公开(公告)号：US20150333478A1

公开(公告)日：2015-11-19

申请号：US14653186

申请日：2012-12-18

Applicant: Intel Corporation

Inventor： NICOLAS ABELE ,  MOHAMMED ADHAM

IPC: H01S5/06 ,  H01S5/062 ,  G02B26/10 ,  H01S5/00

CPC classification number: H01S5/0617 ,  G02B26/105 ,  H01S5/0014 ,  H01S5/06216 ,  H04N9/3135 ,  H04N9/3194

Abstract: According to the present invention there is provided a method of operating a laser comprising the steps of; defining an intensity value (KVIDEO red, KVIDEO green, KVIDEO blue) for a light beam which is to be output from the laser; determining if the defined intensity value is greater than, or less than, a threshold intensity (KTH red, KTH green, KTH blue) for the laser, wherein the threshold intensity is the intensity of the light which is output from the laser when the input current to the laser is equal to the threshold current (ITH red, ITH green, ITH blue) of the laser, wherein the threshold current (ITH red, ITH green, ITH blue) of the laser is an input current value below which the laser would operate in its light emitting region and equal to, or above which, the laser will operate in its laser region; operating the laser using current from at least a DAC current source if the defined intensity value (KVIDEO red, KVIDEO green, KVIDEO blue) is greater than the threshold intensity (KTH red, KTH green, KTH blue), wherein the DAC current source operates the laser by inputting to the laser a continuous current which has an amplitude which is greater than the threshold current (ITH red, ITH green, ITH blue) of the laser, and which has an amplitude such that the laser is operated to output a light beam which has an intensity equal to the defined intensity value (KVIDEO red, KVIDEO green, KVIDEO blue); and operating the laser using current from the PWM current source only, if the defined intensity value (KVIDEO red, KVIDEO green, KVIDEO blue) is less than the threshold intensity (KTH red, KTH green, KTH blue), wherein the PWM current source operates the laser by inputting to the laser a current which has an amplitude which is at least equal to the threshold current value (ITH red, ITH green, ITH blue) of the laser, and wherein the duration of time over which the PWM current source inputs its current to the laser is such that the laser is operated to output a light beam which has an intensity equal to the defined intensity value (KVIDEO red, KVIDEO green, KVIDEO blue). There is further provided a corresponding laser driver.