CN114924257A

CN114924257A - Receiving module, photoelectric detection device and electronic equipment

Info

Publication number: CN114924257A
Application number: CN202210404212.0A
Authority: CN
Inventors: 李佳鹏; 莫良华; 吕晨晋; 陈艺章; 张耿立; 汪浩
Original assignee: Shenzhen Fushi Technology Co Ltd
Current assignee: Shenzhen Fushi Technology Co Ltd
Priority date: 2022-04-18
Filing date: 2022-04-18
Publication date: 2022-08-19
Anticipated expiration: 2042-04-18
Also published as: CN114924257B

Abstract

The application provides a receiving module, which is configured to correspondingly sense optical signals transmitted from different detection areas in a detection range and output corresponding light-induced signals, and distance detection of an object in the detection range can be realized by analyzing the light-induced signals. The receiving module senses sensing parameters corresponding to the detection areas and sets the sensing parameters according to distance detection extreme values required to be met by different detection areas. The application also provides a photoelectric detection device comprising the receiving module and electronic equipment.

Description

Receiving module, photoelectric detection device and electronic equipment

Technical Field

The application belongs to the photoelectric detection field, especially relates to a receive module, photoelectric detection device and electronic equipment.

Background

The Time of Flight (ToF) measurement principle calculates three-dimensional information such as the distance of an object from the Time of Flight of detection light reflected by the object in a measurement scene. The ToF measurement has the advantages of long sensing distance, high precision, low energy consumption and the like, and is widely applied to the fields of consumer electronics, intelligent driving, AR/VR and the like.

When the ToF measurement principle is used to measure distance, the intensity of the detection light to be emitted is usually positively correlated with the distance of the required distance measurement range, i.e. the intensity of the detection light to be emitted is higher the farther the distance is to be measured. A typical detection device generally sets the emission power of the detection light uniformly with the farthest ranging requirement, however, in many measurement scenarios, the ranging requirements in different directions are often different, such as: the distance measurement range required in the horizontal direction of the measurement scene is far and the distance measurement range required in the horizontal direction is near, so that if the whole detection device is uniformly arranged with the farthest distance measurement requirement, power is easily wasted, and a Pile-Up Effect (Pile-Up Effect) is easily caused because the intensity of the reflected detection light is too high, and the accuracy of distance measurement is further influenced.

Disclosure of Invention

In view of the above, the present application provides a receiving module, a photo-detection device and an electronic apparatus capable of solving the problems of the prior art.

In a first aspect, the present application provides a receiving module configured to correspondingly sense optical signals transmitted from different detection areas in a detection range and output corresponding optical sensing signals, where the distance detection of an object in the detection range can be implemented by analyzing the optical sensing signals. The receiving module senses sensing parameters of the corresponding detection areas and sets the sensing parameters according to distance detection extreme values required to be met by different detection areas.

In a second aspect, the present application provides an optical detection apparatus, which includes the receiving module, the transmitting module, and the processing module. The transmitting module is configured to emit a sensing light beam for distance detection to a detection range, and the processing module is configured to analyze and process the light sensing signal to perform distance detection in the detection range.

In a third aspect, the present application provides an electronic device, including the above-mentioned photodetection apparatus, and further including an application module, where the application module is configured to implement a corresponding function according to a detection result of the photodetection apparatus.

The beneficial effect of this application:

the sensing parameters of the receiving module for executing the distance detection are correspondingly set according to the distance detection extremum which needs to be met by the detection areas at different positions, so that the overall power consumption of the photoelectric detection device can be effectively reduced, the Pile-Up effect caused by the overhigh intensity of the reflected sensing light beam can be reduced, and the detection accuracy of the photoelectric detection device is improved.

Drawings

The features and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent by describing in detail exemplary embodiments thereof with reference to the attached drawings.

Fig. 1 is a schematic functional block diagram of an electronic device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure;

FIG. 2 is a functional block diagram of an embodiment of the photodetection device in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram of a statistical histogram obtained by the processing module of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram illustrating a manner of defining an emission direction of the sensing beam emitted by the emission module shown in FIG. 2;

FIG. 5 is a schematic side view of a distance detection extreme value to be satisfied by a sensing light beam emitted by the photo-detection device in the detection range and a corresponding change of optical power with an emission direction in the photo-detection device in FIG. 1;

FIG. 6 is a schematic diagram of a detection optical path of one embodiment of the transmitting module and the receiving module shown in FIG. 2;

FIG. 7 is a schematic diagram of a detection optical path of another embodiment of the transmitting module and the receiving module shown in FIG. 2;

FIGS. 8-11 are schematic diagrams of detection light paths of still another embodiment of the transmitting module and the receiving module shown in FIG. 2;

fig. 12 is a timing chart of signals detected by the photodetection device according to an embodiment of the present application;

fig. 13 is a schematic diagram illustrating a photodetection device according to an embodiment of the present application emitting signals of sensing pulse beams with different pulse emission times;

fig. 14 is a schematic view of a detection range of an automotive lidar according to an embodiment of the present application.

