Device having SPAD photodiodes for detecting an object with a selection of a number of photodiodes to be reversed biased
US8963069B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Dec 18, 2012 |
| Grant date | Feb 24, 2015 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Aug 3, 2033 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG01S17/89
- WIPO fieldMeasurement
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
The disclosure relates to a method for detecting the presence of an object near a detection device, comprising: reverse biasing single photon avalanche photodiodes, at a bias voltage greater than a breakdown voltage of a PN junction of each photodiode, emitting pulses of an incident photon beam, detecting photodiodes which avalanche trigger after the reception by the photodiode of at least one photon of a reflected photon beam produced by a reflection of the incident beam on an object near the detection device, determining the object presence as a function of the existence of at least one avalanche triggering in one of the photodiodes, and selecting a number of photodiodes to be reverse biased in relation to the detection device, as a function of a load of a circuit for generating the bias voltage.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.