Patent · US Active

Proximity detection apparatus and associated methods having single photon avalanche diodes for determining a quality metric based upon the number of events

US9316735B2 · kind B2 · utility

63Cited by
4References
25Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventor

Key dates

Filing dateDec 9, 2013
Grant dateApr 19, 2016
Priority date
Expiry dateAug 16, 2034

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
  • CPC primaryH10F77/953
  • WIPO fieldMeasurement
  • WIPO sectorInstruments

Abstract

A proximity detector may include an array of single photon avalanche diodes (SPADs) and an illumination source. Illumination from the illumination source may be reflected by a target to the array of single photon avalanche diodes. The SPADs may be operable to detect events. A number of events detected may be dependent on a level of illumination incident on the SPADs. The proximity detector may then determine a quality metric and calculate an output when the quality metric is at a predetermined level. A related method may include regulating the quality of the data on which such a proximity detector apparatus calculates its output.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.