Phase noise and methods of correction in multi-frequency mode lidar

A method of operating a LIDAR apparatus, the method comprising:

• performing, by circuit of the LIDAR apparatus, operations comprising:
• receiving detection signals output from a detector array responsive to optical signals incident thereon, each of the detection signals comprising component measurements defining a respective phase vector;
• generating a combined vector based on the component measurements of the detection signals;
• and
• identifying a distance range of a target from which the optical signals were reflected based on an angle of the combined vector.

A method of operating a LIDAR apparatus, the method comprising:

• performing, by at least one processor, operations comprising:
• providing emitter control signals to an emitter array, wherein emitter pixels of the emitter array are configured to emit optical signals at two or more modulation frequencies over subregions of a field of view responsive to the emitter control signals;
• providing detector control signals to a detector array, wherein detector pixels of the detector array are configured to detect light incident thereon responsive to the detector control signals;
• receiving detection signals output from the detector array responsive to the light incident thereon, the detection signals comprising component measurements sampled at respective phase offsets;
• for each of the two or more modulation frequencies, generating a respective combined phase vector comprising a sum of the component measurements of a plurality of the detection signals;
• determining respective angles of the respective combined phase vectors;
• and
• identifying a distance of a target from which the respective optical signals were reflected based on the respective angles of the respective combined phase vectors.