Sensing apparatus having a light sensitive detector field

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9939316-B2
Application number	US-201615051833-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 24, 2016
Priority date	Sep 30, 2015
Publication date	Apr 10, 2018
Grant date	Apr 10, 2018

Abstract

A sensing apparatus includes a sensor and a processor. The sensor includes at least one light sensitive detector. The processor determines a first control value to control a voltage differential across the at least one light sensitive detector, and compares the first control value with a reference value associated with a reference temperature. Based on the comparison, the processor provides adjustment information for adjusting at least one output of the sensing apparatus, and an operating parameter of the sensing apparatus other than the voltage differential.

First claim

That which is claimed is:

1. A sensing apparatus comprising:
at least one output;
a sensor comprising at least one light sensitive detector; and
a processor configured to
determine a first control value used to control a voltage differential across said at least one light sensitive detector,
compare the first control value with a reference value associated with a reference temperature, and
based on the comparison, provide adjustment information for adjusting the at least one output and at least one operating parameter that is different from the voltage differential.

2. The sensing apparatus as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the adjustment information is dependent on a magnitude of difference between the first control value and the reference value and whether the first control value is greater or less than the reference value.

3. The sensing apparatus as claimed in claim 2 , wherein the magnitude of difference associated with the adjustment information is different depending on whether the first control value is greater or less than the reference value.

4. The sensing apparatus as claimed in claim 3 , wherein for the magnitude of difference the adjustment information represents an increased adjustment if the difference between the first control value and the reference value is indicative that temperature is greater than the reference temperature as compared to when the difference between the first control value and the reference value is indicative that temperature is less than the reference temperature.

5. The sensing apparatus as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the at least one operating parameter comprises an oscillator frequency.

6. The sensing apparatus as claimed in claim 5 , wherein the oscillator frequency comprises a clock signal frequency.

7. The sensing apparatus as claimed in claim 6 , wherein the adjustment information is configured to adjust the clock signal frequency such that the clock signal frequency is within a given frequency range such that at least one of the following is outside at least one communication band frequency: harmonics of the clock signal frequency, the clock signal frequency, at least one signal derived from the clock signal frequency, and harmonics of at least one signal derived from the clock signal.

8. The sensing apparatus as claimed in claim 5 , wherein the adjustment information comprises trim information for trimming the oscillator frequency.

9. The sensing apparatus as claimed in claim 1 , wherein said processor is configured to determine a distance of an object from said sensor, with the at least one output being the distance.

10. The sensing apparatus as claimed in claim 1 , wherein said at least one light sensitive detector comprises a plurality of light sensitive detectors arranged as an array.

11. The sensing apparatus as claimed in claim 1 , wherein said at least one light sensitive detector comprises a single photon avalanche detector (SPAR).

12. A device comprising:
a sensing apparatus comprising
at least one output;
a sensor comprising at least one light sensitive detector; and
a processor configured to
determine a first control value used to control a voltage differential across said at least one light sensitive detector,
compare the first control value with a reference value associated with a reference temperature, and
based on the comparison, provide adjustment information for adjusting the at least one output and at least one operating parameter that is different from the voltage differential.

13. The device as claimed in claim 12 , wherein the adjustment information is dependent on a magnitude of difference between the first control value and the reference value and whether the first control value is greater or less than the reference value.

14. The device as claimed in claim 12 , wherein a magnitude of difference associated with the adjustment information is different depending on whether the first control value is greater or less than the reference value.

15. The device as claimed in claim 14 , wherein for the magnitude of difference the adjustment information represents an increased adjustment if the difference between the first control value and the reference value is indicative that temperature is greater than the reference temperature as compared to when the difference between the first control value and the reference value is indicative that temperature is less than the reference temperature.

16. The device as claimed in claim 12 , wherein the at least one operating parameter comprises a clock signal frequency.

17. The device as claimed in claim 16 , wherein the adjustment information is configured to adjust the clock signal frequency such that the clock signal frequency is within a given frequency range such that at least one of the following is outside at least one communication band frequency: harmonics of the clock signal frequency, the clock signal frequency, at least one signal derived from the clock signal frequency, and harmonics of at least one signal derived from the clock signal.

18. The device as claimed in claim 12 , wherein said processor is configured to determine a distance of an object from said sensor, with the at least one output being the distance.

19. The device as claimed in claim 12 , wherein the device is configured as at least one of the following: mobile telephone, smart phone, tablet, computer, measuring device, switch controller for a light, switch controller for a water supply, a door controller, a distance sensor, and an impact controller.

20. A sensing method comprising:
determining a first control value used to control a voltage differential across at least one light sensitive detector;
comparing the first control value with a reference value associated with a reference temperature;
based on the comparing, providing adjustment information for adjusting at least one output of a sensing apparatus that includes the at least one light sensitive detector, and at least one operating parameter of the sensing apparatus different than the voltage differential; and
adjusting the at least one output and the at least one operating parameter using the adjustment information.

21. A sensing method as claimed in claim 20 , wherein the adjustment information is dependent on a magnitude of difference between the first control value and the reference value and whether the first control value is greater or less than the reference value.

22. A sensing method as claimed in claim 21 , wherein the magnitude of difference associated with the adjustment information is different depending on whether the first control value is greater or less than the reference value.

23. A sensing method as claimed in claim 22 , wherein for the magnitude of difference the adjustment information represents an increased adjustment if the difference between the first control value and the reference value is indicative that temperature is greater than the reference temperature as compared to when the difference between the first control value and the reference value is indicative that temperature is less than the reference temperature.

24. A sensing method as claimed in claim 20 , wherein the at least one operating parameter comprises an oscillator frequency.

25. A sensing method as claimed in claim 24 , wherein the oscillator frequency comprises a clock signal frequency.

26. A sensing method as claimed in claim 25 , wherein the adjustment

Assignees

• St Microelectronics Res & Dev Ltd

Inventors

• Scott Iain
• Lee Sam

Classifications

• G01S17/89

  for mapping or imaging · CPC title

• G01S7/497

  Means for monitoring or calibrating · CPC title

• G01S7/4865

  Time delay measurement, e.g. time-of-flight measurement, time of arrival measurement or determining the exact position of a peak (peak detection in noise, signal conditioning G01S7/487) · CPC title

• G01J2001/4466

  Avalanche · CPC title

• G01J1/44 Primary

  Electric circuits {(for command of an exposure part G03B7/02)} · CPC title