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Time varying gain in an optical detector operating in a lidar system

  • US 10,139,478 B2
  • Filed: 01/03/2018
  • Issued: 11/27/2018
  • Est. Priority Date: 03/28/2017
  • Status: Active Grant
First Claim
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1. A lidar system comprising:

  • a light source configured to emit a light pulse; and

    a receiver configured to detect light from the light pulse scattered by a remote target, the receiver including;

    a photodetector that detects an optical signal corresponding to the light; and

    a light pulse-detection circuit configured to convert the optical signal to an electrical signal and to detect whether the converted electrical signal is indicative of the light pulse scattered by the remote target, the light pulse-detection circuit including;

    a gain circuit configured to amplify the converted electrical signal by a predetermined amplification amount that varies according to an amount of time that has elapsed since the light pulse has been emitted, wherein within a threshold time period T1 since the light pulse has been emitted the gain circuit operates in a low-gain mode having the predetermined amplification amount below a threshold value, and within a threshold time period T2 after the threshold time period T1 has elapsed, the gain circuit switches to a high-gain mode having the predetermined amplification amount at or above the threshold value, anda comparison circuit configured to compare the amplified electrical signal to a threshold amount to determine whether the amplified electrical signal is indicative of the light pulse scattered by the remote target.

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