Obviousness

The independent claims of US Patent 10,629,024, including Claim 1 (System), Claim 8 (Method), and Claim 15 (Non-Transitory Computer-Readable Medium), would likely be found obvious under 35 U.S.C. § 103 in light of prior art, particularly when combining US Patent 9,600,974 B2 (Bally Gaming, Inc.) with US Patent 127,957 A (Yacob Rafaeli) and general knowledge in the field of internet-based wagering. A person having ordinary skill in the art (POSA) would have been motivated to combine these references to enhance player engagement and replicate a dynamic casino environment in online roulette.

Obviousness Analysis

Core Elements and Their Presence in Prior Art:

1. Roulette Wheel and Ball: The concept of a physical roulette wheel and ball is fundamental to roulette and is widely known in the prior art. US Patent 5,042,810 A (Technical Casino Services, Ltd.) describes a "Roulette apparatus."
2. Internet-Based Wagering from Player Devices: The background of US10629024 explicitly states that "Internet-based wagering system allow players to wager from home without the need to travel to a casino." This concept was well-established prior to the patent's priority date. US Patent 127,957 A (Yacob Rafaeli) from 2004 describes a "Gambling game system and method for remotely-located players" that allows players to "play games available in real casinos, such as roulette... against a real or virtual dealer." This demonstrates the known practice of combining live casino games with remote internet access. US Patent 8,272,958 B2 (Shuffle Master, Inc.) further teaches an "Automated multiplayer game table with unique image feed of dealer," indicating live dealer integration with remote play.
3. Hardware Processor and System Components: The use of hardware processors, memory, storage, and communication interfaces (as described in FIG. 6 of US10629024) is standard for any computer-implemented gaming system.
4. Detecting Wheel Spin and Ball Position: Technologies for sensing the state of a roulette wheel and the final resting position of the ball were known. US Patent 4,396,193 A (Imagineering, Inc.) from 1983, for example, describes a "Roulette wheel directional sensing apparatus." US10629024 itself refers to a "wheel sensor 104" for this purpose.
5. Receiving Bet Information from Player Devices: This is a standard function of any internet-based wagering system, allowing players to place bets remotely.

Key Differentiating Features of US10629024 and Obviousness:

The inventive steps claimed by US10629024 primarily revolve around:

• Randomly selecting a "first selected position" for an enhanced payout on the roulette wheel prior to the ball falling into a position.
• This selected position being the same as a first player's bet.
• Determining a higher payout for this first position compared to other positions.

These features are rendered obvious by the following combination of prior art:

Primary Reference: US Patent 9,600,974 B2 (Bally Gaming, Inc.)
This patent, titled "Methods of administering roulette bonus wagers and related apparatuses and systems" (issued March 21, 2017), is highly relevant. It explicitly teaches:

• Roulette games with bonus wagers: The abstract describes "methods of administering roulette bonus wagers" and "apparatuses and systems for administering roulette bonus wagers."
• Increased payouts: The patent discusses various "bonus payments" and "jackpots" associated with the roulette game. For example, it states, "If the bonus event occurs, then any primary wager may receive a bonus payment." It further mentions that a "bonus symbol (e.g., a multiplier or a jackpot) may be randomly selected" and applied.
• Pre-determination of bonus: Crucially, US9600974B2 teaches that a "bonus symbol... may be randomly selected... This selection may be performed before or after the outcome of the underlying roulette game is known." Since the outcome of a roulette game is "known" when the ball falls, selecting a bonus "before the outcome is known" directly anticipates the "randomly selecting a first selected position... prior to the ball falling" feature of US10629024.
• Applying bonus to specific bets/positions: The reference states that "any primary wager may receive a bonus payment" if a bonus event occurs. A "primary wager" naturally includes a bet placed on a specific number or position on the roulette wheel. Thus, the idea of applying an enhanced payout to a specific roulette position is taught. The additional step of the selected bonus position being "the same as the first position" of a player's bet is an obvious implementation choice to maximize player engagement and excitement, as it directly boosts a player's existing wager.

Motivation for Combination:

A POSA, working in the field of internet-based wagering in 2018, would be motivated to combine the bonus wagering features described in US9600974B2 with the existing capabilities of online live dealer roulette systems (as exemplified by US127957A and US8272958B2). The primary motivation would be to enhance the online gaming experience, making it more dynamic, exciting, and akin to a physical casino, thereby attracting and retaining players.

Specifically, a POSA would recognize that:

• Introducing randomly selected, enhanced payouts (as taught by US9600974B2) would inject more excitement into the game.
• Making this bonus selection "prior to the ball falling" (as taught by US9600974B2, by selecting "before the outcome of the underlying roulette game is known") would create suspense and anticipation.
• Applying these enhanced payouts to specific numbers or positions on the roulette wheel, especially those that players have already bet on (as US9600974B2 suggests "any primary wager may receive a bonus payment"), would directly engage players by potentially boosting their existing bets, a known technique for increasing player satisfaction.
• Presenting visual effects (e.g., lightning, flashing numbers) on a display (as claimed in US10629024, Claims 5, 12, 18) to highlight these bonus positions is a conventional method of signaling game events and enhancing player experience, also generally known in display technology for gaming (e.g., US20100148442A1).

Therefore, the combination of a known online live-dealer roulette system (US127957A or similar general knowledge) with the specific bonus wagering mechanics (including pre-determination of bonus and application to primary wagers) taught by US9600974B2 would render the independent claims of US10629024 obvious to a POSA. The resulting system would merely be an application of known gaming features in an obvious manner to improve player experience in an existing internet-based roulette context.