Laser driving circuit and related apparatus

Abstract

A laser driving circuit and a related apparatus, which are applied to the technical field of lidar. The laser driving circuit comprises: at least one laser unit (10), at least one energy storage unit (20), a driving unit (30), a first voltage control unit (40), and a second voltage control unit (50). A first end (101) of the at least one laser unit (10) is connected to a first end (401) of the first voltage control unit (40), and a second end (102) of the at least one laser unit (10) is connected to a first end (301) of the driving unit (30). A first end (201) of the at least one energy storage unit (20) is connected to the first end (401) of the first voltage control unit (40), and a second end (202) of the at least one energy storage unit (20) is connected to a first end (501) of the second voltage control unit (50). A second end (402) of the first voltage control unit (40) is grounded, a second end (302) of the driving unit (30) is grounded, and a second end (502) of the second voltage control unit (50) is grounded. The laser driving circuit can increase the transmit power of a laser and improve the driving efficiency of the laser.

Description

Laser driving circuit and related devices

[0001] This application claims priority to the Chinese patent application filed with the State Intellectual Property Office of China on December 28, 2023, with application number 202311842594.6 and application name “Laser driving circuit and related devices”, the entire contents of which are incorporated by reference into this application. Technical Field

[0002] The present application relates to the field of laser radar technology, and in particular to a laser driving circuit and related devices. Background Art

[0003] With the development of information technology and computer vision, detection technology has made rapid progress. A wide variety of detection devices have brought great convenience to people's lives and travel. Detection devices can be thought of as the "eyes" that perceive the environment. They include vision sensors such as cameras and radar sensors such as millimeter-wave radar, lidar, and ultrasonic radar.

[0004] Among them, Lidar (light detection and ranging) has the advantages of high resolution, good detection performance, and strong concealment. It plays a vital role in the process of equipment sensing the environment. In particular, it has been widely used in the field of intelligent driving, promoting the further development of intelligent driving technology. Among them, coherent Lidar is a radar that uses frequency-modulated signal light as the transmission signal for target detection and processes the local oscillation (LO) of the transmitted signal and the return signal to obtain relevant information about the target.

[0005] Laser driving is crucial to the detection performance of LiDAR. Therefore, to achieve better detection performance, improving the laser driving efficiency is a hot topic currently being studied by those skilled in the art. Summary of the Invention

[0006] The embodiments of the present application provide a laser driving circuit and related devices, which can improve the driving efficiency of a laser.

[0007] In a first aspect, an embodiment of the present application provides a laser driving circuit, the laser driving circuit comprising:

[0008] At least one laser unit, at least one energy storage unit, a driving unit, a first voltage control unit, and a second voltage control unit;

[0009] Wherein, the first end of the at least one laser unit is connected to the first end of the first voltage control unit, the second end of the at least one laser unit is connected to the first end of the driving unit, the first end of the at least one energy storage unit is connected to the first end of the first voltage control unit, the second end of the at least one energy storage unit is connected to the first end of the second voltage control unit, the second end of the first voltage control unit is grounded, the second end of the driving unit is grounded, and the second end of the second voltage control unit is grounded.

[0010] In an embodiment of the present application, a laser driving circuit is provided, in which at least one laser unit and at least one energy storage unit are connected in parallel. The at least one laser unit can be a laser, or two or more lasers, and the at least one energy storage unit can be a capacitor, or two or more capacitors, which is not limited in this embodiment of the present application. The first voltage control unit in the laser driving circuit is connected to the at least one laser unit to provide a stable operating voltage to the at least one laser unit, so that the at least one laser unit can emit a light signal. The first voltage control unit is connected to the at least one energy storage unit to provide a voltage to the at least one energy storage unit, so that the at least one energy storage unit can store electrical energy. The second voltage control unit in the laser driving circuit is connected to the at least one energy storage unit to reduce the voltage difference between the two ends of the at least one energy storage unit, so that the electrical energy that can be stored in the at least one energy storage unit also changes accordingly.

[0011] The energy storage effect of the energy storage unit in the current laser driving circuit is poor, resulting in low laser emission power. In addition, the feed line in the laser driving circuit is too long, which brings about large power loss and leads to low laser driving efficiency.

