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 Objections
1. Claims 6, 14, and 20 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
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
2. 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 of this title, 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.
3. Claims 1-5, 9-13, 16-19 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Ching et al., US 2024/0038025 in view of Warms et al., US 2023/0169820.
Regarding claim 1, Ching teaches of an electronic game machine comprising one or more processors and memory readable by the one or more processors, the memory having stored thereon computer-executable instructions for causing the one or more processors, when executed thereby, to perform operations to control a user interface of an electronic gaming device (See Figs. 1, 3; 16-21 and [0005]-[0007]), the operations comprising:
presenting a feature game comprising metamorphic feature game interface elements, each metamorphic interface element corresponding to a different feature game value in a plurality of feature game values by incrementing the feature game value (See Figs. 16-21; [0163]-[0170]; [0173] and [0187]);
during the feature game (See Figs. 16-21; [0163]-[0188]), adjusting:
based on an output of a random number generator, a feature game value included in the plurality of feature game values (See [0100]-[0103], [0130]-[0137]); and
an appearance of a corresponding feature game metamorphic interface element to represent the incremented feature game value (Figs.16-21; [0163]-[0170]; [0173] and [0187]); and
determining, during the feature game, based on an additional output of the random number generator and the plurality of feature game values, an outcome of the feature game (Figs-18-21; [0100]-[0103], [0130]-[0137], and [0171]-[0176]) by:
generating a n×m Hold and Spin (HnS) matrix, where n and m are integers greater than 1 (See Figs. 16-19 and [0028]-[0031]);
applying activated metamorphic enhancements to positions in the n×m HnS matrix (See Figs. 16-19 and [0028]-[0031]);
determining winning combinations in the n×m HnS matrix based on the applied metamorphic enhancements and the additional output of the random number generator (See Figs-18-19; [0100]-[0103], [0130]-[0137], and [0171]-[0176]); and
adjusting a state of a base game based on the outcome of the feature game (See [0142]).
Ching is silent with respect to the game values incrementing according to a sequence of levels, wherein each level corresponds to a different enhancement multiplier.
However, in the same field of endeavor, Warms teaches of the game values incrementing according to a sequence of levels, wherein each level corresponds to a different enhancement multiplier (See Figs. 4-9; [0004]; [0117]-[0118]).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the time effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified the teachings of Ching to have incorporated the teachings of Warms for the mere benefit of enhancing interaction and return to play probability for the user.
Regarding claim 2, the combination teaches the electronic game machine of claim 1, wherein each metamorphic feature game interface element corresponds to a different feature game value by incrementing the feature game value according to a sequence of levels, wherein each level corresponds to a different enhancement multiplier (See analysis of claim 1; Warms, Figs. 4-9; [0004]; [0117]-[0118]).
Regarding claim 3, the combination teaches the electronic game machine of claim 2, wherein the operations further comprise presenting a base game comprising a plurality of persistent metamorphic features, each persistent metamorphic feature corresponding to a column in an i×j feature game matrix, where i and j are integers greater than 1 (See Ching, Figs. 16-19; Warms, Figs, 4-9).
Regarding claim 4, the combination teaches the electronic game machine of claim 3, wherein the operations further comprise, during the base game, incrementing a persistent metamorphic feature based on landing of trigger symbols in the base game (See Ching, [0008], [0173]-[0190]; Warms, [0027], [0029], [0056], [0092], [0108]-[0118]).
Regarding claim 5, the combination teaches the electronic game machine of claim 4, wherein the operations further comprise activating a metamorphic feature enhancement by projecting triggered symbols into a corresponding column of the i×j feature game matrix (See Ching, Figs. 17-19; Warms, Figs.4-16).
Regarding claim 9, the claim has been analyzed and rejected for the same reasons set forth in the rejection of claims 1 and 2.
Regarding claim 10, the claim has been analyzed and rejected for the same reasons set forth in the rejection of claim 1.
Regarding claim 11, the claim has been analyzed and rejected for the same reasons set forth in the rejection of claim 3.
Regarding claim 12, the claim has been analyzed and rejected for the same reasons set forth in the rejection of claim 4.
Regarding claim 13, the claim has been analyzed and rejected for the same reasons set forth in the rejection of claim 5.
Regarding claim 16, the claim has been analyzed and rejected for the same reasons set forth in the rejections of claims 1 and 2.
Regarding claim 17, the claim has been analyzed and rejected for the same reasons set forth in the rejection of claim 1.
Regarding claim 18, the claim has been analyzed and rejected for the same reasons set forth in the rejection of claim 3.