Fig. 15 is a schematic view of a detection range of an automotive lidar according to another embodiment of the present application.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENT (S) OF INVENTION

Reference will now be made in detail to embodiments of the present application, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein like or similar reference numerals refer to the same or similar elements or elements having the same or similar functions. The embodiments described below with reference to the drawings are exemplary only for the purpose of explaining the present application and are not to be construed as limiting the present application. In the description of the present application, it is to be understood that the terms "first" and "second" are used for descriptive purposes only and are not to be construed as indicating or implying relative importance or implying any order or number of technical features indicated. Thus, features defined as "first" and "second" may explicitly or implicitly include one or more of the described features. In the description of the present application, "a plurality" means two or more unless specifically limited otherwise.

In the description of the present application, it should be noted that, unless explicitly stated or limited otherwise, the terms "mounted," "connected," and "connected" are to be construed broadly, e.g., as meaning either a fixed connection, a removable connection, or an integral connection; may be mechanically connected, or may be electrically connected or in communication with each other; either directly or indirectly through intervening media, either internally or in any other relationship or combination of two or more elements. The specific meaning of the above terms in the present application can be understood by those of ordinary skill in the art as the case may be.

The following disclosure provides many different embodiments, or examples, for implementing different features of the application. In order to simplify the disclosure of the present application, only the components and settings of a specific example are described below. Of course, they are merely examples and are not intended to limit the present application. Moreover, the present application may repeat reference numerals and/or letters in the various examples, such repeat use is intended to provide a simplified and clear description of the present application and may not in itself dictate a particular relationship between the various embodiments and/or configurations discussed. In addition, various specific processes and materials provided in the following description of the present application are only examples of implementing technical solutions of the present application, but one of ordinary skill in the art should recognize that technical solutions of the present application can also be implemented by other processes and/or other materials not described below.

Furthermore, the described features, structures, or characteristics may be combined in any suitable manner in one or more embodiments. In the following description, numerous specific details are provided to provide a thorough understanding of embodiments of the application. One skilled in the relevant art will recognize, however, that the embodiments of the present application can be practiced without one or more of the specific details, or with other structures, components, etc. In other instances, well-known structures or operations are not shown or described in detail to avoid obscuring the focus of the application.

Embodiments of the present application provide a receiving module configured to correspondingly sense optical signals transmitted from different detection areas within a detection range and output corresponding optical sensing signals, where the distance detection of an object within the detection range can be implemented by analyzing the optical sensing signals. The receiving module senses sensing parameters corresponding to the detection areas and sets the sensing parameters according to distance detection extreme values required to be met by different detection areas.

Optionally, in some embodiments, the receiving module further includes a photosensor including at least one photosensitive pixel, and the photosensor is configured to correspondingly sense a light signal returned from a detection area located at a preset position within a detection range and output a corresponding light sensing signal. The photosensitive pixels have periodic sensing time intervals for the detection areas to be sensed, the sensing parameters comprise sensing time interval lengths, and the sensing time interval lengths are set according to distance detection extreme values required to be met by the detection areas correspondingly detected by the photosensitive pixels.

Optionally, in some embodiments, the sensing period length of the photosensitive pixel is set in positive correlation with a distance detection extremum that needs to be satisfied by the detection area to be detected.

Optionally, in some embodiments, the receiving module further comprises a counting unit, and the counting unit comprises a time-to-digital converter and a counting memory. The time-to-digital converter is configured to record the time when the photosensitive pixel generates the photosensitive signal and accumulate the count in a count storage space correspondingly configured to the count storage, and the sensing period length of the corresponding photosensitive pixel is set by sending a timing end signal to the time-to-digital converter to stop the timing of the time-to-digital converter.

Optionally, in some embodiments, the light-sensing pixels include one or more photoelectric conversion elements to sense the optical signals propagating back and convert the optical signals into corresponding optical sensing signal outputs, the photoelectric conversion elements are single photon avalanche diodes, and the sensing period length of the corresponding light-sensing pixels is set by sending a sensing end signal to the single photon avalanche diodes to end the sensing of the single photon avalanche diodes.

