DETAILED ACTION
Applicant's submission filed on 29 December 2025 has been entered. Claims 1, 21, 23, 39, 41, and 44 are currently amended; claims 8, 19, 20, 22, 27-38, 40, 42, 43, and 45-48 are cancelled; claims 2-7, 9-18, and 24,-26 are previously presented; no claims have been added. Claims 1-7, 9-18, 21, 23-26, 39, 41, and 44 are pending and ready for examination.
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments, see page 9, filed 29 December 2025, with respect to Rejection under 35 USC 102 have been fully considered and are persuasive in light of the independent claims have been amended to include previous dependent claim 8. The anticipation rejection of these claims have been withdrawn.
Applicant’s arguments, see pages 10-12, filed 29 December 2025, with respect to “Rejection under 35 USC 103” have been fully considered but they are not persuasive. Applicant argues that the combination of Zarifi and Jung fails to teach at least “the information about the frequency domain reference point to be used for the one or more reference signals on the non-serving cell of the WCD comprises an offset between the frequency domain reference point to be used for the one or more reference signals on the non-serving cell of the WCD and a frequency domain reference point to be used for the one or more reference signals on a serving cell of the WCD.
The examiner respectfully disagrees. First, the claim limitation above and taken from the amended independent claims have the broadest reasonable interpretation that the information obtained and applied in the other claim elements includes an offset between a reference point in the frequency domain for a reference signal on the non-serving cell and another reference point for another reference signal on the serving cell of the WCD. The claim does not detail anything about how the reference point is determined, so the applicant’s argument at the bottom of page 11 and top of page 12 of Jung’s disclosure relates to a general frequency difference between two cells (such as their center frequencies) allows that the center frequencies in question can be these reference points as they do also exist in the frequency domain.
In response to applicant's argument that the references fail to show certain features of the invention, it is noted that the features upon which applicant relies (i.e., this specific offset as a means to obtain the reference point for receiving/transmitting signals on the non-serving cell) are not recited in the rejected claims. Although the claims are interpreted in light of the specification, limitations from the specification are not read into the claims. See In re Van Geuns, 988 F.2d 1181, 26 USPQ2d 1057 (Fed. Cir. 1993). Simply stated, just because the claims say that the information comprises or includes an offset does not mean that the information does not also include other data, so when the claims say that the information is applied for a purpose, it is not necessarily the offset that is being applied for that purpose, as it could be the other data that is used instead.
In response to applicant’s argument that there is no teaching, suggestion, or motivation to combine the references, the examiner recognizes that obviousness may be established by combining or modifying the teachings of the prior art to produce the claimed invention where there is some teaching, suggestion, or motivation to do so found either in the references themselves or in the knowledge generally available to one of ordinary skill in the art. See In re Fine, 837 F.2d 1071, 5 USPQ2d 1596 (Fed. Cir. 1988), In re Jones, 958 F.2d 347, 21 USPQ2d 1941 (Fed. Cir. 1992), and KSR International Co. v. Teleflex, Inc., 550 U.S. 398, 82 USPQ2d 1385 (2007). In this case, the motivation was not claimed to be from the primary reference Zarifi as applicant has argued, but instead the motivation to combine is found in the secondary reference Jung as examiner has cited in the office action, namely in order to perform cell measurement and mobility management using different reference signals in a beamforming-based system.
The examiner realizes that there can often times be differences in understanding between parties and believes that interviews are a great way to quickly address any misunderstandings. As such, the examiner encourages the applicant to consider conducting an interview as appropriate. However, the examiner respectfully notes that new Office policy limits each application to one interview per new case or RCE.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
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, 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.
The factual inquiries for establishing a background for determining obviousness under 35 U.S.C. 103 are summarized as follows:
1. Determining the scope and contents of the prior art.
2. Ascertaining the differences between the prior art and the claims at issue.
3. Resolving the level of ordinary skill in the pertinent art.
4. Considering objective evidence present in the application indicating obviousness or nonobviousness.
Claim 1-7, 11-14, 17, 18, 21, 23-26, 39, 41, and 44 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Zarifi (US 2020/0221405 A1) in view of Jung et al. (US 2018/0279145 A1), hereafter referred Jung. Zarifi was cited by applicant’s IDS filed 13 September 2023.
