Photodetector systems with low-power time-to-digital converter architectures to determine an arrival time of photon at a photodetector based on event detection time window
US10868207B1 · kind B1 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | May 21, 2020 |
| Grant date | Dec 15, 2020 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | May 21, 2040 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC A)Human Necessities
- CPC primaryA61B5/6814
- WIPO fieldMedical technology
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
An exemplary photodetector system includes a photodetector and a time-to-digital converter (TDC) coupled to the photodetector. The TDC is configured to receive, during a predetermined event detection time window that commences in response to an application of a light pulse to a target, a signal triggered by an event in which the photodetector detects a photon of the light pulse after the light pulse reflects from the target. The TDC is further configured to enable, in response to the receiving the signal, a gated ring oscillator (GRO) of the TDC, measure, using the GRO, a time interval between when the event occurred and an end of the predetermined event detection time window, and determine, based on the time interval and the predetermined event detection time window, an arrival time of the photon at the photodetector.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.