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 .
Double Patenting
2. 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 time wise extension of the “right to exclude” granted by a patent and to prevent possible harassment by multiple assignees. A nonstatutory double patenting rejection is appropriate where the claims at issue 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 reference 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. A terminal disclaimer must be signed in compliance with 37 CFR 1.321(b).
The USPTO internet Web site contains terminal disclaimer forms which may be used. Please visit http://www.uspto.gov/forms/. The filing date of the application will determine what form should be used. A web-based eTerminal Disclaimer may be filled out completely online using web-screens. An eTerminal Disclaimer that meets all requirements is auto-processed and approved immediately upon submission. For more information about eTerminal Disclaimers, refer to http://www.uspto.gov/patents/process/file/efs/guidance/eTD-info-I.jsp.
3. Claims 1-9 are rejected on the ground of nonstatutory double patenting as being unpatentable over claims 1-10 of U.S. Patent No. 10,032,335. Although the claims at issue are not identical, they are not patentably distinct from each other because they both describe the same management system for a casino having gaming tables where players play games using gaming chips, the gaming chips respectively including RFID tags, the management system comprising: a bet chip determination device configured to determine the position, the type, and the number of gaming chips bet on each of the gaming tables by the players in the games; a game result determination device configured to determine a win-loss result of each of the games at each of the gaming tables; a chip tray determination device provided in a chip tray which is provided at each of the gaming tables and including at least one antennas configured to read RFID tags of the gaming chips in the chip tray and a determination device configured to determine a total amount of gaming chips in the chip tray by using the at least one antennas to read the RFID tags; and a control device configured to manage game performance of the games by using a determination result of the bet chip determination device, a determination result of the game result determination device, and a determination result of the chip tray determination device, wherein the bet chip determination device includes: (a) a camera configured to generate an image or a video by capturing the gaming chips bet on the gaming tables and a determination device configured to determine the position, the type, and the number of the gaming chips bet on the gaming tables by the players by analyzing the image or the video generated by the camera using artificial intelligence or deep learning technology; or (b) antennas respectively disposed at multiple positions of each of the gaming tables and configured to read RFID tags of the gaming chips bet on each of the gaming tables and a determination device configured to determine the position, the type, and the number of the gaming chips bet on the gaming tables by the players by using the antennas to read the RFID tags, and the control device is configured to: determine the game performance including winnings, losses, and win-loss amounts of each of the players based on the position, the type, and the number of the gaming chips bet on the gaming tables by the players in the games which are determined by the bet chip determination device and the win-loss result determined by the game result determination device; and analyze history of the game performance using artificial intelligence or deep learning structure (see claim 1 of US Patent No. 10,032,335).
4. Claims 1-10 of U.S. Patent No. 10,032,335, discloses every element and limitation of Claims 1-9 of the present patent application. The difference however is that the present application’s claims have fewer elements than the US Patent, and hence appears to be broader in scope and is therefore an obvious variant thereof of U.S. Patent No. 10,032,335.
This is an obviousness-type double patenting rejection.
5. Claims 1-9 are rejected on the ground of nonstatutory double patenting as being unpatentable over claims 1-7 of U.S. Patent No. 10,593,154. Although the claims at issue are not identical, they are not patentably distinct from each other because they both describe the same management system for a casino having gaming tables where players play games using gaming chips, the gaming chips respectively including RFID tags, the management system comprising: a bet chip determination device configured to determine the position, the type, and the number of gaming chips bet on each of the gaming tables by the players in the games; a game result determination device configured to determine a win-loss result of each of the games at each of the gaming tables; a chip tray determination device provided in a chip tray which is provided at each of the gaming tables and including at least one antennas configured to read RFID tags of the gaming chips in the chip tray and a determination device configured to determine a total amount of gaming chips in the chip tray by using the at least one antennas to read the RFID tags; and a control device configured to manage game performance of the games by using a determination result of the bet chip determination device, a determination result of the game result determination device, and a determination result of the chip tray determination device, wherein the bet chip determination device includes: (a) a camera configured to generate an image or a video by capturing the gaming chips bet on the gaming tables and a determination device configured to determine the position, the type, and the number of the gaming chips bet on the gaming tables by the players by analyzing the image or the video generated by the camera using artificial intelligence or deep learning technology; or (b) antennas respectively disposed at multiple positions of each of the gaming tables and configured to read RFID tags of the gaming chips bet on each of the gaming tables and a determination device configured to determine the position, the type, and the number of the gaming chips bet on the gaming tables by the players by using the antennas to read the RFID tags, and the control device is configured to: determine the game performance including winnings, losses, and win-loss amounts of each of the players based on the position, the type, and the number of the gaming chips bet on the gaming tables by the players in the games which are determined by the bet chip determination device and the win-loss result determined by the game result determination device; and analyze history of the game performance using artificial intelligence or deep learning structure (see claim 1 of US Patent No. 10,593,154).
