A Lidar system, photonic chip and method of detecting an object. The photonic chip includes a laser and one or more photodetectors. The laser generates a transmitted light beam. The one or more photodetectors are receptive to a reflected light beam that is a reflection of the transmitted light beam from an object and generate an electrical signal as output in response to the reflected light beam signal. An amplifier is configured to amplify a signal related to the reflected light beam to amplify the output signal of the one or more photodetectors. A processor determines a parameter of the object from the amplified output signal.

A method may include determining an alignment time based on a zero-crossing point corresponding to a LiDAR sensor and a horizontal field of view corresponding to an image-capturing sensor. The method may include determining a delay timing for initiating image capturing by the image-capturing sensor in which the delay timing is based on at least one of: the alignment time, a packet capture timing corresponding to the LiDAR sensor, and an average frame exposure duration corresponding to the image-capturing sensor. The method may include initiating data capture by the LiDAR sensor, and after the initiating of data capture by the LiDAR sensor and after the delay timing has elapsed, initiating data capture by the image-capturing sensor.

A method may include determining an alignment time based on a zero-crossing point corresponding to a LiDAR sensor and a horizontal field of view corresponding to an image-capturing sensor. The method may include determining a delay timing for initiating image capturing by the image-capturing sensor in which the delay timing is based on at least one of: the alignment time, a packet capture timing corresponding to the LiDAR sensor, and an average frame exposure duration corresponding to the image-capturing sensor. The method may include initiating data capture by the LiDAR sensor, and after the initiating of data capture by the LiDAR sensor and after the delay timing has elapsed, initiating data capture by the image-capturing sensor.

A measurement system determining a correspondence between detection signals regarding distance and relative speed of multiple targets includes: a first result acquisition unit performing FFT processing on a signal generated based on both of an in-phase component and an orthogonal component of the reception light, and acquiring, as a first result, a peak frequency regarding the distance and a peak frequency regarding the relative speed; a second result acquisition unit acquiring, as a second result, a peak frequency detected by performing FFT processing on at least one of the in-phase component signal and the orthogonal component signal; and a combination determination unit determining, as a third result, a combination of correspondence between the distance and the relative speed based on both of the first result and the second result.

A measurement system determining a correspondence between detection signals regarding distance and relative speed of multiple targets includes: a first result acquisition unit performing FFT processing on a signal generated based on both of an in-phase component and an orthogonal component of the reception light, and acquiring, as a first result, a peak frequency regarding the distance and a peak frequency regarding the relative speed; a second result acquisition unit acquiring, as a second result, a peak frequency detected by performing FFT processing on at least one of the in-phase component signal and the orthogonal component signal; and a combination determination unit determining, as a third result, a combination of correspondence between the distance and the relative speed based on both of the first result and the second result.

A time of flight sensor includes a time of flight (TOF) processor having a digital TOF port, a digital input port, and a digital output port, the TOF processor comprising a phase detector including cyclically rotating demultiplexer (DEMUX), a first summer coupled to a first DEMUX output, a second summer coupled to a second DEMUX output, a third summer coupled to a third DEMUX output, a fourth summer coupled to a fourth DEMUX output, and a phase estimator coupled to outputs of the first summer, the second summer, the third summer and the fourth summer and having a phase estimate output; a driver having a digital driver port coupled to the digital TOF port and a driver output port; and an analog-to-digital converter (ADC) having an output port coupled to the digital input port of the digital TOF processor.

A time of flight sensor includes a time of flight (TOF) processor having a digital TOF port, a digital input port, and a digital output port, the TOF processor comprising a phase detector including cyclically rotating demultiplexer (DEMUX), a first summer coupled to a first DEMUX output, a second summer coupled to a second DEMUX output, a third summer coupled to a third DEMUX output, a fourth summer coupled to a fourth DEMUX output, and a phase estimator coupled to outputs of the first summer, the second summer, the third summer and the fourth summer and having a phase estimate output; a driver having a digital driver port coupled to the digital TOF port and a driver output port; and an analog-to-digital converter (ADC) having an output port coupled to the digital input port of the digital TOF processor.

The present invention includes a light source unit; a light receiving pixel unit which includes a photo electric conversion device and an electric charge accumulating unit, and a distance image processing unit, when the distance is measured by an input voltage in accordance with an electric charge accumulated in the electric charge accumulating unit, that: measures a distance via a normal mode at a predetermined width of radiation light when the distance is measured by an input voltage in accordance with an electric charge accumulated in the electric charge accumulating unit, and switches to the detailed measurement mode according to the distance to the object measured via the normal mode and adjusts a phase of the radiation light radiated from the light source unit by a detailed measurement mode.

The present invention includes a light source unit; a light receiving pixel unit which includes a photo electric conversion device and an electric charge accumulating unit, and a distance image processing unit, when the distance is measured by an input voltage in accordance with an electric charge accumulated in the electric charge accumulating unit, that: measures a distance via a normal mode at a predetermined width of radiation light when the distance is measured by an input voltage in accordance with an electric charge accumulated in the electric charge accumulating unit, and switches to the detailed measurement mode according to the distance to the object measured via the normal mode and adjusts a phase of the radiation light radiated from the light source unit by a detailed measurement mode.

A light detection and ranging (lidar) receiver may include a first photodiode, a first amplifier connected to the first photodiode, and a first analog-to-digital converter (ADC) connected to an output of the first amplifier. The lidar receiver may include a second photodiode, a second amplifier connected to the second photodiode, and a second ADC connected to the second amplifier. The lidar may include a processor connected to an output of the first ADC and an output of the second ADC and a direct-current-to-direct-current converter connected to an output of the processor and to the first photodiode and the second photodiode. The processor may determine, based on the output of the first ADC and the output of the second ADC, a first bias to apply to the first photodiode and a second bias to apply to the second photodiode.