Robin Rickard

Senior Associate, UK and European Patent Attorney
London

Robin Rickard

Robin is a UK and European Patent Attorney who deals with patents in the electronics sector, including wireless and telecommunications. He has drafted and prosecuted patents relating to cellular radio standards, in particular 3GPP, adaptive and smart antennas, coding and decoding techniques, radars, telemetry systems, oscillators and power amplifiers, as well as the Ethernet data network.

He worked for many years in R&D in wireless and radio frequency engineering, in particular designing adaptive antennas, microwave links, and radio links using spread spectrum and spectrally efficient modulation techniques. He was a pioneer in the development of power line communications and has significant experience of satellite links, cable TV and optical communications systems including passive optical networks and coherent optical fibre receivers.

Robin has a Masters in Electrical Engineering from King's College, University of London and a degree in Physics from the University of Bristol.

Published articles

  • April 2013
    Entertainment Law Review, Supreme Court defines “intellectual property” and the scope of privilege against self-incrimination
  • 2005
    OFC 2005, Anaheim, “Generation and Propagation of a 1550 nm 10 GBit/s Optical Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexed Signal over 1000m of Multimode Fibre Using Directly Modulated DFB”, Jolley N.E., Kee H, Rickard R.P., Tang J
  • 2000
    ISPLC2000, Limerick, “A Practical Realisation of a PLC Modem System: Design Aims and results”, Rickard R.P.
  • 1999
    International Symposium on Power-line Communications and its Applications, Lancaster 1999, “A Pragmatic Approach to Setting Limits for Radiation from Powerline Communications Systems”, Rickard R.P. and James, J
  • Oct 1988
    IEE Colloquium Electronic Beam Steering, “The Design of an Analogue Beamformer for Adaptive Antennas”, Wilson, F.M., Rickard, R.P
  • Nov 1997
    Powerline Communications Forum, Dusseldorf, “Coexistence of Wideband Carriers above 2 MHz on the LV Distribution Network with Radio Systems”, Rickard, R.P
  • Dec 1994
    IEE Colloquium, The Strand, “Adaptive Antenna for Scanning Telemetry”, Rickard, R.P., Wainman, P.A., David, M

Education and qualifications

  • UK Chartered Patent Attorney
  • European Patent Attorney
  • 2006 — 2007
    Post Graduate Certificate in Intellectual Property Law (Merit), Queen Mary University of London
  • 1985 — 1988
    MEng Electrical Engineering, King's College, University of London
  • 1977 — 1980
    BSc Physics, University of Bristol

Career history

  • 2015 — present
    Senior Associate, EIP
  • 2007 — 2015
    Associate, EIP
  • 2005 — 2007
    Consultant, Orthogon Systems
  • 1981 — 2005
    Manager, Microwave Signal Processing, Nortel Networks, Harlow Laboratories

Awards and recognition

  • Legal 500, 2024 (link)

Additional information

  • Advisor to Mergers and Acquisition group at Nortel: analysed technological and commercial feasibility of the propositions of several start up companies which Nortel was considering acquiring
  • Inventor on 28 filed patent families, 18 already granted
  • Initiated project and managed team building prototype adaptive antenna for private mobile radio system
  • Initiated pioneering Powerline Communication project and managed team designing and building equipment for trial systems serving 200 homes installed in Germany, Sweden and UK
  • Designed and built innovative beamformer for GPS adaptive antenna
  • Design authority for BWA Radio Modem Module
  • Led team building world’s fastest OFDM modem for optical communication
  • Represented Nortel at Ofcom wireline radiation working group and at International Powerline Communications forum: strongly argued the case for a pragmatic approach to emissions standards with some success

Specialisms

Digital

  • Automotive electronics
  • Electrical engineering
  • Image and signal processing
  • Photonics and optics
  • Robotics
  • Semiconductors
  • Telecommunications

Dynamics

  • Electrical engineering
  • Robotics

Elements

  • Semiconductors