# US 12,007,510 B2 · System and method for differential comparator-based time-of-flight measurement with amplitude estimation > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 12,007,510 B2 - Document ID: US12007510B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 17/494,175 - Filed: 2021-10-05 - Published: 2023-04-06 - Granted: 2024-06-11 - Earliest claimed: 2021-10-05 - Assignees: LG Innotek Co., Ltd. - Applicants: LG Innotek Co., Ltd. - Inventors: Dane Bennington; Michel Laverne - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12007510B2 ## CPC - G01S 7/4865: Time delay measurement, e.g. time-of-flight measurement, time of arrival measurement or determining the exact position of a peak (peak detection in noise, signal conditioning G01S7/487) - B60W 60/001: {Planning or execution of driving tasks} - G01S 7/4813: {Housing arrangements} - G01S 7/4815: {using multiple transmitters} - G01S 7/4816: {of receivers alone} - G01S 7/4817: {relating to scanning} - G01S 7/4861: Circuits for detection, sampling, integration or read-out - G01S 17/42: Simultaneous measurement of distance and other co-ordinates (indirect measurement G01S17/46) - G01S 17/931: of land vehicles - B60W 2420/408: Radar; Laser, e.g. lidar - G01S 7/499: using polarisation effects - G01S: RADIO DIRECTION-FINDING; RADIO NAVIGATION; DETERMINING DISTANCE OR VELOCITY BY USE OF RADIO WAVES; LOCATING OR PRESENCE-DETECTING BY USE OF THE REFLECTION OR RERADIATION OF RADIO WAVES; ANALOGOUS ARRANGEMENTS USING OTHER WAVES - B60W: CONJOINT CONTROL OF VEHICLE SUB-UNITS OF DIFFERENT TYPE OR DIFFERENT FUNCTION; CONTROL SYSTEMS SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR HYBRID VEHICLES; ROAD VEHICLE DRIVE CONTROL SYSTEMS FOR PURPOSES NOT RELATED TO THE CONTROL OF A PARTICULAR SUB-UNIT ## Abstract A signal delay component may be configured to receive a LiDAR output signal including an analog waveform from a LiDAR system, and provide a time-delayed LiDAR output signal including a time-delayed analog waveform. A differential comparator may be configured to receive the LiDAR output signal including the analog waveform and the time-delayed LiDAR output signal including the time-delayed analog waveform, and to provide a digital output signal. A processor may be configured to generate LiDAR data including a distance associated with the LiDAR output signal and an amplitude associated with the LiDAR output signal, the distance being based on a first time associated with a rising edge of the digital output signal, and the amplitude being based on a time difference between the first time associated with the rising edge of the digital output signal and a second time associated with a falling edge of the digital output signal. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A system, comprising: a signal delay component configured to: receive, at a delay input, a LiDAR output signal including an analog waveform from a LiDAR system, and provide, at a delay output, a time-delayed LiDAR output signal including a time-delayed analog waveform; a differential comparator configured to: receive, at a first comparator input, the LiDAR output signal including the analog waveform, receive, at a second comparator input, the time-delayed LiDAR output signal including the time-delayed analog waveform, and provide, at a comparator output, a digital output signal; and at least one processor configured to generate LiDAR data including a distance associated with the LiDAR output signal and an amplitude associated with the LiDAR output signal, the distance being based on a first time associated with a rising edge of the digital output signal, and the amplitude being based on a time difference between the first time and a second time associated with a falling edge of the digital output signal. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the signal delay component includes a delay line. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein at least one of a hysteresis of the differential comparator and the time-delayed LiDAR output signal including the time-delayed analog waveform is biased in a positive direction. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, further comprising: a time-to-digital converter (TDC) configured to determine the first time and the second time. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, further comprising: the LiDAR system, wherein the LiDAR system includes a receiver unit configured to receive light, and generate, based on the received light, the LiDAR output signal including the analog waveform. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, further comprising: a signal splitter configured to receive, at a splitter input, the LiDAR output signal including the analog waveform, provide, at a first splitter output, connected to the first comparator input, the LiDAR output signal including the analog waveform, and provide, at a second splitter output connected to the delay input, the LiDAR output signal including the analog waveform. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The system of claim 6 wherein the at least one processor is further configured to: detect, based on the LiDAR data, an object in an environment surrounding the LiDAR system. