Voltage regulation circuit, chip and laser radar

Abstract

The utility model provides a voltage regulation circuit, a chip and a laser radar, and the circuit comprises a first port which is used for inputting a voltage regulation signal; the selection circuit is coupled with the first port, inputs the voltage regulation signal, selects a voltage corresponding to the voltage regulation signal and outputs the voltage; and the signal processing circuit is coupled with the selection circuit, inputs the voltage output by the selection circuit, adjusts the voltage to a target voltage and outputs the target voltage.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] Embodiments of the present disclosure relate to the technical field of electronic circuits, and particularly to a voltage regulation circuit, a chip, and a lidar. Background Art

[0002] In some circuit systems, affected by factors such as temperature, the operating states of electronic components in the circuit change, and the required reference voltage needs to be adjusted, or the voltage required for the normal operation of the load in the circuit changes. At this time, if the supply voltage is not adjusted, not only the normal operation of the load cannot be guaranteed, but also potential safety hazards are likely to occur.

[0003] Therefore, how to regulate the reference voltage or the supply voltage of the load in the circuit to ensure the normal operation of the circuit remains to be solved by those skilled in the art. Summary of the Utility Model

[0004] In view of this, embodiments of the present disclosure provide a voltage regulation circuit, a chip, and a lidar, which can accurately regulate the voltage to a target voltage.

[0005] First, embodiments of the present disclosure provide a voltage regulation circuit, including:

[0006] A first port for inputting a voltage regulation signal;

[0007] A selection circuit coupled to the first port, inputting the voltage regulation signal, selecting a voltage corresponding to the voltage regulation signal, and outputting it;

[0008] A signal processing circuit coupled to the selection circuit, inputting the voltage output by the selection circuit, regulating the voltage to a target voltage, and outputting it.

[0009] Optionally, the voltage regulation signal includes: a pulse width modulation signal; the selection circuit includes: a control circuit, a first sub-circuit, and a second sub-circuit, where:

[0010] The control circuit is respectively coupled to the first sub-circuit and the second sub-circuit, and is also coupled to the first port. When the pulse width modulation signal is at a first level, the first sub-circuit is turned on, and when the pulse width modulation signal is at a second level, the second sub-circuit is turned on;

[0011] When the first sub-circuit is turned on, it outputs a first voltage;

[0012] When the second sub-circuit is turned on, it outputs a second voltage.

[0013] Optionally, the target voltage is between the first voltage and the second voltage.

[0014] Optionally, the selection circuit includes a single-pole double-throw analog switch. The selection port of the single-pole double-throw analog switch is coupled to the first port, and the common port of the single-pole double-throw analog switch is coupled to the signal processing circuit.

[0015] Optionally, the signal processing circuit includes:

[0016] A low-pass filter circuit for filtering out high-frequency signals in the voltage output by the selection circuit.

[0017] Optionally, the low-pass filter circuit includes a resistor and a capacitor, where:

[0018] The resistor has its first end coupled to the common port of the selection circuit and its second end coupled to the output end of the voltage regulation circuit;

[0019] The capacitor has its first end coupled between the second end of the resistor and the output end of the voltage regulation circuit, and its second end coupled to ground.

[0020] The embodiments of the present disclosure further provide a chip, including: the voltage regulation circuit according to any one of the above embodiments.

[0021] The embodiments of the present disclosure further provide a lidar, including:

[0022] A laser emission circuit including a laser adapted to emit detection light;

[0023] A detection circuit including a detector adapted to receive an optical signal and generate an electrical signal;

[0024] A voltage monitoring circuit connected to the laser emission circuit and configured to monitor the supply voltage of the laser emission circuit;

[0025] A first voltage regulation circuit, where the first voltage regulation circuit is the voltage regulation circuit according to any one of the above embodiments; the first voltage regulation circuit is configured to regulate the reference voltage of the voltage monitoring circuit.

[0026] Optionally, the lidar further includes:

[0027] A second voltage regulation circuit, where the second voltage regulation circuit is the voltage regulation circuit according to any one of the above embodiments and is adapted to regulate the bias voltage of the detector.

