A LIDAR system, preferably including one or more: optical emitters, optical detectors, beam directors, and/or processing modules. A method of LIDAR system operation, preferably including: determining a signal, outputting the signal, receiving a return signal, and/or analyzing the return signal.

A light source may illuminate a scene that is obscured by fog. Light may reflect back to a time-resolved light sensor. For instance, the light sensor may comprise avalanche photodiodes that are not single-photon sensitive. The light sensor may perform a raster scan. The imaging system may determine reflectance and depth of the fog-obscured target. The imaging system may perform a probabilistic algorithm that exploits the fact that times of arrival of photons reflected from fog have a Gamma distribution that is different than the Gaussian distribution of times of arrival of photons reflected from the target. The imaging system may adjust frame rate locally depending on local density of fog, as indicated by a local Gamma distribution determined in a prior step. The imaging system may perform one or more of spatial regularization, temporal regularization, and deblurring.

A light source may illuminate a scene that is obscured by fog. Light may reflect back to a time-resolved light sensor. For instance, the light sensor may comprise avalanche photodiodes that are not single-photon sensitive. The light sensor may perform a raster scan. The imaging system may determine reflectance and depth of the fog-obscured target. The imaging system may perform a probabilistic algorithm that exploits the fact that times of arrival of photons reflected from fog have a Gamma distribution that is different than the Gaussian distribution of times of arrival of photons reflected from the target. The imaging system may adjust frame rate locally depending on local density of fog, as indicated by a local Gamma distribution determined in a prior step. The imaging system may perform one or more of spatial regularization, temporal regularization, and deblurring.

A measurement device includes: a memory; and a processor coupled to the memory and configured to: generate a drive signal with a sine wave, according to a clock signal; control a reflection direction of output light of a light emitting device, by utilizing a resonance frequency, according to the drive signal; control a timing at which the drive signal is generated; and add or remove a pulse of a reference clock signal configured to generate the clock signal, according to a phase difference between a desired control signal and the control signal.

A measurement device includes: a memory; and a processor coupled to the memory and configured to: generate a drive signal with a sine wave, according to a clock signal; control a reflection direction of output light of a light emitting device, by utilizing a resonance frequency, according to the drive signal; control a timing at which the drive signal is generated; and add or remove a pulse of a reference clock signal configured to generate the clock signal, according to a phase difference between a desired control signal and the control signal.

A method for Time-of-Flight (ToF) sensing of a scene is provided. The method includes performing, by a ToF sensor including at least one photo-sensitive sensor pixel, a plurality of first ToF measurements using a first modulation frequency in order to obtain first measurement values. A respective correlation function of each of the plurality of first ToF measurements is periodic and exhibits an increasing amplitude over distance within a measurement range of the ToF sensor. The method further includes determining a distance to an object in the scene based on the first measurement values. Performing the plurality of first ToF measurements includes for at least one of the plurality of first ToF measurements controlling the photo-sensitive sensor pixel to selectively store, in at least two charge storages of the photo-sensitive sensor pixel, part of charge carriers generated in the photo-sensitive sensor pixel during the at least one of the plurality of first ToF measurements by incident light. In addition, performing the plurality of first ToF measurements includes for the at least one of the plurality of first ToF measurements controlling the photo-sensitive sensor pixel to selectively prevent another part of the charge carriers generated during the at least one of the plurality of first ToF measurements from reaching the at least two charge storages.

A method for Time-of-Flight (ToF) sensing of a scene is provided. The method includes performing, by a ToF sensor including at least one photo-sensitive sensor pixel, a plurality of first ToF measurements using a first modulation frequency in order to obtain first measurement values. A respective correlation function of each of the plurality of first ToF measurements is periodic and exhibits an increasing amplitude over distance within a measurement range of the ToF sensor. The method further includes determining a distance to an object in the scene based on the first measurement values. Performing the plurality of first ToF measurements includes for at least one of the plurality of first ToF measurements controlling the photo-sensitive sensor pixel to selectively store, in at least two charge storages of the photo-sensitive sensor pixel, part of charge carriers generated in the photo-sensitive sensor pixel during the at least one of the plurality of first ToF measurements by incident light. In addition, performing the plurality of first ToF measurements includes for the at least one of the plurality of first ToF measurements controlling the photo-sensitive sensor pixel to selectively prevent another part of the charge carriers generated during the at least one of the plurality of first ToF measurements from reaching the at least two charge storages.

A dual mode ladar system includes a laser transmitter having a wavelength of operation and a modulator connected thereto to impose a modulation thereon. The modulator is configured to impose amplitude modulation and/or frequency modulation. Diffusing optics illuminate a field of view and an array of light sensitive detectors each produce an electrical response signal from a reflected portion of the laser light output.

In one embodiment, a lidar system includes a light source configured to emit (i) local-oscillator light and (ii) pulses of light. The lidar system also includes a receiver configured to detect the local-oscillator light and a received pulse of light, the received pulse of light including a portion of one of the emitted pulses of light scattered by a target located a distance from the lidar system. The receiver includes a detector configured to produce a photocurrent signal corresponding to a coherent mixing of the local-oscillator light and the received pulse of light. The detector includes a first input side and a second input side located opposite the first input side, where the received pulse of light is incident on the first input side of the detector, and the local-oscillator light is incident on the second input side of the detector.

In one embodiment, a lidar system includes a light source configured to emit (i) local-oscillator light and (ii) pulses of light. The lidar system also includes a receiver configured to detect the local-oscillator light and a received pulse of light, the received pulse of light including a portion of one of the emitted pulses of light scattered by a target located a distance from the lidar system. The receiver includes a detector configured to produce a photocurrent signal corresponding to a coherent mixing of the local-oscillator light and the received pulse of light. The detector includes a first input side and a second input side located opposite the first input side, where the received pulse of light is incident on the first input side of the detector, and the local-oscillator light is incident on the second input side of the detector.