How Phones and Base Stations Talk Using Twisting Radio Waves
LG's patent describes a method for a mobile device to tell a base station which specific "twisting" radio wave patterns it can best receive, helping improve wireless communication.
Original patent title: “Method of using orbital angular momentum in a wireless communication system and apparatus therefor”
LG's patent describes a method for a mobile device to tell a base station which specific "twisting" radio wave patterns it can best receive, helping improve wireless communication. Granted to LG Electronics in 2024 with 23 claims and 2 forward citations, and it is expected to expire in 2041.
Coverage
What does this patent actually cover?
This patent outlines a communication method for a mobile device (UE) to work with a base station using special radio waves that twist, called Orbital Angular Momentum (OAM) beams. First, the base station sends the UE a list of possible OAM "states" organized into groups (ClaimclaimA numbered sentence at the end of a patent that legally defines what the inventor owns. The most important section.Read more → 1: "OAM state set" with "multiple OAM state subsets"). The UE then receives one or more of these twisting OAM beams from the base station. Based on the OAM component, how much energy it receives, and the frequency of the beam, the UE figures out which OAM states it can detect (Claim 3). Finally, the UE reports back to the base station, indicating which group (subset) of OAM states it successfully detected (Claim 1). For example, a smartphone might receive a test signal with several OAM twists, identify the clearest one, and then tell the cell tower to use that specific twist for better data speed.
The gap
What does this patent NOT cover?
- Does not cover OAM communication where the UE does not report back a *subset* of detectable OAM states, as ClaimclaimA numbered sentence at the end of a patent that legally defines what the inventor owns. The most important section.Read more → 1 specifies "transmitting... information for an OAM state subset."
- Does not cover OAM communication systems that do not involve the base station sending an "OAM state set" to the UE first, as ClaimclaimA numbered sentence at the end of a patent that legally defines what the inventor owns. The most important section.Read more → 1 specifies "receiving... information for an OAM state set."
- Does not cover OAM detection by the UE that is not based on the OAM component, received energy, and frequency of the beam, as ClaimclaimA numbered sentence at the end of a patent that legally defines what the inventor owns. The most important section.Read more → 3 specifies these three criteria.
- Does not cover OAM systems that only use a single OAM state without grouping them into subsets, as the claimsclaimsThe numbered statements at the end of a patent that legally define what the inventor owns.Read more → focus on sets and subsets.
These exclusions are unique to PatentBrief — derived from the actual claim language, not patent-office boilerplate.
Key facts
What made this novel
The noveltynoveltyThe requirement that an invention be different from anything publicly known before its priority date.Read more → lies in the structured feedback mechanism: the base station provides a predefined "OAM state set" broken into "subsets," and the UE reports back which *subset* contains the detectable OAM states. This structured reporting can simplify the feedback process and reduce overhead compared to reporting individual states, making OAM more practical for real-world wireless systems.
The Patent Drawing
Schematic visualization of the patent's claim structure. Hand-drawn diagrams in progress for each landmark patent.
Where you've seen this
Real-world examples
Future 6G wireless communication systems
High-capacity wireless backhaul links
Dense urban cellular networks
Wireless communication for augmented reality/virtual reality devices
Why it matters
The bigger picture
This patent is relevant for future wireless communication technologies, particularly 5G-Advanced and 6G. OAM technology holds the promise of significantly increasing data capacity by allowing multiple data streams to be transmitted simultaneously on the same frequency using different OAM states. By enabling the UE to efficiently report detectable OAM states, this method helps optimize the link between the device and the base station, leading to faster and more reliable connections in dense environments.
Filed
September 16, 2021
Granted
April 30, 2024
Market context
Who's building on this
Companies in this space
LG Electronics, as the assigneeassigneeThe entity that owns the patent — usually the inventor's employer or a company.Read more →, is actively researching and developing OAM technologies for future wireless standards. Other major telecommunications companies like Huawei, Ericsson, Nokia, and academic institutions are also exploring OAM for 6G and beyond, focusing on its potential for high-capacity communication.
Market impact
This patent contributes to the foundational intellectual property for advanced wireless communication, particularly for future generations beyond 5G. If OAM technology becomes integrated into future standards like 6G, patents like this could become essential, influencing how network equipment and mobile devices are designed and interact, potentially leading to licensing opportunities and shaping the competitive landscape for high-capacity wireless solutions.
