A light detection and ranging (LiDAR) device and an operating method thereof include irradiating a laser light toward an object; outputting a laser reflection light signal by detecting the laser light reflected from the object; measuring a pulse width corresponding to a period in which the laser reflection light signal is saturated from the laser reflection light signal and changing at least one of a laser light intensity to be irradiated by the laser light irradiator or a gain of an amplifier according to the analyzed pulse width; and controlling the laser light irradiator to irradiate an adjusted laser light corresponding to the changing.

Techniques, systems, architectures, and methods for amplifying the time difference between events detected on a focal plane array, allowing greater resolution than that afforded by a reference clock are herein disclosed.

Disclosed herein are various embodiments of an adaptive ladar receiver and associated method whereby the active pixels in a photodetector array used for reception of ladar pulse returns can be adaptively controlled based at least in part on where the ladar pulses were targeted. Additional embodiments disclose improved imaging optics for use by the receiver and further adaptive control techniques for selecting which pixels of the photodetector array are used for sensing incident light.

The invention relates to devices and methods of characterising a single unknown pulse signal. They create multiple replica of the original that may be more reliably measured, by dividing the signal through nodes and using different signal pathways that may apply a temporal delay. The device and methods have multiple fields of application, most notably with the internal confinement fusion industry.

A light detection and ranging system can have a light source coupled to a reflector consisting of a waveguide. The waveguide may be tuned to a selected polarization by a controller to block retroreflected photons resulting from a light beam emitted from the reflector. The waveguide polarization can be altered over time by the controller to provide customized blocking of photons.

A system and method of adjusting a field of view in an imaging system includes transmitting light across a transmission optical path and defining a field of view encompassing both uniform and spatially tenuous target objects within the transmitted light. A sensor within a return optical path of reflected light from at least a portion of one of the target objects allows a data processing computer to compile an image from a series of data outputs from the sensor. The image is analyzed to determine a region of interest within the image and by dynamically adjusting the light source, the computer is configured to change the field of view of the light source such that the image includes a higher resolution and/or signal intensity for the region of interest. The region of interest may include at least one spatially tenuous target object.

A method for operating a LIDAR device by a control unit is provided. At least one beam pulse is emitted into a sampling range by a beam source, and beams that are reflected and/or back-scattered from the sampling range are received by a detector that includes multiple SPAD cells, and converted into electrical counting pulses. The at least one beam pulse is generated with a lengthened falling intensity edge, and the detector is read out by a DC-coupled readout electronics system. Moreover, a control unit and a LIDAR device are provided.

The present technology relates to a distance measurement sensor, a distance measurement system, and an electronic apparatus in which power consumption can be further reduced.

The distance measurement sensor includes a pixel array section where pixels that each. receive reflection light resulting from irradiation light applied by an illumination device and reflected by an object and output a detection. signal according to a quantity of the received light are two-dimensionally arranged, and a control section that controls an operation state of the illumination device according to an operation timing of the distance measurement sensor itself. The present technology is applicable to a distance measurement system that measures a distance to a subject, for example.

The present disclosure relates to limitation of noise on light detectors using an aperture. One example embodiment includes a system. The system includes a lens disposed relative to a scene and configured to focus light from the scene onto a focal plane. The system also includes an aperture defined within an opaque material disposed at the focal plane of the lens. The aperture has a cross-sectional area. In addition, the system includes an array of light detectors disposed on a side of the focal plane opposite the lens and configured to intercept and detect diverging light focused by the lens and transmitted through the aperture. A cross-sectional area of the array of light detectors that intercepts the diverging light is greater than the cross-sectional area of the aperture.

A method includes flashing an object with a first illumination pulse at a first illumination power level, flashing the object with a second illumination pulse at a second illumination power level different from the first illumination power level, integrating at least a portion of a first return pulse which is the first illumination plus returning from the object to determine a first return time, and integrating at least a portion of a second return pulse which is the second illumination pulse returning from the object to determine a second return time. The method includes using the first and second return times to determine distance to the object independent of reflectivity of the object.