Regarding claim 1, Zarifi teaches a method performed by a wireless communication device, WCD, the method comprising:
obtaining information about a frequency domain reference point to be used for one or more reference signals on a non-serving cell of the WCD (Zarifi, Fig. 6, [0382]; at 615, the UE receives target SRS configuration information enabling the UE to transmit target SRS to a non-serving cell); and
applying the information about the frequency domain reference point to be used for the one or more reference signals on the non-serving cell of the WCD to receive or transmit one or more reference signals on the non-serving cell of the WCD (Zarifi, Fig. 6, [0382]; at 640, the UE transmits a target SRS to the non-serving cell according to the target SRS configuration and using the determined spatial domain filter).
Zarifi does not expressly teach wherein the information about the frequency domain reference point to be used for the one or more reference signals on the non-serving cell of the WCD comprises an offset between the frequency domain reference point to be used for the one or more reference signals on the non-serving cell of the WCD and a frequency domain reference point to be used for the one or more reference signals on a serving cell of the WCD.
However, Jung teaches wherein the information about the frequency domain reference point to be used for the one or more reference signals on the non-serving cell of the WCD comprises an offset between the frequency domain reference point to be used for the one or more reference signals on the non-serving cell of the WCD and a frequency domain reference point to be used for the one or more reference signals on a serving cell of the WCD (Jung, [0182]-[0189] and [0214]; frequency offset between serving cell and target measurement cell of the SS block).
It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art at the time of the effective filing date of the invention to create the invention of Zarifi to include the above recited limitations as taught by Jung in order to perform cell measurement and mobility management using different reference signals in a beamforming-based system (Jung, [0002]).
Regarding claim 21, Zarifi teaches a wireless communication device, WCD comprising:
one or more transmitters (Zarifi, Fig. 3A, [0155]-[0158]; ED110 includes at least one transceiver);
one or more receivers (Zarifi, Fig. 3A, [0155]-[0158]; ED110 includes at least one transceiver); and
processing circuitry associated with the one or more transmitters and the one or more receivers, the processing circuitry (Zarifi, Fig. 3A, [0155]-[0158]; ED110 includes at least one processing unit that can implements software instructions stored in memory) configured to cause the WCD to:
obtain information about a frequency domain reference point to be used for one or more reference signals on a non-serving cell of the WCD (Zarifi, Fig. 6, [0382]; at 615, the UE receives target SRS configuration information enabling the UE to transmit target SRS to a non-serving cell); and
apply the information about the frequency domain reference point to be used for the one or more reference signals on the non-serving cell of the WCD to receive or transmit one or more reference signals on the non-serving cell of the WCD (Zarifi, Fig. 6, [0382]; at 640, the UE transmits a target SRS to the non-serving cell according to the target SRS configuration and using the determined spatial domain filter).
Zarifi does not expressly teach wherein the information about the frequency domain reference point to be used for the one or more reference signals on the non-serving cell of the WCD comprises an offset between the frequency domain reference point to be used for the one or more reference signals on the non-serving cell of the WCD and a frequency domain reference point to be used for the one or more reference signals on a serving cell of the WCD.
However, Jung teaches wherein the information about the frequency domain reference point to be used for the one or more reference signals on the non-serving cell of the WCD comprises an offset between the frequency domain reference point to be used for the one or more reference signals on the non-serving cell of the WCD and a frequency domain reference point to be used for the one or more reference signals on a serving cell of the WCD (Jung, [0182]-[0189] and [0214]; frequency offset between serving cell and target measurement cell of the SS block).
It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art at the time of the effective filing date of the invention to create the invention of Zarifi to include the above recited limitations as taught by Jung in order to perform cell measurement and mobility management using different reference signals in a beamforming-based system (Jung, [0002]).
Regarding claim 23, Zarifi teaches a method performed by a network node, the method comprising:
signaling, to a wireless communication device, WCD, information about a frequency domain reference point to be used for one or more reference signals on a non- serving cell of the WCD (Zarifi, Fig. 6, [0382]; at 615, the UE receives target SRS configuration information enabling the UE to transmit target SRS to a non-serving cell).
