Patents by Inventor Roger Voles

Roger Voles 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: 6888492
    Abstract: A radar for a terminally-guided sub-munition is capable of differentiating between spatial depositions of target scatterers and clutter. The radar frequency f is swept, in stepwise manner, over a frequency range F, the frequency of 2N successive batches of M pulses being incremented in steps of f = F 2 ? N . To minimise variability of hybrid spectrum with relative target velocity, v, a duplexer transmits the 2 NM pulses with a monotonic frequency sequence derived from control circuit and the returns being reordered.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 15, 1988
    Date of Patent: May 3, 2005
    Assignee: Thorn Emi Electronics Limited
    Inventor: Roger Voles
  • Patent number: 5068666
    Abstract: To provide stationary or mobile radar with the capability of measuring the true range profile, a radar system includes a voltage oscillator coupled to a duplexer via a pulse modulation circuit. A digital control circuit provides a sweeping 500 Mhz frequency (F) of 6N successive batches of pulses being incremented in steps of F/6N. Returns received in response to each transmitted pulse are then combined in a mixing circuit with the signal from the local oscillator to generate a signal IF; each signal is summed with signals for the same range cell derived from earlier pulses transmitted at the same frequency; thereafter the signals pass through a FFT circuit.To maintain the "dissected" spectrum centered at the 2N.sup.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 5, 1989
    Date of Patent: November 26, 1991
    Assignee: Thorn EMI Electronics Limited
    Inventor: Roger Voles
  • Patent number: 5036197
    Abstract: A thermal imaging device includes an array of pyroelectric infra-red detector pixels. An array of pillars carries electrical signals between each detector pixel and a respective signal processing circuit formed on a semiconducting substrate. Each circuit is connected to an individual display device carried by the substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 6, 1989
    Date of Patent: July 30, 1991
    Assignee: Thorn EMI Electronics Limited
    Inventor: Roger Voles
  • Patent number: 4996428
    Abstract: A pyroelectric film has a pattern of interconnected electrodes formed on one major surface, and a pattern of discrete electrodes and electrically conductive patches formed on the other major surface. The film 21 is supported by pillars connected to the patches, the pillars also producing a path for electrical signals between the patches and a signal processing means. Each discrete electrode is connected to a respective patch by a respective strip of electrically conductive material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 1, 1989
    Date of Patent: February 26, 1991
    Assignee: Thorn Emi Electronics Limited
    Inventor: Roger Voles
  • Patent number: 4982093
    Abstract: A thermal imaging device comprises a layer 11 of pyroelectric material, an array of interconnected electrodes 13, and an array of discrete electrodes 15 supported from a substrate 27 by pillars 23 of thermally insulating material. Heaters 17 and associated control electrodes 19 are also provided to reduce the temperature difference between the discrete electrodes 15 and the pillars 23 and substrate 27. Control circuits 25 are provided to control energisation of the heaters 17.In a preferred embodiment the heaters may be provided on the substrate 27 for heating the discrete electrodes 13, the control current to the heaters providing an indication of the temperature of the source of radiation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 11, 1990
    Date of Patent: January 1, 1991
    Assignee: Thorn EMI Electronics Limited
    Inventor: Roger Voles
  • Patent number: 4942301
    Abstract: A pyroelectric film has a pattern of interconnected electrodes formed on one major surface, and a pattern of discrete electrodes and electrically conductive contacts formed on the other major surface. Each discrete electrode is connected to a respective contact by a respective strip of electrically conductive material. Regions of the film each including a contact and part of the associated strip are formed in tongues pulled out of the plane of the film. The contacts are thus able to make electrical contact with respective input terminals of an integrated circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 1, 1989
    Date of Patent: July 17, 1990
    Assignee: Thorn EMI Electronics Limited
    Inventor: Roger Voles
  • Patent number: 4898032
    Abstract: An angular rate sensor comprises a pair of driven tines and a pair of output tines connected to the driven tines by a stem portion. A detection circuit including a set of output electrodes, associated with each output tines, generates a detection signal related to angular rate. A feedback circuit, including a further set of electrodes associated with each driven tine; utilizes a phase quadrature component of the detection signal so as to drive the driven tines towards a condition of torsional balance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 6, 1988
    Date of Patent: February 6, 1990
    Assignee: Thorn EMI Electronics Limited
    Inventor: Roger Voles
  • Patent number: 4862176
    Abstract: The IFF system uses basic identification codes which are transmitted between an interrogator and a responder. The basic codes are chosen in dependence upon the time and position of the interrogator or responder at the time of choice. In one version of the system, the lifetime of a code is less than or equal to the propagation time of a radio signal for a given maximum range between the interrogator or responder. Interactive interrogation may also take place using codes chosen in the same way as the basic codes. Local information may also be transmitted between the interrogator and transponder. An example of apparatus for performing these operations transmits basic or other codes together with a time code defining the time of production of the basic or other codes. It is not essential to transmit a time code in some circumstances. Position and time information may be gained from an external communications system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 17, 1978
