US 12,436,286 B2
LIDAR device and method of operating the same
Jinmyoung Kim, Hwaseong-si (KR); Kyunghyun Son, Seongnam-si (KR); and Dongjae Shin, Seoul (KR)
Assigned to SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO., LTD., Suwon-si (KR)
Filed by SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO., LTD., Suwon-si (KR)
Filed on Jul. 2, 2021, as Appl. No. 17/366,886.
Claims priority of application No. 10-2021-0015654 (KR), filed on Feb. 3, 2021.
Prior Publication US 2022/0244385 A1, Aug. 4, 2022
Int. Cl. G01S 7/486 (2020.01); G01S 7/48 (2006.01); G01S 7/484 (2006.01); G01S 17/88 (2006.01); H03M 1/60 (2006.01)
CPC G01S 17/88 (2013.01) [G01S 7/4808 (2013.01); G01S 7/484 (2013.01); G01S 7/486 (2013.01); H03M 1/60 (2013.01)] 15 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A light detection and ranging (LIDAR) device comprising:
a photodiode configured to generate a current based on an optical signal input to the photodiode;
a current-voltage conversion circuit configured to convert the current into a voltage;
an N-type ring voltage controlled oscillator (RVCO) configured to output a first pulse signal when the voltage is input to the N-type RVCO;
a P-type RVCO configured to output a second pulse signal when the voltage is input to the P-type RVCO; and
a processor configured to estimate an intensity of the optical signal by identifying a digital signal value corresponding to the voltage based on: at least one of a number of pulses of the first pulse signal and a first piece of phase information on the first pulse signal; and at least one of a number of pulses of the second pulse signal and a second piece of phase information on the second pulse signal.