Pulsed Laser LIDAR Ranging via SPAD Detection and Correlation

The patent employs periodic pulsed laser emission instead of continuous wave emission. The laser emits light in periodic pulses with controlled width and repetition frequency, allowing the system to achieve distance detection while significantly reducing average power consumption compared to continuous wave methods.

The patent performs preliminary correlation operation between the emitted pulsed laser signal and the received reflected signal. By pre-processing the signals through correlation analysis, the system can extract distance information more efficiently, improving energy utilization by avoiding unnecessary continuous high-power emission.

The patent extracts and removes the limited dynamic range components (broadband amplifiers, mixers, A/D converters) from the signal processing chain. By eliminating these components that constrain dynamic range, the system achieves extended receiving range while maintaining signal processing capability through alternative methods such as direct time-of-flight measurement with SPAD detectors.

The patent substitutes traditional electronic signal processing components with photon-counting based detection methods. Instead of using broadband amplifiers and mixers that limit dynamic range, the system uses SPAD detectors to directly measure photon arrival times, achieving both high signal processing capability and extended dynamic receiving range.

The patent substitutes the indirect phase-based ITOF measurement scheme with direct time-of-flight measurement using SPAD detectors and TDC circuits. This replacement enables pixel-level parallel processing and significantly improves fast processing efficiency while maintaining or enhancing distance detection precision through direct time measurement.

The patent divides the detection system into pixel-level independent processing units, where each pixel can independently perform time-of-flight measurement. This segmentation enables parallel processing across multiple pixels, dramatically improving fast processing efficiency compared to centralized phase-based ITOF methods.

The patent extracts and removes the complex wavefront matching requirements from the coherent detection system. By using direct time-of-flight measurement with uncorrelated pulsed laser emission and SPAD detection, the system achieves high detection sensitivity without requiring complex wavefront matching, local oscillator signals, or interferometric setups.

The patent replaces complex coherent detection components with simpler, more robust components. Instead of requiring stable local oscillators, phase-locked loops, and wavefront control mechanisms, the system uses straightforward pulsed laser emission with SPAD detection, achieving comparable or superior sensitivity with significantly reduced system complexity and interference sensitivity.