Imaging system with synchronized scan and sensing

US10795001B2 · kind B2 · utility

Assignee

• Apple Inc. · US

Inventors

• Cristiano L. Niclass · San Jose, US
• Alexander Shpunt · Nes Ziona, IL
• Gennadiy Agranov · Boise, US
• Matthew C. Waldon · San Francisco, US
• Mina Rezk · Haymarket, US
• Thierry Oggier · Zürich, CH

Key dates

• Filing date: Dec 15, 2019
• Grant date: Oct 6, 2020
• Expiry date: Dec 15, 2039

Classification

• Technology area (CPC G): Physics
• CPC primary: G01S17/894
• WIPO field: Measurement
• WIPO sector: Instruments

Abstract

An electro-optical device includes a laser light source, which is configured to emit at least one beam of light. A beam steering device is configured to transmit and scan the at least one beam across a target scene. In an array of sensing elements, each sensing element is configured to output a signal indicative of incidence of photons on the sensing element. Light collection optics are configured to image the target scene scanned by the transmitted beam onto the array, wherein the beam steering device scans the at least one beam across the target scene with a spot size and scan resolution that are smaller than a pitch of the sensing elements. Circuitry is coupled to actuate the sensing elements only in a selected region of the array and to sweep the selected region over the array in synchronization with scanning of the at least one beam.