Systems/methods of using dual polarization antennas in cellular communications

1 . A first device that is configured to perform operations comprising:

receiving from a second device a first signal on a first polarization; the first signal comprising a first dependency on a first waveform and on a second waveform that are radiated by an antenna system of said second device;

concurrently in time and co-frequency with said receiving from a second device a first signal on a first polarization, receiving from the second device a second signal on a second polarization; the second signal comprising a second dependency on the first waveform and on the second waveform that are radiated by the antenna system of said second device;

jointly processing the first signal and the second signal using at least one complex valued coefficient; and

forming a third signal and a fourth signal responsive to said jointly processing;

wherein the third signal comprises a level of the second waveform that is less than a level of the second waveform that is included in the first signal; and

wherein the fourth signal comprises a level of the first waveform that is less than a level of the first waveform that is included in the second signal.

2 . The first device of claim 1 ,

wherein the first polarization comprises a linear polarization and the second polarization comprises a linear polarization;

wherein a spatial discrimination between the first polarization and the second polarization comprises an angle of at least 45 degrees; and

wherein said receiving from a second device a first signal on a first polarization and said receiving from the second device a second signal on a second polarization comprises wirelessly receiving using frequencies that are near but less than 60 GHz, include 60 GHz or are near but greater than 60 GHz and further comprises wirelessly receiving using licensed and/or unlicensed frequencies.

3 . The first device of claim 1 , wherein the operations further comprise:

using a plurality of directional antenna beams concurrently with one another responsive to second device-initiated reporting.

4 . The first device of claim 1 , wherein the operations further comprise:

using the first polarization and the second polarization and transmitting a first transmit signal and a second transmit signal over the first polarization and the second polarization, respectively, co-frequency with one another and concurrently in time with one another;

wherein said transmitting a first transmit signal and a second transmit signal comprises wirelessly transmitting using frequencies that are near but less than 60 GHz, include 60 GHz or are near but greater than 60 GHz and further comprises wirelessly transmitting using licensed and/or unlicensed frequencies.

5 . The first device of claim 4 , wherein said first transmit signal comprises a plurality of first transmit signals that are transmitted by a respective plurality of antennas over the first polarization; the plurality of first transmit signals comprising a respective plurality of first amplitudes and phases so as to direct a total power being radiated substantially towards the antenna of the second device while reducing power being radiated toward locations other than that associated with the antenna of the second device; wherein said respective plurality of first amplitudes and phases are based on information, comprising an identity, received at the first device from the second device; and wherein the first transmit signal further comprises a component of the second transmit signal; and

wherein said second transmit signal comprises a plurality of second transmit signals that are transmitted by a respective plurality of antennas over the second polarization; the plurality of second transmit signals comprising a respective plurality of second amplitudes and phases so as to direct a total power being radiated substantially towards the antenna of the second device while reducing power being radiated toward locations other than that associated with the antenna of the second device; wherein said respective plurality of second amplitudes and phases are based on information, comprising an identity, received at the first device from the second device; and wherein the second transmit signal further comprises a component of the first transmit signal.

6 . The first device of claim 4 , wherein said first transmit signal comprises a dependence on the second transmit signal and on at least one complex valued coefficient; and wherein the operations further comprise:

using a plurality of directional antenna beams concurrently with one another responsive to second device-initiated reporting.

7 . The first device of claim 1 , wherein the operations further comprise:

using a plurality of antenna elements, forming a plurality of directional antenna beam patterns, using said plurality of directional antenna beam patterns to derive information regarding a respective plurality of signal strengths associated with a respective plurality of directions and deriving information regarding a directional antenna beam pattern of said plurality of directional antenna beam patters that provides a maximum signal strength;

wherein said plurality of antenna elements comprises a first dual-polarized antenna configuration, a second dual-polarized antenna configuration and a third dual-polarized antenna configuration;

wherein the first device and the second device comprise a smartphone and a base station, respectively; or

wherein the first device and the second device comprise a base station and a smartphone, respectively.