Zarifi does not expressly teach wherein the information about the frequency domain reference point to be used for the one or more reference signals on the non-serving cell of the WCD comprises an offset between the frequency domain reference point to be used for the one or more reference signals on the non-serving cell of the WCD and a frequency domain reference point to be used for the one or more reference signals on a serving cell of the WCD.
However, Jung teaches wherein the information about the frequency domain reference point to be used for the one or more reference signals on the non-serving cell of the WCD comprises an offset between the frequency domain reference point to be used for the one or more reference signals on the non-serving cell of the WCD and a frequency domain reference point to be used for the one or more reference signals on a serving cell of the WCD (Jung, [0182]-[0189] and [0214]; frequency offset between serving cell and target measurement cell of the SS block).
It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art at the time of the effective filing date of the invention to create the invention of Zarifi to include the above recited limitations as taught by Jung in order to perform cell measurement and mobility management using different reference signals in a beamforming-based system (Jung, [0002]).
Regarding claim 39, Zarifi teaches a network node comprising processing circuitry configured to cause the network node to:
signal, to a wireless communication device, WCD, information about a frequency domain reference point to be used for one or more reference signals on a non-serving cell of the WCD (Zarifi, Fig. 6, [0382]; at 615, the UE receives target SRS configuration information enabling the UE to transmit target SRS to a non-serving cell).
Zarifi does not expressly teach wherein the information about the frequency domain reference point to be used for the one or more reference signals on the non-serving cell of the WCD comprises an offset between the frequency domain reference point to be used for the one or more reference signals on the non-serving cell of the WCD and a frequency domain reference point to be used for the one or more reference signals on a serving cell of the WCD.
However, Jung teaches wherein the information about the frequency domain reference point to be used for the one or more reference signals on the non-serving cell of the WCD comprises an offset between the frequency domain reference point to be used for the one or more reference signals on the non-serving cell of the WCD and a frequency domain reference point to be used for the one or more reference signals on a serving cell of the WCD (Jung, [0182]-[0189] and [0214]; frequency offset between serving cell and target measurement cell of the SS block).
It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art at the time of the effective filing date of the invention to create the invention of Zarifi to include the above recited limitations as taught by Jung in order to perform cell measurement and mobility management using different reference signals in a beamforming-based system (Jung, [0002]).
Regarding claim 41, Zarifi teaches a method performed by first network node associated to a serving cell of a wireless communication device, WCD, the method comprising:
signaling, to a second network node associated to a non-serving cell of the WCD, information about a frequency domain reference point to be used for one or more reference signals on the serving cell of the WCD (Zarifi, Fig. 6, [0382]; at 615, the UE receives target SRS configuration information enabling the UE to transmit target SRS to a non-serving cell).
Zarifi does not expressly teach wherein the information about the frequency domain reference point to be used for the one or more reference signals on the non-serving cell of the WCD comprises an offset between the frequency domain reference point to be used for the one or more reference signals on the non-serving cell of the WCD and a frequency domain reference point to be used for the one or more reference signals on a serving cell of the WCD.
However, Jung teaches wherein the information about the frequency domain reference point to be used for the one or more reference signals on the non-serving cell of the WCD comprises an offset between the frequency domain reference point to be used for the one or more reference signals on the non-serving cell of the WCD and a frequency domain reference point to be used for the one or more reference signals on a serving cell of the WCD (Jung, [0182]-[0189] and [0214]; frequency offset between serving cell and target measurement cell of the SS block).
It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art at the time of the effective filing date of the invention to create the invention of Zarifi to include the above recited limitations as taught by Jung in order to perform cell measurement and mobility management using different reference signals in a beamforming-based system (Jung, [0002]).
Regarding claim 44, Zarifi teaches a method performed by a second network node associated to a non-serving cell of a wireless communication device, WCD, the method comprising:
receiving, from a first network node associated to a serving cell of the WCD, information about a frequency domain reference point to be used for one or more reference signals on the serving cell of the WCD (Zarifi, Fig. 6, [0382]; at 615, the UE receives target SRS configuration information enabling the UE to transmit target SRS to a non-serving cell); and
applying the information about the frequency domain reference point to be used for the one or more reference signals on the serving cell of the WCD when transmitting or receiving one or more reference signals to or from the WCD on the non-serving cell of the WCD (Zarifi, Fig. 6, [0382]; at 640, the UE transmits a target SRS to the non-serving cell according to the target SRS configuration and using the determined spatial domain filter).
