Orbital angular momentum-based multiplexing with shared antenna elements

A radio-communications apparatus configured for orbital angular momentum (OAM)-based multiplexing, the apparatus comprising:

• a plurality of signal inputs to receive a plurality of distinct data streams to be multiplexed and transmitted according to a corresponding plurality of OAM modes;
• and
• multiplexing circuitry to generate a set of antenna element-specific signals corresponding to respective antenna elements of an antenna array, wherein each antenna element-specific signal comprises phase-angle offset versions of each of the distinct data streams,
• wherein the distinct data streams are in an offset-phase relationship with one another, the offset-phase relationship between each of the respective phase shifted data streams comprises multiples of 2π divided by a number of the antenna elements of the antenna array.

A radio-communications apparatus configured for orbital angular momentum (OAM)-based multiplexing, the apparatus comprising:

• a plurality of signal inputs to receive a plurality of distinct data streams to be multiplexed and transmitted according to a corresponding plurality of OAM modes;
• and
• multiplexing circuitry to generate a set of antenna element-specific signals corresponding to respective antenna elements of an antenna array, wherein each antenna element-specific signal comprises phase-angle offset versions of each of the distinct data streams,
• wherein the multiplexing circuitry comprises:
• a plurality of groups of phase shifters, each group of phase shifters configured to generate an offset-phase relationship between the plurality of distinct data streams;
• and
• wherein each group of phase shifters is associated with one of the antenna elements,
• wherein each group is configured to generate output signals comprising phase-shifted data streams having an offset-phase relationship therebetween,
• wherein the groups of phase shifters are arranged successively such that the phase shifters of each successive phase shifter group further shift a respective one of the phase shifted data streams, and
• wherein the phase shifted data streams from each respective group are combined to generate the antenna element-specific signal for an associated one of the antenna elements.

A radio-communications apparatus configured for reception of orbital angular momentum (OAM)-based multiplexed signaling, the apparatus comprising:

• receive signal inputs to accept an aggregated signal comprising a plurality of OAM modes, wherein the aggregated signal includes a set of antenna element-specific signals, corresponding to respective individual antenna elements of an antenna array, and each individual antenna element-specific signal includes a signal component of each one of the OAM modes;
• and
• demultiplexing circuitry to extract the distinct data streams from the aggregated signaling, wherein the demultiplexing circuitry includes:
• a set of splitters, wherein each splitter is individually associated with one of the antenna element-specific signals, and each splitter is configured to split apart portions of each of the OAM modes from a corresponding individual antenna element-specific signal;
• and
• a plurality of groups of phase shifters, each group of phase shifters associated with one of set of the splitters, and configured to produce a set of data stream-specific phase shifts corresponding to each of the portions of the OAM modes from the associated individual splitter,
• wherein each antenna element-specific signal comprises phase-angle offset versions of each of the distinct data streams, and
• wherein the phase-angle offset versions of each of the distinct data streams are in an offset-phase relationship with one another that is based on a number of the antenna elements of elliptical ring pattern.

At least one non-transitory machine-readable medium containing instructions that, when executed on communications hardware, cause the communications hardware to perform orbital angular momentum (OAM)-based multiplexing, including:

• accessing distinct data streams to be multiplexed and transmitted according to a corresponding plurality of OAM modes;
• and
• generating a set of antenna element-specific signals corresponding to respective antenna elements of an antenna array, wherein the antenna element-specific signals comprise phase-angle offset versions of each of the distinct data streamsΛ
• wherein the antenna elements are arranged in an elliptical ring pattern and the phrase-angle offset versions of each of the distinct data streams are in an offset-phase relationship with one another that is based on a number of the antenna elements in the elliptical ring pattern.

At least one non-transitory machine-readable medium containing instructions that, when executed on communications hardware, cause the communications hardware to perform orbital angular momentum (OAM)-based multiplexing, including:

• accessing distinct data streams to be multiplexed and transmitted according to a corresponding plurality of OAM modes;
• and
• generating a set of antenna element-specific signals corresponding to respective antenna elements of an antenna array, wherein the antenna element-specific signals comprise phase-angle offset versions of each of the distinct data streams,
• wherein generating the set of antenna element-specific signals includes:
• operating groups of phase shifters, each group of phase shifters configured to generate an offset-phase relationship between the distinct data streams, and wherein each group of phase shifters is associated with one of the antenna elements,
• wherein each group is configured to generate output signals comprising phase-shifted data streams having an offset-phase relationship therebetween,
• wherein the groups of phase shifters are arranged successively such that the phase shifters of each successive phase shifter group further shift a respective one of the phase shifted data streams, and
• wherein the phase shifted data streams from each respective group are combined to generate the antenna element-specific signal for an associated one of the antenna elements.

A method for decoding orbital angular momentum (OAM)-based multiplexed signaling, the method comprising:

• receiving an aggregated signal containing a plurality of OAM modes, wherein the aggregated signal includes a set of antenna element-specific signals corresponding to respective antenna elements of an antenna array, and each antenna element-specific signal includes a signal component of each one of the OAM modes;
• and
• extracting the plurality of distinct data streams from the aggregated signaling, including:
• splitting apart the portions of each of the OAM modes from a corresponding antenna element-specific signal;
• and
• generating a set of data stream-specific phase shifts corresponding to each of the portions of the OAM modes,
• wherein each antenna element-specific signal comprises phase-angle offset versions of each of the distinct data streams, and
• wherein the phase-angle offset versions of each of the distinct data streams are in an offset-phase relationship with one another that is based on a number of the antenna elements of elliptical ring pattern.