Time of flight transmitter with self-stabilized optical output phase

US11639989B2 · kind B2 · utility

Assignee

• Analog Devices International Unlimited Company · IE

Inventors

• Junhua Shen · Wilmington, US
• Erik Barnes · Solana Beach, US
• Alberto Marinas · Guissona, ES
• Daniel Peter Canniff · Brookline, US
• Siwen Liang · Basingstoke, GB

Key dates

• Filing date: May 13, 2019
• Grant date: May 2, 2023
• Expiry date: Mar 2, 2042

Classification

• Technology area (CPC H): Electricity
• CPC primary: H01S5/06821
• WIPO field: Measurement
• WIPO sector: Instruments

Abstract

A time-of-flight (ToF) transmitter with self-stabilized optical output phase with minimal overhead is described, where the transmitter may either function as a slave in that the laser pulse phase and width can be controlled by the master ToF receiver, or it can function as a master where the laser control pulse is generated on the same chip or a companion chip. When the ToF transmitter functions as a slave and receives the laser pulse control signal, the techniques of this disclosure can transform the receive path and the pre-driver circuit into part of a delay locked loop (DLL).