US 11,988,776 B2
Optical light emitter device and method
Romain David, Grenoble (FR); and Xavier Branca, Sassenage (FR)
Assigned to STMicroelectronics (Alps) SAS, Grenoble (FR)
Filed by STMicroelectronics (Alps) SAS, Grenoble (FR)
Filed on Jul. 26, 2023, as Appl. No. 18/359,477.
Application 18/359,477 is a continuation of application No. 16/888,334, filed on May 29, 2020, granted, now 11,754,684.
Claims priority of application No. 1906197 (FR), filed on Jun. 11, 2019.
Prior Publication US 2023/0384429 A1, Nov. 30, 2023
Int. Cl. G01S 7/484 (2006.01); G01S 17/10 (2020.01); H01S 5/042 (2006.01); H01S 5/062 (2006.01)
CPC G01S 7/484 (2013.01) [G01S 17/10 (2013.01); H01S 5/0428 (2013.01); H01S 5/062 (2013.01)] 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A driver circuit for an optical light emitter of a ranging device, the driver circuit comprising:
a first node configured to be coupled to a first terminal of an inductor;
a second node coupled to a first supply voltage rail and configured to be coupled to a cathode of the optical light emitter;
a third node configured to be coupled to a second terminal of the inductor and an anode of the optical light emitter;
a first switch having a conduction path coupled between the third node and the second node;
a duty cycle control circuit coupled to a control terminal of the first switch;
a resistor coupled between the first node and a current driver;
the current driver, having a reference current input; and
a differential amplifier having first and second voltage sense inputs coupled across the resistor, and a current sense output coupled to a second input of the current driver.