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US 2013/0077082 A1Published application
Device and Method for Determining the Distance to an Object
AssigneeSTMicroelectronics (Grenoble 2) SAS
InventorPascal Mellot
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A method and apparatus for defining, from a first periodic signal, a second signal of same period, including the steps of: generating a third signal exhibiting detectable events; and synchronizing the second signal for each event.
Claims20
A method for defining, from a first periodic signal, a second signal of same period, comprising the steps of:
- generating at least one third signal including detectable events;
- and
- synchronizing the second signal for each event.
A method for determining the distance to an object, comprising the steps of:
- (a) generating a periodic light signal intended for a first photodetection device and a second photodetection device after reflection on the object;
- (b) generating a periodic signal, based on the light signal and on a signal comprising events in the form of pulses generated by a single-photon avalanche diode of the first photodetection device;
- and
- (c) generating a second periodic signal, based on the light signal and on a signal comprising events in the form of pulses generated by a single-photon avalanche diode of the second photodetection device.
1 more element
An electronic circuit comprising:
- a first input capable of receiving a first periodic signal;
- a second input capable of receiving an event signal comprising an event in each period of the first periodic signal;
- and
- means for defining a second signal having a same period as the first periodic signal, so that the second signal is synchronized on an average time of occurrence of an event over several periods of the first signal.
1 more element
A device for determining the distance to an object, comprising:
- two circuits, said two circuits receiving a same first signal on their respective first inputs and receiving, on their second inputs, respectively, a signal originating from a first single-photon avalanche diode placed close to a light source powered by the first signal, and a signal originating from a second single-photon avalanche diode placed to receive a signal originating from the light source after reflection on an object,
- the output of the first circuit being connected to a non-inverting input of an AND gate, the output of the second circuit being connected to an inverting, input of the AND gate, the AND gate having its output connected to an input of a device for measuring a high state duration of an output signal of the AND gate.
A device comprising:
- a pulse signal generator configured to generate a pulsed signal;
- a first photodetector configured to detect the pulsed signal from the pulse generator and to generate therefrom a first periodic signal;
- a second photodetector configured to detect the pulsed signal from the pulse generator after being reflected from an object and to generate therefrom a second periodic signal;
- a first variable phase shifter configured to receive the pulsed signal and to generate a first phase shifted signal in response to a first control signal;
- a second variable phase shifter configured to receive the pulsed signal and to generate a second phase shifted signal in response to a second control signal;
- a first control circuit configured to receive as inputs, respectively, the first periodic signal and the first phase shifted signal, and to generate as an output the first control signal;
- a second control circuit configured to receive as inputs, respectively, the second periodic signal and the second phase shifted signal, and to generate as an output the second control signal;
- a comparator configured to receive as inputs, respectively, the first and second phase shifted signal and to generate as output an image signal;
- and
- a counter circuit configured to generate a value corresponding to a duration of a predetermined logic value of the image signal.
7 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.