Patents by Inventor Wassim RAFRAFI

Wassim RAFRAFI 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: 11933915
    Abstract: A radar detection system for activation of a powered closure member of a vehicle and corresponding method are provided. The system includes a radar sensor assembly having a radar transmit antenna for transmitting radar waves and a radar receive antenna for receiving the radar waves after reflection from an object in a detection zone. The radar sensor assembly outputs a sensor signal corresponding to the motion of the object in the detection zone. An electronic control unit is coupled to the radar sensor assembly and includes a data acquisition module to receive the sensor signal and a plurality of analysis modules to analyze the sensor signal to detect extracted features and determine whether extracted features are within predetermined thresholds representing a valid activation gesture. The electronic control unit initiates movement of the closure member in response to the extracted features being within the predetermined thresholds representing the valid activation gesture.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 22, 2021
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2024
    Assignee: MAGNA CLOSURES INC.
    Inventors: Wassim Rafrafi, Samuel R. Baruco
  • Publication number: 20230278569
    Abstract: A vehicular cabin monitoring system includes a radar assembly disposed in a cabin of a vehicle and operable to capture radar data. The radar assembly includes at least one radar transmit antenna that is operable to transmit radar waves and at least one radar receive antenna that is operable to receive radar waves. The transmitted radar waves are transmitted at least to a hotspot zone in the cabin of the vehicle. A data processor is operable to process radar data captured by the radar assembly. The system, via processing at the data processor of radar data captured by the radar assembly, determines movement within the hotspot zone of a body part of an occupant present in the cabin of the vehicle. The system, responsive to determining movement within the hotspot zone of the body part of the occupant, generates a control command.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 15, 2023
    Publication date: September 7, 2023
    Inventors: Stephen J. Caron, Wassim Rafrafi
  • Patent number: 11648956
    Abstract: A vehicular cabin monitoring system includes a radar assembly disposed in a cabin of a vehicle and operable to capture radar data. The radar assembly is housed in an interior rearview mirror assembly of the vehicle and includes at least one radar transmit antenna that is operable to transmit radar waves and at least one radar receive antenna that is operable to receive radar waves. A control includes a data processor for processing radar data captured by the radar assembly. The control, via processing at the data processor of radar data captured by the radar assembly, detects movement of a body part of an occupant present in the cabin of the vehicle. The control, responsive to detecting movement of the body part of the occupant in the cabin of the vehicle, generates a control command associated with at least one operation of the vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 8, 2021
    Date of Patent: May 16, 2023
    Assignee: MAGNA MIRRORS OF AMERICA, INC.
    Inventors: Stephen J. Caron, Wassim Rafrafi
  • Patent number: 11462054
    Abstract: Embodiments of the present disclosure describe mechanisms for a radar-based indoor localization and tracking system. One example can include monitoring unit that includes a radar source, a camera unit, and one or more processors coupled to the radar element and the camera unit. The monitoring unit is configured to generate point cloud data associated with an object; execute Point Cloud Library (PCL) preprocessing based, at least, on the point cloud data; execute Density-Based Spatial Clustering of Applications with Noise (DBSCAN) clustering; execute multi-object tracking on the object; and execute an image PCL overlay based on the point cloud data to generate real-time data associated with the object.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 21, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 4, 2022
    Assignee: ANALOG DEVICES INTERNATIONAL UNLIMITED COMPANY
    Inventors: Foroohar Foroozan, Wassim Rafrafi
  • Publication number: 20220063647
    Abstract: A vehicular cabin monitoring system includes a radar assembly disposed in a cabin of a vehicle and operable to capture radar data. The radar assembly is housed in an interior rearview mirror assembly of the vehicle and includes at least one radar transmit antenna that is operable to transmit radar waves and at least one radar receive antenna that is operable to receive radar waves. A control includes a data processor for processing radar data captured by the radar assembly. The control, via processing at the data processor of radar data captured by the radar assembly, detects movement of a body part of an occupant present in the cabin of the vehicle. The control, responsive to detecting movement of the body part of the occupant in the cabin of the vehicle, generates a control command associated with at least one operation of the vehicle.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 8, 2021
    Publication date: March 3, 2022
    Inventors: Stephen J. Caron, Wassim Rafrafi
  • Patent number: 11167771
    Abstract: A vehicular gesture sensing system includes a radar assembly and method of operation thereof. The radar assembly includes at least one radar transmit antenna for transmitting radar waves in a cabin of a vehicle and at exterior areas outside the cabin and at least one radar receive antenna for receiving the radar waves after reflection of the vehicle or objects or an occupant in the vehicle. A control, via processing of data representative of the radar waves received by the radar receive antenna, detects a gesture made by the occupant in the cabin of the vehicle. The control correlates the detected gesture with a user input operation and, responsive to correlating the detected gesture with the user input operation, communicates a control command corresponding to the detected gesture to control at least one accessory of the vehicle in accordance with the user input operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 4, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 9, 2021
    Assignee: MAGNA MIRRORS OF AMERICA, INC.
