Distance measurement device, camera, inspection adjustment device, distance measurement device drive adjustment method, and distance measurement device inspection adjustment method

A range-measuring device comprising:

• a light emitter for projecting a pulsed light to a target;
• a light-receiving region for receiving a reflected light of the pulsed light from the target;
• a plurality of charge-accumulation regions arranged around the light-receiving region;
• a plurality of distributing gates for transferring to distribute signal charges in sequence to the plurality of charge-accumulation regions, the signal charges are photo-electrically converted in the light-receiving region;
• a driver for transmitting control signals to the light emitter and for transmitting transfer signals in sequence to each of the plurality of distributing gates, the transfer signals transmitted to different distributing gates are provided at different timings, providing offset periods in between on-periods of the transfer signals transmitted to the different distributing gates;
• a readout-amplifier for independently reading out each of the signal charges accumulated in the plurality of charge-accumulation regions;
• a range calculator configured to calculate ranges to the target, by entering the signals transmitted from the readout-amplifier;
• and
• a control processor configured to generate control signals for controlling operations of the driver from calculated result delivered from the range calculator, and to transmit the control signals to the driver,
• wherein the control processor has:
• a set-value judging-circuit configured to judge whether a drive-condition of the driver is correct, by comparing the calculated result delivered from the range calculator with a threshold, and
• a time-setting logical-circuit configured to keep the on-periods of the transfer signals constant, when modifying the light-projection time and the repetitive-cycle time, the repetitive-cycle time changes synchronously with the light-projection time, using judged result of the set-value judging-circuit.

A camera comprising:

• an imaging-optical tool;
• a light emitter for projecting a pulsed light to a target;
• a solid-state imaging device including:
• a light-receiving region for receiving a reflected light of the pulsed light from the target through the imaging-optical tool,
• a plurality of charge-accumulation regions arranged around the light-receiving region,
• a plurality of distributing gates for transferring to distribute signal charges in sequence to the plurality of charge-accumulation regions, the signal charges are photo-electrically converted in the light-receiving region,
• a driver for transmitting control signals to the light emitter and for transmitting transfer signals in sequence to each of the plurality of distributing gates, the transfer signals transmitted to different distributing gates are provided at different timings, providing offset periods in between on-periods of the transfer signals transmitted to the different distributing gates, and
• a readout-amplifier for independently reading out each of the signal charges accumulated in the plurality of charge-accumulation regions, and
• a control-unit including:
• a range calculator configured to calculate ranges to the target, by controlling the imaging-optical tool, and by entering the signals transmitted from the readout-amplifier, and
• a control processor configured to generate control signals for controlling operations of the driver from a calculated result delivered from the range calculator, and to transmit the control signals to the driver,
• wherein the control processor has
• a set-value judging-circuit configured to judge whether a drive-condition of the driver is correct, by comparing the calculated result delivered from the range calculator with a threshold, and,
• a time-setting logical-circuit configured to set maximum values of light-projection time, repetitive-cycle time of the pulsed light and on-periods of the transfer signals, respectively, and to reduce the light-projection time and the on-periods from the corresponding maximum values independently from each other, the repetitive-cycle time changes synchronously with the light-projection time, using judged result of the set-value judging-circuit.

A test-and-adjusting apparatus for testing and adjusting a solid-state imaging device including a light-receiving region, a plurality of charge-accumulation regions arranged around the light-receiving region, a plurality of distributing gates for transferring to distribute signal charges in sequence to the plurality of charge-accumulation regions, the signal charges are photo-electrically converted in the light-receiving region, a driver for transmitting control signals to a light emitter and transmitting transfer signals in sequence to each of the plurality of distributing gates, the transfer signals transmitted to different distributing gates are provided at different timings, providing offset periods in between on-periods of the transfer signals transmitted to the different distributing gates, and a plurality of readout-amplifiers for independently reading out each of the signal charges accumulated in the plurality of charge-accumulation regions, respectively, the test-and-adjusting apparatus comprising:

• the light emitter driven by the driver, configured to project a pulsed light to a target for entering a reflected light of the pulsed light from the target to the light-receiving region;
• an output-difference calculator configured to calculate a difference between outputs delivered respectively from the readout-amplifiers;
• an output-difference judging-circuit configured to compare a calculated result of the output difference with a threshold and to judge whether the calculated result is correct, and
• a time-setting logical-circuit configured to modify the on-periods of transfer signals to be applied to a particular distributing gate among the plurality of distributing gates, from judged result of the output-difference judging-circuit, and to transmit control signals to the driver, so that the driver can deliver the modified transfer signals.

