Methods, devices, and systems for improving dynamic range of signal receiver
AssigneeGoogle Inc.
InventorsPierre-Yves Droz, Gaetan Pennecot, Daniel Gruver
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Methods, devices, and systems that may help improve the dynamic range of a signal receiver. The method includes (i) causing a signal emitter to emit a signal during a first period of time; (ii) receiving, at the signal receiver, a reflected signal during a second period of time, where the received reflected signal corresponds to the emitted signal, and where the second period of time begins after a beginning of the first period of time; and (iii) increasing a signal gain that is applied to the received reflected signal during a third period of time, where the third period of time begins not earlier than a beginning of the second period of time.
Claims16
A method comprising:
- causing a signal emitter to emit a signal during a first period of time;
- receiving, at a signal receiver comprising a photodiode, a reflected signal during a second period of time, wherein the received reflected signal corresponds to the emitted signal, and wherein the second period of time begins after a beginning of the first period of time;
- and
- increasing a signal gain that is applied to the received reflected signal during a third period of time, wherein increasing the signal gain comprises increasing an operating voltage of the photodiode according to a predefined function of time, and wherein the third period of time begins not earlier than a beginning of the second period of time.
A light-detection and ranging (LIDAR) device, comprising:
- at least one laser source, wherein the at least one laser source is configured to emit a laser signal in a defined wavelength range during a first period of time;
- at least one signal receiver comprising a photodiode, wherein the at least one signal receiver is configured to receive a light signal having wavelengths in the defined wavelength range during a second period of time, wherein the second period of time begins after a beginning of the first period of time;
- and
- a signal amplifier configured to increase a signal gain that is applied to the light signal received by the at least one signal receiver during a third period of time, wherein the signal gain is increased by at least increasing an operating voltage of the photodiode according to a predefined function of time, and wherein the third period of time begins not earlier than a beginning of the second period of time.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.