    Inventors: Stephen J. Caron, Wassim Rafrafi
  • Publication number: 20210311168
    Abstract: A radar detection system for activation of a powered closure member of a vehicle and corresponding method are provided. The system includes a radar sensor assembly having a radar transmit antenna for transmitting radar waves and a radar receive antenna for receiving the radar waves after reflection from an object in a detection zone. The radar sensor assembly outputs a sensor signal corresponding to the motion of the object in the detection zone. An electronic control unit is coupled to the radar sensor assembly and includes a data acquisition module to receive the sensor signal and a plurality of analysis modules to analyze the sensor signal to detect extracted features and determine whether extracted features are within predetermined thresholds representing a valid activation gesture. The electronic control unit initiates movement of the closure member in response to the extracted features being within the predetermined thresholds representing the valid activation gesture.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 22, 2021
    Publication date: October 7, 2021
    Inventors: Wassim RAFRAFI, Samuel R. BARUCO
  • Patent number: 11067667
    Abstract: A radar detection system for activation of a powered closure member of a vehicle and corresponding method are provided. The system includes a radar sensor assembly having a radar transmit antenna for transmitting radar waves and a radar receive antenna for receiving the radar waves after reflection from an object in a detection zone. The radar sensor assembly outputs a sensor signal corresponding to the motion of the object in the detection zone. An electronic control unit is coupled to the radar sensor assembly and includes a data acquisition module to receive the sensor signal and a plurality of analysis modules to analyze the sensor signal to detect extracted features and determine whether extracted features are within predetermined thresholds representing a valid activation gesture. The electronic control unit initiates movement of the closure member in response to the extracted features being within the predetermined thresholds representing the valid activation gesture.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 30, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 20, 2021
    Assignee: MAGNA CLOSURES INC.
    Inventors: Wassim Rafrafi, Samuel R. Baruco
  • Publication number: 20210117659
    Abstract: Embodiments of the present disclosure describe mechanisms for a radar-based indoor localization and tracking system. One example can include monitoring unit that includes a radar source, a camera unit, and one or more processors coupled to the radar element and the camera unit. The monitoring unit is configured to generate point cloud data associated with an object; execute Point Cloud Library (PCL) preprocessing based, at least, on the point cloud data; execute Density-Based Spatial Clustering of Applications with Noise (DBSCAN) clustering; execute multi-object tracking on the object; and execute an image PCL overlay based on the point cloud data to generate real-time data associated with the object.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 21, 2020
    Publication date: April 22, 2021
    Applicant: Analog Devices International Unlimited Company
    Inventors: Foroohar FOROOZAN, Wassim RAFRAFI
  • Patent number: 10934764
    Abstract: A radar detection system for activation of a powered closure member of a vehicle and corresponding method are provided. The system includes a radar sensor assembly having a radar transmit antenna for transmitting radar waves and a radar receive antenna for receiving the radar waves after reflection from an object in a detection zone. The radar sensor assembly outputs a sensor signal corresponding to the motion of the object in the detection zone. An electronic control unit is coupled to the radar sensor assembly and includes a data acquisition module to receive the sensor signal and a plurality of analysis modules to analyze the sensor signal to detect extracted features and determine whether extracted features are within predetermined thresholds representing a valid activation gesture. The electronic control unit initiates movement of the closure member in response to the extracted features being within the predetermined thresholds representing the valid activation gesture.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 30, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 2, 2021
    Assignee: MAGNA CLOSURES INC.
