Method and apparatus for utilizing a transmission polarization to reduce interference with a primary incumbent signal

1. A method of transmitting a signal in a secondary communications system comprising:

estimating, by a secondary mobile station in the secondary communications system, a received signal polarization of at least one protected signal in a primary spectrum of a primary communications system;

estimating, by the secondary mobile station, an interference contribution by the secondary station transmission of the secondary communications system to the at least one protected signal of the primary communications system on the basis of the estimated received polarization signal of the at least one protected signal;

determining, by the secondary mobile station, a transmission configuration of the secondary mobile station transmission in the primary spectrum of the primary communications system on the basis of estimated interference contribution, wherein the transmission configuration meets an interference contribution criteria, the interference contribution criteria being determined based at least on an acceptable desired to undesired interference protection ratio for the at least one protected signal of the primary communications system; and

transmitting from the secondary mobile station using the determined transmission configuration.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the transmission configuration comprises at least one of a transmission polarization configuration or a transmission power level.

3. The method of claim 2 , wherein the transmission polarization configuration is selected based on an orientation sensor of the secondary station indicating an orientation of the secondary station.

4. The method of claim 2 wherein the transmission polarization configuration is selected among a plurality of antennas having different antenna polarizations.

5. The method of claim 2 wherein the transmission polarization configuration comprises a combination of a plurality of antenna polarizations of the secondary station.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the interference contribution criteria comprises a maximum permissible interference effect on the protected signal at a particular location.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the interference contribution criteria is selected to minimize the interference contribution to the protected signal.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein estimating the received signal polarization comprises accessing a geo-location database.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein estimating the received signal polarization comprises sensing on a plurality of antenna polarizations of the secondary station.

10. The method of claim 9 , wherein the sensing comprises estimating an amplitude and phase of the protected signal for at least one of the antenna polarizations.

11. The method of claim 1 , wherein the determined transmission configuration of the secondary mobile station is orthogonal to the estimated received polarization signal of the at least one protected signal of the primary communications system.

12. A method of transmitting a signal in a transmitter of a secondary mobile station of a secondary communications system comprising:

sensing, by the secondary mobile station of the secondary communications system, an ambient radio environment on a candidate channel in a primary spectrum of a primary communications system using a plurality of antennas of the secondary mobile station, each of the plurality of antennas having a unique polarization;

selecting, by the secondary mobile station, one antenna of the plurality of antennas of the secondary mobile station by:

when an incumbent signal is detected on the candidate channel, selecting an antenna from the plurality of antennas having a lowest matching polarization with the incumbent signal for subsequent transmission by the secondary mobile station on the candidate channel in the primary spectrum of the primary communications system; and

when no incumbent signal is detected on the candidate channel, selecting an antenna from the plurality of antennas that has a highest matching polarization with a receiving station to which the secondary mobile station is transmitting on the candidate channel in the primary spectrum of the primary communications system.

13. The method of claim 12 , wherein the sensing and selecting are repeated periodically.

14. The method of claim 12 , wherein the incumbent signal is detected adjacent to the candidate channel.

15. The method of claim 12 , wherein the incumbent signal is detected in the candidate channel.

16. The method of claim 12 , wherein the plurality of antennas comprises first and second antennas having orthogonal polarization with respect to each other.

17. A method of operating a secondary station in a secondary communications system, comprising:

determining, at the secondary station of the secondary communications system, a polarization of an incumbent signal on a candidate channel in a primary spectrum of a primary communications system; and

configuring a transmitter of the secondary station of the secondary communications system to transmit on the candidate channel in the primary spectrum of the primary communications system such that at least a majority of transmit power is routed to one of a plurality of antennas having a lowest matching polarization relative to the polarization of the incumbent signal.

18. The method of claim 17 , wherein determining the polarization of the incumbent signal comprises querying a geo-location database of incumbent signals and receiving signal parameters of the incumbent signal from the geo-location database, and wherein the signal parameters comprise a polarization indication parameter.

19. The method of claim 18 wherein configuring the transmitter comprises selecting only the antenna having the lowest matching polarity.

20. The method of claim 18 , wherein determining the polarization comprises receiving the incumbent signal at each of the plurality of antennas, wherein the antenna having the lowest received signal strength is selected as the antenna having the lowest matching polarization.

21. The method of claim 18 , wherein the mobile station comprises an orientation sensor, configuring the transmitter comprises:

determining an orientation of the mobile station as indicated by the orientation sensor; and

selecting one of the plurality of antennas having a polarization most opposite of the polarization of the incumbent signal.

22. The method of claim 18 , wherein determining the polarization and configuring the transmitter are repeated.

23. A cognitive secondary station in a secondary communications system, comprising:

a transceiver;

a plurality of antennas, each of the plurality of antennas able to be selectively coupled to the transceiver, and having a unique polarization relative to the cognitive secondary station; and

a controller configured to operate the transceiver and selectively couple at least one of the plurality of antennas to the transceiver in response to the cognitive secondary station determining a polarization of an incumbent signal on a channel in a primary spectrum of a primary communications system which the transceiver is configured to operate, and wherein the at least one of the plurality of antennas has a lowest matching polarization with the incumbent signal.