[0012] The laser driving circuit in the embodiment of the present application can reduce the voltage difference between the two ends of the energy storage unit through the second voltage control unit, so that an energy storage unit with a smaller withstand voltage value can be selected. The smaller the withstand voltage value of the energy storage unit, the larger the optional maximum capacitance corresponding to the energy storage unit, which can increase the amount of electrical energy that can be stored in the energy storage unit, thereby improving the energy storage effect of the energy storage unit and increasing the emission power of the laser. In addition, since the voltage difference between the two ends of the energy storage unit is reduced, an energy storage unit with a smaller withstand voltage value can be selected. The smaller the withstand voltage value of the energy storage unit, the smaller the volume corresponding to the energy storage unit, so that a smaller energy storage unit can be selected, reducing the length of the feeding line in the laser driving circuit, reducing power loss, and improving the driving efficiency of the laser.

[0013] In one possible embodiment, the first voltage control unit is used to provide a first voltage for the at least one energy storage unit, the second voltage control unit is used to control the voltage difference between the first end and the second end of the at least one energy storage unit to be less than a first threshold, the at least one energy storage unit is used to supply energy to the at least one laser unit, and the driving unit is used to drive the at least one laser unit to emit an optical signal.

[0014] In an embodiment of the present application, a possible specific implementation of the functions of various components in a laser drive circuit is provided. Specifically, a first voltage control unit provides a first voltage to at least one energy storage unit, enabling the at least one energy storage unit to store electrical energy. Accordingly, the first voltage control unit also provides the first voltage to at least one laser unit, enabling the at least one laser unit to emit an optical signal at a stable first voltage. A second voltage control unit is configured to control the voltage difference between the first and second terminals of the at least one energy storage unit to be less than a first threshold value. This can reduce the bias voltage applied across the energy storage unit (relative to the first voltage), thereby enabling the selection of an energy storage unit with a lower withstand voltage, which in turn allows for greater energy storage capacity, improves the energy storage efficiency of the energy storage unit, and increases the laser's emission power. Furthermore, since the bias voltage across the energy storage unit is lower, an energy storage unit with a lower withstand voltage can be selected, resulting in a correspondingly smaller energy storage unit. This allows the selection of a smaller energy storage unit, reduces the length of the feed traces in the laser drive circuit, reduces power loss, and improves the laser's drive efficiency. Selecting a smaller energy storage unit also allows for the use of a smaller package, increasing the integration of the laser drive circuit.

[0015] In a possible implementation, the second voltage control unit includes:

[0016] a second capacitor, a second power supply;

[0017] Wherein, the first end of the second capacitor is connected to the second end of the at least one energy storage unit, the second end of the second capacitor is grounded, the first end of the second power supply is connected to the second end of the at least one energy storage unit, and the second end of the second power supply is grounded;

[0018] The second power supply is used to provide a second voltage for the second capacitor, and the second voltage is less than or equal to the first voltage provided by the first voltage control unit.

[0019] In an embodiment of the present application, a possible specific implementation of a second voltage control unit is provided, specifically, the second voltage control unit includes a second capacitor and a second power supply, and the second capacitor and the second power supply are connected in parallel. The second power supply provides a second voltage to the second capacitor, and the second voltage is less than or equal to the above-mentioned first voltage, which can make the bias voltage applied to both ends of the energy storage unit smaller (relative to the first voltage), so that an energy storage unit with a smaller withstand voltage value can be selected, and correspondingly more electrical energy can be stored, which can improve the energy storage effect of the energy storage unit and increase the emission power of the laser. Moreover, since the bias voltage at both ends of the energy storage unit is smaller, an energy storage unit with a smaller withstand voltage value can be selected, and the corresponding energy storage unit has a smaller volume, so that a smaller energy storage unit can be selected, reducing the length of the feed line in the laser drive circuit, reducing power loss, and improving the driving efficiency of the laser. By selecting a smaller energy storage unit, a smaller package can also be used to improve the integration of the laser drive circuit.

[0020] In a possible implementation, the laser driving circuit further includes:

[0021] at least one switching unit;

[0022] wherein the first end of the at least one switch unit is connected to the first end of the first voltage control unit, and the second end of the at least one switch unit is connected to the first end of the at least one laser unit and the first end of the at least one energy storage unit;

[0023] The at least one switch unit controls the first voltage control unit to provide a first voltage to the at least one energy storage unit by turning on or off.

[0024] In an embodiment of the present application, a possible specific implementation of a laser driving circuit is provided, specifically, the laser driving circuit further includes at least one switch unit, which controls the first voltage control unit to provide a first voltage to the energy storage unit by turning on or off. It is understandable that the at least one switch unit can be a plurality of switches, which are respectively arranged between the plurality of energy storage units and the first voltage control unit. When the switch unit is turned on, a path is formed between the first voltage control unit and the energy storage unit, the first voltage control unit provides the first voltage to the energy storage unit, and the energy storage unit is in a charging state. When the switch unit is turned off, the circuit between the first voltage control unit and the energy storage unit is broken, the first voltage control unit no longer provides voltage to the energy storage unit, and the energy storage unit is in a discharging state.

