Distance measuring device, camera, and method for adjusting drive of distance measuring device

A camera comprising:

• an imaging-optical tool;
• a light emitter for projecting pulsed lights to a target;
• a solid-state imaging device merging:
• a light-receiving region for receiving reflected pulsed lights from the target through the imaging-optical tool, configured to photo-electrically convert the received pulsed lights into signal charges in the light-receiving region,
• a set of N charge-distributing gates configured to distribute the signal charges toward N charge-transfer routes, in sequence, so that the signal charges can transport along the N charge-transfer routes, respectively, wherein “N” is a positive integer of three or more,
• a charge-exhausting gate for exhausting unwanted charges other than the signal charges from the light-receiving region, the unwanted charges are generated in the light-receiving region,
• N charge-accumulation regions for accumulating the signal charges transported along the N charge-distributing gates, respectively,
• a driver for transmitting a sequential set of control signals to the light emitter and transmitting drive signals in sequence to each of the N charge-distributing gates and the charge-exhausting gate at sequential timings differing from each other so as to provide offset times in between the sequential set of the drive signals, and
• a readout-amplifier for independently reading out output signals corresponding to each of the signal charges accumulated in the N charge-accumulation regions, respectively;
• and
• an arithmetic logic circuit configured to execute jobs of K times for calculating sequentially ranges to the target, after receiving the output signals transmitted through the readout-amplifier, wherein “K” is a positive integer of three or more;
• and
• a control processor configured to generate the drive signals for sequentially extending (K−1) times of charge-accumulation periods, which are assigned to a particular charge-distributing gate among the N charge-distributing gates, for executing the jobs of K times, respectively, using values of signals delivered from the arithmetic logic circuit, and transmits the drive signals to the driver.

A drive-adjusting method of a range-measuring device including a light emitter for projecting pulsed lights to a target;

• a light-receiving region for receiving reflected pulsed lights from the target, configured to photo-electrically convert the received pulsed lights into signal charges in the light-receiving region;
• a set of N charge-distributing gates, configured to distribute the signal charges toward N charge-transfer routes, in sequence, so that the signal charges can transport along the N charge-transfer routes, respectively, wherein “N” is a positive integer of three or more;
• a charge-exhausting gate for exhausting unwanted charges other than the signal charges from the light-receiving region, the unwanted charges are generated in the light-receiving region;
• N charge-accumulation regions for accumulating the signal charges transported along the N charge-distributing gates, respectively;
• a driver for transmitting control signals to the light emitter and transmitting drive signals in sequence to each of the N charge-distributing gates and the charge-exhausting gate;
• and a readout-amplifier for independently reading out output signals corresponding to each of the signal charges accumulated in the N charge-accumulation regions, respectively, the drive-adjusting method including:
• executing jobs of K times for calculating sequentially ranges to the target, after receiving the signals transmitted through the readout-amplifier, wherein “K” is a positive integer of three or more;
• and
• generating sequential set of the drive signals, configured to be transmitted to each of the N charge-distributing gates and the charge-exhausting gate, at sequential timings differing from each other so as to provide offset times in between the sequential set of the drive signals.