[0028] The embodiments of the present disclosure further provide a lidar, including:

[0029] A laser adapted to emit detection light;

[0030] A detector adapted to receive an optical signal and generate an electrical signal;

[0031] The third voltage regulation circuit, which is the voltage regulation circuit described in any of the above embodiments, is adapted to regulate the bias voltage of the detector.

[0032] By using the voltage regulation circuit provided by the embodiments of the present disclosure, a voltage regulation signal is input through the first port, and then a voltage corresponding to the voltage regulation signal is selected and output through the selection circuit. Then, the voltage output by the selection circuit is processed by the signal processing circuit, and the voltage can be accurately regulated to the target voltage. The selection circuit can select the voltage corresponding to the voltage regulation signal and output it after being processed by the signal processing circuit, which can enable the voltage regulation circuit to have a large voltage regulation range. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0033] In order to more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present disclosure or the prior art, the following will briefly introduce the drawings required to be used in the description of the embodiments or the prior art. Obviously, the drawings in the following description are only the embodiments of the present disclosure. For those of ordinary skill in the art, other drawings can be obtained according to the provided drawings without creative efforts.

[0034] Figure 1 FIG. shows a schematic diagram of a voltage regulation circuit in some embodiments of the present disclosure;

[0035] Figure 2 FIG. shows a schematic structural diagram of a selection circuit in some embodiments of the present disclosure;

[0036] Figure 3 FIG. shows a schematic structural diagram of a signal processing circuit in some embodiments of the present disclosure;

[0037] Figure 4 FIG. shows a schematic structural diagram of a voltage regulation circuit in some embodiments of the present disclosure. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS

[0038] In some circuit systems, affected by factors such as temperature, the working state of electronic components in the circuit will change, the reference voltage required in the circuit needs to be adjusted, or the voltage required for the normal operation of the load in the circuit will change, and the voltage in the circuit needs to be adjusted.

[0039] For ease of understanding, taking a lidar as an example, the voltage regulation requirements for the normal operation of the internal circuit of the lidar will be briefly introduced below.

[0040] During the operation of the lidar, when the temperature changes, there may be a situation where the threshold voltage of the laser to emit light changes. When the power supply voltage of the laser remains unchanged, it may cause the energy of the laser to emit light to exceed the human eye safety threshold, thereby triggering a human eye safety risk.

[0041] There may also be another situation. When the temperature changes, the bias voltage required by the detector at the same gain will change. When the bias voltage of the detector remains unchanged, it may cause the gain of the detector output signal to change, affecting the strength and quality of the signal.

[0042] It should be noted that the present disclosure only takes lidar as an example to describe the possible problems caused when the voltage required for the normal operation of the load in the circuit system changes, and does not serve as a specific limitation to the present disclosure. In addition, the above situations that may exist in lidar are only for illustrative purposes.

[0043] In view of the above problems, some embodiments of the present disclosure provide a voltage regulation circuit. By inputting a voltage regulation signal through a first port, then selecting a voltage corresponding to the voltage regulation signal through a selection circuit and outputting it, and then processing the voltage output by the selection circuit through a signal processing circuit, the voltage can be accurately regulated to the target voltage. The selection circuit can select a voltage corresponding to the voltage regulation signal and output it after being processed by the signal processing circuit, so that the voltage regulation circuit has a large voltage regulation range.

[0044] To enable those skilled in the art to better understand and implement the embodiments of the present disclosure, the concepts, solutions, principles, advantages, etc. of the embodiments of the present disclosure will be described in detail below in conjunction with the drawings and through specific application examples.

[0045] First, some embodiments of the present disclosure provide a voltage regulation circuit. Referring to Figure 1 the schematic diagram of a voltage regulation circuit in some embodiments of the present disclosure shown below, the voltage regulation circuit A may include:

[0046] A first port A1 for inputting a voltage regulation signal Vs.

[0047] A selection circuit A2 coupled to the first port A1, inputting the voltage regulation signal Vs, and selecting and outputting a voltage corresponding to the voltage regulation signal Vs.

[0048] A signal processing circuit A3 coupled to the selection circuit A2, inputting the voltage output by the selection circuit A2, and regulating the voltage to the target voltage and outputting it.

