LiDAR system comprising a single-photon detector

A system comprising:

• a transmitter operative for providing an optical pulse from a first location at a first time, the optical pulse having a wavelength within the range of approximately 1350 nm to approximately 1475 nm;
• a receiver including a single-photon detector operative for detecting a reflection of the optical pulse from an object within a detection field at a second time;
• and
• a processor operative for:
• (i) logically separating the detection field into a plurality of detection zones that are arranged contiguously along an axis;
• (ii) establishing a detection frame having a start time that is based on the first time and a stop time based on a maximum distance of the detection field;
• (iii) establishing a plurality of sub-gate periods that collectively define the detection frame, wherein each sub-gate period corresponds to a different detection zone of the plurality thereof;
• and
• (iv) for each sub-gate period, enabling the receiver to detect the reflection only when it originates from its corresponding detection zone;
• and
• (v) estimating a separation distance between a second location and the object based the difference between the first time and the second time, wherein the second location is based on the first location.

A method for developing a map of objects within a detection field having a plurality of M detection zones that are contiguously arranged along a detection axis, the method including interrogating the detection axis by operations comprising:

• (1) establishing a first detection frame;
• (2) transmitting an optical pulse from a transmitter at a first location at a first time, the optical pulse being characterized by a wavelength within the range of approximately 1350 nm to approximately 1475 nm;
• (3) separating the detection field into M zones, zone-1 through zone-M;
• and
• (4) for each detection zone j, where j=1 through M,
• (a) enabling a receiver to detect a reflection-j of the optical pulse only when the reflection originates within zone j;
• and
• (b) if a reflection-j is detected at the receiver;
• (i) establishing a detection time-j based on the time when reflection-j is received;
• and
• (ii) computing a separation distance between an object j, the separation distance being based a difference between the first time and detection time j.