US 11,867,991 B2
Photodetection system
Yasuhisa Inada, Osaka (JP); Atsushi Ishikawa, Osaka (JP); and Yumiko Kato, Osaka (JP)
Assigned to PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT CO., LTD., Osaka (JP)
Filed by Panasonic Intellectual Property Management Co., Ltd., Osaka (JP)
Filed on Sep. 14, 2022, as Appl. No. 17/944,802.
Application 17/944,802 is a continuation of application No. 17/151,398, filed on Jan. 18, 2021, granted, now 11,480,818.
Application 17/151,398 is a continuation of application No. PCT/JP2019/028603, filed on Jul. 22, 2019.
Claims priority of application No. 2018-199108 (JP), filed on Oct. 23, 2018.
Prior Publication US 2023/0027122 A1, Jan. 26, 2023
This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.
Int. Cl. G02F 1/133 (2006.01); G02B 6/12 (2006.01); G02B 6/293 (2006.01); G02B 6/35 (2006.01)
CPC G02F 1/13312 (2021.01) [G02B 6/12009 (2013.01); G02B 6/29343 (2013.01); G02B 6/3546 (2013.01)] 17 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A photodetection system comprising:
an optical scan device that includes:
an optical waveguide array, including a plurality of optical waveguides and;
a phase shifter array including a plurality of phase shifters connected separately to each of the plurality of optical waveguides;
a control circuit that controls a phase shift amount of each of the plurality of phase shifters and/or inputting of light to each of the plurality of phase shifters and thereby controls a direction and shape of the light beam that is emitted from the optical scan device;
a photodetector that detects the light beam reflected by a physical object; and
a signal processing circuit that generates distance distribution data on the basis of output from the photodetector.