Abstract: A method of operating a radar apparatus comprises: (a) capturing a first chirp of data in the cycle and storing the data in a local storage memory; (b) processing the captured data to generate a set of range bin data, (c) transferring the range bin data from the local storage memory to a remote burst access memory, (d) repeating the steps (a) and (b) for each subsequent chirp, (e) repeating step (c) so as to transfer the range bin data from the local storage memory to the remote burst access memory, (f) transferring from the remote burst access memory into the local storage memory, (g) process the data transferred into the local storage memory to generate a set of velocity data, and repeating steps (f) and (g) until all of the data in the remote burst access memory block of data has been processed by the second FFT.

Abstract: A method of detecting objects located in an environment around a vehicle, comprises the steps of obtaining a 2D image of a scene from an image capture device fitted to the vehicle, generating a set of particles that each comprise a set of parameters that define the state of at least one object that may be present in the scene, calculating an edge strength and edge direction for each pixel of the captured 2D image; and for each particle in the set: generating a 3D probabilistic model of the object that is associated with the particle, the model defining a set of edges of the object, each edge in the model defined by at least one likelihood function defining a probabilistic distribution of at least one characteristic of the edge, mapping the likelihood functions of the probabilistic model into the 2D plane of the captured image as a function of the parameters of the particle; and processing the edge strength and edge direction values with the probability values to determine the likelihood that the particle defi

Abstract: A method of determining the boundary of a driveable space in a scene around a vehicle, comprises capturing a first colour image of the scene, computing a set of histograms of oriented gradients, for instance using a HOG algorithm, each histogram corresponding to a cell in a set of cells, assigning an entropy value to the cell by computing the entropy of the histogram for the cell, dividing the image into bins in a way that corresponds to a rectangular grid in the real world, and calculating an overall entropy value for each bin from the entropy values for the cells in the bin and an overall colour characteristic value for each bin. The entropy value and colour characteristic value for each bin are fed into a classifier that is configured to classify regions of the image corresponding to each bin as regions likely to be driveable space or that are not likely to be driveable space, from which the boundary is derived.

Abstract: A method of detecting objects located in an environment around a vehicle, comprises the steps of obtaining a 2D image of a scene from an image capture device fitted to the vehicle, generating a set of particles that each comprise a set of parameters that define the state of at least one object that may be present in the scene, calculating an edge strength and edge direction for each pixel of the captured 2D image; and for each particle in the set: generating a 3D probabilistic model of the object that is associated with the particle, the model defining a set of edges of the object, each edge in the model defined by at least one likelihood function defining a probabilistic distribution of at least one characteristic of the edge, mapping the likelihood functions of the probabilistic model into the 2D plane of the captured image as a function of the parameters of the particle; and processing the edge strength and edge direction values with the probability values to determine the likelihood that the particle defi

Abstract: A method of processing a signal representative of at least one physical property of a physical system comprising generating a set of predicted signals, the set of predicted signals comprising at least one member, each member representing a physical state of the physical system, generating a predicted waveform or the signal for each member dependent upon the physical state, and comparing each predicted waveform with the signal to determine the accuracy with which the physical state represented by the member for which the predicted signal was generated matches an actual physical state of the physical system. In an example embodiment, the physical system is a tyre and the state includes the air pressure within the tyre.

Abstract: An electronic control unit for a vehicle, the electronic control unit comprising a processor comprising: a processor core; storage, the storage storing data comprising instructions for the processor core; a tamper-resistant hardware security module which is coupled to the storage for reading and writing; and an external interface; the electronic control unit further comprising further storage connected to the processor through the external interface and containing further data; in which the hardware security module is arranged to cause a determination whether the data in the storage has been tampered with and, on a determination that the data has been tampered with, to cause the further data to be loaded into the storage from the further storage over the external interface. Other apparatus and methods for improving the security of electronic control circuits are disclosed.

Abstract: A method of and apparatus for processing received radiation (e.g. RADAR radiation) reflected from a target, the method comprising generating a set of predicted targets, the set of predicted targets comprising at least one member, each member representing a state of the target, generating a predicted waveform for the radiation for each member dependent upon the state of the target, and comparing each predicted waveform with a waveform of the received radiation to determine the accuracy with which the state of the target represented by the member for which the predicted waveform was generated matches an actual state of the target.

Abstract: A method of determining the boundary of a driveable space in a scene around a vehicle, comprises capturing a first colour image of the scene, computing a set of histograms of oriented gradients, for instance using a HOG algorithm, each histogram corresponding to a cell in a set of cells, assigning an entropy value to the cell by computing the entropy of the histogram for the cell, dividing the image into bins in a way that corresponds to a rectangular grid in the real world, and calculating an overall entropy value for each bin from the entropy values for the cells in the bin and an overall colour characteristic value for each bin. The entropy value and colour characteristic value for each bin are fed into a classifier that is configured to classify regions of the image corresponding to each bin as regions likely to be driveable space or that are not likely to be driveable space, from which the boundary is derived.

Abstract: A method of operating a radar apparatus is disclosed.

Abstract: A method of processing an image includes a region of a highway in front of the vehicle captured using an imager having a two dimensional array of image capturing pixels. The array includes a first set of pixels substantially independent of hue and a second set of pixels dependent of a limited range of hues. The method further includes the steps of producing a first image where each pixel is assigned a value derived from the first set of pixels and producing a second image where each pixel is assigned a value derived from the first set of pixels and the second set of pixels. The method includes identifying-for at least one pixel in the first image a first intensity change value indicative of the difference between that pixel and at least one adjacent pixel identifying for a corresponding pixel in the second image a second intensity change value indicative of the difference between that pixel and at least one adjacent pixel.