6. Claims 1-7 of U.S. Patent No. 10,593,154, discloses every element and limitation of Claims 1-9 of the present patent application. The difference however is that the present application’s claims have fewer elements than the US Patent, and hence appears to be broader in scope and is therefore an obvious variant thereof of U.S. Patent No. 10,593,154.
This is an obviousness-type double patenting rejection.
7. Claims 1-9 are rejected on the ground of nonstatutory double patenting as being unpatentable over claims 1-10 of U.S. Patent No. 10,748,378. Although the claims at issue are not identical, they are not patentably distinct from each other because they both describe the same management system for a casino having gaming tables where players play games using gaming chips, the gaming chips respectively including RFID tags, the management system comprising: a bet chip determination device configured to determine the position, the type, and the number of gaming chips bet on each of the gaming tables by the players in the games; a game result determination device configured to determine a win-loss result of each of the games at each of the gaming tables; a chip tray determination device provided in a chip tray which is provided at each of the gaming tables and including at least one antennas configured to read RFID tags of the gaming chips in the chip tray and a determination device configured to determine a total amount of gaming chips in the chip tray by using the at least one antennas to read the RFID tags; and a control device configured to manage game performance of the games by using a determination result of the bet chip determination device, a determination result of the game result determination device, and a determination result of the chip tray determination device, wherein the bet chip determination device includes: (a) a camera configured to generate an image or a video by capturing the gaming chips bet on the gaming tables and a determination device configured to determine the position, the type, and the number of the gaming chips bet on the gaming tables by the players by analyzing the image or the video generated by the camera using artificial intelligence or deep learning technology; or (b) antennas respectively disposed at multiple positions of each of the gaming tables and configured to read RFID tags of the gaming chips bet on each of the gaming tables and a determination device configured to determine the position, the type, and the number of the gaming chips bet on the gaming tables by the players by using the antennas to read the RFID tags, and the control device is configured to: determine the game performance including winnings, losses, and win-loss amounts of each of the players based on the position, the type, and the number of the gaming chips bet on the gaming tables by the players in the games which are determined by the bet chip determination device and the win-loss result determined by the game result determination device; and analyze history of the game performance using artificial intelligence or deep learning structure (see claim 1 of US Patent No. 10,748,378).
8. Claims 1-10 of U.S. Patent No. 10,748,378, discloses every element and limitation of Claims 1-9 of the present patent application. The difference however is that the present application’s claims have fewer elements than the US Patent, and hence appears to be broader in scope and is therefore an obvious variant thereof of U.S. Patent No. 10,748,378.
This is an obviousness-type double patenting rejection.
9. Claims 1-9 are rejected on the ground of nonstatutory double patenting as being unpatentable over claims 1-9 of U.S. Patent No. 11,393,284. Although the claims at issue are not identical, they are not patentably distinct from each other because they both describe the same management system for a casino having gaming tables where players play games using gaming chips, the gaming chips respectively including RFID tags, the management system comprising: a bet chip determination device configured to determine the position, the type, and the number of gaming chips bet on each of the gaming tables by the players in the games; a game result determination device configured to determine a win-loss result of each of the games at each of the gaming tables; a chip tray determination device provided in a chip tray which is provided at each of the gaming tables and including at least one antennas configured to read RFID tags of the gaming chips in the chip tray and a determination device configured to determine a total amount of gaming chips in the chip tray by using the at least one antennas to read the RFID tags; and a control device configured to manage game performance of the games by using a determination result of the bet chip determination device, a determination result of the game result determination device, and a determination result of the chip tray determination device, wherein the bet chip determination device includes: (a) a camera configured to generate an image or a video by capturing the gaming chips bet on the gaming tables and a determination device configured to determine the position, the type, and the number of the gaming chips bet on the gaming tables by the players by analyzing the image or the video generated by the camera using artificial intelligence or deep learning technology; or (b) antennas respectively disposed at multiple positions of each of the gaming tables and configured to read RFID tags of the gaming chips bet on each of the gaming tables and a determination device configured to determine the position, the type, and the number of the gaming chips bet on the gaming tables by the players by using the antennas to read the RFID tags, and the control device is configured to: determine the game performance including winnings, losses, and win-loss amounts of each of the players based on the position, the type, and the number of the gaming chips bet on the gaming tables by the players in the games which are determined by the bet chip determination device and the win-loss result determined by the game result determination device; and analyze history of the game performance using artificial intelligence or deep learning structure (see claim 1 of US Patent No. 11,393,284).
10. Claims 1-9 of U.S. Patent No. 11,393,284, discloses every element and limitation of Claims 1-9 of the present patent application. The difference however is that the present application’s claims have fewer elements than the US Patent, and hence appears to be broader in scope and is therefore an obvious variant thereof of U.S. Patent No. 11,393,284.
This is an obviousness-type double patenting rejection.
Conclusion
11. Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to ADETOKUNBO OLUSEGUN TORIMIRO whose telephone number is (571)270-1345. The examiner can normally be reached Mon-Fri (8am - 4pm).
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/ADETOKUNBO O TORIMIRO/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3715
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