[0025] In a possible implementation, the driving unit includes:

[0026] Driver;

[0027] Wherein, the first end of the driver is connected to the second end of the at least one laser unit, the third end of the driver is connected to the signal amplification unit, and the second end of the driver is grounded;

[0028] The driver is used to drive the at least one laser unit to emit an optical signal.

[0029] In an embodiment of the present application, a possible specific implementation of a driving unit is provided. Specifically, the driving unit includes a driver for driving the laser unit to emit an optical signal. Optionally, the driver can be a metal oxide semiconductor (MOS) driver, a gallium nitride driver, etc., which is not limited in this embodiment of the present application.

[0030] In a possible implementation, the first voltage control unit includes:

[0031] a first power source;

[0032] Wherein, the first end of the first power supply is connected to the first end of the at least one laser unit and the first end of the at least one energy storage unit, and the second end of the first power supply is grounded;

[0033] The first power supply is used to provide a first voltage to the at least one energy storage unit.

[0034] In an embodiment of the present application, a possible specific implementation of a first voltage control unit is provided. Specifically, the first voltage control unit includes a first power supply that provides a first voltage to at least one energy storage unit, enabling the at least one energy storage unit to store electrical energy. Accordingly, the first power supply also provides a first voltage to at least one laser unit, enabling the at least one laser unit to emit an optical signal at a stable first voltage.

[0035] In a possible implementation, during a first time period, the first voltage control unit is used to supply energy to the at least one energy storage unit, and the at least one energy storage unit is in a charging state; during a second time period, the at least one energy storage unit is used to supply energy to the at least one laser unit, and the at least one energy storage unit is in a discharging state.

[0036] In an embodiment of the present application, a possible specific implementation of the operating state of a laser drive circuit is provided. Specifically, the first voltage control unit first supplies energy to the energy storage unit, at which point the energy storage unit is in a charging state. After a period of continuous energy supply, the first voltage control unit stops supplying energy to the energy storage unit, and the energy storage unit begins supplying energy to the laser unit, at which point the energy storage unit is in a discharging state. Through this embodiment of the present application, the energy storage effect of the energy storage unit can be improved, the emission power of the laser can be increased, and the length of the feed traces in the laser drive circuit can be reduced, reducing power loss and improving the driving efficiency of the laser.

[0037] In a second aspect, an embodiment of the present application provides a chip, which includes the laser driving circuit described in the first aspect or any possible implementation of the first aspect.

[0038] In a third aspect, an embodiment of the present application provides a radar or a radar system, which includes the laser driving circuit described in the first aspect or any possible implementation of the first aspect, or includes the chip described in the second aspect.

[0039] In a possible implementation, the radar includes but is not limited to a laser radar, etc.

[0040] In a possible implementation, there may be a smart sensor integrating multiple sensors. When the smart sensor includes but is not limited to a laser detection function, the smart sensor may also be referred to as a radar or a radar system.

[0041] In a fourth aspect, an embodiment of the present application provides a terminal device, which includes the laser driving circuit described in the first aspect or any possible implementation of the first aspect, or includes the chip described in the second aspect, or includes the radar or radar system described in the third aspect.

[0042] In the fifth aspect, an embodiment of the present application provides a vehicle end, which includes the laser driving circuit described in the first aspect or any possible embodiment of the first aspect, or includes the chip described in the second aspect, or includes the radar or radar system described in the third aspect, or includes the terminal device described in the fourth aspect.

[0043] In the embodiment of the present application, the voltage difference across the energy storage unit is reduced by the second voltage control unit, so that an energy storage unit with a smaller withstand voltage value can be selected. The smaller the withstand voltage value of the energy storage unit, the larger the optional maximum capacitance corresponding to the energy storage unit. This can increase the amount of electrical energy that can be stored in the energy storage unit, thereby improving the energy storage effect of the energy storage unit and increasing the emission power of the laser. In addition, since the voltage difference across the energy storage unit is reduced, an energy storage unit with a smaller withstand voltage value can be selected. The smaller the withstand voltage value of the energy storage unit, the smaller the volume corresponding to the energy storage unit. Therefore, a smaller energy storage unit can be selected, thereby reducing the length of the feed line in the laser driving circuit, reducing power loss, and improving the driving efficiency of the laser. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0044] In order to more clearly illustrate the technical solutions of the embodiments of the present application, the following is a brief introduction to the drawings required for use in the embodiments of the present application. Obviously, the drawings described below are only some embodiments of the present application. For ordinary technicians in this field, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without any creative work.

