Patents by Inventor Rob Pinnock

Rob Pinnock has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 11940555
    Abstract: A radar apparatus for use in a vehicle (1) comprises a radar housing (6) which houses a radar sensor (7), a first 3-axis accelerometer (8) fixed so it cannot move relative to the radar sensor (7); a movable support (9) that comprises a first part (10), a second part (12), and an actuator (13) in which in use the first part (10) is fixed relative to the body (11) of the vehicle, the second part (12) is fixed relative to the radar housing (6), and the actuator is operable to move the second part relative to the first part around an axis that is fixed relative to the vehicle body by an actuator, and a signal processing apparatus (15) configured in use to determine a misalignment of the radar sensor from one or more of the signals output from the first 3-axis accelerometer (8) and one or more signals output from a second 3-axis accelerometer (16) fitted to the vehicle (1), in which the signals used are captured at different moments in time when the second part of the movable support is in two different positions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 18, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 26, 2024
    Assignee: ZF AUTOMOTIVE UK LIMITED
    Inventor: Rob Pinnock
  • Patent number: 11860309
    Abstract: A 3D imaging system includes a light source arranged to illuminate a scene with at least one optical pulse including light of at least two discrete wavelengths; an optical detector including an array of detection elements; and an optical modulator interposed in the optical path between the scene and the optical detector, the modulator being arranged to differentially amplitude modulate the two wavelengths in the reflected portion of the optical pulse as a function of time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 21, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 2, 2024
    Assignee: TRW Limited
    Inventors: Adam John Heenan, Martin Thompson, Roger Hazelden, Rob Pinnock
  • Publication number: 20210149021
    Abstract: A radar apparatus for use in a vehicle (1) comprises a radar housing (6) which houses a radar sensor (7), a first 3-axis accelerometer (8) fixed so it cannot move relative to the radar sensor (7); a movable support (9) that comprises a first part (10), a second part (12), and an actuator (13) in which in use the first part (10) is fixed relative to the body (11) of the vehicle, the second part (12) is fixed relative to the radar housing (6), and the actuator is operable to move the second part relative to the first part around an axis that is fixed relative to the vehicle body by an actuator, and a signal processing apparatus (15) configured in use to determine a misalignment of the radar sensor from one or more of the signals output from the first 3-axis accelerometer (8) and one or more signals output from a second 3-axis accelerometer (16) fitted to the vehicle (1), in which the signals used are captured at different moments in time when the second part of the movable support is in two different positions.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 18, 2019
    Publication date: May 20, 2021
    Inventor: Rob Pinnock
  • Publication number: 20210149020
    Abstract: A radar apparatus for use in a vehicle (10) comprises a radar sensor (16), a first 3-axis accelerometer (15) fixed so it cannot move relative to the radar sensor; and a signal processing apparatus (17) configured in use to determine a misalignment of the radar sensor by processing one or more of the signals output from the first 3-axis accelerometer with one or more signals output from at least one further sensor (14) fitted to the vehicle, in which the signal processing apparatus is arranged to process the signals using a scheme which determines any misalignment in pitch or roll of the radar sensor when the vehicle is stationary and additionally determines any offset in yaw when the vehicle is moving.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 18, 2019
    Publication date: May 20, 2021
    Inventor: Rob Pinnock
  • Publication number: 20190293797
    Abstract: A 3D imaging system includes a light source arranged to illuminate a scene with at least one optical pulse including light of at least two discrete wavelengths; an optical detector including an array of detection elements; and an optical modulator interposed in the optical path between the scene and the optical detector, the modulator being arranged to differentially amplitude modulate the two wavelengths in the reflected portion of the optical pulse as a function of time.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 21, 2019
    Publication date: September 26, 2019
    Applicant: TRW Limited
    Inventors: Adam John Heenan, Martin Thompson, Roger Hazelden, Rob Pinnock