8 . The first device of claim 1 , wherein the operations further comprise:

using a plurality of transmission paths;

transmitting information to the second device by transmitting first data over a first transmission path of the plurality of transmission paths;

transmitting information to the second device by transmitting second data over a second transmission path of the plurality of transmission paths; and

causing the second device to jointly process and/or aggregate the first data with the second data that is received thereat via the first transmission path and the second transmission path respectively;

wherein the first transmission path is different and physically distinct from the second transmission path;

wherein said transmitting information to the second device by transmitting first data over a first transmission path comprises wirelessly transmitting information using a first set of frequencies and a first air interface;

wherein said transmitting information to the second device by transmitting second data over a second transmission path comprises transmitting information using a second set of frequencies that differs from the first set of frequencies and/or a second air interface that differs from the first air interface; and further comprises transmitting the second data to an intermediary device and causing the intermediary device to relay the second data to the second device;

wherein said transmitting information to the second device by transmitting first data over a first transmission path; and said transmitting information to the second device by transmitting second data over a second transmission path occur concurrently in time with one another; or sequentially in time with one another.

9 . The first device of claim 8 ,

wherein the first set of frequencies comprises licensed frequencies; and

wherein the second set of frequencies comprises unlicensed frequencies.

10 . The first device of claim 9 , wherein said unlicensed frequencies comprise Wi-Fi® frequencies and/or microwave frequencies.

11 . The first device of claim 9 ,

wherein the first set of frequencies comprise 5G frequencies and the first air interface comprises a 5G air interface; and

wherein the second set of frequencies comprise Wi-Fi® frequencies and the second air interface comprises a Wi-Fi® air interface.

12 . The first device of claim 1 , wherein the operations further comprise:

transmitting information to a repeater; and

causing the repeater to retransmit the information.

13 . The first device of claim 1 , wherein the first device comprises a smartphone and wherein the operations further comprise:

maintaining a plurality of active directional antenna beams with a respective plurality of other devices.

14 . The first device of claim 4 , wherein the operations further comprise:

pre-distorting the first transmit signal by using at least one complex valued coefficient and a component of the second transmit signal; and/or

pre-distorting the second transmit signal by using at least one complex valued coefficient and a component of the first transmit signal.

15 . The first device of claim 14 , wherein said pre-distorting the first transmit signal and said pre-distorting the second transmit signal comprises adding a distortion thereto prior to transmission so as to cancel, at least partially, a channel-induced distortion that is to be introduced thereto following transmission.

16 . A method comprising:

receiving at a first device from a second device a first signal on a first polarization; the first signal comprising a first dependency on a first waveform and on a second waveform that are radiated by an antenna system of said second device;

concurrently in time and co-frequency with said receiving at a first device from a second device a first signal, receiving at the first device from the second device a second signal on a second polarization; the second signal comprising a second dependency on the first waveform and on the second waveform that are radiated by the antenna system of said second device;

jointly processing the first signal and the second signal using at least one complex valued coefficient; and

forming a third signal and a fourth signal responsive to said jointly processing;

wherein the third signal comprises a level of the second waveform that is less than a level of the second waveform that is included in the first signal; and

wherein the fourth signal comprises a level of the first waveform that is less than a level of the first waveform that is included in the second signal.

17 . The method of claim 16 ,

wherein the first polarization comprises a linear polarization and the second polarization comprises a linear polarization;

wherein a spatial discrimination between the first polarization and the second polarization comprises an angle of at least 45 degrees; and

wherein said receiving from a second device a first signal on a first polarization and said receiving from the second device a second signal on a second polarization comprises wirelessly receiving using frequencies that are near but less than 60 GHz, include 60 GHz or are near but greater than 60 GHz and further comprises wirelessly receiving using licensed and/or unlicensed frequencies.

18 . The method of claim 16 , further comprising:

using a plurality of directional antenna beams concurrently with one another responsive to second device-initiated reporting.

19 . The method of claim 16 , further comprising:

using the first polarization and the second polarization and transmitting a first transmit signal and a second transmit signal over the first polarization and the second polarization, respectively, co-frequency with one another and concurrently in time with one another;

wherein said transmitting a first transmit signal and a second transmit signal comprises wirelessly transmitting using frequencies that are near but less than 60 GHz, include 60 GHz or are near but greater than 60 GHz and further comprises wirelessly transmitting using licensed and/or unlicensed frequencies.