[0049] By adopting the voltage regulating circuit described in the above embodiment, a voltage regulating signal is input through the first port, and then a voltage corresponding to the voltage regulating signal is selected and output through the selection circuit, and then the voltage output by the selection circuit is processed by the signal processing circuit, so that the voltage can be accurately adjusted to the target voltage. The voltage regulation can be achieved by changing the voltage regulating signal, and the voltage regulation is flexible and simple. Since the selection circuit can select the voltage corresponding to the voltage regulating signal, the voltage output by the selection circuit can be configured according to the required target voltage range, so that the target voltage output by the voltage regulating circuit can have a larger adjustment range.

[0050] In some embodiments of the present disclosure, the voltage regulation signal may include a pulse width modulation signal.

[0051] In some embodiments of the present disclosure, the pulse width modulation signal can be generated by an integrated circuit. In some embodiments, the pulse width modulation signal can be generated by a processor, such as a central processing unit (CPU), a microprocessor or an FPGA (field programmable gate array). In some embodiments, the pulse width modulation signal can be generated by a combination circuit of an integrated circuit and a processor.

[0052] In the above embodiment, since the pulse width modulation signal can include different level signals, different level signals can be configured to correspond to different voltages to achieve voltage selection. In addition, since the pulse width modulation signal is easy to generate and has high control accuracy, it is beneficial to improve the regulation accuracy of the voltage regulation circuit.

[0053] In some embodiments of the present disclosure, reference Figure 2 The structural diagram of a selection circuit in some embodiments of the present disclosure is shown in FIG. Figure 2 and Figure 1 As shown, the selection circuit A2 may include: a control circuit A20, a first sub-circuit A21 and a second sub-circuit A22, wherein:

[0054] The control circuit A20 is coupled to the first sub-circuit A21 and the second sub-circuit A22, respectively, and to the first port A1. When the pulse width modulation signal is at a first level, the first sub-circuit A21 is turned on, and when the pulse width modulation signal is at a second level, the second sub-circuit A22 is turned on.

[0055] The first sub-circuit A21 outputs a first voltage Vout1 when being turned on.

[0056] When the second sub - circuit A12 is turned on, it outputs a second voltage Vout2.

[0057] In some embodiments of the present disclosure, with continued reference to Figure 2 , the first voltage Vout1 can be provided by an external voltage source VDD1.

[0058] In some embodiments of the present disclosure, with continued reference to Figure 2 , the second voltage Vout2 can be provided by an external voltage source VDD2.

[0059] In specific implementation, the setting of the first voltage and the second voltage is related to the adjustment range of the target voltage. The embodiments of the present disclosure do not specifically limit the first voltage and the second voltage. By adjusting the voltage adjustment signal Vs, the target voltage output by the voltage adjustment circuit A can be adjusted within the range from the first voltage to the second voltage.

[0060] In some embodiments, the first voltage can be zero, and this can be achieved by directly grounding the voltage input terminal of the first sub - circuit. Correspondingly, the second voltage can be a voltage greater than zero, and can be specifically set according to the adjustment range of the required target voltage.

[0061] In some embodiments, the second voltage can be zero, and this can be achieved by directly grounding the voltage input terminal of the second sub - circuit. Correspondingly, the first voltage can be a voltage greater than zero, and can be specifically set according to the adjustment range of the required target voltage.

[0062] It can be understood that the coupling manner of the above - mentioned voltage source and the selection circuit is only an example and does not specifically limit the embodiments of the present disclosure. In some embodiments, the voltage source (for example, VDD1 or VDD2) can also be directly packaged in the selection circuit.

[0063] In some embodiments of the present disclosure, the target voltage is between the first voltage and the second voltage.

[0064] In some embodiments of the present disclosure, when it is necessary to increase or decrease the adjustment range of the target voltage, the first voltage or the second voltage can be adjusted, or the first voltage and the second voltage can be adjusted simultaneously to achieve the adjustment of the voltage range that the voltage adjustment circuit can output. For example, taking the first voltage being greater than the second voltage as an example, when it is necessary to increase the maximum adjustable voltage of the target voltage, the magnitude of the first voltage can be increased; for another example, taking the first voltage being greater than the second voltage as an example, when it is necessary to decrease the minimum adjustable voltage of the target voltage, the magnitude of the second voltage can be decreased.