A drive-adjusting method of a range-measuring device including a light emitter for projecting a pulsed light to a target, a light-receiving region for receiving a reflected light of the pulsed light from the target, a plurality of charge-accumulation regions arranged around the light-receiving region, a plurality of distributing gates for transferring to distribute signal charges in sequence to the plurality of charge-accumulation regions, the signal charges are photo-electrically converted in the light-receiving region, a driver for transmitting control signals to the light emitter and transmitting transfer signals in sequence to each of the plurality of distributing gates, the transfer signals transmitted to different distributing gates are provided at different timings, providing offset periods in between on-periods of the transfer signals transmitted to the different distributing gates, a readout-amplifier for independently reading out each of the signal charges accumulated in the plurality of charge-accumulation regions, and a range calculator for entering the control signals transmitted from the readout-amplifier and calculating ranges to the target, the drive-adjusting method including:

• comparing a calculated result delivered from the range calculator with a threshold, and judging whether a drive-condition of the driver is correct, and
• setting maximum values of a light-projection time, a repetitive-cycle time of the pulsed light and the on-periods of the transfer signals, respectively, and reducing the light-projection time and the on-periods from the corresponding maximum values independently from each other, the repetitive-cycle time changes synchronously with the light-projection time, using a judging result of a set-value judging-circuit.

A drive-adjusting method a range-measuring device including a light emitter for projecting a pulsed light to a target, a light-receiving region for receiving a reflected light of the pulsed light from the target, a plurality of charge-accumulation regions arranged around the light-receiving region, a plurality of distributing gates for transferring to distribute signal charges in sequence to the plurality of charge-accumulation regions, the signal charges are photo-electrically converted in the light-receiving region, a driver for transmitting control signals to the light emitter and transmitting transfer signals in sequence to each of the plurality of distributing gates, the transfer signals transmitted to different distributing gates are provided at different timings, providing offset periods in between on-periods of the transfer signals transmitted to the different distributing gates, a readout-amplifier for independently reading out each of the signal charges accumulated in the plurality of charge-accumulation regions, and a range calculator for entering the signals transmitted from the readout-amplifier and calculating ranges to the target, the drive-adjusting method including:

• comparing a calculated result delivered from the range calculator with a threshold, and judging whether a drive-condition of the driver is correct, and
• keeping the on-periods of the transfer signals constant when the light-projection time and the repetitive-cycle time are changed, the repetitive-cycle time changes synchronously with the light-projection time.

A test-and-adjustment method for testing and adjusting a solid-state imaging device including a light-receiving region, a plurality of charge-accumulation regions arranged around the light-receiving region, a plurality of distributing gates for transferring to distribute signal charges in sequence to the plurality of charge-accumulation regions, the signal charges are photo-electrically converted in the light-receiving region, a driver for transmitting control signals to a light emitter and transmitting transfer signals in sequence to each of the plurality of distributing gates, the transfer signals transmitted to different distributing gates are provided at different timings, providing offset periods in between on-periods of the transfer signals transmitted to the different distributing gates, and a plurality of readout-amplifiers for independently reading out each of the signal charges accumulated in the plurality of charge-accumulation regions, respectively, the test-and-adjusting method including:

• projecting a pulsed light to a target, and driving the driver so that a reflected light of the pulsed light from the target is entered to the light-receiving region;
• calculating a difference between outputs delivered respectively from the readout-amplifiers;
• comparing a calculated result of the output difference with a threshold and judging whether the calculated result is correct, and
• modifying the on-periods of transfer signals to be applied to a particular distributing gate among the plurality of distributing gates, from the judged result, and transmitting control signals to the driver so that the modified transfer signals can be delivered.