[0045] FIG1 is a schematic diagram showing the relationship between capacitance and bias voltage according to an embodiment of the present application;

[0046] FIG2 is a schematic structural diagram of a laser driving circuit provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0047] FIG3 is a schematic structural diagram of a laser driving circuit provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0048] FIG4 is a schematic structural diagram of a laser driving circuit provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0049] FIG5 is a schematic structural diagram of a laser driving circuit provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0050] FIG6 is a schematic diagram of a control signal provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0051] FIG7 is a schematic structural diagram of a laser driving circuit provided in an embodiment of the present application. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0052] In order to make the purpose, technical solutions and advantages of this application clearer, the embodiments of this application will be described below in conjunction with the drawings in the embodiments of this application.

[0053] The terms "first" and "second" in the specification, claims, and drawings of this application are used to distinguish different objects, not to describe a specific order. In addition, the terms "including" and "having" and any variations thereof are intended to cover non-exclusive inclusions. For example, a process, method, system, product, or device that includes a series of steps or units is not limited to the listed steps or units, but may optionally include steps or units that are not listed, or may optionally include other steps or units that are inherent to the process, method, product, or device.

[0054] The “embodiment” mentioned herein means that the specific features, structures or characteristics described in conjunction with the embodiment may be included in at least one embodiment of the present application. The appearance of this phrase in various places in the specification does not necessarily refer to the same embodiment, nor is it an independent or alternative embodiment that is mutually exclusive with other embodiments. It can be understood explicitly and implicitly by those skilled in the art that in the various embodiments of the present application, unless otherwise specified and there is a logical conflict, the terms and / or descriptions between the various embodiments are consistent and can be referenced to each other, and the technical features in different embodiments can be combined to form a new embodiment according to their inherent logical relationship.

[0055] It should be understood that in the present application, "at least one (item)" refers to one or more, "more than one" refers to two or more, "at least two (items)" refers to two or three and more than three, and "and / or" is used to describe the association relationship of associated objects, indicating that three relationships may exist. For example, "A and / or B" can mean: only A exists, only B exists, and A and B exist at the same time, where A and B can be singular or plural. The character " / " generally indicates that the previous and next associated objects are in an "or" relationship. "At least one of the following items" or similar expressions refers to any combination of these items, including any combination of single or plural items. For example, at least one of a, b or c can mean: a, b, c, "a and b", "a and c", "b and c", or "a and b and c", where a, b, c can be single or multiple.

[0056] As mentioned in the background technology section, in order to make the laser radar have better detection performance, how to improve the driving efficiency of the laser is a hot topic being studied by technical personnel in this field. However, the energy storage effect of the energy storage unit in the current laser driving circuit is poor, resulting in low laser transmission power. In addition, the feeding line in the laser driving circuit is too long, which brings about large energy loss, resulting in low laser driving efficiency.

[0057] In view of this, the present application provides a laser driving circuit and related devices, which relate to the field of laser radar technology and can increase the emission power of the laser and improve the driving efficiency of the laser.

[0058] In order to more clearly describe the solution of the present application, the laser driving circuit and related devices provided by the present application will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0059] Please refer to FIG. 1 , which is a schematic diagram showing the relationship between a capacitor value and a bias voltage according to an embodiment of the present application.

[0060] As shown in FIG1 , the horizontal axis x represents the bias voltage, and the vertical axis y represents the actual capacitance of the capacitor, that is, the charge storage capacity under a given potential difference.

[0061] As can be seen from Figure 1, in the presence of a DC bias, the actual capacitance of the capacitor decreases as the bias voltage increases.

[0062] Furthermore, the higher the withstand voltage, the smaller the maximum capacitance value that can be selected; the lower the withstand voltage, the larger the maximum capacitance value that can be selected. The higher the withstand voltage, the larger the capacitor volume; the lower the withstand voltage, the smaller the capacitor volume.

[0063] For example, for a certain type of packaged capacitor with a withstand voltage of 50V, the corresponding maximum optional capacitance is 1.5nF, and the capacitor has a larger volume. For a certain type of packaged capacitor with a withstand voltage of 25V, the corresponding maximum optional capacitance is 220nF, and the capacitor has a smaller volume.

