Patent application EP19181159A (EP), filed 2019-06-19
Publication number: EP3754368A1
Title: AMPLIFIER SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR OPERATING AN AMPLIFIER SYSTEM, PARTICULARLY FOR AN OPTICAL RECEIVER SYSTEM OF A LIGHT DETECTION AND RANGING SYSTEM
Abstract: The invention relates to an amplifier system (1), particularly for an optical receiver system of a light detection and ranging system, comprising:an input (3) for a signal of an optical receiver (2),an amplifier (4) for amplifying the signal (I<sub>IN</sub>) of the optical receiver (2),a comparator (5) for comparing the input signal (V<sub>C</sub>) with a target reference value (V<sub>REF</sub>), anda current source (6) for providing a current (I<sub>C</sub>) to the input (2),wherein if the amplifier system (1) detects that no signal (I<sub>IN</sub>) of the optical receiver (3) is provided at the input (2), particularly that the signal (I<sub>IN</sub>) of the optical receiver (3) at the input (2) has ended, the comparator (5) compares the present input value (V<sub>C</sub>) with the target reference value (V<sub>REF</sub>) and if the present input value (V<sub>C</sub>) differs from the target reference value (V<sub>REF</sub>) the amplifier system (1) provides the current (I<sub>C</sub>) to the input (2) using the current source (6) until the present value (V<sub>C</sub>) corresponds to the target reference value (V<sub>REF</sub>).The invention further relates to a method for operating an amplifier system (1), particularly for an optical receiver system of a light detection and ranging system.
IPC codes: G01S  17/    10            A I
G01S   7/   486            A I
H03F   3/    08            A I
Claims: number: 1
text: Amplifier system (1), particularly for an optical receiver system of a light detection and ranging system, comprising:
number: 2
text: Amplifier system (1) according to claim 1,
wherein the input (2) is connected to or comprises a filter (7), particularly a highpass filter, in particular a resistor-capacitance filter.
number: 3
text: Amplifier system (1) according to claim 1 or claim 2,
further comprising a first switch (10) for disconnecting the amplifier (4) from the input (2) if the amplifier system (1) detects that no signal (I<IN>) of the optical receiver (3) is provided at the input (2), particularly if the signal (I<IN>) of the optical receiver (3) at the input (2)has ended, and the comparator (5) detects that the present input value (V<C>) does not correspond to the target reference value (V<REF>).
number: 4
text: Amplifier system (1) according to any of claims 1 to 3,
further comprising a reference voltage source (11) for providing the target reference value (V<REF>), wherein the reference voltage source (11) particularly is a replica of the amplifier (4).
number: 5
text: Amplifier system (1) according to any of claims 1 to 4,
further comprising a second switch (12) for disconnecting the comparator (5) from the input (2) if a signal (I<IN>) of the optical receiver (3) is provided to the input (2) and/or if no signal (I<IN>) of the optical receiver (3) is provided at the input (2), particularly if the signal (I<IN>) of the optical receiver (3) at the input (2)has ended, and the present input value (V<C>) corresponds to the target reference value (V<REF>).
number: 6
text: Amplifier system (1) according to any of claims 1 to 5,
further comprising a third switch (13) for connecting and disconnecting the current source (6) to the input (2) .
number: 7
text: Amplifier system (1) according to any of claims 1 to 6,
further comprising an analog-to-digital converter (14).
number: 8
text: Amplifier system (1) according to any of claims 1 to 7,
wherein the amplifier system (1) comprises multiple channels for multiple optical receivers (3), particularly multiple inputs (2), amplifiers (4), comparators (5) and/or current sources (6).
number: 9
text: Method for operating an amplifier system (1), particularly for an optical receiver system of a light detection and ranging system, comprising the steps of:
number: 10
text: Method for operating an amplifier system (1) according to claim 9,
comprising the step of filtering the signal (I<IN>) of the optical receiver (3), particularly using a high-pass filter, like a resistor-capacitance filter.
number: 11
text: Method for operating an amplifier system (1) according to claim 9 or claim 10,
further comprising the step of disconnecting an amplifier (4) of the amplifier system (1) from the input (2) if no signal (I<IN>) of the optical receiver (3) is detected at the input (2) of the amplifier system (1), particularly if the signal (I<IN>) of the optical receiver (3) at the input (2)has ended, and the present input value (V<C>) differs from the target reference value (V<REF>).
number: 12
text: Method for operating an amplifier system (1) according to any of claims 9 to 11,
further comprising the step of disconnecting the current source (6) from the input (2) of the amplifier system (1) if no current (I<C>) is provided to the input (2) of the amplifier system (1).
number: 13
text: Method for operating an amplifier system (1) according to any of claims 9 to 12,
further comprising the step of converting the amplified input signal to a digital domain.
number: 14
text: Method for operating an amplifier system (1) according to claim 13,
further comprising the step of buffering the amplified input (V<O>) signal before converting the amplified signal (V<O>) to the digital domain and/or comprising the step of digitally processing the digital signal.
number: 15
text: Method for operating an amplifier system (1) according to any of claims 9 to 14,
wherein multiple input signals are processed in parallel.
Office action: search_report, dated 2020-12-23
Prior art cited: ref_id: US2007018092A1
ref_type: patent
severity: background
ref_id: US2016377745A1
ref_type: patent
severity: background
ref_id: US2007018092
ref_type: patent
severity: background
ref_id: US2016377745
ref_type: patent
severity: background
Final disposition: pending (2020-12-23)