Lidar 2D receiver array architecture

US11408983B2 · kind B2 · utility

Assignee

• Infineon Technologies AG · DE

Inventors

• Boris KIRILLOV · Graz, AT
• Thomas Gigl · Graz, AT
• Marcus Hennecke · Ulm, DE

Key dates

• Filing date: Oct 1, 2018
• Grant date: Aug 9, 2022
• Expiry date: May 17, 2041

Classification

• Technology area (CPC G): Physics
• CPC primary: G01S17/14
• WIPO field: Measurement
• WIPO sector: Instruments

Abstract

A LIDAR system includes a receiver configured to receive a reflected light beam from a receiving direction, the reflected light beam having an oblong shape that extends in a lengthwise direction. The LIDAR receiver includes a two-dimensional (2D) photodetector array including a plurality of pixel rows and a plurality of pixel columns, wherein the reflected light beam, incident on the 2D photodetector array, extends in the lengthwise direction along at least one receiving pixel column of the plurality of pixel columns according to the receiving direction; an analog readout circuit including a plurality of output channels configured to read out electrical signals; and a multiplexer configured to, for each reading cycle, selectively couple receiving pixels of the at least one receiving column to the plurality of output channels based on the receiving direction, while decoupling non-receiving pixels from the plurality of output channels based on the receiving direction.