[0064] Therefore, when the bias voltage is smaller, you can choose a capacitor with a smaller withstand voltage, which will result in a larger maximum capacitance and a smaller capacitor volume. When the bias voltage is larger, you can choose a capacitor with a larger withstand voltage, which will result in a smaller maximum capacitance and a larger capacitor volume.

[0065] Please refer to FIG2 , which is a schematic structural diagram of a laser driving circuit provided in an embodiment of the present application.

[0066] As shown in Figure 2, the laser driving circuit includes:

[0067] At least one laser unit 10 , at least one energy storage unit 20 , a driving unit 30 , a first voltage control unit 40 , and a second voltage control unit 50 .

[0068] In which, the first end 101 of the at least one laser unit 10 is connected to the first end 401 of the first voltage control unit 40, the second end 102 of the at least one laser unit 10 is connected to the first end 301 of the driving unit 30, the first end 201 of the at least one energy storage unit 20 is connected to the first end 401 of the first voltage control unit 40, the second end 202 of the at least one energy storage unit 20 is connected to the first end 501 of the second voltage control unit 50, the second end 402 of the first voltage control unit 40 is grounded, the second end 302 of the driving unit 30 is grounded, and the second end 502 of the second voltage control unit 50 is grounded.

[0069] It can be seen that the at least one laser unit and the at least one energy storage unit are connected in parallel, wherein the at least one laser unit can be a laser or two or more lasers, and the at least one energy storage unit can be a capacitor or two or more capacitors, and the embodiments of the present application do not impose any restrictions on this.

[0070] The first voltage control unit in the laser driving circuit is connected to at least one laser unit to provide a stable operating voltage to the at least one laser unit, so that the at least one laser unit can emit a light signal. The first voltage control unit is connected to at least one energy storage unit to provide a voltage to the at least one energy storage unit, so that the at least one energy storage unit can store electrical energy.

[0071] The second voltage control unit in the laser driving circuit can reduce the voltage difference between the two ends of the at least one energy storage unit by being connected to the at least one energy storage unit, so that an energy storage unit with a smaller withstand voltage value can be selected. The smaller the withstand voltage value of the energy storage unit, the larger the optional maximum capacitance corresponding to the energy storage unit, which can increase the amount of electrical energy that can be stored in the at least one energy storage unit. The smaller the withstand voltage value of the energy storage unit, the smaller the volume corresponding to the energy storage unit, which can reduce the volume of the at least one energy storage unit.

[0072] The energy storage effect of the energy storage unit in the current laser driving circuit is poor, resulting in low laser emission power. In addition, the feed line in the laser driving circuit is too long, which brings about large power loss and leads to low laser driving efficiency.

[0073] The laser driving circuit in the embodiment of the present application can reduce the voltage difference between the two ends of the energy storage unit through the second voltage control unit, so that an energy storage unit with a smaller withstand voltage value can be selected. The smaller the withstand voltage value of the energy storage unit, the larger the optional maximum capacitance corresponding to the energy storage unit, which can increase the amount of electrical energy that can be stored in the energy storage unit, thereby improving the energy storage effect of the energy storage unit and increasing the emission power of the laser. In addition, since the voltage difference between the two ends of the energy storage unit is reduced, an energy storage unit with a smaller withstand voltage value can be selected. The smaller the withstand voltage value of the energy storage unit, the smaller the volume corresponding to the energy storage unit, so that a smaller energy storage unit can be selected, reducing the length of the feeding line in the laser driving circuit, reducing power loss, and improving the driving efficiency of the laser.

[0074] Optionally, the laser unit may be a laser, and the energy storage unit may be a capacitor, which will not be described in detail below.

[0075] Furthermore, the functions performed by the various components in the above laser driving circuit may be specifically as follows:

[0076] The first voltage control unit 40 is used to provide a first voltage for the at least one energy storage unit 20, the second voltage control unit 50 is used to control the voltage difference between the first end 201 and the second end 202 of the at least one energy storage unit 20 to be less than a first threshold, the at least one energy storage unit 20 is used to supply energy to the at least one laser unit 10, and the driving unit 30 is used to drive the at least one laser unit 10 to emit an optical signal.

[0077] It can be understood that the second voltage control unit is used to control the voltage difference between the first end and the second end of at least one energy storage unit to be smaller than the first threshold value, so that the bias voltage applied to the two ends of the energy storage unit (relative to the first voltage) can be smaller, thereby selecting an energy storage unit with a smaller withstand voltage value.