[0065] In some embodiments of the present disclosure, when the required target voltage is a voltage that needs to be finely adjusted within a small range, the duty cycle of the pulse width modulation signal can be adjusted to obtain a target voltage that varies within a small range.

[0066] In some embodiments of the present disclosure, the selection circuit may include a single-pole double-throw analog switch. The selection port of the single-pole double-throw analog switch may be coupled to the first port, and the common port of the single-pole double-throw analog switch may be coupled to the signal processing circuit.

[0067] With the above embodiments, the single-pole double-throw analog switch can be controlled by a voltage adjustment signal to select the voltage corresponding to the voltage adjustment signal and output it to the signal processing circuit through the common port. On the one hand, the single-pole double-throw analog switch can be simply integrated into the voltage adjustment circuit, which is easy to implement. On the other hand, the power consumption of the single-pole double-throw analog switch is low, which can reduce the power consumption of the entire voltage adjustment circuit. In addition, the single-pole double-throw analog switch can also provide high reliability and a long service life.

[0068] In some embodiments of the present disclosure, the signal processing circuit may include a low-pass filter circuit to filter out high-frequency signals in the voltage output by the selection circuit.

[0069] With the above embodiments, by filtering out high-frequency signals in the voltage output by the selection circuit through the low-pass filter circuit, the voltage can be adjusted to the target voltage, and its anti-interference ability is strong, which can ensure the stable output of the target voltage.

[0070] In some embodiments of the present disclosure, referring to Figure 3 the structural schematic diagram of a signal processing circuit in some embodiments of the present disclosure shown, the signal processing circuit A3 may include: a resistor R and a capacitor C, where:

[0071] For the resistor R, its first end is coupled to the common port of the selection circuit, and its second end is coupled to the output end of the voltage adjustment circuit.

[0072] For the capacitor C, its first end is coupled between the second end of the resistor R and the output end of the voltage adjustment circuit, and its second end is coupled to the ground GND.

[0073] With the signal processing circuit described in the above embodiments, a low-pass filter circuit is formed by a resistor and a capacitor to convert the voltage output by the selection circuit to the target voltage. The signal processing circuit has a simple structure, good stability, and high adjustability. By adjusting the values of the resistor or the capacitor, different usage requirements can be met.

[0074] In specific implementations, a signal processing circuit can be selected according to the desired target voltage. In addition to the low-pass filter circuit, the signal processing circuit can also be other types of filter circuits or signal processing circuits with other functions. The embodiments of the present disclosure do not specifically limit the function or structure of the signal processing circuit.

[0075] It should be noted that in the embodiments of the present utility model, the combination relationship between different circuits in different embodiments is not limited, and any combination can be made between different embodiments of different circuits.

[0076] To enable those skilled in the art to better understand and implement the solution of the embodiments of the present disclosure, the following uses specific examples to illustrate how the voltage regulation circuit described in the above embodiments specifically realizes voltage regulation.

[0077] Refer to Figure 4 the schematic structural diagram of a voltage regulation circuit in some embodiments of the present disclosure shown, including a first port for inputting a voltage regulation signal (connected to Figure 4 the 6th port of U1 in

[0078] ), a selection circuit A2, and a signal processing circuit A3.

[0079] Among them, the selection circuit A2 includes a single-pole double-throw analog switch U1. The selection port 6 of the single-pole double-throw analog switch U1 is coupled to the first port for inputting the voltage regulation signal, and the common port 4 of the single-pole double-throw analog switch U1 is coupled to the signal processing circuit A3.

[0080] Continue to refer to Figure 4 where the power supply VDD0 is coupled to the power supply access port 5 of the single-pole double-throw analog switch U1 to provide a working voltage for the single-pole double-throw analog switch U1.

[0081] In some embodiments of the present disclosure, the voltage regulation signal can use a pulse width modulation signal PWM.

[0082] In some embodiments of the present disclosure, based on the desired target voltage, a power supply VDD1 is set at port 1 of the single-pole double-throw analog switch U1 to provide a first voltage, and ports 2 and 3 of the single-pole double-throw analog switch U1 are coupled to the ground GND to provide a second voltage (i.e., the second voltage is zero).