    Inventors: Wassim Rafrafi, Samuel R. Baruco
  • Publication number: 20190210615
    Abstract: A vehicular gesture sensing system includes a radar assembly and method of operation thereof. The radar assembly includes at least one radar transmit antenna for transmitting radar waves in a cabin of a vehicle and at exterior areas outside the cabin and at least one radar receive antenna for receiving the radar waves after reflection of the vehicle or objects or an occupant in the vehicle. A control, via processing of data representative of the radar waves received by the radar receive antenna, detects a gesture made by the occupant in the cabin of the vehicle.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 4, 2019
    Publication date: July 11, 2019
    Inventors: Stephen J. Caron, Wassim Rafrafi
  • Publication number: 20190162821
    Abstract: A radar detection system for activation of a powered closure member of a vehicle and corresponding method are provided. The system includes a radar sensor assembly having a radar transmit antenna for transmitting radar waves and a radar receive antenna for receiving the radar waves after reflection from an object in a detection zone. The radar sensor assembly outputs a sensor signal corresponding to the motion of the object in the detection zone. An electronic control unit is coupled to the radar sensor assembly and includes a data acquisition module to receive the sensor signal and a plurality of analysis modules to analyze the sensor signal to detect extracted features and determine whether extracted features are within predetermined thresholds representing a valid activation gesture. The electronic control unit initiates movement of the closure member in response to the extracted features being within the predetermined thresholds representing the valid activation gesture.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 30, 2019
    Publication date: May 30, 2019
    Inventors: Wassim RAFRAFI, Samuel R. BARUCO
  • Publication number: 20190162010
    Abstract: A radar detection system for activation of a powered closure member of a vehicle and corresponding method are provided. The system includes a radar sensor assembly having a radar transmit antenna for transmitting radar waves and a radar receive antenna for receiving the radar waves after reflection from an object in a detection zone. The radar sensor assembly outputs a sensor signal corresponding to the motion of the object in the detection zone. An electronic control unit is coupled to the radar sensor assembly and includes a data acquisition module to receive the sensor signal and a plurality of analysis modules to analyze the sensor signal to detect extracted features and determine whether extracted features are within predetermined thresholds representing a valid activation gesture. The electronic control unit initiates movement of the closure member in response to the extracted features being within the predetermined thresholds representing the valid activation gesture.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 30, 2019
    Publication date: May 30, 2019
    Inventors: Wassim RAFRAFI, Samuel R. BARUCO
  • Publication number: 20190162822
    Abstract: A radar detection system for activation of a powered closure member of a vehicle and corresponding method are provided. The system includes a radar sensor assembly having a radar transmit antenna for transmitting radar waves and a radar receive antenna for receiving the radar waves after reflection from an object in a detection zone. The radar sensor assembly outputs a sensor signal corresponding to the motion of the object in the detection zone. An electronic control unit is coupled to the radar sensor assembly and includes a data acquisition module to receive the sensor signal and a plurality of analysis modules to analyze the sensor signal to detect extracted features and determine whether extracted features are within predetermined thresholds representing a valid activation gesture. The electronic control unit initiates movement of the closure member in response to the extracted features being within the predetermined thresholds representing the valid activation gesture.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 30, 2019
    Publication date: May 30, 2019
    Inventors: Wassim RAFRAFI, Samuel R. BARUCO
  • Publication number: 20180238099
    Abstract: A non-contact obstacle detection (NCOD) system and a virtual handle assembly for a motor vehicle and a method of operating the non-contact obstacle detection system and a closure member using a virtual handle assembly are disclosed. The NCOD system includes a main electronic control unit. At least one non-contact obstacle sensor is coupled to the main electronic control unit for detecting obstacles. The control unit is configured to detect the obstacle and cease opening of the closure member in response to the obstacle being detected. Additionally, the control unit is configured to release a latch and apply power to a motor in response to the obstacle not being detected. The virtual handle assembly includes at least one virtual handle sensor for detecting a hand and maintaining a distance to the hand by operating an actuation system to move the closure member.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 17, 2018
    Publication date: August 23, 2018
    Inventors: Kurt M. SCHATZ, Samuel R. BARUCO, J.R. Scott MITCHELL, Marlon D.R. HILLA, Wassim RAFRAFI, Gabriele Wayne SABATINI