Patent Application Number: 2008249172
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These last two prior art references look like they anticipate the invention to me. Good work.
Ben
Craig
That discussion has stopped could mean that people think they've got enough significant prior art submitted to sway the patent office towards denying the patent. A single piece that really embodies the ideas in the patent and which clearly predates it should be sufficient - but if you've got the time you can keep looking for more.
Picture Slots also allows a player to create a "Theme". What this means is that a user can select a background, build their own buttons, and also create Reel. So, a Reel can have a consistent look about it with matching backgrounds and buttons.
Hope this makes sense to someone.
http://web.archive.org/web/*/http://ps.craigedgar.com
On this site you can find archived copies of most web sites. Hope this helps you! It shows that Picture Slots was around in 2004.
Craig
That looks like it could be an excellent resource. I think you should nominate it as a prior art reference.
Ben
1) I have source code for Picture Slots dating back to late 2006. Version 1 of Picture Slots was created back in 2004 or 2005 from memory. Thus far I have not been able to find any backup copies of the earlier source code, but am sure it will turn up at some point. It’s unlikely I have deleted it even though it is obsolete.
2) Picture Slots is a Slot Machine Simulator which works on the same principles as “actual slot machines”. It employs bonus features to gamble winnings in the same way as others do.
3) What makes Picture Slots unique is that users can create their own Reels to play using their own Digital Photos. Photographs stored in an Industry Standard JPEG Format can be imported via a program called “The Set Builder” which sizes, converts, and arranges the images into an appropriate format and exports them as a single entity into a “Reel” which can be played by Picture Slots.
4) In addition to creating their own Reels, users can upload their creations to our Web Site for sharing with other users. All Reels uploaded are vetted by myself for quality and suitability for sharing.
5) A Reel is composed from eight single images plus one larger image. Each of the single images are used to create the spinning reels whilst parts of the larger image are spread throughout the Reel. To win the “Jackpot” the player must get the larger image pieces in correct order to form a single picture.
6) Bonus features allowing the player to gamble their win are included. Currently there are two features and I intend to add more. Which feature is played is selected randomly when the “Gamble” button is pressed.
7) I have been working on a “Jackpot” server to spread winnings amongst many Picture Slots players. Participation in remote winnings is optional. A percentage of a player losses is stored on the “Jackpot” server and a single participating player is given the total of accumulated losses.
8) Reels can be password protected to keep images private. A password protected Reel is encrypted using Industry Standard BlowFish Encryption Technology and are “almost” impossible to decrypt without the correct password.
Picture Slots has worked this way from version 1. The ability to create your own Reels was the basis for its development and isn’t something I added later.
I have not applied for a Patent for a couple of reasons, 1) the cost, 2) wasn’t aware a patent on software was available.
Regarding reason (2) the technology I use is nothing special and there is nothing secretive about it. It is something I created to simply make it different from all the other Slot Machine Simulators.
I am currently looking for archived copies of the web site which was originally ps.craigedgar.com before it became www.pictureslots.com
Does anyone out there know Craig Edgar (the creator of this software)? It would be good to get his take on this.
My name is Craig Edgar and I wrote Picture Slots. I must say I'm confused by what this patent thing is all about, can you enlighten me? Is someone suggesting that I have infringed on a copyright or patent? There are millions of slot machine simulators out there, have I been singled out?
Kindest regards,
Craig
I'm one of the public reviewers. When I saw the application, I thought 'I'm sure I've seen one of those before', and did a google search that landed my your Picture Slots program. As it appeared to implement the idea described in the patent and to have been around since before the priority date on the application, I submitted it as prior art. This prior art citation will, eventually, go to the patent examiner who may use it as a basis to deny part or all of the patent application.
What would help from you would be any older, dated versions of Picture Slots (or its web site) that you have showing when the ability for the user to supply their own customized reels was implemented. I'm not sure if there's a process for submitting a statutory declaration, if you don't have any older versions or backups on hand.
I take it you didn't apply for a patent on the idea when you implemented Picture Slots?
I can see similarities with the application and Picture Slots but must admit I do struggle to make sense of the "wording" of the application, either it is badly written or I'm not as clever as I thought I was.
Craig