[0083] When the pulse width modulation signal PWM is at a low level, the common port 4 of the single-pole double-throw analog switch U1 outputs a low level. When the pulse width modulation signal PWM is at a high level, the common port 4 of the single-pole double-throw analog switch U1 outputs the first voltage provided by the power supply VDD1.

[0084] The voltage output from the common port 4 of the single-pole double-throw analog switch U1 becomes a DC voltage after being processed by the signal processing circuit A3. The amplitude of the DC voltage Vout3 = Duty * VDD1 + (1 - Duty) * VDD2, where Duty is the duty cycle of the pulse width modulation signal PWM, and VDD2 is the voltage of port 3 of the single-pole double-throw analog switch U1 (i.e., the second voltage). As can be seen from the above, by adjusting at least one of the parameters of the duty cycle Duty of the pulse width modulation signal PWM, the first voltage VDD1, and the second voltage VDD2, the amplitude Vout3 of the output voltage of the voltage regulation circuit can be adjusted.

[0085] Since in this embodiment, the second voltage VDD2 is 0, the amplitude of the DC voltage Vout3 = Duty * VDD1. By adjusting at least one of the parameters of the duty cycle Duty of the pulse width modulation signal PWM and the first voltage VDD1, the amplitude Vout3 of the output voltage of the voltage regulation circuit can be adjusted.

[0086] For example, when the required target voltage is a voltage with a relatively high voltage value, the first voltage VDD1 can be adjusted to increase the voltage threshold that the voltage regulation circuit can output.

[0087] For another example, when the required target voltage is a voltage that needs to be finely adjusted within a small range, the duty cycle Duty of the pulse width modulation signal PWM can be adjusted to obtain a target voltage that varies within a small range.

[0088] Some embodiments of the present disclosure also provide a chip, and any one of the voltage regulation circuits in the foregoing embodiments can be integrated on the chip.

[0089] Using the chip described in the above embodiments, it can be simply integrated into various circuit systems to adjust the supply voltage or reference voltage of the load, which not only has flexible design and strong scalability, but also can reduce the complexity of the circuit system and reduce costs.

[0090] For example, the chip can be integrated into an autonomous driving system to adjust the supply voltage or reference voltage of various sensing devices in the autonomous driving system, thereby ensuring the accuracy of the sensing device operation and improving the performance of the autonomous driving system.

[0091] For another example, the chip can be integrated into an industrial control system for efficient power management, thereby improving the reliability and performance of the industrial control system.

[0092] It can be understood that the above application scenarios are only for illustrative purposes, and the embodiments of the present disclosure do not specifically limit the application scenarios of the chip.

[0093] Some embodiments of the present disclosure also provide a lidar, including:

[0094] A laser emission circuit, including a laser, which is adapted to emit detection light;

[0095] A detection circuit, including a detector, which is adapted to receive an optical signal and generate an electrical signal;

[0096] A voltage monitoring circuit, connected to the laser emission circuit, configured to monitor the supply voltage of the laser emission circuit;

[0097] A first voltage regulation circuit, which is any one of the voltage regulation circuits in the foregoing embodiments; the first voltage regulation circuit is configured to regulate the reference voltage of the voltage monitoring circuit.

[0098] Using the lidar described in the above embodiments, the eye safety monitoring is realized by monitoring the supply voltage of the laser emission circuit through the voltage monitoring circuit. By regulating the reference voltage of the voltage monitoring circuit through the first voltage regulation circuit, the requirements for the reference voltage required by the voltage monitoring circuit at different temperatures can be met, so that the voltage monitoring circuit can normally realize the eye safety monitoring function at different temperatures, thereby reducing the eye safety risk of the lidar.

[0099] In some embodiments of the present disclosure, the lidar may further include:

[0100] A second voltage regulation circuit, which is any one of the voltage regulation circuits in the foregoing embodiments, adapted to regulate the bias voltage of the detector.

[0101] Using the lidar described in the above embodiments, by regulating the bias voltage of the detector of the detection circuit through the second voltage regulation circuit, the gain consistency of the detector at different temperatures can be improved, and the quality of the signal output by the detector can be improved, thereby improving the detection performance of the lidar.

