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 .
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.
Claims 1-20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 101 because the claimed invention is directed to an abstract idea without significantly more. Claim 1 recites a method for displaying relationship-based relationship indicators in a gaming interface. The limitation of displaying a team interface including a plurality of player positions; displaying player avatars at the plurality of player positions, as drafted, is a process that, under its broadest reasonable interpretation, covers performance of the limitation in the mind but for the recitation of generic computer components. That is, other than reciting “interface,” nothing in the claim element precludes the step from practically being performed in the mind. For example, but for the “interface” language, “displaying” in the context of this claim encompasses the user mentally visualizing a team of players. The same interpretation is applied to the remaining steps in claim 1. If a claim limitation, under its broadest reasonable interpretation, covers performance of the limitation in the mind but for the recitation of generic computer components, then it falls within the “Mental Processes” grouping of abstract ideas. Accordingly, the claim recites an abstract idea. This judicial exception is not integrated into a practical application. In particular, the claim only recites one additional element – interface. The interface is recited at a high-level of generality (i.e., as a generic processor implementing a step) such that it amounts no more than mere instructions to apply the exception using a generic computer component. Accordingly, this additional element does not integrate the abstract idea into a practical application because it does not impose any meaningful limits on practicing the abstract idea. The claim is directed to an abstract idea. The claim does not include additional elements that are sufficient to amount to significantly more than the judicial exception. As discussed above with respect to integration of the abstract idea into a practical application, the additional element of using interface amounts to no more than mere instructions to apply the exception using a generic computer component. Mere instructions to apply an exception using a generic computer component cannot provide an inventive concept. The claim is not patent eligible. Similar reasoning is applied to claims 2-20.
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)(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.
Claim(s) 1-20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by US Publication No. 2021/0352029 A1 to Lo et al. (hereinafter “Lo”).
Concerning claim 1, Lo discloses a method for displaying relationship-based relationship indicators in a gaming interface (paragraphs [0143]), the method comprising:
displaying a team interface including a plurality of player positions; displaying player avatars at the plurality of player positions, each player avatar corresponding to a respective team member of a plurality of team members (Figs. 17-19, paragraphs [0143]-[0145], [0167] – players are shown in different positions and correspond to teammates); and
when a relationship is detected between at least two team members of the plurality of team members, displaying relationship indicators at the plurality of player positions corresponding to the at least two team members (Figs. 17-19, paragraphs [0143]-[0145], [0167] – when a teammate is a friend, and indicator is shown, additional indicators include status indicators),
wherein the relationship indicators indicate the relationship detected between the at least two team members (Figs. 17-19, paragraphs [0143]-[0145], [0167] – when a teammate is a friend, and indicator is shown, additional indicators include status indicators).
Concerning claims 2 and 15, Lo discloses wherein the displaying the relationship indicators comprises one of: replacing the player avatars with the relationship indicators at the plurality of player positions corresponding to the at least two team members; or overlaying the relationship indicators on top of the player avatars at the plurality of player positions corresponding to the at least two team members (Figs. 17-19, paragraphs [0143]-[0145], [0167] – indicators are overlayed and show teammate and friends and both).
Concerning claims 3 and 16, Lo discloses wherein the relationship is selected from a plurality of relationship types, and each relationship type of the plurality of relationship types corresponds to a distinct relationship indicator (Figs. 17-19, paragraphs [0023], [0055], [0143]-[0145], [0158], [0167] – indicators include friend, best friend, teammate, family, social and/or professional relationships).
Concerning claims 4 and 17, Lo discloses wherein the relationship indicators comprise at least one of: a heart indicating a romantic relationship; bunny ears indicating a sisterhood relationship; a profile of a virtual object indicating a brotherhood relationship; an arm-wrestling graphic indicating a close friendship; a dual warrior graphic indicating a former teammate relationship; a book indicating an alumni relationship; or a briefcase indicating a colleague relationship (Figs. 17-19, paragraphs [0023], [0055], [0125], [0126], [0129], [0143]-[0145], [0158], [0167] – indicators include various relationships).
