Distance measuring device and transmitter, receiver and method thereof
US11300666B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignee
Inventor
Key dates
| Filing date | Apr 13, 2017 |
| Grant date | Apr 12, 2022 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Apr 9, 2039 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG01S17/894
- WIPO fieldMeasurement
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
An optical time-of-flight distance measuring device comprises a transmitter and a receiver. The transmitter comprises a semiconductor laser for outputting optical pulses of controllably variable temporal widths. The semiconductor laser operates in an enhanced switching regime for the optical pulses of a minimum generable temporal width of the laser. The receiver comprises a matrix of single photon avalanche detector elements of a Geiger mode, a receiver controller, and one or more time-to-digital converters. The single photon avalanche detector elements detect optical pulses reflected from the target to the matrix, and each of the single photon avalanche detector element outputs an electric signal in response to each detection. A number of the time-to-digital converters is smaller than a number of the single photon avalanche detector elements of the matrix. The receiver controller connects at least two of the single photon avalanche detector elements with different time-to-digital converters. The time-to-digital converters connected with the single photon avalanche detector elements provide timings of detected optical pulses on the basis of each output electrical signal for determi…
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.