[0078] As can be seen from the description of FIG1 above, the smaller the withstand voltage value of the capacitor, the larger the corresponding maximum capacitance value that can be selected, and the smaller the corresponding capacitor volume.

[0079] Therefore, through the execution function of the above-mentioned second voltage control unit, an energy storage unit with a lower withstand voltage value can be selected, and the corresponding maximum selectable capacitance value is larger, which can improve the energy storage effect of the energy storage unit and increase the emission power of the laser. In addition, the corresponding energy storage unit has a smaller volume, so a smaller energy storage unit can be selected, making the spatial arrangement of the energy storage unit and the laser unit more compact, which can reduce the length of the feed line between the energy storage unit and the laser unit, reduce power loss, and improve the driving efficiency of the laser. Since the spatial arrangement of the energy storage unit and the laser unit is more compact, the volume of the energy storage unit is also smaller, so a smaller package can also be used, which improves the integration of the laser drive circuit.

[0080] In a possible embodiment, the second voltage control unit 50 may specifically include:

[0081] A second capacitor C2 and a second power supply V2.

[0082] Please refer to FIG3 for details, which is a schematic diagram of the structure of a laser driving circuit provided in an embodiment of the present application.

[0083] As shown in Figure 3, the first end of the above-mentioned second capacitor C2 is connected to the second end of the above-mentioned at least one energy storage unit 20, the second end of the above-mentioned second capacitor C2 is grounded, the first end of the above-mentioned second power supply V2 is connected to the second end of the above-mentioned at least one energy storage unit 20, and the second end of the above-mentioned second power supply V2 is grounded.

[0084] The second power supply V2 is used to provide a second voltage for the second capacitor, and the second voltage is less than or equal to the first voltage provided by the first voltage control unit.

[0085] For example, if the first voltage control unit provides a first voltage of 50V for the energy storage unit, and the second power supply provides a second voltage of 25V for the second capacitor, then the bias voltage applied to both ends of the energy storage unit is 25V, which is smaller than the first voltage of 50V. Therefore, an energy storage unit with a smaller withstand voltage can be selected, and the corresponding maximum capacitance can be larger, which can improve the energy storage effect of the energy storage unit and increase the emission power of the laser. In addition, the corresponding energy storage unit has a smaller volume, so a smaller energy storage unit can be selected, making the spatial arrangement of the energy storage unit and the laser unit more compact, reducing the length of the feed line between the energy storage unit and the laser unit, reducing power loss, and improving the driving efficiency of the laser. Since the spatial arrangement of the energy storage unit and the laser unit is more compact, the volume of the energy storage unit is also smaller, so a smaller package can also be used, improving the integration of the laser drive circuit.

[0086] In a possible embodiment, the laser driving circuit may further include:

[0087] At least one switching unit 60 .

[0088] Please refer to FIG4 for details, which is a schematic structural diagram of a laser driving circuit provided in an embodiment of the present application.

[0089] As shown in Figure 4, the first end of the at least one switch unit 60 is connected to the first end of the first voltage control unit 40, and the second end of the at least one switch unit 60 is connected to the first end of the at least one laser unit 10 and the first end of the at least one energy storage unit 20.

[0090] The at least one switch unit 60 provides the first voltage to the at least one energy storage unit 20 by controlling the first voltage control unit 40 to be turned on or off.

[0091] It is understandable that the at least one switch unit may be a plurality of switches, respectively disposed between the plurality of energy storage units and the first voltage control unit. When the switch unit is turned on, a path is formed between the first voltage control unit and the energy storage unit, the first voltage control unit provides the first voltage to the energy storage unit, and the energy storage unit is in a charging state. After the energy storage unit is charged for a period of time, the charges at both ends of the energy storage unit reach equilibrium, the switch unit is disconnected, the circuit between the first voltage control unit and the energy storage unit is broken, the first voltage control unit no longer provides voltage to the energy storage unit, the energy storage unit provides electrical energy to the laser unit, allowing the laser unit to emit a light signal, and the energy storage unit is in a discharging state.

[0092] Optionally, after the energy storage unit is charged for a period of time, the charges at both ends of the energy storage unit reach equilibrium, and the switch unit does not need to be disconnected. At this time, even if the switch unit remains in a closed state, the first voltage control unit no longer provides voltage to the energy storage unit. The energy storage unit provides electrical energy to the laser unit, so that the laser unit can emit a light signal, and the energy storage unit is in a discharging state.

[0093] In a possible embodiment, the driving unit may specifically include:

[0094] drive.

[0095] Please refer to FIG5 for details, which is a schematic structural diagram of a laser driving circuit provided in an embodiment of the present application.

