An electronic device may include a proximity sensor under a cover layer. The proximity sensor may include a light-emitter, such as an infrared light source, and a light-detector, such as an array of single-photon avalanche diodes (SPADs). The SPADs may measure light that has reflected from an external object. However, some of the light may be reflected by the cover layer, creating cross-talk. To distinguish between the cross-talk and signals from the external object, processing circuitry may histogram measurements from the SPADs. In particular, the processing circuitry may histogram near-field and/or far-field measurements into different histograms. The measurements may be weighted and/or gated prior to histogramming. In this way, cross-talk may be distinguished from the near-field and far-field signals.

An electronic device includes: a light emitter to emit light to an external object at an outside of the electronic device, based on a period of a time frame; a light receiver to detect reflected light of the light; a counter to identify a plurality of counts for the plurality of cells. Each count indicates a number of pulses being generated at least based on a time instance to detect the reflected light by the light receiver. The electronic device also includes a processor and a memory electrically connected to the processor and configured to store instructions executable by the processor, which is configured to determine whether interference is present at least based on a number of cells of which the counts have same values; and then, change a setting of the time frame to prevent or reduce the interference.

A vehicle-assistance system for classifying objects in a vehicle's surroundings. The system includes: at least one memory configured to store classification information for classifying a plurality of objects; and at least one processor configured to receive a plurality of detection results associated with light detection and ranging system (LIDAR) detection results, each detection result including location information, and further information indicative of at least two of the following detection characteristics: object surface reflectivity; temporal spreading of signal reflected from the object; object surface physical composition; ambient illumination measured at a LIDAR dead time; difference in detection information from a previous frame; and confidence level associated with another detection characteristic. The at least one processor is also configured to: access the classification information; and based on the classification information and the detection results, classify an object in the vehicle's surroundings.

Disclosed is a method for dynamically adjusting a threshold of a silicon photomultiplier (SiPM) receiver. The method includes: receiving incident light by a SiPM receiver (S101); obtaining an intensity of the incident light (S102); and adjusting a threshold of the SiPM receiver according to the intensity of the incident light (S103).

A detecting device (30) includes: a light-emitting element (31); and an image sensor (33). The image sensor (33) includes a position output section configured to, in a case where an amount of light received of a light-receiving element (33Aa) is greater than a threshold value, output a position in the image sensor (33). The detecting device (30) further includes: a position determining section (34B) configured to determine whether the position is located on a reflection trajectory, the reflection trajectory being a line connecting, on the image sensor (33), points at which a reflected beam reflected by a physical object forms an image on the image sensor (33) and which are obtained as a distance from the physical object is changed; and a distance deriving section (34C) configured to derive, with use of the relationship between the position and the distance from the physical object, a distance to a physical object.

An optical engine for a LiDAR system comprises an analog detection channel comprising an avalanche photodiode (APD) optically coupled to light receiving optics and bias circuitry coupled to the APD and configured to adjust a bias set point (BSP) of the APD. Sensors sense disparate environmental factors that impact optical engine performance. Memory stores pre-established APD BSP data including a nominal APD BSP and pre-established dependence data characterizing the impact of disparate environmental factors on the nominal APD BSP. A controller generates, using sensor signals, in-field dependence data characterizing the impact the disparate environmental factors currently have on the nominal APD BSP, calculate an updated APD BSP using the in-field and pre-established dependence data, and shift the BSP of the APD from the nominal APD BSP to the updated APD BSP to enhance optical engine performance.

A distance measuring device includes a light emission portion for emitting light; a light receiving portion for receiving measurement light that is emitted by the light emission portion and reflected by a measurement object, the light receiving portion comprising a plurality of pixels, each pixel having at least one light receiving portion and outputting a light reception signal that depends on the measurement light incident on the pixel; a discrimination portion for discriminating whether the pixel receives measurement light; a pixel output control portion for selectively outputting the light reception signal of each pixel individually, depending on the determination result of the discrimination portion; and an evaluation portion for receiving the light reception signals output by the pixel output control portion and outputting a distance signal that is indicative of a distance between the measuring device and the measurement object based on these light reception signals.

A signal separation method, a pixel unit, and a pixel array are provided. The method comprises: determining a first threshold voltage between a first primary node of at least two primary nodes that stores first radiation charges and an adjacent subsequent-stage and controlling, when a second primary node of the at least two primary nodes that stores second radiation charges is electrically connected with an adjacent subsequent-stage node, a second threshold voltage between the second primary node and the adjacent subsequent-stage node so that echo radiation charges in the second radiation charges are transferred to the subsequent-stage The second threshold voltage is equal to the first threshold voltage; the first threshold voltage is used to make the background radiation charges included in the first radiation charges fully or partially remain in the first primary node when the first primary node is electrically connected with the subsequent-stage node.

Disclosed herein are a number of example embodiments that employ controllable delays between successive ladar pulses in order to discriminate between “own” ladar pulse reflections and “interfering” ladar pulses reflections by a receiver. Example embodiments include designs where a sparse delay sum circuit is used at the receiver and where a funnel filter is used at the receiver. Also, disclosed are techniques for selecting codes to use for the controllable delays as well as techniques for identifying and tracking interfering ladar pulses and their corresponding delay codes. The use of a ladar system with pulse deconfliction is also disclosed as part of an optical data communication system.

A distance image capturing apparatus has a light source unit that emits an intermittent light pulse into a space, a light receiving unit that includes a plurality of pixels each having a photoelectric conversion device and electric charge accumulating units, and a distance image processing unit. The distance image processing unit acquires an electric charge amount distributed by a predetermined fixed number of times and accumulated in each the electric charge accumulating unit. The distance image processing unit acquires at least two electric charge amounts accumulated in the electric charge accumulating units with different number of times of electric charge distribution as one set and selects one of a first electric charge amount with a larger number of electric charge distribution and a second electric charge amount for acquiring a distance from a subject on the basis of a comparison result of the first electric charge amount with a threshold.