Patent ID: 8868144

Claim:
A wireless device comprising: an antenna subsystem having a selectable polarization; at least one sensor configured to provide at least one orientation measurement of the wireless device and provide an indication of an environment of the wireless device; a memory configured to store polarization information for different states of the antenna subsystem; and a processor unit coupled to the memory and configured to: receive the at least one orientation measurement; select a polarization of the antenna subsystem based on the at least one orientation measurement and the polarization information for the different states of the antenna subsystem from the memory when the indication of the environment comprises the wireless device being in an outdoor environment; select the polarization of the antenna subsystem based on a received signal strength when the indication of the environment comprises the wireless device being in an indoor environment, wherein the received signal strength is measured using different antenna subsystem configurations; and set the polarization of the antenna subsystem to achieve the selected polarization.