Abstract:
An imaging device includes at least a first group of pixels. A driver block is configured to generate at least two shutter signals, each having on-phases periodically alternating with off-phases. The shutter signals might not be in phase. The imaging device may have an optical shutter that is partitioned in two or more parts, or a set of two or more optical shutters. The shutter parts, or the shutters, may receive the shutter signals, and accordingly open and close. A design of the driver block requires reduced power, which is highly desirable for mobile applications. Moreover, 3D imaging may be implemented that uses various time-of-flight configurations.
Abstract:
A method, device and system are disclosed including a substrate, a computational device mounted on the substrate, and a heat dissipator thermally coupled to the device. In some embodiments, at least one surface of the computational device has a nanostructure ceramic layer formed upon. In some embodiments, the nanostructure ceramic layer includes at least one of Al2O3, Si3N4, and BeO. In some embodiments, the at least one surface is on the substrate. In some embodiments, the at least one surface is on the heat dissipator. In some embodiments, the nanostructure ceramic layer includes at least one nanostructure with a diameter in the range of 10-5,000 nm. In some embodiments, the nanostructure ceramic layer may be a repeating pattern of nanostructured elements having uniform sizes and shapes. In some embodiments, the nanostructure ceramic layer is a random pattern of nanostructured elements having non-uniform sizes and shapes
Abstract:
Provided are systems, methods, and apparatuses for up and down counting for efficient laser spot finding in LiDAR. In one or more examples, the systems, devices, and methods include dividing a pixel array into multiple macro blocks, a first macro block including at least a first pixel and a second pixel of the pixel array and initializing a first photon counter of the first pixel and a second photon counter of the second pixel. The systems, devices, and methods include determining an ambient photon count of the first photon counter based on performing a set number of ambient cycles with a laser transmitter off, determining a laser photon count of the first photon counter with the laser transmitter on, and using the first pixel to perform a time-of-flight measurement based on the first pixel being selected according to the ambient photon count and the laser photon count.
Abstract:
Provided are systems, methods, and apparatuses for progressive transmit delays for systematic time-dependent error elimination in LiDAR. In one or more examples, the systems, methods, and apparatuses include a device configured to delay transmission of a pulse of light based on a fine resolution of the device, detect a signal based on a reflected portion of the pulse of light, determine a coarse time and a fine time of the signal, and determine a readout based on the coarse time and the fine time.
Abstract:
A diffractive optical element (DOE) includes a substrate layer; and a nanostructure layer comprising nanostructures having a predetermined periodicity ranging from 0.75λ to 3λ of a target wavelength λ. The nanostructures are pillar-shaped nanostructures formed on a surface of the substrate layer, holes formed in the substrate layer, or a combination thereof. At least one nanostructure has a plan-view cross-sectional shape of a circle, an oval, a square, or a rectangle. The plan-view cross-sectional shape of at least one nanostructure includes a rounded corner having a corner radius selected based on a desired light dot nonuniformity of a diffraction pattern generated by the DOE. When the nanostructures are pillar-shaped, a refractive index of the nanostructures is greater than a refractive index of the substrate layer. When the nanostructures are holes, a refractive index of the nanostructures is less than a refractive index of the substrate layer.
Abstract:
A system and method for shutter control. In some embodiments, the system includes: a pixel array for imaging; and a shutter control signal generator circuit, the shutter control signal generator circuit being configured: to control shutters of a first subarray of the pixel array with a first set of control signals, and to control shutters of a second subarray of the pixel array with the first set of control signals.
Abstract:
A pixel for an image sensor is disclosed that includes a photodiode, a thin-film layer and a reflective layer. The photodiode includes a first side and a second side that is opposite the first side, and receives incident light on the first side. The thin-film layer is formed on the first side of the photodiode and provides a unidirectional phase-shift to light passing from the photodiode to the thin-film layer. The thin-film layer has a refractive index that less than a refractive index of material forming the photodiode. The unidirectional phase-shift may be a unidirectional it phase shift at a target near-infrared light wavelength. The reflective layer is formed on the second side of the photodiode and reflects light passing from the photodiode to the reflective layer toward the first side of the photodiode. The reflective layer may be a thin-film layer, a Distributed Bragg Reflector layer, or a metal.
Abstract:
A system for calculating. A scratch memory is connected to a plurality of configurable processing elements by a communication fabric including a plurality of configurable nodes. The scratch memory sends out a plurality of streams of data words. Each data word is either a configuration word used to set the configuration of a node or of a processing element, or a data word carrying an operand or a result of a calculation. Each processing element performs operations according to its current configuration and returns the results to the communication fabric, which conveys them back to the scratch memory.
Abstract:
A metalens includes one or more regions of nanostructures. A first region of nanostructures directs a first field of view (FOV) of light incident on the first region of nanostructures to a first region of an image plane. A second region of nanostructures directs a second FOV of light incident on the second region of nanostructures to a second region of the image plane in which the second FOV is different from the first FOV, and the second region of the image plane is different from the first region of the image plane. A third region of nanostructures directs a third FOV of light to a third region of the image plane, in which the third FOV is different from the first FOV and the second FOV, and the third region of the image plane is different from the first region and the second region of the image plane.
Abstract:
The present disclosure relates to a method and system for time-of-flight detection. There may be two or more photodetectors in a photodetector circuit that capture photon activity. There is logic that processes the responses of the photodetectors and returns the leading edge of the arrival of the first photon and the leading edge of the arrival of the last photon, if at least two photons are received during an overlapping pulse width.