Logarithmic Current-to-Voltage Converter for LIDAR Dynamic Range Compression
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Solution Overview
Problem
LIDAR devices face challenges with complex and power-consuming analog-to-digital converters (ADCs) due to the wide dynamic range of photodetectors, which require handling signals from both low and high light reflections.
Innovation Solution
A logarithmic current-to-voltage converter is implemented using multiple diodes and a voltage summer to compress the dynamic range of signals from photodetectors, allowing ADCs to operate within a smaller range without sacrificing resolution, thereby reducing complexity and power consumption.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If an ADC with sufficient resolution is used to handle the wide dynamic range of photodetectors, then measurement precision is improved, but device complexity and power consumption increase
Solution Approach 1:
The photodetector current is divided into multiple portions using current division circuits, with each portion being processed by a separate ADC. This segmentation allows each ADC to handle a smaller dynamic range while collectively covering the full range, reducing individual ADC complexity and power consumption while maintaining overall measurement precision.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent transforms the current signal from the photodetector into multiple current portions with different amplitude ranges through parameter manipulation. By changing the distribution parameters of the current signal across multiple parallel paths, each ADC operates on optimized current ranges, reducing the resolution requirement for each individual converter while preserving the overall dynamic range coverage.
2Measurement precision
If an ADC with sufficient resolution is used to handle the wide dynamic range of photodetectors, then measurement precision is improved, but power consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The photodetector current is divided into multiple portions using current division circuits, with each portion being processed by a separate ADC. This segmentation allows each ADC to handle a smaller dynamic range while collectively covering the full range, reducing individual ADC complexity and power consumption while maintaining overall measurement precision.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent transforms the current signal from the photodetector into multiple current portions with different amplitude ranges through parameter manipulation. By changing the distribution parameters of the current signal across multiple parallel paths, each ADC operates on optimized current ranges, reducing the resolution requirement for each individual converter while preserving the overall dynamic range coverage.
3Device complexity
If a simple ADC is used to reduce complexity and power consumption, then device complexity and power consumption are reduced, but measurement precision deteriorates when handling wide dynamic range signals
Solution Approach 1:
The photodetector current is divided into multiple portions using current division circuits, with each portion being processed by a separate ADC. This segmentation allows each ADC to handle a smaller dynamic range while collectively covering the full range, reducing individual ADC complexity and power consumption while maintaining overall measurement precision.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs feedback mechanisms where the output from multiple ADCs processing different current portions is combined and processed further. This feedback and integration approach ensures that the collective output from multiple simpler ADCs achieves the same measurement precision as a single complex high-resolution ADC would provide.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This solution enables efficient processing of photodetector signals across a wide dynamic range, reducing the complexity and power consumption of ADCs while maintaining sensitivity and resolution, facilitating effective 3D mapping and navigation applications.
Implementation Method 1
a first circuit including a first diode configured to generate a first voltage based at least in part on a first portion of the input current
Implementation Method 2
a second circuit including a second diode configured to generate a second voltage based at least in part on a second portion of the input current
Data Source
AI summary
This disclosure provides systems, methods and apparatuses for processing analog signals with a wide dynamic range. In some implementations, the analog signal may be a current signal that is logarithmically scaled to decrease its dynamic range and converted to an output voltage using two or more diodes. A first diode may be used to scale a first range of the current signal and a second diode may be used to scale a second range of the current signal.