Ecole Polytechnique Federale De Lausanne

Fastree3d Sa

Technische Universiteit Delft

Preethi Padmanabhan

Edoardo Charbon

Augusto Ronchini Ximenes

Chao Zhang

A photon detecting 3D imaging sensor device for detecting a distance information for pixels in an image includes an array of detector units. Each detector unit is configured to receive a light signal pulse and to provide a detection signal pulse on receipt of the light signal pulse. The 3D imaging device further includes a pulse selection unit including a decision tree with one or more stages. Each of the stages has one or more decision makers which are cascaded to propagate the earliest detection signal pulse of one of a respective detector unit as a timing signal. The 3D imaging device further includes a time-to-digital converter configured to receive the timing signal and to provide a time stamp depending on the timing signal. The time stamp indicates the distance information for a pixel of the image.

Photon detecting 3D imaging sensor device

An oscillator arrangement for time-to-digital converters for a 3D image sensor device includes a plurality of oscillators arranged as an array each oscillator being associated to one time-to-digital converter, and at least one coupling unit respectively arranged between at least two of the oscillators, so that oscillation in the at least two oscillators at a fundamental frequency is synchronized between the at least two coupled oscillators.

Growing community of inventors

Neuchâtel, Switzerland

Preethi Padmanabhan