公开(公告)号：US12140708B2

公开(公告)日：2024-11-12

申请号：US18337064

申请日：2023-06-19

Applicant: Apple Inc.

Inventor： Nadav Fine ,  Amir Nevet ,  Oz Barak

IPC: G01S7/48 ,  G01S7/4863 ,  G01S7/4865 ,  G01S17/894 ,  H01L27/148

Abstract: A method for optical sensing includes directing a series of optical pulses toward a target scene and imaging optical radiation that is reflected from the target scene onto an array of single-photon detectors, which output electrical pulses in response to photons that are incident thereon. The electrical pulses output by the single photon detectors are counted in multiple different gating intervals that are synchronized with each of the optical pulses, including at least first and second gating intervals at different, respective delays relative to the optical pulses, while the delays are swept over a sequence of different delay times during the series of the optical pulses. A time of flight of the optical pulses is computed by comparing respective first and second counts of the electrical pulses that were accumulated in the first and second gating intervals over the series of the optical pulses.

公开(公告)号：US20230333217A1

公开(公告)日：2023-10-19

申请号：US18337064

申请日：2023-06-19

Applicant: Apple Inc.

Inventor： Nadav Fine ,  Amir Nevet ,  Oz Barak

IPC: G01S7/4863 ,  G01S17/894 ,  G01S7/4865 ,  H01L27/148

CPC classification number: G01S7/4863 ,  G01S17/894 ,  G01S7/4865 ,  H01L27/14856

Abstract: A method for optical sensing includes directing a series of optical pulses toward a target scene and imaging optical radiation that is reflected from the target scene onto an array of single-photon detectors, which output electrical pulses in response to photons that are incident thereon. The electrical pulses output by the single photon detectors are counted in multiple different gating intervals that are synchronized with each of the optical pulses, including at least first and second gating intervals at different, respective delays relative to the optical pulses, while the delays are swept over a sequence of different delay times during the series of the optical pulses. A time of flight of the optical pulses is computed by comparing respective first and second counts of the electrical pulses that were accumulated in the first and second gating intervals over the series of the optical pulses.

公开(公告)号：US20210165083A1

公开(公告)日：2021-06-03

申请号：US17079548

申请日：2020-10-26

Applicant: APPLE INC.

Inventor： Nadav Fine ,  Amir Nevet ,  Oz Barak

IPC: G01S7/4863 ,  G01S17/894 ,  G01S7/4865 ,  H01L27/148

Abstract: Optical sensing apparatus includes at least one semiconductor substrate and a first array of single-photon detectors, which are disposed on the at least one semiconductor substrate, and second array of counters, which are disposed on the at least one semiconductor substrate and are configured to count electrical pulses output by the single-photon detectors. Routing and aggregation logic is configured, in response to a control signal, to connect the single-photon detectors to the counters in a first mode in which each of at least some of the counters aggregates and counts the electrical pulses output by a respective first group of one or more of the single-photon detectors, and in a second mode in which each of the at least some of the counters aggregates and counts the electrical pulses output by a respective second group of two or more of the single-photon detectors.

公开(公告)号：US11733359B2

公开(公告)日：2023-08-22

申请号：US17079548

申请日：2020-10-26

Applicant: APPLE INC.

Inventor： Nadav Fine ,  Amir Nevet ,  Oz Barak

IPC: G01S7/48 ,  G01S7/4863 ,  G01S17/894 ,  G01S7/4865 ,  H01L27/148

CPC classification number: G01S7/4863 ,  G01S7/4865 ,  G01S17/894 ,  H01L27/14856

Abstract: Optical sensing apparatus includes at least one semiconductor substrate and a first array of single-photon detectors, which are disposed on the at least one semiconductor substrate, and second array of counters, which are disposed on the at least one semiconductor substrate and are configured to count electrical pulses output by the single-photon detectors. Routing and aggregation logic is configured, in response to a control signal, to connect the single-photon detectors to the counters in a first mode in which each of at least some of the counters aggregates and counts the electrical pulses output by a respective first group of one or more of the single-photon detectors, and in a second mode in which each of the at least some of the counters aggregates and counts the electrical pulses output by a respective second group of two or more of the single-photon detectors.