[0102] Some embodiments of the present disclosure also provide a lidar, including:

[0103] A laser, adapted to emit detection light;

[0104] A detector, adapted to receive an optical signal and generate an electrical signal;

[0105] A third voltage regulation circuit, where the third voltage regulation circuit is any one of the voltage regulation circuits in the foregoing embodiments and is adapted to regulate the bias voltage of the detector.

[0106] By using the lidar described in the foregoing embodiments and regulating the bias voltage of the detector through the third voltage regulation circuit, the gain consistency of the detector at different temperatures can be improved, the quality of the signal output by the detector can be improved, and thus the detection performance of the lidar can be improved.

[0107] It should be noted that the terms "first", "second", and "third" in the embodiments of the present disclosure are only used for distinguishing and describing different circuits, levels, voltages, voltage regulation circuits, etc., and are not used to make any limitations on their specific structures, positions, or functions, etc.

[0108] Although the embodiments of the present disclosure are disclosed as above, the present invention is not limited thereto. Any person skilled in the art can make various changes and modifications without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention. Therefore, the protection scope of the present invention should be subject to the scope defined by the claims.

Claims

1. A voltage regulation circuit, characterized in that, Comprising: A first port for inputting a voltage regulation signal; A selection circuit coupled to the first port, inputting the voltage regulation signal, selecting a voltage corresponding to the voltage regulation signal and outputting it; A signal processing circuit coupled to the selection circuit, inputting the voltage output by the selection circuit, regulating the voltage to a target voltage and outputting it.

2. The voltage regulation circuit according to claim 1, wherein The voltage regulation signal includes: a pulse width modulation signal; the selection circuit includes: a control circuit, a first sub-circuit and a second sub-circuit, wherein: The control circuit is respectively coupled to the first sub-circuit and the second sub-circuit, and coupled to the first port. When the pulse width modulation signal is at a first level, the first sub-circuit is turned on, and when the pulse width modulation signal is at a second level, the second sub-circuit is turned on; The first sub-circuit outputs a first voltage when turned on; The second sub-circuit outputs a second voltage when turned on.

3. The voltage regulation circuit according to claim 2, wherein, The target voltage is between the first voltage and the second voltage.

4. The voltage regulation circuit according to claim 1, wherein The selection circuit includes a single-pole double-throw analog switch. The selection port of the single-pole double-throw analog switch is coupled to the first port, and the common port of the single-pole double-throw analog switch is coupled to the signal processing circuit.

5. The voltage regulation circuit according to claim 1, wherein The signal processing circuit includes: A low-pass filter circuit for filtering high-frequency signals in the voltage output by the selection circuit.

6. The voltage regulating circuit according to claim 5, wherein The low-pass filter circuit includes a resistor and a capacitor, wherein: One end of the resistor is coupled to the common port of the selection circuit, and the other end is coupled to the output end of the voltage regulation circuit; One end of the capacitor is coupled between the other end of the resistor and the output end of the voltage regulation circuit, and the other end is coupled to the ground.

7. A chip, characterized in that, Comprising: The voltage regulation circuit according to any one of claims 1-6.

8. A lidar, characterized in that, Comprising: A laser emission circuit including a laser adapted to emit detection light; A detection circuit including a detector adapted to receive an optical signal and generate an electrical signal; A voltage monitoring circuit connected to the laser emission circuit and configured to monitor the supply voltage of the laser emission circuit; A first voltage regulation circuit, which is the voltage regulation circuit according to any one of claims 1-6; the first voltage regulation circuit is configured to regulate the reference voltage of the voltage monitoring circuit.

9. The lidar according to claim 8, wherein, Further comprising: A second voltage regulation circuit, which is the voltage regulation circuit according to any one of claims 1-6, adapted to regulate the bias voltage of the detector.

10. A lidar, characterized in that, Comprising: A laser adapted to emit detection light; A detector adapted to receive an optical signal and generate an electrical signal; A third voltage regulation circuit, which is the voltage regulation circuit according to any one of claims 1-6, adapted to regulate the bias voltage of the detector.

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