Zarifi does not expressly teach wherein the information about the frequency domain reference point to be used for the one or more reference signals on the non-serving cell of the WCD comprises an offset between the frequency domain reference point to be used for the one or more reference signals on the non-serving cell of the WCD and a frequency domain reference point to be used for the one or more reference signals on a serving cell of the WCD.
However, Jung teaches wherein the information about the frequency domain reference point to be used for the one or more reference signals on the non-serving cell of the WCD comprises an offset between the frequency domain reference point to be used for the one or more reference signals on the non-serving cell of the WCD and a frequency domain reference point to be used for the one or more reference signals on a serving cell of the WCD (Jung, [0182]-[0189] and [0214]; frequency offset between serving cell and target measurement cell of the SS block).
It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art at the time of the effective filing date of the invention to create the invention of Zarifi to include the above recited limitations as taught by Jung in order to perform cell measurement and mobility management using different reference signals in a beamforming-based system (Jung, [0002]).
Regarding claim 2, Zarifi in view of Jung teaches the method of claim 1 above. Further, Zarifi teaches wherein a Synchronization Signal Block, SSB, frequency of the non-serving cell of the WCD is the same as a SSB frequency of a serving cell of the WCD (Zarifi, [0206]-[0211]; the same SSBFrequency as the NR-ARFCN of the TF SSB frequency).
Regarding claim 3, Zarifi in view of Jung teaches the method of claim 2 above. Further, Zarifi teaches wherein the serving cell of the WCD is a Special Cell, SpCell, of the WCD, a Primary Cell, PCell, of the WCD, a Primary Secondary Cell, PSCell, of the WCD, or a Secondary Cell, SCell, of the WCD (Zarifi, [0408]; a special cell (spCell) of a cell group that includes a serving cell).
Regarding claims 4 and 24, Zarifi in view of Jung teaches the method of claim 1 and the method of claim 23 above. Further, Zarifi teaches wherein the frequency domain reference point to be used for the one or more reference signals on the non-serving cell of the WCD is a Point A to be used for the one or more reference signals on the non-serving cell of the WCD (Zarifi, [0420]; the RS frequency is a Point A (subcarrier 0 in common resource block 0) of the cell that transmits the TF CSI-RS resource or the cell that the NR LMU transmitting the TF CSI-RS is within a coverage area thereof).
Regarding claims 5 and 25, Zarifi in view of Jung teaches the method of claim 4 and the method of claim 24 above. Further, Zarifi teaches wherein a center subcarrier 0 of common resource block 0, CRBO, on the non-serving cell for a respective subcarrier spacing configuration coincides with the Point A to be used for the one or more reference signals on the non-serving cell of the WCD (Zarifi, [0420]; the RS frequency is a Point A (subcarrier 0 in common resource block 0) of the cell that transmits the TF CSI-RS resource or the cell that the NR LMU transmitting the TF CSI-RS is within a coverage area thereof).
Regarding claims 6 and 26, Zarifi in view of Jung teaches the method of claim 1 and the method of claim 23 above. Further, Zarifi teaches wherein the frequency domain reference point for the one or more reference signals on the non-serving cell of the WCD is different than a frequency domain reference point for the one or more reference signals on a serving cell of the WCD (Zarifi, [0231]-[0235]; the reference frequency which is used for mapping of the TF CSI-RS resource on frequency domain can be provided as NR-ARFCN value, Point A of the cell that the NR LMU transmitting the TF CSI-RS is within a coverage area thereof, Point A of the serving cell that configures SRS resource, or the subcarrier 0 of the lowest resource block of the SRS Resource).
Regarding claim 7, Zarifi in view of Jung teaches the method of claim 1 above. Further, Zarifi teaches wherein the information about the frequency domain reference point to be used for the one or more reference signals on the non-serving cell of the WCD comprises the frequency domain reference point to be used for the one or more reference signals on the non-serving cell (Zarifi, [0231]-[0235]; the reference frequency which is used for mapping of the TF CSI-RS resource on frequency domain can be provided as NR-ARFCN value, Point A of the cell that the NR LMU transmitting the TF CSI-RS is within a coverage area thereof, Point A of the serving cell that configures SRS resource, or the subcarrier 0 of the lowest resource block of the SRS Resource).
