A method for determining a distance (d) and a reflectivity of an object surface (14) using a laser source (10) that emits light (12) at a certain power and using a detector (16) that detects a level of irradiance of light (18) reflected by or scattered back from the object surface (14) and that outputs a time-dependent voltage signal on the basis thereof comprises: setting (100, 110, 220, 230, 240) the laser source (10) so that the latter emits light (12) at a specified first value of power in at least one pulse, setting (100, 110) the detector (16) so that the latter emits outputs a first voltage signal with a specified second value for a gain factor on the basis of a level of irradiance of the detected reflected or back-scattered light (18), determining (120, 260) a first value for the distance of the object surface (14) from a measured light time-of-flight (ToF) assigned to the first voltage signal, adapting (130, 150 220) the first value of the power of the laser source (10) and/or the second value of the gain factor of the detector (16) on the basis of the determined first value for the distance (d), emitting (110, 240) light (12) again using the laser source (10) and detecting the reflected or back-scattered light (18) by the detector (16) and outputting a corresponding second voltage signal using the adapted first and/or second value, determining (120, 260) a second value for the distance (d) of the object surface from a measured light time-of-flight (ToF) assigned to the second voltage signal.

Systems and method for a camera system that includes an imaging sensor having differential type imaging pixels. The camera system is configured to read two, single ended signals from each differential pixel, rather than one differential signal. The camera system can be configured to process those single ended signals in one or more different ways in order to determine different types of image and/or to achieve particular desired performance, such as higher speed, more accurate imaging, higher dynamic range imaging, lower noise imaging, etc.

A distance measurement device includes: an image capturer that captures N segmental images corresponding to N segmental distances into which a distance measurement range is divided; and a range image generator that generates a range image from the N segmental images. The range image generator determines: among segmental pixels included in the N segmental images, a segmental pixel having a maximum signal value from N segmental pixels at the same pixel position among pixel positions; a value indicating a segmental distance of the segmental pixel having the maximum signal value to be a distance value of the pixel position of the range image, when the maximum signal value is greater than or equal to a threshold; and a value indicating a value outside the distance measurement range to be the distance value of the pixel position of the range image, when the maximum signal value is less than the threshold.

Embodiments of the disclosure provide a system for analyzing noise data for light detection and ranging (LiDAR). The system includes a communication interface configured to sequentially receive noise data of the LiDAR in time windows, at least one storage device configured to store instructions, and at least one processor configured to execute the instructions to perform operations. Exemplary operations include determining an estimated noise value of a first time window using the noise data received in the first time window and determining an instant noise value of a second time window using the noise data received in the second time window. The second time window is immediately subsequent to the first time window. The operations also include determining an estimated noise value of the second time window by aggregating the estimated noise value of the first time window and the instant noise value of the second time window.

A distance measuring method according to the present disclosure includes: measuring, in an environment where background light is applied to an object, the illuminance of the background light; setting a distance measuring range based on the illuminance of the background light; setting, based on the distance measuring range set, an image capturing condition for an image capturer including a plurality of pixels each including an avalanche photo diode (APD) and an emission condition in which light is emitted from a light source; and measuring a distance to the object by controlling the image capturer and the light source based on the image capturing condition and the emission condition that are set.

A solid-state imaging device including a plurality of two-dimensionally arranged pixels is provided. The pixels each include a light receiving circuit that senses incident light having arrived at the light receiving element in a light exposure period, a counter circuit that counts the number of arrivals of the incident light based on the light reception signal from the light receiving circuit, a comparison circuit that outputs a comparison signal according to the count from the counter circuit, and a storage circuit that stores a time signal as a distance signal when the comparison signal from the comparison circuit is ON. Transistors included in the light receiving circuit, the counter circuit, the comparison circuit, and the storage circuit have the same conductivity type.

A radiation-sensitive device is disclosed. The device comprises a plurality of single photon avalanche diodes (SPADs) and circuitry configured to adapt a read-out rate of the plurality of SPADs in relation to an intensity of incident radiation. Also disclosed is an associated method of increasing a dynamic range of a radiation-sensitive device comprising a plurality of SPADs. The method comprises adapting a read-out rate of the plurality of SPADs in relation to an intensity of incident radiation.

An active sensor system (1) has a first and a second emitter unit (2, 2′), as well as a detector unit (3, 3′) and a computing unit (4). The emitter units (2, 2′) are configured to emit respective measurement signals into corresponding emission spatial regions (A1, A2). The detector unit (3, 3′) is configured to generate at least one detector signal on the basis of reflected portions of the measurement signals, and the computing unit (4) is configured to generate a measurement data set on the basis of the at least one detector signal. The computing unit (4) is configured to identify at least one section (T1, T1′, T2) that is shaded with respect to at least one of the emitter units (2, 2′). The computing unit (4) is configured to generate the measurement data set taking into account the section (T1, T1′, T2) and/or to generate correction data for correcting the measurement data set.

A method for identifying a change of a range of a lidar sensor involves a lidar sensor receiving a reference noise level of infrared radiation. A signal-to-noise ratio of infrared radiation reflected on the reference target and received by the lidar sensor are identified in a reference measurement having a reference target located at a predetermined distance to the lidar sensor. In a driving operation measurement, a current noise level of received infrared radiation is identified and a theoretical distance to a position where the reference target ought to be if, at the current noise level, the same signal-to-noise ratio applies as in the reference measurement is identified from the current noise level. A change in range calculation identifies a difference between the predetermined distance and the theoretical distance. The difference corresponds to the change of the range of the lidar sensor compared to its range during the reference measurement.

A pixel system for an imaging device can include one or more pixels comprising a pulse trigger assembly configured to detect a pulse at one or more threshold voltages, a timer system forming part of and/or connected to the one or more pixels, the timer system comprising one or more trigger switches. The pulse trigger assembly can be configured to activate the one or more trigger switches in response to detecting the pulse at the one or more threshold values. The pixel system can include a time-of-flight (TOF) module operatively connected to the one or more pixels and/or the timer system to determine a TOF based on an output from the timer system while simultaneously performing either or both passive imaging and asynchronous laser pulse detection.