US 12,436,290 B2
Sensor control system and sensor
Kumiko Mahara, Kanagawa (JP)
Assigned to SONY SEMICONDUCTOR SOLUTIONS CORPORATION, Kanagawa (JP)
Appl. No. 18/247,666
Filed by SONY SEMICONDUCTOR SOLUTIONS CORPORATION, Kanagawa (JP)
PCT Filed Aug. 25, 2021, PCT No. PCT/JP2021/031210
§ 371(c)(1), (2) Date Apr. 3, 2023,
PCT Pub. No. WO2022/080014, PCT Pub. Date Apr. 21, 2022.
Claims priority of application No. 2020-172623 (JP), filed on Oct. 13, 2020.
Prior Publication US 2024/0019579 A1, Jan. 18, 2024
Int. Cl. G01S 17/894 (2020.01); G01S 7/497 (2006.01); G01S 17/10 (2020.01); G01S 17/86 (2020.01)
CPC G01S 17/894 (2020.01) [G01S 7/497 (2013.01); G01S 17/10 (2013.01); G01S 17/86 (2020.01)] 15 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A sensor control system comprising:
a light emitting circuit configured to irradiate a target area with light;
a sensor including a plurality of pixels and a signal processing circuit, wherein each of the plurality of pixels is configured to: receive reflected light from the target area; and convert the reflected light into an electric signal, and the signal processing circuit is configured to perform signal processing based on the electric signal output from each of the plurality of pixels; and
a control device configured to control an execution of the signal processing of the sensor,
wherein the control device is connectable to the sensor, and the sensor includes
a communication interface processing circuit configured to receive a communication interface signal necessary for control related to the signal processing from an external device;
a synchronization signal generation circuit configured to generate a synchronization signal for synchronization with the signal processing based on the communication interface signal,
a light emission trigger output circuit configured to transmit a light emission trigger for irradiation of the light emitting circuit with light based on the synchronization signal;
a synchronization signal processing circuit that controls the signal processing circuit on a basis of the synchronization signal; and transmit the synchronization signal to a connectable external device; and
a feedback signal processing circuit configured to receive a feedback signal returned from the light emitting circuit in response to the light emission trigger; receive a feedback signal returned from the external device in response to the synchronization signal; and transmit predetermined signal processing data including a reception result to the control device.