Regarding claim 11, Zarifi in view of Jung teaches the method of claim 1 above. Further, Zarifi teaches wherein obtaining the information about the frequency domain reference point to be used for the one or more reference signals on the non-serving cell of the WCD comprises receiving the information about the frequency domain reference point to be used for the one or more reference signals on the non-serving cell of the WCD via signaling from a network node (Zarifi, Fig. 6, [0382]; at 615, the UE receives target SRS configuration information enabling the UE to transmit target SRS to a non-serving cell).
Regarding claim 12, Zarifi in view of Jung teaches the method of claim 11 above. Further, Zarifi teaches wherein the information about the frequency domain reference point to be used for the one or more reference signals on the non- serving cell of the WCD is signaled as part of a serving cell configuration of a serving cell of the WCD (Zarifi, Fig. 7, [0383]; a non-serving cell transmits configuration information to a serving cell enabling a UE served by the serving cell to receive a spatial domain TF RS from a TRP in the non-serving cell or a NR LMU in the coverage area of the non-serving cell).
Regarding claim 13, Zarifi in view of Jung teaches the method of claim 11 above. Further, Zarifi teaches wherein the information about the frequency domain reference point to be used for the one or more reference signals on the non-serving cell of the WCD is signaled outside of a serving cell configuration of a serving cell of the WCD (Zarifi, Fig. 11, [0387]; a non-serving cell transmits configuration information to a serving cell enabling a UE served by the serving cell to receive a PL RS from a TRP in the non-serving cell or a NR LMU in the coverage area of the non-serving cell).
Regarding claim 14, Zarifi in view of Jung teaches the method of claim 11 above. Further, Zarifi teaches wherein the information about the frequency domain reference point to be used for the one or more reference signals on the non- serving cell of the WCD is signaled outside of a cell group configuration associated with a serving cell of the WCD (Zarifi, Fig. 11, [0387]; a non-serving cell transmits configuration information to a serving cell enabling a UE served by the serving cell to receive a PL RS from a TRP in the non-serving cell or a NR LMU in the coverage area of the non-serving cell).
Regarding claim 17, Zarifi in view of Jung teaches the method of claim 1 above. Further, Zarifi teaches wherein the one or more reference signals are one or more reference signals other than a Synchronization Signal Block, SSB (Zarifi, [0220]-[0235]; TF CSI-RS resource).
Regarding claim 18, Zarifi in view of Jung teaches the method of claim 1 above. Further, Zarifi teaches wherein the one or more reference signals comprise:
(a) a Channel State Information Reference Signal, CSI-RS;
(b) a Demodulation Reference Signal, DMRS, for a Physical Downlink Control Channel, PDCCH;
(c) DMRS for a Physical Downlink Shared Channel, PDSCH;
(d) DMRS for a Physical Sidelink Shared Channel, PSSCH;
(e) DMRS for a Physical Sidelink Control Channel, PSCCH; or
(f) any combination of two or more of (a)-(e) (Zarifi, [0220]-[0235]; TF CSI-RS resource).
Claims 9 and 10 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Zarifi in view of Jung as applied to claim 1 above, and further in view of Rastegardoost et al. (US 2020/0296635 A1), hereafter referred Rastegardoost.
Regarding claim 9, Zarifi in view of Jung teaches the method of claim 1 above. Zarifi in view of Jung does not expressly teach wherein the frequency domain reference point to be used for the one or more reference signals on the non-serving cell of the WCD is a common frequency domain reference point to be used for the one or more reference signals on both the non-serving cell of the WCD and a serving cell of the WCD.
However, Rastegardoost teaches wherein the frequency domain reference point to be used for the one or more reference signals on the non-serving cell of the WCD is a common frequency domain reference point to be used for the one or more reference signals on both the non-serving cell of the WCD and a serving cell of the WCD (Rastegardoost, [0370]; SSB based intra-frequency measurement may be done provided the center frequency of the SSB of the serving cell and the center frequency of the SSB of the neighbor cell are the same and the subcarrier spacing of the two SSBs is also the same).
