Concept for optical distance measurement

US8792087B2 · kind B2 · utility

Assignee

• Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft zur förderung der angewandten Forschung e.V. · DE

Inventors

• Andreas Spickermann · Bottrop, DE
• Werner Brockherde · Duisburg, DE
• Bedrich Hosticka · Rübhausen, DE

Key dates

• Filing date: Aug 13, 2010
• Grant date: Jul 29, 2014
• Expiry date: Aug 17, 2032

Classification

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

Abstract

The present invention relates to a concept for optical distance measurement, wherein a radiation pulse is emitted in the direction of an object of measurement. At least two different transfer gates which couple a photoactive region to at least two different evaluating capacities are driven during different drive intervals so that charge carriers generated during the drive intervals by a radiation pulse reflected from the object of measurement and/or by ambient radiation can be transported from the photoactive region to the evaluating capacities each coupled to the at least two transfer gates. Another transfer gate is driven during a time outside the drive intervals of the at least two transfer gates to connect the photoactive region to a reference potential terminal acting as a charge carrier sink during the time outside the drive intervals of the at least two transfer gates.