# US 2017/0285145 A1 · Optical driver arrangement and method for generating a driver signal > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2017/0285145 A1 - Document ID: US20170285145A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 15/507,241 - Filed: 2015-08-24 - Published: 2017-10-05 - Earliest claimed: 2014-08-28 - Assignees: Ams AG - Applicants: ams AG - Inventors: Josef KRIEBERNEGG; Christian MAUTNER; David MEHRL; Kerry GLOVER - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20170285145A1 ## CPC - G01S 7/484: Transmitters - G01S 7/4861: Circuits for detection, sampling, integration or read-out - 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) - G01S 7/4868: {Controlling received signal intensity or exposure of sensor} - G01S 17/04: Systems determining the presence of a target - G01S 17/10: using transmission of interrupted, pulse-modulated waves (determination of distance by phase measurements G01S17/32) - 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 ## Abstract An optical driver arrangement (10) comprises a comparator (11) and a pulse generator (15). The comparator (11) comprises a first input (12) for receiving a sensed output signal (S1) derived from a sensor signal (S2) generated by a light sensor (24), a second input (13) for receiving a reference signal (S3) and a comparator output (14) for providing a comparator signal (S4). The pulse generator (15) comprises a control input (16) coupled to the comparator output (14) and a generator output (22) for providing a driver signal (S5) to a light source (21). The driver signal (S4) comprises a series of at least one pulse and a parameter of the driver signal (S4) is controlled by the comparator signal (S4). ## Claims ### Claim 1 An optical driver arrangement, comprising: a comparator having a first input for receiving a sensed output signal derived from a sensor signal generated by a light sensor, a second input for receiving a reference signal and a comparator output for providing a comparator signal, and a pulse generator having a control input coupled to the comparator output and a generator output for providing a driver signal to a light source, wherein the driver signal comprises a series of at least one pulse and wherein a parameter of the driver signal is a number, a width, a frequency and/or a distance of pulses and the optical driver arrangement controls the amount of energy emitted by the light source by adjusting at least one of said parameters of the driver signal such that the at least one of said parameters of the driver signal is controlled by the comparator signal, wherein the optical driver arrangement comprises a digital-to-analog converter having an output that is coupled to the second input of the comparator for providing the reference signal to the second input of the comparator, wherein the pulse generator comprises a control output that is coupled to an input of the digital-to-analog converter and wherein the reference signal is a function of the number of pulses of the series of at least one pulse and the reference signal is increased after each of the pulses of the series of at least one pulse. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The optical driver arrangement according to claim 1, wherein an increase of an energy amount of a light emitted by the light source during the series of at least one pulse is stopped, when the sensed output signal is higher than the reference signal. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The optical driver arrangement according to claim 1, comprising an analog-to-digital converter having an input that is coupled to the first input of the comparator. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The optical driver arrangement according to claim 1, comprising a sum and hold stage having an input for receiving the sensor signal or a signal derived from the sensor signal, wherein the first input of the comparator is coupled to an output of the sum and hold stage or to the input of the sum and hold stage. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The optical driver arrangement according to claim 4, comprising an ambient light subtractor having an input for receiving the sensor signal and an output that is coupled to the input of the sum and hold stage. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The optical driver arrangement according to claim 1, comprising the light sensor for generating the sensor signal and being coupled to the first input of the comparator. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The optical driver arrangement according to claim 1, comprising the light source for receiving the driver signal and being coupled to the generator output of the pulse generator. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The optical driver arrangement according to claim 1, comprising a digital circuit having an input coupled to the pulse generator. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The optical driver arrangement according to claim 1, wherein the pulse generator is configured to set the number of the pulses of the series of at least one pulse of the driver signal 54 as a function of the comparator signal. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The optical driver arrangement according to claim 1, wherein the pulse generator is configured to set a factor of the series of at least one pulse of the driver signal as a function of the comparator signal and the factor is one of a group comprising the width of a pulse, the frequency of the pulses and the distance of two pulses. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The optical driver arrangement according to claim 1, wherein the comparator signal is a digital signal. ### Claim 12 A method for generating a driver signal, comprising: generating a sensed output signal as a function of a sensor signal provided by a light sensor, generating a comparator signal by a comparator as a function of a comparison of the sensed output signal and a reference signal, and providing the driver signal by a pulse generator to a light source, wherein the driver signal comprises a series of at least one pulse and wherein a parameter of the driver signal is a number, a width, a frequency and/or a distance of pulses and the amount of energy emitted by the light source is controlled by adjusting at least one of said parameters of the driver signal such that the at least one of said parameters of the driver signal is controlled by the comparator signal, wherein a digital-to-analog converter provides the reference signal to the comparator, wherein the pulse generator comprises a control output that is coupled to an input of the digital-to-analog converter, and wherein the reference signal is a function of the number of pulses of the series of at least one pulse and the reference signal is increased after each of the pulses of the series of at least one pulse. ### Claim 13 Optical driver arrangement, comprising: a comparator having a first input for receiving a sensed output signal derived from a sensor signal generated by a light sensor, a second input for receiving a reference signal and a comparator output for providing a comparator signal, and a pulse generator having a control input coupled to the comparator output and a generator output for providing a driver signal to a light source, wherein the driver signal comprises a series of at least one pulse and a parameter of the driver signal is controlled by the comparator signal. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) Optical driver arrangement according claim 13, wherein the pulse generator is configured to set a number of the pulses of the series of at least one pulse of the driver signal as a function of the comparator signal.