    Date of Patent: August 29, 1989
    Assignee: EMI Limited
    Inventor: Roger Voles
  • Patent number: 4857934
    Abstract: In an improved target detector, echo signals received from the same range range bracket on successive scans of the same angular direction are stored. Different combinations of elements from said echo signals are sampled and integrated, each combination being chosen to include elements indicative of a target moving with a particular velocity. Different combinations are indicative of different target velocities, or of targets situated at different initial ranges, and means are provided for signalling an alarm when the integral of any combination exceeds a threshold.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 20, 1969
    Date of Patent: August 15, 1989
    Assignee: Electrical & Musical Industries Limited
    Inventor: Roger Voles
  • Patent number: 4719467
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for imaging a target, such as a ship, exhibiting rotational movement about respective, mutually orthogonal axes. The method involves identifying a scattering center at the target exhibiting rotational movement about one axis only (the yaw axis, say, in the case of a ship) and then correlating an electrical signal related to the Doppler frequency of a return derived from that scattering center, and indicative of the angular velocity of the target about the one axis, with other electrical signals related to the Doppler frequencies of returns derived from other scattering centers. Correlation signals generated in this way provide an indication of the relative positions of the other scattering centers in relation to the one axis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 29, 1982
    Date of Patent: January 12, 1988
    Assignee: EMI Limited
    Inventor: Roger Voles
  • Patent number: 4458145
    Abstract: An automatically focussed optical system in which two arrays of photosensitive detectors have different optical spacings respectively in front of and behind the image plane of the system, and sense different portions of the image. Differences in electrical signals generated by adjacent detectors (C,D and E,F) in each set, and indicative of differences in intensity of the corresponding portions, are processed to generate a focus drive signal (Fd) of a value related to an error in the focus of the image. This signal is used to adjust the focus. Two discrete arrays of detectors (FIG. 2B) can be used or alternatively a single array (FIG. 2D) tilted relative to the image plane can be used. In another example (FIG. 2C) a transparent block is inserted adjacent to a part only of a single detector array to thereby lengthen the optical path length of that part relative to the remainder of the array.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 8, 1981
    Date of Patent: July 3, 1984
    Assignee: EMI Limited
    Inventor: Roger Voles
  • Patent number: 4370914
    Abstract: A gun aiming arrangement uses a visible light or infra-red television camera to feed target area data to an auto-lock-follow (ALF) circuit. The ALF circuit is caused to lock onto a part of the area chosen using a sighting arrangement operated by the gunman. The gun automatically fires when the deviation between the aim of the gun and the target as sensed by the ALF circuit has a predetermined characteristic.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 6, 1978
    Date of Patent: February 1, 1983
    Assignee: E M I Limited
    Inventor: Roger Voles
  • Patent number: 4179672
    Abstract: A phase modulation system is described in which the phase of a carrier wave can assume one of a number of permitted values in each symbol period and wherein transitions between the permitted values occur at transition periods between symbol periods. Difficulties associated with phase transitions are reduced or overcome by storing or generating the transitions with a number of cycles of the carrier wave of the appropriate phase(s) on either side thereof, a wave train being built up by merging the corresponding oscillations of the same phase which succeed and preceed respectively two adjacent transitions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 28, 1978
    Date of Patent: December 18, 1979
    Assignee: E M I Limited
    Inventor: Roger Voles
  • Patent number: 4162775
    Abstract: The invention relates to a system for tracking and/or guidance of a vehicle or projectile using a correlation arrangement for comparing representations from a sensor mounted on the vehicle or projectile with a reference representation, the correlation being carried out by comparing portions of the representations and like portions of the reference representation to derive position coordinates for each of said portions and to evaluate from said position coordinates compensation signals for rotational misalignment and/or changes of scale as between the reference and subsequent representations.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 19, 1976
    Date of Patent: July 31, 1979
    Assignee: E M I Limited
    Inventor: Roger Voles
  • Patent number: 3976998
    Abstract: There is disclosed a synthetic aperture radar arranged to survey a region from a mobile location. The radar returns received from the region are first phase weighted by a series of predetermined factors. They are then stored and combined with later returns to give an output signal which has a maximum value when any target present in the region is in a predetermined direction from the location.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 6, 1974
    Date of Patent: August 24, 1976
    Assignee: EMI Limited
    Inventors: Roger Voles, Simon Watts