Claim 1 — Plain English
What this patent covers
This patent outlines a communication method for a mobile device (UE) to work with a base station using special radio waves that twist, called Orbital Angular Momentum (OAM) beams. First, the base station sends the UE a list of possible OAM "states" organized into groups (Claim 1: "OAM state set" with "multiple OAM state subsets"). The UE then receives one or more of these twisting OAM beams from the base station. Based on the OAM component, how much energy it receives, and the frequency of the beam, the UE figures out which OAM states it can detect (Claim 3). Finally, the UE reports back to the base station, indicating which group (subset) of OAM states it successfully detected (Claim 1). For example, a smartphone might receive a test signal with several OAM twists, identify the clearest one, and then tell the cell tower to use that specific twist for better data speed.
The clever bit
The novelty lies in the structured feedback mechanism: the base station provides a predefined "OAM state set" broken into "subsets," and the UE reports back which *subset* contains the detectable OAM states. This structured reporting can simplify the feedback process and reduce overhead compared to reporting individual states, making OAM more practical for real-world wireless systems.
What it does not cover
- Does not cover OAM communication where the UE does not report back a *subset* of detectable OAM states, as Claim 1 specifies "transmitting... information for an OAM state subset."
- Does not cover OAM communication systems that do not involve the base station sending an "OAM state set" to the UE first, as Claim 1 specifies "receiving... information for an OAM state set."
- Does not cover OAM detection by the UE that is not based on the OAM component, received energy, and frequency of the beam, as Claim 3 specifies these three criteria.
- Does not cover OAM systems that only use a single OAM state without grouping them into subsets, as the claims focus on sets and subsets.
Patent timeline
Application submitted to the patent office
Application published, typically 18 months after filing
Patent officially issued
Patent enters public domain
PatentBrief Score
Impact Score
Strong
Citation count
10/40
Early citations
Claim breadth
15/20
Broad claimsclaimsThe numbered statements at the end of a patent that legally define what the inventor owns.Read more →
Recency
20/20
Granted within 5 years
Assignee scale
20/20
Major company or institution
PatentBrief Impact Score — based on citation count, claim breadth, recency, and assignee scale. Not a legal assessment.
Heuristic Value Estimate
What this patent might be worth
$55K – $175K
Midpoint $109K · 14.9 yr remaining · industry ×1.4
Heuristic only — blends forward/backward citation counts, claim scope, time remaining, litigation history, and CPC-derived industry baseline. Real valuations need a professional appraisal.
Claim text not yet imported for this patent
The original legal language
Original claims
23 claims as filed with the patent office.
Concepts involved
Citations
Patent lineage
Cite this patent
KIM, U., CHO, I., Chung, J., Jung, K., CHOI, K., & PARK, B. (2024). How Phones and Base Stations Talk Using Twisting Radio Waves (U.S. Patent No. 11,974,263). U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. https://patentbrief.org/patent/us/11974263/method-of-using-orbital-angular-momentum-in-a-wireless-communication-system-and-
Auto-generated from the patent record. Double-check author order and the issue date against the official USPTO document before submitting.
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Common Questions
Frequently Asked Questions
What does How Phones and Base Stations Talk Using Twisting Radio Waves cover?
LG's patent describes a method for a mobile device to tell a base station which specific "twisting" radio wave patterns it can best receive, helping improve wireless communication.
Who owns patent US 11974263?
LG Electronics owns this patent, granted in 2024.
When does this patent expire?
This patent is expected to expire on September 16, 2041, when the invention enters the public domain.
What is patent US 11974263 cited by?
This patent has been cited by 2 later patents that build on its ideas.
What problem does this patent solve?
This patent is relevant for future wireless communication technologies, particularly 5G-Advanced and 6G. OAM technology holds the promise of significantly increasing data capacity by allowing multiple data streams to be transmitted simultaneously on the same frequency using different OAM states. By enabling the UE to efficiently report detectable OAM states, this method helps optimize the link between the device and the base station, leading to faster and more reliable connections in dense environments.
What does this patent NOT cover?
Does not cover OAM communication where the UE does not report back a *subset* of detectable OAM states, as Claim 1 specifies "transmitting... information for an OAM state subset."
Same assignee
More from LG Electronics
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