Photodetection circuit having at least one counter operative in response to a mode switching circuit and operating method thereof
US10012534B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Jul 2, 2014 |
| Grant date | Jul 3, 2018 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Sep 12, 2034 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG01J2001/448
- WIPO fieldAudio-visual technology
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
A photodetection circuit includes an avalanche photodiode and a mode switching circuit that may be configured to selectively switch an operating mode of the photodetection circuit between linear mode and Geiger mode. The photodetection circuit may further include a quenching circuit configured to quench and reset the avalanche photodiode in response to an avalanche event when the photodetection circuit is operated in Geiger mode. The photodetection circuit may additionally include an integration circuit configured to integrate photocurrent output by the photodiode and generate integrated charge units when the photodetection circuit is operated in linear mode. The photodetection circuit may also include a counter configured to count pulses output by the avalanche photodiode when the photodetection circuit is operated in Geiger mode and to count integrated charge units generated by the integration circuit when the photodetection circuit is operated in linear mode.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.