[0096] As shown in FIG5 , the first end 301 of the driver is connected to the second end 102 of the at least one laser unit 10 , the third end 303 of the driver is connected to the signal amplifying unit, and the second end 302 of the driver is grounded.

[0097] The driver is used to drive the at least one laser unit 10 to emit an optical signal.

[0098] Optionally, the driver may specifically be a metal oxide semiconductor (MOS) driver, a gallium nitride driver, etc., which is not limited in the embodiment of the present application.

[0099] Optionally, the laser unit 10 may be a laser, and the energy storage unit 20 may be a capacitor C1.

[0100] Optionally, the first voltage control unit 40 may specifically include:

[0101] First power source V1.

[0102] The first end 401 of the first power source V1 is connected to the first end of the at least one laser unit 10 and the first end 201 of the at least one energy storage unit 20 through the switch unit 60 , and the second end 402 of the first power source V1 is grounded.

[0103] The first power supply V1 is used to provide a first voltage to the at least one energy storage unit 20 .

[0104] Optionally, in any possible laser driving circuit in FIG. 2 to FIG. 5 , the working process of the laser driving circuit may be as follows:

[0105] During the first time period, the first voltage control unit is used to supply energy to the at least one energy storage unit, and the at least one energy storage unit is in a charging state; during the second time period, the at least one energy storage unit is used to supply energy to the at least one laser unit, and the at least one energy storage unit is in a discharging state.

[0106] It can be understood that the first voltage control unit first supplies energy to the energy storage unit, and the energy storage unit is in a charging state at this time. After continuously supplying energy for a period of time, the first voltage control unit stops supplying energy to the energy storage unit, and the energy storage unit starts to supply energy to the laser unit, and the energy storage unit is in a discharging state at this time.

[0107] Through the embodiments of the present application, the energy storage effect of the energy storage unit can be improved, the emission power of the laser can be increased, and the length of the feed line in the laser driving circuit can be reduced, the power loss can be reduced, and the driving efficiency of the laser can be improved.

[0108] Optionally, whether the laser unit emits a light signal is related to a control signal of the driving unit.

[0109] The control signal is transmitted to the driving unit through the amplifying unit, and the driving unit is controlled to be turned on or off to control whether the laser unit emits the light signal.

[0110] Optionally, the control signal may be a square wave signal composed of “0” and “1”.

[0111] Please refer to FIG6 for details, which is a schematic diagram of a control signal provided in an embodiment of the present application.

[0112] As shown in Figure 6, the control signal is a square wave signal that alternates between high and low levels. The control signal can include a transmission control command, or a data segment or data block. In the control signal, "0" corresponds to a low level, and "1" corresponds to a high level. Taking the control signal as an example, the control signal is a low level "0" in the first time period, a high level "1" in the second time period, a low level "0" in the third time period, a low level "0" in the fourth time period, and a high level "1" in the fifth time period. The sum of the durations of these five time periods can be taken as a cycle, and the levels corresponding to these five time periods are repeated in the next cycle, which can be used to periodically transmit the same control command. It can be understood that the high and low levels in the control signal do not correspond to two specific voltage values, but to two voltage ranges. The control signal described in the embodiment of the present application can be a control signal used in a laser drive circuit to drive a laser unit to emit an optical signal.

[0113] Please refer to FIG. 7 , which is a schematic structural diagram of a laser driving circuit provided in an embodiment of the present application.

[0114] As shown in FIG7 , compared with any possible laser driving circuit in FIG2 to FIG5 , the laser driving circuit in the embodiment of the present application includes multiple laser units and multiple energy storage units.

[0115] It is understandable that the parallel circuit composed of the above-mentioned multiple laser units and multiple energy storage units can share a second voltage control unit (including C2 and V2). Through a second voltage control unit, the bias voltage across the multiple energy storage units can be made smaller, so that an energy storage unit with a smaller withstand voltage value can be selected, and correspondingly, more electrical energy can be stored, which can simultaneously improve the energy storage effect of multiple energy storage units and increase the emission power of the laser. Moreover, since the bias voltage across the energy storage unit is smaller, an energy storage unit with a smaller withstand voltage value can be selected, and the corresponding energy storage unit has a smaller volume, so that a smaller energy storage unit can be selected, reducing the length of the feed line in the laser drive circuit, reducing power loss, and improving the drive efficiency of the laser. By selecting a smaller energy storage unit, a smaller package can also be used, thereby improving the integration of the laser drive circuit.

