Remote sensing and measurement system using time-of-flight detectors

A remote sensing system comprising:

• an array of laser diodes configured to generate light having an initial light intensity and one or more optical wavelengths, wherein at least a portion of the one or more optical wavelengths is a near-infrared wavelength between 700 nanometers and 2500 nanometers, wherein at least a portion of the array of laser diodes comprises one or more Bragg reflectors, wherein the at least a portion of the array of laser diodes is further configured to be modulated with a pulsed output with a pulse repetition rate between one kilohertz and about 100 megahertz, and wherein the array of laser diodes is further coupled to driver electronics;
• wherein the array of laser diodes comprises a plurality of bars of laser diodes positioned proximate to one another, and wherein the light is spatially interleaved;
• a beam splitter configured to receive a portion of the light from the array of laser diodes and to direct at least some of the portion of the light from the array of laser diodes to an object, wherein the beam splitter is further configured to separate the received portion of the light into a plurality of spatially separated lights;
• a detection system comprising a photodiode array, wherein the detection system further comprises one or more lenses and one or more spectral filters in front of at least a part of the photodiode array, wherein the photodiode array is further coupled to a processor, and wherein the photodiode array comprises a plurality of pixels coupled to CMOS transistors;
• wherein the detection system is configured to receive at least a portion of light reflected from the object, and wherein the detection system is further configured to be synchronized to the at least a portion of the array of laser diodes comprising Bragg reflectors;
• wherein the detection system is further configured to perform a time-of-flight measurement based on a time difference between a first time in which the at least a portion of the array of laser diodes generate light and a second time in which the photodiode array receives the at least a portion of light reflected from the object;
• a camera system coupled to a lens system and the processor, the camera system configured to capture one or more images including at least a part of the object;
• wherein the remote sensing system including the processor is configured to combine at least a portion of the one or more images and at least a portion of the time-of-flight measurement to create a combined portion;
• and
• wherein the remote sensing system including the processor is configured to communicate with a wearable device, a smart phone or a tablet that is further configured to process and display or transmit some of the time-of-flight measurement.

A remote sensing system comprising:

• one or more laser diodes configured to generate light having an initial light intensity and one or more optical wavelengths, wherein at least a portion of the one or more optical wavelengths is a near-infrared wavelength between 700 nanometers and 2500 nanometers, wherein the one or more laser diodes comprises one or more Bragg reflectors, wherein the one or more laser diodes is further configured to be modulated with a pulsed output with a pulse duration of approximately 0.5 to 2 nanoseconds and a pulse repetition rate between one kilohertz and about 100 megahertz, and wherein the one or more laser diodes is further coupled to driver electronics and a beam shaping module;
• a beam splitter configured to receive at least part of the light from the one or more laser diodes that is split into a received sample arm light and a received reference arm light, at least a portion of the received sample arm light being directed to an object;
• a detection system comprising a photodiode array, wherein the detection system further comprises one or more lenses and one or more spectral filters in front of at least a part of the photodiode array, wherein the photodiode array is further coupled to a processor, and wherein the photodiode array comprises a plurality of pixels coupled to CMOS transistors;
• the photodiode array configured to receive at least a portion of the received reference arm light at a first time and configured to generate a reference detector signal, and the photodiode array configured to receive from the object a received portion of reflected sample arm light at a second time and configured to generate a sample detector signal;
• wherein the detection system is configured to be synchronized to the one or more laser diodes comprising Bragg reflectors;
• wherein the remote sensing system including the processor is configured to perform a time-of-flight measurement based at least in part on a comparison of the sample detector signal and the reference detector signal;
• and
• wherein the remote sensing system including the processor is further configured to perform the time-of-flight measurement at least in part by measuring a temporal distribution of photons in the received portion of reflected sample arm light.