Avalanche Light Sensor Histogram Ranging for Higher Precision

The patent divides the ranging measurement process into multiple discrete time bins using a time-to-digital converter. Instead of using a single complex high-precision converter, the system segments the time domain into multiple bins and counts photons in each bin, achieving high precision through temporal segmentation rather than through a single complex conversion process.

The patent transitions from spatial or direct magnitude measurement to temporal domain measurement. By measuring the time of flight of photons and mapping it to time bins, the system achieves high ranging precision by utilizing the time dimension, which allows for finer resolution without increasing the complexity of the conversion mechanism.

The patent extracts only the essential information needed for ranging by directly storing histogram data that represents the distribution of time-of-flight measurements. Instead of storing all raw sensing data or processed distance values, the system extracts and stores only the binned time-of-flight counts, which maintains precision while minimizing memory requirements.

The patent uses partial action by storing only the necessary histogram bins required for the desired precision level. Rather than storing all possible measurement data or using excessive memory for redundant information, the system stores only the essential binned data that provides the needed ranging precision, avoiding unnecessary memory consumption.