Methods and systems for using a beam-forming network in conjunction with maximal-ratio-combining techniques

A wireless communication system for generating a plurality of transmission beams via an antenna array using combined capabilities of at least two radio frequency beamforming networks, said system comprising:

• an antenna array comprising two or more antennas, at least one of said two or more antennas being a cross-polarized antenna comprising a first-polarity antenna segment with associated input and a second-polarity antenna segment with associated input;
• a first transmission (Tx) beamforming network comprising two or more array Tx ports, each of said array ports being connected to a different polarity input of at least one of said antennas;
• wherein one of said array Tx ports of said first beamforming network is connected to said at least one cross-polarized antenna via said first-polarity input, and a second array Tx port of said first beamforming network is connected to said at least one cross-polarized antenna via a said second-polarity input such that said first beam forming network generates a first Tx beam in a first direction through said first polarity segment and a second Tx beam in a second direction through said second polarity antenna segment;
• and
• wherein a second beamforming network is configured to generate one or more Tx beams through said antenna array using either the first or the second polarity inputs.