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US 10,651,835 B1Granted
Light detection with logarithmic current-to-voltage converter
AssigneeWaymo LLC
InventorVadim Gutnik
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
This disclosure provides systems, methods and apparatuses for processing analog signals with a wide dynamic range. In some implementations, the analog signal may be a current signal that is logarithmically scaled to decrease its dynamic range and converted to an output voltage using two or more diodes. A first diode may be used to scale a first range of the current signal and a second diode may be used to scale a second range of the current signal.
Claims20
A device, comprising:
- a first circuit including a first circuit element having a first logarithmic current-to-voltage relationship and configured to generate a first voltage based at least in part on an input current;
- a second circuit including a second circuit element having a second logarithmic current-to-voltage relationship and configured to generate a second voltage based at least in part on the input current;
- and
- a voltage summer configured to generate an output voltage based at least in part on a sum of the first voltage and the second voltage.
1 more element
A light detection and ranging (LIDAR) device comprising:
- a light emitter configured to emit light into an environment;
- a photodetector configured to generate a current based at least in part on light received from the environment;
- and
- a current-to-voltage converter coupled to the photodetector, and comprising:
- a first circuit including a first circuit element having a first logarithmic current-to-voltage relationship and configured to generate a first voltage based at least in part on a current provided by the photodetector;
- a second circuit including a second circuit element having a second logarithmic current-to-voltage relationship and configured to generate a second voltage based at least in part on the current provided by the photodetector;
- and
- a voltage summer configured to generate an output voltage based at least in part on a sum of the first voltage and the second voltage.
5 more elements
A method comprising:
- receiving a current from a photodetector;
- generating a first voltage using a first circuit element having a first logarithmic current-to-voltage relationship based at least in part on the current from the photodetector;
- generating a second voltage using a second circuit element having a second logarithmic current-to-voltage relationship based at least in part on the current from the photodetector;
- and
- generating an output voltage based at least in part on a sum of the first voltage and the second voltage.
2 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.