Concerning claims 5 and 18, Lo discloses further comprising: displaying the relationship indicators for a display duration; after the display duration reaches a duration threshold, cancelling the display of the relationship indicators; and displaying the player avatars, wherein the duration threshold is based on a relationship level between the at least two team members (Figs. 17-19, paragraphs [0023], [0055], [0125], [0126], [0129], [0143]-[0145], [0158], [0167] – duration threshold is based on relationship).
Concerning claims 6 and 19, Lo discloses wherein the displaying the relationship indicators comprises: when a first team member of the plurality of team members has multiple relationships, displaying the relationship indicator corresponding to a highest priority relationship of the multiple relationships at the plurality of player positions of both the first team member and a second team member of the plurality of team members sharing the highest priority relationship (Figs. 17-19, paragraphs [0023], [0055], [0125], [0126], [0129], [0143]-[0145], [0158], [0167] – priority relationships are shown).
Concerning claim 7, Lo discloses wherein the displaying the relationship indicators comprises: when a first team member has multiple relationships, simultaneously displaying multiple relationship indicators at the plurality of player positions of the first team member while displaying corresponding single relationship indicators at the plurality of player positions of the plurality of team members sharing respective relationships of the multiple relationships with the first team member (Figs. 17-19, paragraphs [0023], [0055], [0125], [0126], [0129], [0143]-[0145], [0158], [0167] – multiple relationship indicators are shown).
Concerning claim 8, Lo discloses wherein the displaying the relationship indicators comprises: sequentially displaying multiple relationship indicators at a player position of the plurality of player positions corresponding to a first team member of the plurality of team members having multiple relationships; and for each relationship indicator of the multiple relationship indicators, synchronously displaying the respective relationship indicator at the plurality of player positions corresponding to both the first team member and second team members of the plurality of team members sharing the respective relationship corresponding to the respective relationship indicator (Figs. 17-19, paragraphs [0023], [0055], [0125], [0126], [0129], [0143]-[0145], [0158], [0167] – multiple relationship indicators are shown).
Concerning claim 9, Lo discloses wherein the team interface is displayed before a start of a game (Figs. 17-19, paragraphs [0023], [0055], [0125], [0126], [0129], [0143]-[0145], [0158], [0167] – team interface is shown before game).
Concerning claim 10, Lo discloses wherein the relationship is established by the at least two team members prior to entering the team interface, or automatically determined based on analysis of player profile data of the at least two team members (Figs. 17-19, paragraphs [0023], [0055], [0125], [0126], [0129], [0143]-[0145], [0158], [0167] – relationship is automatically determined).
Concerning claim 11, Lo discloses wherein the automatically determining the relationship comprises at least one of: analyzing chat logs between the at least two team members to identify relationship keywords; comparing player profile information of the at least two team members to identify a shared experience; or analyzing current location data to identify the at least two team members at a same location (Figs. 17-19, paragraphs [0023], [0055], [0125], [0126], [0129], [0143]-[0145], [0158], [0167] – relationship includes location).
Concerning claim 12, Lo discloses wherein the relationship corresponds to a relationship level, and the displaying the relationship indicators includes displaying visual effects based on the relationship level, the visual effects including at least one of: displaying a first stage relationship symbol when the relationship level reaches a first threshold; and displaying a second stage relationship symbol when the relationship level reaches a second threshold higher than the first threshold (Figs. 17-19, paragraphs [0023], [0055], [0125], [0126], [0129], [0143]-[0145], [0158], [0167] – multiple relationship indicators are shown with varying levels).
Concerning claim 13, Lo discloses wherein the displaying the relationship indicators includes displaying visual connections between the relationship indicators at the plurality of player positions corresponding to the at least two team members sharing the relationship (Figs. 17-19, paragraphs [0023], [0055], [0125], [0126], [0129], [0143]-[0145], [0158], [0167] – at least two team members sharing the relationship is shown).
Concerning claims 14 and 20, see the rejection of claim 1.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure is listed in the PTO-892.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to MALINA D BLAISE whose telephone number is (571)270-3398. The examiner can normally be reached Mon. - Thurs. 7:00 am - 5:00 pm (PT).
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Xuan Thai can be reached at 571-272-7147. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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MALINA D. BLAISE
Primary Examiner
Art Unit 3715
/MALINA D. BLAISE/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3715
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