the first virtual object at a position corresponding to current stage progress on the stage progress bar, the method further comprises: adding, in response to receiving a removal operation on the first virtual object, a deletion mark to the character image of the first virtual object displayed in the current stage progress bar in the updating process of the stage progress bar corresponding to the game round; or receiving a removal operation on a second virtual object, and displaying a character image of the second virtual object at the position corresponding to the current stage progress, the character image of the second virtual object being attached with a deletion mark, and the second virtual object being a virtual object obtained before the game round (game cards are removed from game screen upon corresponding health points of the value card going to zero which occurs according to damage taken from attacks, removal of game cards include animation removal process; note, removal of game card includes removal of associated shown health and power). Claims 7 and 18. Legends of Runeterra teaches wherein the adding, in response to receiving a removal operation on the first virtual object, a deletion mark to the character image of the first virtual object displayed in the current stage progress bar comprises: displaying the character image in the current stage progress bar in a hidden manner in response to receiving the removal operation on the first virtual object; or deleting the character image in the current stage progress bar in response to receiving the removal operation on the first virtual object; or playing a transparency reduction animation corresponding to the character image in the current stage progress bar in response to receiving the removal operation on the first virtual object; or replacing the character image with a preset image in response to receiving the removal operation on the first virtual object (game cards are removed from the game screen, or associated animation is used to show the game state of the game card at a particular instance). Claims 8 and 19. Legends of Runeterra teaches wherein the displaying, based on a selection operation on a first virtual object in the virtual object selection area, a character image corresponding to the first virtual object at a position corresponding to current stage progress on the stage progress bar in an updating process of the stage progress bar corresponding to the game round comprises: displaying, based on a selection operation on the at least one candidate virtual object in the virtual object selection area, a character image corresponding to the at least one candidate virtual object on a stage progress bar corresponding to a current stage based on selection timing of the virtual object in the updating process of the stage progress bar corresponding to the game round (game values are affected according to card placement, character’s abilities, and opponent’s selections). Claim 9. Legends of Runeterra teaches wherein the stage progress bar comprises a stage pointer; and a moving process of the stage pointer in the stage progress bar is configured for indicating the updating process of the stage progress bar; and the displaying, based on a selection operation on a first virtual object in the virtual object selection area, a character image corresponding to the first virtual object at a position corresponding to current stage progress on the stage progress bar in an updating process of the stage progress bar corresponding to the game round comprises: displaying, in response to receiving the selection operation on the first virtual object, the updating process of the stage progress bar by using the character image of the first virtual object as the stage pointer in the updating process of the stage progress bar corresponding to the game round (see HawkTie at 7:51, 11:49, particular animations to game values are interpreted as stage pointers) . 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. 07-21-aia AIA Claim 10 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Legends of Runeterra video game as evidence provided by YouTube video, Legends of Runeterra Tutorial Playthrough, all 13 Tutorials! - YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7FJpy89btX4 to HawkTie in view of Thronebreaker video game as evidence provided by YouTube video, Thronebreaker: The Witcher Tales | 37-minute Gameplay Walkthrough - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fDoLRZoQXg8&t=2s to The Witcher . Claim 10. Legends of Runeterra fails to explicitly teach claim 10 limitations. Thronebreaker teaches displaying early warning information in the game interface in response to preset progress duration being left in stage progress corresponding to each stage in the game round, the early warning information being configured for indicating that the current stage is about to end (see The Witcher at 9:14, timer symbols in left hand corners top and bottom). The gameplay of Legends of Runterra would have motivation to use the teachings of Thronebreaker in order to limit the amount of time game players have during their respective turns, and providing visual notice to the game players of remaining time will assist in helping the game players management turns better. It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the gameplay of Legends of Runterra with the teachings of Thronebreaker in order to add visual time limits to the game play screen which would help the game players while at the same time add more suspense to game decisions because of the time limitation. PNG media_image7.png 1032 1360 media_image7.png Greyscale Conclusion Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to DAMON J PIERCE whose telephone number is (571)270-1997. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 8am-5pm. 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, Kang Hu can be reached at 571-270-1344. 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. /DAMON J PIERCE/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3715 Application/Control Number: 18/928,291 Page 2 Art Unit: 3715 Application/Control Number: 18/928,291 Page 3 Art Unit: 3715 Application/Control Number: 18/928,291 Page 4 Art Unit: 3715 Application/Control Number: 18/928,291 Page 6 Art Unit: 3715 Application/Control Number: 18/928,291 Page 7 Art Unit: 3715 Application/Control Number: 18/928,291 Page 8 Art Unit: 3715 Application/Control Number: 18/928,291 Page 9 Art Unit: 3715 Application/Control Number: 18/928,291 Page 10 Art Unit: 3715 Application/Control Number: 18/928,291 Page 11 Art Unit: 3715
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