# 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. - **Patent:** US 11974263 - **Original title:** Method of using orbital angular momentum in a wireless communication system and apparatus therefor - **Owner:** LG Electronics - **Granted:** 2024 - **Status:** Active - **Times cited:** 2 - **Field:** telecommunications, consumer_electronics, software ## What it does 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. ## 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. ## 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. ## Real-world examples 1. Future 6G wireless communication systems 2. High-capacity wireless backhaul links 3. Dense urban cellular networks 4. Wireless communication for augmented reality/virtual reality devices ## Why it matters 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. ## 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." **Full plain-English explainer:** https://patentbrief.org/patent/us/11974263/method-of-using-orbital-angular-momentum-in-a-wireless-communication-system-and- **Original patent:** https://patents.google.com/patent/US11974263 --- _Source: PatentBrief — https://patentbrief.org. Patent facts are from public records; the plain-English explanation is PatentBrief's._ ## Related patents Semantically similar inventions in the PatentBrief corpus: - [How Phones and Towers Use AI to Improve Wireless Signal Quality](https://patentbrief.org/patent/us/12506552/method-and-apparatus-for-estimating-channel-in-wireless-communication-system) — This patent describes how a mobile phone and a base station work together, using machine learning, to accurately measure and predict the quality of the wireless connection, making communication more reliable. - [How 5G Networks Intelligently Switch Your Phone's Connection Beams](https://patentbrief.org/patent/us/12231284/network-architecture-methods-and-devices-for-a-wireless-communications-network) — This patent describes how a 5G network efficiently manages and switches the directional radio signals (beams) your phone uses, especially when needing to look beyond its current cell tower. - [How 5G Networks Use Different Speeds for Device Communication](https://patentbrief.org/patent/us/12021609/network-architecture-methods-and-devices-for-a-wireless-communications-network-12021609) — Ericsson's patent describes how 5G wireless networks can tell a device how to talk back, and then send data to that device using two different 'speeds' or channel widths at the same time, making communication more flexible. - [Smart Surfaces That Bend Radio Waves](https://patentbrief.org/patent/us/11843171/multi-layer-reconfigurable-surface-for-an-antenna) — Samsung's patent describes a special surface made of tiny cells that can change how radio waves bounce off it, directing them precisely where needed. - [How Phones Switch to Better Cell Towers Seamlessly](https://patentbrief.org/patent/us/11689977/method-and-system-to-handle-handover-procedure-in-multi-trp-system) — Samsung's 2023 patent on a smarter way for phones to switch to new cell towers, called TRPs, by comparing their settings to ensure a smooth connection.