It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art at the time of the effective filing date of the invention to create the invention of Zarifi in view of Jung to include the above recited limitations as taught by Rastegardoost in order to derive the cell quality (Rastegardoost, [0368]).
Regarding claim 10, Zarifi in view of Jung further in view of Rastegardoost teaches the method of claim 9 above. Zarifi in view of Jung does not expressly teach wherein the common frequency domain reference point is a common Point A, a Point A of the non-serving cell of the WCD is different than a Point A of a serving cell of the WCD, and the common Point A is different from the Point A of the non-serving cell, different from the Point A of the serving cell, or different from both the Point A of the non-serving cell and the Point A of the serving cell.
However, Rastegardoost teaches wherein the common frequency domain reference point is a common Point A, a Point A of the non-serving cell of the WCD is different than a Point A of a serving cell of the WCD, and the common Point A is different from the Point A of the non-serving cell, different from the Point A of the serving cell, or different from both the Point A of the non-serving cell and the Point A of the serving cell (Rastegardoost, [0370]; SSB based inter-frequency measurement may be done provided the center frequency of the SSB of the serving cell and the center frequency of the SSB of the neighbor cell are different or the subcarrier spacing of the two SSBs is different).
It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art at the time of the effective filing date of the invention to create the invention of Zarifi in view of Jung to include the above recited limitations as taught by Rastegardoost in order to derive the cell quality (Rastegardoost, [0368]).
Claim 15 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Zarifi in view of Jung as applied to claim 1 above, and further in view of Xie et al. (US 2021/0112562 A1), hereafter referred Xie.
Regarding claim 15, Zarifi in view of Jung teaches the method of claim 1 above. Further, Zarifi teaches wherein the information about the frequency domain reference point to be used for the one or more reference signals on the non-serving cell of the WCD comprises a common Point A to be applied by the WCD for both the non-serving cell of the WCD and a serving cell of the WCD (Zarifi, [0420]; the RS frequency is a Point A (subcarrier 0 in common resource block 0) of the cell that transmits the TF CSI-RS resource or the cell that the NR LMU transmitting the TF CSI-RS is within a coverage area thereof).
Zarifi in view of Jung does not expressly teach obtaining the information about the frequency domain reference point to be used for the one or more reference signals on the non-serving cell of the WCD comprises determining the common Point A.
However, Xie teaches obtaining the information about the frequency domain reference point to be used for the one or more reference signals on the non-serving cell of the WCD comprises determining the common Point A (Xie, [0127]; the common reference point may be a reference point A and the terminal device may determine a frequency F1 at which the common reference point is located and then determine a frequency F2 at the reference frequency position).
It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art at the time of the effective filing date of the invention to create the invention of Zarifi in view of Jung to include the above recited limitations as taught by Xie in order to improve spectral efficiency (Xie, [0004]).
Claim 16 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Zarifi in view of Jung further in view of Xie as applied to claim 15 above, and further in view of Rastegardoost.
Regarding claim 16, Zarifi in view of Jung further in view of Xie teaches the method of claim 15 above. Zarifi in view of Jung further in view of Xie does not expressly teach wherein a Point A of the non-serving cell of the WCD is different than a Point A of a serving cell of the WCD, and the common Point A is different from the Point A of the non-serving cell, different from the Point A of the serving cell, or different from both the Point A of the non-serving cell and the Point A of the serving cell.
However, Rastegardoost teaches wherein a Point A of the non-serving cell of the WCD is different than a Point A of a serving cell of the WCD, and the common Point A is different from the Point A of the non-serving cell, different from the Point A of the serving cell, or different from both the Point A of the non-serving cell and the Point A of the serving cell (Rastegardoost, [0370]; SSB based inter-frequency measurement may be done provided the center frequency of the SSB of the serving cell and the center frequency of the SSB of the neighbor cell are different or the subcarrier spacing of the two SSBs is different).
It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art at the time of the effective filing date of the invention to create the invention of Zarifi in view of Jung further in view of Xie to include the above recited limitations as taught by Rastegardoost in order to derive the cell quality (Rastegardoost, [0368]).
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. See PTO-892.
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/R.M./Examiner, Art Unit 2416
/NOEL R BEHARRY/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2416