# US 12,010,443 B2 · Systems and methods for selectively modifying gating rate in single photon avalanche diodes > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 12,010,443 B2 - Document ID: US12010443B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 17/505,507 - Filed: 2021-10-19 - Published: 2023-04-20 - Granted: 2024-06-11 - Earliest claimed: 2021-10-19 - Assignees: Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLC - Applicants: Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLC - Inventors: Raymond Kirk Price; Michael Bleyer; Christopher Douglas Edmonds - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12010443B2 ## CPC - H04N 23/741: by increasing the dynamic range of the image compared to the dynamic range of the electronic image sensors - H04N 25/59: by controlling the amount of charge storable in the pixel, e.g. modification of the charge conversion ratio of the floating node capacitance - H04N 23/71: Circuitry for evaluating the brightness variation - H04N 25/587: acquired sequentially, e.g. using the combination of odd and even image fields - H04N 25/63: applied to dark current - H04N 25/773: comprising photon counting circuits, e.g. single photon detection [SPD] or single photon avalanche diodes [SPAD] - H04N: PICTORIAL COMMUNICATION, e.g. TELEVISION ## Abstract A system for selectively modifying gating rate in a single photon avalanche diode (SPAD) is configurable to access first frame metadata associated with a first image frame. The first image frame is captured by performing a first plurality of gate operations to configure the SPAD array to enable photon detection over a frame capture time period. The first plurality of gate operations is performed at a first gating rate such that the first plurality of gate operations comprises a first quantity of gate operations performed over the frame capture time period. The system is further configurable to define a second gating rate based on the first frame metadata and capture a second image frame by performing a second plurality of gate operations to configure the SPAD array to enable photon detection at the second gating rate. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A system for selectively modifying gating rate in a single photon avalanche diode (SPAD), the system comprising: a SPAD array comprising a plurality of SPAD pixels; one or more processors; and one or more hardware storage devices storing instructions that are executable by the one or more processors to: access first frame metadata associated with a first image frame, the first image frame being captured by performing a first plurality of gate operations to configure the SPAD array to enable photon detection over a frame capture time period, the first plurality of gate operations being performed at a first gating rate such that the first plurality of gate operations comprises a first quantity of gate operations performed over the frame capture time period, wherein the first plurality of gate operations generates, for each SPAD pixel of the SPAD array, a first plurality of binary counts indicating whether a photon was detected during each of the first plurality of gate operations, wherein the first frame metadata comprises a histogram indicating illuminance or dynamic range of a captured scene, wherein the histogram is based on each of the first pluralities of binary counts for each SPAD pixel of the SPAD array; define a second gating rate based on the first frame metadata; and capture a second image frame by performing a second plurality of gate operations to configure the SPAD array to enable photon detection at the second gating rate. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the second plurality of gate operations performed at the second gating rate causes the second plurality of gate operations to comprise a second quantity of gate operations performed over the frame capture time period, the second quantity of gate operations being different from the first quantity of gate operations. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the second gating rate is defined to be lower than the first gating rate in response to determining that the first frame metadata indicates a reduction in illuminance or dynamic range relative to a prior-timepoint illuminance or dynamic range. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the second gating rate is defined to be higher than the first gating rate in response to determining that the first frame metadata indicates an increase in illuminance or dynamic range relative to a prior-timepoint illuminance or dynamic range. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the second gating rate is selected based on the first frame metadata indicating that a threshold illuminance or dynamic range is satisfied. ### Claim 6 (depends on 2) The system of claim 2, wherein the first frame metadata further comprises temperature information associated with the performing of the first plurality of gate operations. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The system of claim 6, wherein the second gating rate is defined to be lower than the first gating rate in response to determining that the first frame metadata indicates an increase in temperature relative to a prior-timepoint temperature. ### Claim 8 (depends on 6) The system of claim 6, wherein the second gating rate is defined to be higher than the first gating rate in response to determining that the first frame metadata indicates a decrease in temperature relative to a prior-timepoint temperature. ### Claim 9 (depends on 6) The system of claim 6, wherein the second gating rate is selected based on the first frame metadata indicating that a threshold temperature is satisfied. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein fewer than all SPAD pixels of the SPAD array operate at the second gating rate to capture the second image frame. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the second gating rate is associated with a different gate time period than the first gating rate. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein utilizing the second gating rate for capturing the second image frame contributes to reduced power consumption associated with the operating of the SPAD array. ### Claim 13 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein utilizing the second gating rate for capturing the second image frame contributes to a reduction in a prevalence of dark counts in SPAD imagery of the SPAD array. ### Claim 14 A method for selectively modifying gating rate in a single photon avalanche diode (SPAD), the method comprising: accessing first frame metadata associated with a first image frame, the first image frame being captured by performing a first plurality of gate operations to configure a SPAD array to enable photon detection over a frame capture time period, the first plurality of gate operations being performed at a first gating rate such that the first plurality of gate operations comprises a first quantity of gate operations performed over the frame capture time period, wherein the first frame metadata comprises a data structure indicating dynamic range of a captured scene; defining a second gating rate for capturing one or more subsequent image frames based on the data structure indicating dynamic range of the captured scene of the first frame metadata; and capturing a second image frame by performing a second plurality of gate operations to configure the SPAD array to enable photon detection at the second gating rate. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The method of claim 14, wherein the first plurality of gate operations generates, for each SPAD pixel of the SPAD array, a first plurality of binary counts indicating whether a photon was detected during each of the first plurality of gate operations. ### Claim 16 (depends on 14) The method of claim 14, wherein the second plurality of gate operations performed at the second gating rate causes the second plurality of gate operations to comprise a second quantity of gate operations performed over the frame capture time period, the second quantity of gate operations being different from the first quantity of gate operations. ### Claim 17 One or more hardware storage devices storing instructions that are executable by one or more processors of a system to configure the system to selectively modify gating rate in a single photon avalanche diode (SPAD) by configuring the system to: access first frame metadata associated with a first image frame, the first image frame being captured by performing a first plurality of gate operations to configure a SPAD array to enable photon detection over a frame capture time period, the first plurality of gate operations being performed at a first gating rate such that the first plurality of gate operations comprises a first quantity of gate operations performed over the frame capture time period, wherein the first frame metadata comprises temperature information associated with the performing of the first plurality of gate operations; define a second gating rate based on the first frame metadata; and capture a second image frame by performing a second plurality of gate operations to configure the SPAD array to enable photon detection at the second gating rate.