[0116] The present application provides a chip, which includes the laser driving circuit provided in the present application.

[0117] The present application provides a radar or a radar system, which includes the laser driving circuit or the above-mentioned chip provided by the present application.

[0118] In a possible implementation, the radar includes but is not limited to a laser radar, etc.

[0119] In a possible implementation, there may be a smart sensor integrating multiple sensors. When the smart sensor includes but is not limited to a laser detection function, the smart sensor may also be referred to as a radar or a radar system.

[0120] This application also provides a terminal device, which includes the laser driver circuit or chip or radar or radar system provided in this application. For example, the terminal device can be a transportation vehicle, such as a car, truck, aircraft, drone, slow-moving transport vehicle, spacecraft, or ship, and any other possible transportation vehicle. It can also be any device capable of carrying a detection device, such as surveying and mapping equipment. The terminal device is deployed with one or more laser driver circuits or chips or radars or radar systems provided in this application.

[0121] The above description is merely a specific embodiment of the present application, but the scope of protection of the present application is not limited thereto. Any changes or substitutions that can be easily conceived by a person skilled in the art within the technical scope disclosed in this application should be included in the scope of protection of this application. Therefore, the scope of protection of this application should be based on the scope of protection of the claims.

Claims

1. A laser driving circuit, characterized in that, The laser driving circuit includes: at least one laser unit, at least one energy storage unit, a driving unit, a first voltage control unit, and a second voltage control unit; wherein, a first end of the at least one laser unit is connected to a first end of the first voltage control unit, a second end of the at least one laser unit is connected to a first end of the driving unit, a first end of the at least one energy storage unit is connected to the first end of the first voltage control unit, a second end of the at least one energy storage unit is connected to a first end of the second voltage control unit, a second end of the first voltage control unit is grounded, a second end of the driving unit is grounded, and a second end of the second voltage control unit is grounded.

2. The circuit according to claim 1, characterized in that, The first voltage control unit is configured to provide a first voltage for the at least one energy storage unit, the second voltage control unit is configured to control a voltage difference between a first end and a second end of the at least one energy storage unit to be less than a first threshold, the at least one energy storage unit is configured to supply energy to the at least one laser unit, and the driving unit is configured to drive the at least one laser unit to emit an optical signal.

3. The circuit according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that, The second voltage control unit includes: a second capacitor and a second power supply; wherein, a first end of the second capacitor is connected to a second end of the at least one energy storage unit, a second end of the second capacitor is grounded, a first end of the second power supply is connected to the second end of the at least one energy storage unit, and a second end of the second power supply is grounded; The second power supply is configured to provide a second voltage for the second capacitor, and the second voltage is less than or equal to the first voltage provided by the first voltage control unit.

4. The circuit according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that, The laser driving circuit further includes: at least one switch unit; wherein, a first end of the at least one switch unit is connected to a first end of the first voltage control unit, and a second end of the at least one switch unit is connected to a first end of the at least one laser unit and a first end of the at least one energy storage unit; The at least one switch unit controls, by conducting or turning off, the first voltage control unit to provide a first voltage for the at least one energy storage unit.

5. The circuit according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that, The driving unit includes: a driver; wherein, a first end of the driver is connected to a second end of the at least one laser unit, a third end of the driver is connected to a signal amplifying unit, and a second end of the driver is grounded; The driver is configured to drive the at least one laser unit to emit an optical signal.

6. The circuit according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that The first voltage control unit includes: a first power supply; wherein, a first end of the first power supply is connected to a first end of the at least one laser unit and a first end of the at least one energy storage unit, and a second end of the first power supply is grounded; The first power supply is configured to provide a first voltage for the at least one energy storage unit.

7. The circuit according to any one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that During a first time period, the first voltage control unit is configured to supply energy to the at least one energy storage unit, and the at least one energy storage unit is in a charging state; during a second time period, the at least one energy storage unit is configured to supply energy to the at least one laser unit, and the at least one energy storage unit is in a discharging state.

8. A chip, characterized in that, The chip includes the laser driving circuit according to any one of claims 1 to 7.

9. A radar, characterized in that, The radar includes the laser driving circuit described in any one of claims 1 to 7, or the chip described in claim 8.

10. A terminal device, characterized in that, The terminal device includes the laser driving circuit described in any one of claims 1 to 7, or the chip described in claim 8, or the radar described in claim 9.

11. A car end, characterized in that, The vehicle end includes the laser driving circuit described in any one of claims 1 to 7, or the chip described in claim 8, or the radar described in claim 9, or the terminal device described in claim 10.

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