Patent ID: 7138646
Filing Date: 2006-11-21
Classification: G01S,H01L,H04N

Abstract:
1. A spatial information detecting apparatus using intensity-modulated light comprising: at least one photoelectric converter for receiving a light provided from a space, into which a light intensity-modulated by a predetermined modulation signal is being irradiated, and generating amounts of electric charges corresponding to an intensity of received light; charge discarding means having a first electrode for removing dispensable charges from the electric charges generated by said photoelectric converter according to a voltage applied to said first electrode; charge storage means for storing signal charges from the electric charges generated by said photoelectric converter; a control circuit for controlling the voltage applied to said first electrode at a timing synchronized with a period of said modulation signal to change a ratio of the signal charges stored in said charge storage means to the electric charges generated by said photoelectric converter; a charge ejector for outputting the signal charges from said charge storage means; and an analyzer for determining spatial information from an output of said charge ejector.