Dynamic control of diode bias voltage (photon-caused avalanche)
First Claim
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1. A method comprising:
- varying a bias voltage of a photodiode;
detecting spurious signals generated by the photodiode while varying the bias voltage of the photodiode;
determining, for each of one or more bias voltages, a respective frequency of occurrence of the spurious signals;
determining a threshold bias voltage at which a frequency of occurrence of the spurious signals reaches a threshold frequency;
determining an operating bias voltage for the photodiode based on at least the threshold bias voltage; and
operating the photodiode with the operating bias voltage in a light-detection and ranging (LIDAR) system.
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Abstract
Methods and devices are provided for determining an operating bias voltage of a photodiode. One example method includes (i) varying a bias voltage of a photodiode; (ii) detecting spurious signals generated by the photodiode while varying the bias voltage of the photodiode; (iii) determining a threshold bias voltage at which a frequency of occurrence of the spurious signals reaches a threshold frequency; (iv) determining an operating bias voltage for the photodiode based on at least the threshold bias voltage; and (v) operating the photodiode with the operating bias voltage in a light-detection and ranging (LIDAR) system.
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Citations
20 Claims
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1. A method comprising:
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varying a bias voltage of a photodiode; detecting spurious signals generated by the photodiode while varying the bias voltage of the photodiode; determining, for each of one or more bias voltages, a respective frequency of occurrence of the spurious signals; determining a threshold bias voltage at which a frequency of occurrence of the spurious signals reaches a threshold frequency; determining an operating bias voltage for the photodiode based on at least the threshold bias voltage; and operating the photodiode with the operating bias voltage in a light-detection and ranging (LIDAR) system. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. A method comprising:
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operating a photodiode in an online mode in which the photodiode receives one or more light pulses transmitted by a light-detection and ranging (LIDAR) system; after operating the photodiode in the online mode, operating the photodiode in an offline mode in which the photodiode does not receive light pulses transmitted by the LIDAR system, wherein operating the photodiode in the offline mode comprises; varying a bias voltage of the photodiode; detecting spurious signals generated while varying the bias voltage of the photodiode; determining, for each of one or more bias voltages, a respective frequency of occurrence of the spurious signals; determining a threshold bias voltage at which a frequency of occurrence of the spurious signals reaches a threshold frequency; and determining an operating bias voltage for the photodiode based on at least the threshold bias voltage; and after operating the photodiode in the offline mode, operating the photodiode in a subsequent online mode in which the photodiode receives one or more light pulses transmitted by the LIDAR system, wherein operating the photodiode in the subsequent online mode comprises operating the photodiode with the operating bias voltage. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14)
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15. A light-detection and ranging (LIDAR) device, comprising:
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a light source, wherein the light source is configured to emit light pulses; a photodiode, wherein the photodiode is configured to receive light pulses that have been transmitted by the light source and reflected by one or more objects in an environment of the LIDAR device; a voltage source configured to apply a bias voltage to the photodiode; and a controller configured to; control the power source to vary the bias voltage applied to the photodiode; detect spurious signals generated by the photodiode while varying the bias voltage; determine, for each of one or more bias voltages, a respective frequency of occurrence of the spurious signals; determine a threshold bias voltage at which a frequency of occurrence of the spurious signals reaches a threshold frequency; determine an operating bias voltage based on at least the threshold bias voltage; and control the voltage source to apply the operating bias voltage to the photodiode. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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Specification