US 11,909,366 B2Granted

Multistage variable gain amplifier for sensor application

AssigneeGM Cruise Holdings LLC

InventorsKamel Benboudjema, Richard Kalantar Ohanian, Aram Garibyan, Abdelkrim El Amili, Scott Singer

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Abstract

Various technologies described herein pertain to variable gain amplification for a sensor application. A multistage variable gain amplifier system provides variable gain amplification of an input signal. The multistage variable gain amplifier system includes a plurality of amplification stages. The multistage variable gain amplifier system further includes a power detector configured to detect a power level of an input signal received by the multistage variable gain amplifier system. The multistage variable gain amplifier system also includes a controller configured to control the amplification stages based on the power level of the input signal. The multistage variable gain amplifier system can output an output signal such that the amplification stages are controlled to adjust a gain applied to the input signal by the multistage variable gain amplifier system to output the output signal.

Claims20

Dependent claims

A multistage variable gain amplifier system, comprising:

an input node configured to receive an input signal;
a set of N amplification stages, wherein N is an integer greater than 1, the set of N amplification stages comprises at least:
a first amplification stage;
and
a second amplification stage;
a power detector configured to detect a power level of the input signal received by the multistage variable gain amplifier system at the input node;
a single pole, N throw switch;
and
a controller configured to control the single pole, N throw switch to connect the input node at which the input signal is received to a particular amplification stage based on the power level of the input signal, the particular amplification stage being selected from the set of N amplification stages;
wherein the multistage variable gain amplifier system outputs an output signal such that a gain applied to the input signal by the multistage variable gain amplifier system is controlled to output the output signal;
and
wherein the gain applied to the input signal to generate the output signal outputted by the multistage variable gain amplifier system is particular gain of the particular amplification stage selected from the set of N amplification stages.

9 more elements

A lidar sensor system, comprising:

a photodetector configured to convert an optical signal to an input electrical signal;
a multistage variable gain amplifier system configured to receive the input electrical signal, the multistage variable gain amplifier system comprising:
a set of N amplification stages, wherein N is an integer greater than 1, the set of N amplification stages comprises at least:
a first amplification stage;
and
a second amplification stage;
a power detector configured to detect a power level of the input electrical signal received by the multistage variable gain amplifier system;
a single pole, N throw switch;
and
a controller configured to control the single pole, N throw switch to connect an input node at which the input electrical signal is received to a particular amplification stage based on the power level of the input electrical signal, the particular amplification stage being selected from the set of N amplification stages;
wherein the multistage variable gain amplifier system outputs an output electrical signal such that a gain applied to the input electrical signal by the multistage variable gain amplifier system is controlled to output the output electrical signal;
and
an analog to digital converter configured to convert the output electrical signal to a digital signal.

10 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 17/555,460Filed 19 Dec 2021 · continuation
Priority: 24 Apr 2020
Published: US 2022/0116004 A114 Apr 2022
Granted: 20 Feb 2024
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification15 codes

H03F 3/72
Amplifiers with only discharge tubes or only semiconductor devices as amplifying elements: gated amplifiers, i.e. amplifiers which are rendered…
H03G 3/30
Automatic control: in amplifiers having semiconductor devices
G01S 7/4816
Constructional features, e.g. arrangements of optical elements: of receivers alone
G01S 7/4868
Receivers: controlling received signal intensity or exposure of sensor

Family

Application16/858,559Parent of this continuation · filed 24 Apr 2020
US 2022/0116004 A1Pre-grant publication · published 14 Apr 2022
US 11,271,536 B2Parent of this continuation
US 2021/0336594 A1Published application
US 11,909,366 B2This patent

From the US filing history. Foreign family members aren’t listed.

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