An analog pulse capture circuit is disclosed. The circuit may include one or more input sources configured to receive one or more optical signals and generate one or more electrical input signals. The circuit may include one or more distributed capacitors configured to store a target charge, the one or more distributed capacitors including one or more top plates and one or more bottom plates. The circuit may include one or more amplifiers coupled to the one or more distributed capacitors, the one or more amplifiers configured to generate one or more electrical output signals. The circuit may include one or more dump switches coupled to the one or more input sources, the one or more dump switches configured to release the stored target charge of the one or more distributed capacitors.

A lidar receiver that includes a photodetector circuit can be controlled so that the detection intervals used by the lidar receiver to detect returns from fired laser pulse shots are closely controlled. Such control over the detection intervals used by the lidar receiver allows for close coordination between a lidar transmitter and the lidar receiver where the lidar receiver is able to adapt to variable shot intervals of the lidar transmitter (including periods of high rate firing as well as periods of low rate firing). The detection intervals can vary across different shots, and at least some of the detection intervals can be controlled to be of different durations than the shot intervals that correspond to such detection intervals.

A device for generating light pulses for characterization, standardization and/or calibration of photodetectors, preferably within a flow cytometer or microscope is disclosed. The device includes emission light sources which are driven with predetermined waveform to emit light pulses. A feedback mechanism based on the provision of separate, series-connected control light sources whose emission is detected by a feedback detector is included. The device may include one or more emission groups of circularly arranged, multi-color emission light sources. To provide different intensity levels, the emission light sources or emission groups can be coupled into a light guide with different efficiencies. Uses of the device and systems or kits including the device is also provided.

In an embodiment a method for measuring ambient light includes successively synchronizing optical signal acquisition phases with extinction phases of a disruptive light source, wherein the disruptive light source periodically provides illumination phases and the extinction phases, accumulating, in each acquisition phase, photo-generated charges by at least one photosensitive pixel comprising a pinned photodiode, transferring the accumulated photo-generated charges to an integration node and integrating, for each pixel, the transferred charges on the integration node during a series of the successive acquisition phases.

A lidar receiver that includes a photodetector circuit can be controlled so that the detection intervals used by the lidar receiver to detect returns from fired laser pulse shots are closely controlled. Such control over the detection intervals used by the lidar receiver allows for close coordination between a lidar transmitter and the lidar receiver where the lidar receiver is able to adapt to variable shot intervals of the lidar transmitter (including periods of high rate firing as well as periods of low rate firing). The lidar receiver can define the detection intervals based on a region in the field of view that a laser pulse shot is targeting (e.g., setting longer detection intervals for laser pulse shots targeting a horizon region, setting shorter detection intervals for laser pulse shots targeting a region that intersects within the ground within a relatively short distance of the lidar system).

A lidar receiver can employ multiple processors to distribute the workload of processing returns from laser pulse shots. Activation/deactivation times of pixel sets that are used by the lidar receiver to sense returns can be used to define which samples in a return buffer will be used for processing to detect each return, and multiple processors can share the workload of processing these samples in an effort to improve the latency of return detection.

The present invention relates to an optical pulse detection device, the device comprising a sensor having a plurality of pixels, each pixel comprising: a receiver configured to receive optical pulses and generate an electrical signal, an event detection unit comprising a frequency filter having an adjustable cut-off frequency defining a passband for the event detection unit, the adjustable cut-off frequency being such that the upper bound of the passband is greater than or equal to 1 Megahertz, the detection unit being configured to detect variations in the electrical signal generated by the receiver only when the frequency in the frequency domain of said variations is within the passband of the event detection unit, and a timing unit configured to date each change in the electrical signal detected by the event detection unit.

A system and method for enhancing laser contrast on a remote target utilizing an image processor and a laser power controller is provided. An image processor in an imaging device manipulates a laser power controller in a laser system so that a laser beam emitted from a laser system is ultimately synchronized with the imaging device. Firstly, the original laser signal is shifted one time frame relative to the plurality of time frames to create a shifted laser signal. Secondly, the shifted laser signal is subtracted from the original laser signal. Thirdly, the subtracted laser signal is magnified by a frequency band pass filter. The filtered laser signal is added to the original signal to become the finalized laser signal which has better contrast than the original signal.

Systems, methods, and devices for hyperspectral imaging with a minimal area image sensor are disclosed. A system includes an emitter for emitting pulses of electromagnetic radiation and an image sensor comprising a pixel array for sensing reflected electromagnetic radiation, wherein the pixel array comprises active pixels and optical black pixels. The system includes a black clamp providing offset control for data generated by the pixel array and a controller comprising a processor in electrical communication with the image sensor and the emitter. The system is such that at least a portion of the pulses of electromagnetic radiation emitted by the emitter comprises one or more of electromagnetic radiation having a wavelength from about 513 nm to about 545 nm, electromagnetic radiation having a wavelength from about 565 nm to about 585 nm, or electromagnetic radiation having a wavelength from about 900 nm to about 1000 nm.

A system for determining a characteristic of a laser includes a collection housing receiving a laser beam comprising a first pulse, a second pulse and a time period between the first pulse and the second pulse. A photon counting detector receives photons from the laser beam disposed to generate photon signals from the laser beam and generating a start signal. A fast diode generates a stop signal to provide a time reference of counted photons ns. A controller is coupled to the photon counting detector and the fast diode. The controller counts photons from the photon counting detector occurring during the time period between the first and second pulse and generates a first output signal corresponding to a power during the time period between the first pulse and the second pulse.