20 . The method of claim 19 , wherein said first transmit signal comprises a plurality of first transmit signals that are transmitted by a respective plurality of antennas over the first polarization; the plurality of first transmit signals comprising a respective plurality of first amplitudes and phases so as to direct a total power being radiated substantially towards the antenna of the second device while reducing power being radiated toward locations other than that associated with the antenna of the second device; wherein said respective plurality of first amplitudes and phases are based on information, comprising an identity, received at the first device from the second device; and wherein the first transmit signal further comprises a component of the second transmit signal; and

wherein said second transmit signal comprises a plurality of second transmit signals that are transmitted by a respective plurality of antennas over the second polarization; the plurality of second transmit signals comprising a respective plurality of second amplitudes and phases so as to direct a total power being radiated substantially towards the antenna of the second device while reducing power being radiated toward locations other than that associated with the antenna of the second device; wherein said respective plurality of second amplitudes and phases are based on information, comprising an identity, received at the first device from the second device; and wherein the second transmit signal further comprises a component of the first transmit signal.

21 . The method of claim 19 , wherein said first transmit signal comprises a dependence on the second transmit signal and on at least one complex valued coefficient; and wherein the method further comprises:

using a plurality of directional antenna beams concurrently with one another responsive to second device-initiated reporting.

22 . The method of claim 16 , further comprising:

using a plurality of antenna elements, forming a plurality of directional antenna beam patterns, using said plurality of directional antenna beam patterns to derive information regarding a respective plurality of signal strengths associated with a respective plurality of directions and deriving information regarding a directional antenna beam pattern of said plurality of directional antenna beam patters that provides a maximum signal strength;

wherein said plurality of antenna elements comprises a first dual-polarized antenna configuration, a second dual-polarized antenna configuration and a third dual-polarized antenna configuration;

wherein the first device and the second device comprise a smartphone and a base station, respectively; or

wherein the first device and the second device comprise a base station and a smartphone, respectively.

23 . The method of claim 16 , further comprising:

using a plurality of transmission paths;

transmitting information to the second device by transmitting first data over a first transmission path of the plurality of transmission paths;

transmitting information to the second device by transmitting second data over a second transmission path of the plurality of transmission paths; and

causing the second device to jointly process and/or aggregate the first data with the second data that is received thereat via the first transmission path and the second transmission path respectively;

wherein the first transmission path is different and physically distinct from the second transmission path;

wherein said transmitting information to the second device by transmitting first data over a first transmission path comprises wirelessly transmitting information using a first set of frequencies and a first air interface;

wherein said transmitting information to the second device by transmitting second data over a second transmission path comprises transmitting information using a second set of frequencies that differs from the first set of frequencies and/or a second air interface that differs from the first air interface; and further comprises transmitting the second data to an intermediary device and causing the intermediary device to relay the second data to the second device;

wherein said transmitting information to the second device by transmitting first data over a first transmission path; and said transmitting information to the second device by transmitting second data over a second transmission path occur concurrently in time with one another; or sequentially in time with one another.

24 . The method of claim 23 ,

wherein the first set of frequencies comprises licensed frequencies; and

wherein the second set of frequencies comprises unlicensed frequencies.

25 . The method of claim 24 , wherein said unlicensed frequencies comprise Wi-Fi® frequencies and/or microwave frequencies.

26 . The method of claim 24 ,

wherein the first set of frequencies comprise 5G frequencies and the first air interface comprises a 5G air interface; and

wherein the second set of frequencies comprise Wi-Fi® frequencies and the second air interface comprises a Wi-Fi® air interface.

27 . The method of claim 16 , further comprising:

transmitting information to a repeater; and

causing the repeater to retransmit the information.

28 . The method of claim 16 , wherein the first device comprises a smartphone and wherein the method further comprises:

maintaining a plurality of active directional antenna beams with a respective plurality of other devices.

29 . The method of claim 19 , further comprising:

pre-distorting the first transmit signal by using at least one complex valued coefficient and a component of the second transmit signal; and/or

pre-distorting the second transmit signal by using at least one complex valued coefficient and a component of the first transmit signal.

30 . The method of claim 29 , wherein said pre-distorting the first transmit signal or said pre-distorting the second transmit signal comprises adding a distortion thereto prior to transmission so as to cancel, at least partially, a channel-induced distortion that is to be introduced thereto following transmission.