Patent ID: 11876346
Assignee: ANALOG DEVICES, INC.
Field: Measurement (Instruments)
Classification: CPC G  H | IPC G  H

Claim 9:
10. A time of flight sensor circuit comprising:
an emitter circuit including:
a laser diode; and
a laser diode driver circuit including:
an inductive circuit element arranged in series with the laser diode;
a switch circuit arranged in series with the inductive circuit element;
a first capacitive circuit element arranged in series with the inductive circuit element and arranged in parallel with the laser diode; and
a second capacitive circuit element arranged in series with the inductive circuit element and arranged in parallel with the switch circuit;
wherein the switch circuit is configured to activate the laser diode using duty cycling that includes an on-period and an off-period that includes an energy transfer phase and a ringing phase, wherein energy used in an activation of the laser diode includes energy stored in the inductive circuit element, and the stored energy is transferred to the second capacitive element during the energy transfer phase, and the stored energy of the ringing phase is used in a subsequent activation of the laser diode, wherein the subsequent activation of the laser diode begins when energy is still oscillating in the inductive circuit element and first and second capacitive circuit elements and a voltage across the second capacitive element is minimized; and
a receiver circuit including a photodiode configured to receive laser energy emitted by the laser diode and reflected back toward the time of flight sensor circuit.