公开(公告)号：US12019190B2

公开(公告)日：2024-06-25

申请号：US16963329

申请日：2019-01-30

Applicant: ams AG

Inventor： Robert Kappel ,  Christian Mautner

IPC: G01S7/48 ,  G01S7/484 ,  G01S7/4865 ,  G01S7/497

CPC classification number: G01S7/4866 ,  G01S7/484 ,  G01S7/497

Abstract: A time-of-flight arrangement (10) comprises a laser (15), a laser driver (12), a clock generator (11) that is coupled to the laser (15) via the laser driver (12), a photodiode circuit (50) and a time-to-digital converter (14). The photodiode circuit (50) comprises an avalanche photodiode (51), a quenching circuit (52), a diode node (53) and a readout circuit (54). The quenching circuit (52) is coupled via the diode node (53) to the avalanche photodiode (51). An input of the readout circuit (54) is connected to the diode node (53). At least one of the clock generator (11) and the readout circuit (54) is coupled on its output side to the input side of the time-to-digital converter (14).

公开(公告)号：US20200300989A1

公开(公告)日：2020-09-24

申请号：US16649223

申请日：2018-09-21

Applicant: ams AG

Inventor： Kerry Glover ,  Manfred Lueger ,  Robert Kappel ,  Christian Mautner ,  Mario Manninger ,  Georg Roehrer

IPC: G01S7/4865 ,  G01S7/481 ,  G01S7/4863

Abstract: A semiconductor body comprises a driver for driving a light source, at least two detectors each comprising an avalanche diode, a time-to-digital converter arrangement coupled to outputs of the at least two detectors, a memory that is coupled to the time-to-digital converter arrangement and is configured to store at least one histogram, and an evaluation unit coupled to the driver and to the memory.

公开(公告)号：US10677898B2

公开(公告)日：2020-06-09

申请号：US15507241

申请日：2015-08-24

Applicant: ams AG

Inventor： Josef Kriebernegg ,  Christian Mautner ,  David Mehrl ,  Kerry Glover

IPC: G01S7/484 ,  G01S7/486 ,  G01S17/02 ,  G01S17/10 ,  G01S7/4865 ,  G01S7/4861 ,  G01S17/04

Abstract: An optical driver arrangement (10) comprises a comparator (11) and a pulse generator (15). The comparator (11) comprises a first input (12) for receiving a sensed output signal (S1) derived from a sensor signal (S2) generated by a light sensor (24), a second input (13) for receiving a reference signal (S3) and a comparator output (14) for providing a comparator signal (S4). The pulse generator (15) comprises a control input (16) coupled to the comparator output (14) and a generator output (22) for providing a driver signal (S5) to a light source (21). The driver signal (S4) comprises a series of at least one pulse and a parameter of the driver signal (S4) is controlled by the comparator signal (S4).

公开(公告)号：US20200110368A1

公开(公告)日：2020-04-09

申请号：US16470410

申请日：2017-12-08

Applicant: ams AG

Inventor： Christian Mautner ,  Friedrich Bahnmueller ,  Friedrich Laengauer ,  Robert Kappel

IPC: G04F10/00 ,  H03K23/00

Abstract: A time-to-digital converter arrangement has a ring oscillator with a plurality of inverting elements and a first and a second counter coupled to the ring oscillator. The first counter is configured to increment a first counter value if a positive edge transition is present at one of the inverting elements. The second counter is configured to increment a second counter value if a negative edge transition is present at the one of the inverting elements. A storage element stores the first and the second counter value and logical states of the plurality of inverting elements. A decoder coupled to the storage element selects one of the first and the second counter value as a valid value based on an evaluation of the stored logical states, and outputs a total counter value based on the valid value and the stored logical states.