Regarding claim 19, the claim has been analyzed and rejected for the same reasons set forth in the rejection of claim 4.
4. Claim 7 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Ching et al., US 2024/0038025 in view of Warms et al., US 2023/0169820, and in further view of Uberuaga et al., US 2021/0256811.
Regarding claim 7, the combination of Ching and Warms teaches the electronic game machine of claim 1, wherein:
the operations further comprise adjusting the feature game value of a triggered metamorphic interface element (See analysis of claims 1-3);
the adjustment of the triggered feature game value comprises introducing auxiliary bonuses or enhancement to the nxm hold and spin matrix, wherein the auxiliary bonuses or enhancements are applied to selected positions within the nxm matrix (See analysis of claims 1-3).
The combination is silent with respect to each metamorphic interface element comprises a progression state indicative of non-triggered feature game values; adjusting the feature game value of a triggered metamorphic interface element based on the progression states of non-triggered metamorphic interface elements, and wherein the auxiliary bonuses or enhancements are applied based on the progression states of said non-triggered metamorphic interface elements.
However, in the same field of endeavor, Uberuaga teaches of each metamorphic interface element comprises a progression state indicative of non-triggered feature game values; adjusting the feature game value of a triggered metamorphic interface element based on the progression states of non-triggered metamorphic interface elements, and wherein the auxiliary bonuses or enhancements are applied based on the progression states of said non-triggered metamorphic interface elements (See Figs.5A-5D; [0010]-[0012], and [0143]-[0144]).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the time effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified the teachings of Ching and Warms to have incorporated the teachings of Uberuaga for the mere benefit of enhancing interaction and tracking of elements for qualification of boosts/enhancers making it more visual for a user to know when they are eligible and thus improving return to play metrics.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
5. 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.
(a)(2) the claimed invention was described in a patent issued under section 151, or in an application for patent published or deemed published under section 122(b), in which the patent or application, as the case may be, names another inventor and was effectively filed before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
Claims 8 and 15 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Ching et al., US 2024/0038025.
Regarding claim 8, Ching teaches of a method comprising:
presenting, via a user interface of an electronic game machine, a feature game comprising a plurality of metamorphic feature game interface elements, each metamorphic interface element corresponding to a different feature game value in a plurality of feature game values (See Figs. 1, 3; 16-21 and [0005]-[0007]; analysis of claim 1);
during the feature game, adjusting, based on an output of a random number generator (See [0100]-[0103], [0130]-[0137]; analysis of claim 1):
a feature game value included in the plurality of feature game values, and an appearance of a corresponding feature game metamorphic interface element (Figs.16-21; [0163]-[0170]; [0173] and [0187]; analysis of claim 1);
determining, based on an additional output of the random number generator and the plurality of feature game values, an outcome of the feature game (Figs-18-21; [0100]-[0103], [0130]-[0137], and [0171]-[0176]; analysis of claim 1); and
adjusting a state of a base game based on the outcome of the feature game (See [0142]; analysis of claim 1).
Regarding claim 15, Ching teaches of a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium having computer-executable instructions embodied thereon, wherein, when executed by one or more processors of an electronic game machine, the computer-executable instructions cause the one or more processors (See Figs. 1, 3; 16-21 and [0005]-[0007]) to:
present a feature game comprising a plurality of metamorphic feature game interface elements, each metamorphic interface element corresponding to a different feature game value in a plurality of feature game values (See Figs. 1, 3; 16-21 and [0005]-[0007; analysis of claim 1);
during the feature game, adjust, based on an output of a random number generator (See [0100]-[0103], [0130]-[0137]; analysis of claim 1):
a feature game value included in the plurality of feature game values, and an appearance of a corresponding feature game metamorphic interface element (Figs.16-21; [0163]-[0170]; [0173] and [0187]; analysis of claim 1);
determine, based on an additional output of the random number generator and the plurality of feature game values, an outcome of the feature game (Figs-18-21; [0100]-[0103], [0130]-[0137], and [0171]-[0176]; analysis of claim 1); and
adjust a state of a base game based on the outcome of the feature game (See [0142]; analysis of claim 1).
Contact
7. Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to Ricky Chin whose telephone number is 571-270-3753. The examiner can normally be reached on M-F 8:30-6:00.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Benjamin Bruckart can be reached on 571-272-3982. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 703-872-9306.
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/Ricky Chin/
Primary Examiner
AU 2424
(571) 270-3753
Ricky.Chin@uspto.gov
Prosecution Insights