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The system of claim 7, wherein the at least one processor is further configured to: issue a command to control, based on the detected object, at least one autonomous driving operation of an autonomous vehicle. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, further comprising: at least one photodetector configured to receive light reflected back into the LiDAR system, wherein the at least one photodetector is configured to generate the LiDAR output signal including the analog waveform. ### Claim 10 A method, comprising: generating, with a signal delay component, based on a LiDAR output signal including an analog waveform, a time-delayed LiDAR output signal including a time-delayed analog waveform; generating, with a differential comparator, based on the LiDAR output signal including the analog waveform and the time-delayed LiDAR output signal including the time-delayed analog waveform, a digital output signal; and generating, with at least one processor, LiDAR data including a distance associated with the LiDAR output signal and an amplitude associated with the LiDAR output signal, the distance being based on a first time associated with a rising edge of the digital output signal, and the amplitude being based on a time difference between the first time and a second time associated with a falling edge of the digital output signal. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The method of claim 10, wherein the signal delay component includes a delay line. ### Claim 12 (depends on 10) The method of claim 10, wherein at least one of a hysteresis of the differential comparator and the time-delayed LiDAR output signal including the time-delayed analog waveform is biased in a positive direction. ### Claim 13 (depends on 10) The method of claim 10, further comprising: determining, with a time-to-digital converter (TDC), the first time associated with the rising edge of the digital output signal and the second time associated with the falling edge of the digital output signal. ### Claim 14 (depends on 10) The method of claim 10, further comprising: receiving, with a receiver unit of a LiDAR system, light; and generating, with the receiver unit, based on the received light, the LiDAR output signal including the analog waveform. ### Claim 15 (depends on 10) The method of claim 10, further comprising: receiving, with a signal splitter, at a splitter input, the LiDAR output signal including the analog waveform; providing, with the signal splitter, a first splitter output, connected to a first comparator input, the LiDAR output signal including the analog waveform; and providing, with the signal splitter, at a second splitter output connected to a delay input, the LiDAR output signal including the analog waveform. ### Claim 16 (depends on 10) The method of claim 10, further comprising: detecting, based on the LiDAR data, an object in an environment surrounding a LiDAR system. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The method of claim 16, further comprising: issuing, with the at least one processor, based on the LiDAR data, a command to control at least one autonomous driving operation of an autonomous vehicle. ### Claim 18 (depends on 10) The method of claim 10, further comprising: receiving, with at least one photodetector, light reflected back into a LiDAR system; and generating, with the at least one photodetector, the LiDAR output signal including the analog waveform. ### Claim 19 A system implemented in an autonomous vehicle, comprising: a LiDAR system configured to generate a LiDAR output signal including an analog waveform; a signal delay component configured to: receive, at a delay input, the LiDAR output signal including the analog waveform, and provide, at a delay output, a time-delayed LiDAR output signal including a time-delayed analog waveform; a differential comparator configured to: receive, at a first comparator input, the LiDAR output signal including the analog waveform, receive, at a second comparator input, the time-delayed LiDAR output signal including the time-delayed analog waveform, and provide, at a comparator output, a digital output signal; and at least one processor configured to: generate LiDAR data including a distance associated with the LiDAR output signal and an amplitude associated with the LiDAR output signal, the distance being based on a first time associated with a rising edge of the digital output signal, and the amplitude being based on a time difference between the first time and a second time associated with a falling edge of the digital output signal; detect, based on the LiDAR data, an object in an environment surrounding the autonomous vehicle; and issue, based on the detected object, a command to control at least one autonomous driving operation of the autonomous vehicle. ### Claim 20 (depends on 19) The system of claim 19, wherein the LiDAR system includes a receiver unit configured to receive light, and generate, based on the received light, the LiDAR output signal including the analog waveform.