Abstract: A method of obscuring information carried visibly on a surface of an integrated circuit of an electronic device, the method comprising obscuring the information so as to replace the information with a visual representation of information relating to the device. Also, a method of controlling access to a first key which controls access to an electronic device, the method comprising storing an encrypted key, being the first key encrypted with a second key, as a visible representation on the device. The encrypted key can be stored in storage of the device such as non-volatile memory. Furthermore, a method of controlling access to a first key which controls access to an electronic device, in which the device comprises a processor having a full operating function set, the method comprising storing an encrypted key, being the first key encrypted with a second key, at the device in a manner that access to the encrypted key does not require the full operating function set of the processor.

Abstract: An electrical subsystem for a vehicle comprises an electronic control module adapted to generate one or more output messages suitable for transmission by a communication network, for instance a communication network, such as a CAN-bus, the subsystem further comprising: a message filter which is arranged in the event of a fault of the electronic control module to filter the messages generated by the electronic control module so that only messages that meet predefined criteria are transmitted by the communication network and to block messages that do not meet that criteria.

Abstract: An electronic control unit for a vehicle, the electronic control unit comprising a processor comprising: a processor core; storage, the storage storing data comprising instructions for the processor core; a tamper-resistant hardware security module which is coupled to the storage for reading and writing; and an external interface; the electronic control unit further comprising further storage connected to the processor through the external interface and containing further data; in which the hardware security module is arranged to cause a determination whether the data in the storage has been tampered with and, on a determination that the data has been tampered with, to cause the further data to be loaded into the storage from the further storage over the external interface. Other apparatus and methods for improving the security of electronic control circuits are disclosed.

Abstract: A transceiver circuit includes a signal generator arranged to generate an output signal; a transmitter coupled to the signal generator so as to transmit the output signal; a receiver arranged to receive a received signal; a mixer coupled to the receiver and to the signal generator so as to mix the output signal and the received signal so as to produce a mixed signal; and at least one filter coupled to the mixer so as to act upon the mixed signal to produce a filtered signal. The filtered signal includes an unwanted portion of the output signal is received at the receiver without having been reflected from a target. The transceiver circuit further includes a correction circuit arranged to generate a simulated waveform that simulates the behavior of the each filter to the unwanted portion of the output signal and applies a correction so as to remove the simulated waveform from the filtered signal.

Abstract: A method of and apparatus for processing received radiation (e.g. RADAR radiation) reflected from a target, the method comprising generating a set of predicted targets, the set of predicted targets comprising at least one member, each member representing a state of the target, generating a predicted waveform for the radiation for each member dependent upon the state of the target, and comparing each predicted waveform with a waveform of the received radiation to determine the accuracy with which the state of the target represented by the member for which the predicted waveform was generated matches an actual state of the target.

Abstract: A method of processing a signal representative of at least one physical property of a physical system comprising generating a set of predicted signals, the set of predicted signals comprising at least one member, each member representing a physical state of the physical system, generating a predicted waveform or the signal for each member dependent upon the physical state, and comparing each predicted waveform with the signal to determine the accuracy with which the physical state represented by the member for which the predicted signal was generated matches an actual physical state of the physical system. In an example embodiment, the physical system is a tyre and the state includes the air pressure within the tyre.

Abstract: A transceiver circuit includes a signal generator arranged to generate an output signal; a transmitter coupled to the signal generator so as to transmit the output signal; a receiver arranged to receive a received signal; a mixer coupled to the receiver and to the signal generator so as to mix the output signal and the received signal so as to produce a mixed signal; and at least one filter coupled to the mixer so as to act upon the mixed signal to produce a filtered signal. The filtered signal includes an unwanted portion of the output signal is received at the receiver without having been reflected from a target. The transceiver circuit further includes a correction circuit arranged to generate a simulated waveform that simulates the behavior of the each filter to the unwanted portion of the output signal and applies a correction so as to remove the simulated waveform from the filtered signal.

Abstract: An electrical subsystem for a vehicle comprises an electronic control module adapted to generate one or more output messages suitable for transmission by a communication network, for instance a communication network, such as a CAN-bus, the subsystem further comprising: a message filter which is arranged in the event of a fault of the electronic control module to filter the messages generated by the electronic control module so that only messages that meet predefined criteria are transmitted by the communication network and to block messages that do not meet that criteria.

Abstract: An apparatus is disclosed for monitoring the load on at least one part of an aircraft landing gear during landing of the aircraft. The apparatus comprises a housing containing a sensor which senses a parameter indicative of the load in the part of the landing gear, a processor which receives signals from the sensor and processes the signals to produce data representative of the parameter measured by the sensor, a battery which provides electrical power to the processor, a memory for storing measurement data from the processor, and a wireless transmitter which is controlled by the processor. The wireless transmitter is arranged to transmit at least some of the measurement data from the processor to a remote device located outside of the housing.

Abstract: A rain detection apparatus includes a camera that views a surface and a processor that captures an image from the camera. The processor generates a signal indicative of rain on the surface from information contained in the captured image and optionally drives a surface cleaning apparatus in response thereto. The apparatus captures images focused at a plurality of distances. The processor includes an edge detector that detects edges visible in the captured image and a difference structure that calculates the difference between the number of edges visible between differing images. The edge detector disregards edges close to areas of light larger than the largest raindrop that is desired or expected to be detected. The apparatus optionally includes a backlight, and the difference in numbers of edges between frames with and without the backlight illuminated are used to distinguish between background features and rain on the surface.