Optionally, in some embodiments, the receiving module further includes a photosensor and a counting unit. The photoelectric sensor comprises at least one light sensing pixel and is configured to correspondingly sense a light signal returning from a detection area located at a preset position in a detection range and output a corresponding light sensing signal. The counting unit comprises a time-to-digital converter and a counting memory. The time-to-digital converter is configured to record the time when the photosensitive pixels generate the photosensitive signals and accumulate the counts in the count storage space correspondingly configured to the count storage. The sensing parameters comprise counting storage spaces correspondingly configured to the photosensitive pixels, and the size of the counting storage space correspondingly configured to the photosensitive pixels of the counting storage is set according to a distance detection extreme value required to be met by a detection area correspondingly detected by the photosensitive pixels.

Optionally, in some embodiments, the size of the count storage space of the configuration of the count storage corresponding to the photosensitive pixel is in a positive correlation with the distance detection extremum that the detection area detected corresponding to the photosensitive pixel needs to satisfy.

The embodiment of the application provides an optical detection device, which comprises the receiving module, the transmitting module and the processing module. The transmitting module is configured to emit a sensing light beam for distance detection to a detection range, and the processing module is configured to analyze and process the light sensing signal to perform distance detection in the detection range.

Embodiments of the present application also provide an electronic device, which includes the photodetection device. And the electronic equipment realizes corresponding functions according to the three-dimensional information obtained by the photoelectric detection device. The electronic device is, for example: cell-phone, car, robot, entrance guard/monitored control system, intelligent lock, unmanned aerial vehicle etc.. The three-dimensional information is, for example: proximity information, depth information, distance information, coordinate information, and the like of the object within the detection range. The three-dimensional information may be used in the fields of 3D modeling, face recognition, automatic driving, machine vision, monitoring, unmanned aerial vehicle control, Augmented Reality (AR)/Virtual Reality (VR), instant positioning and Mapping (SLAM), object proximity determination, and the like, for example, and the present application does not limit the present invention.

The photoelectric detection device may be, for example, a laser radar, and may be used to obtain three-dimensional information of an object in a detection range. The laser radar is applied to the fields of intelligent piloted vehicles, intelligent piloted airplanes, 3D printing, VR, AR, service robots and the like. Taking an intelligent driving vehicle as an example, a laser radar is arranged in the intelligent driving vehicle, and the laser radar can scan the surrounding environment by rapidly and repeatedly emitting laser beams to obtain point cloud data reflecting the appearance, position and motion condition of one or more objects in the surrounding environment. Specifically, the lidar emits a laser beam to the surrounding environment, receives an echo beam reflected by each object in the surrounding environment, and determines the distance/depth information of each object by calculating the time delay (i.e., the time-of-flight) between the emission time of the laser beam and the return time of the echo beam. Meanwhile, the laser radar can also determine angle information describing the orientation of the detection range of the laser beam, combine the distance/depth information of each object with the angle information of the laser beam to generate a three-dimensional map including each object in the scanned surrounding environment, and can guide the intelligent driving of the unmanned vehicle by using the three-dimensional map.

Hereinafter, an embodiment in which the photodetecting device is applied to the electronic apparatus will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.

Fig. 1 is a schematic diagram of functional modules of a photodetection device applied to an electronic device according to an embodiment of the present application. Fig. 2 is a schematic functional block diagram of a photodetection device according to an embodiment of the present application.

Referring to fig. 1 and 2, the electronic device 1 comprises a photodetection means 10. The photodetection device 10 can detect the object 2 within a detection range, which can be defined as a stereoscopic space range in which the photodetection device 10 can effectively perform three-dimensional detection, to obtain three-dimensional information of the object 2. Such as, but not limited to, one or more of proximity information of the object 2, depth information of the surface of the object 2, distance information of the object, and spatial coordinate information of the object 2.

The electronic device 1 may further include an application module 20, where the application module 20 is configured to implement corresponding functions according to the detection result of the photodetection apparatus 10, such as but not limited to: whether the object 2 appears in a preset detection range in front of the electronic equipment 1 can be judged according to the proximity information of the object 2; or, the electronic device 1 may be controlled to avoid the obstacle according to the distance information of the object 2; alternatively, 3D modeling, face recognition, machine vision, etc. may be implemented according to depth information of the surface of the object 2. The electronic device 1 may further include a storage medium 30, and the storage medium 30 may provide support for storage requirements of the photodetecting apparatus 10 during operation.

Alternatively, in some embodiments, the photodetection device 10 may be, for example, a dToF measurement device that performs three-dimensional information sensing based on the direct Time of Flight (dToF) principle. The dtod measuring device 10 can emit a sensing beam in a detection range and receive the sensing beam reflected by the object 2 in the detection range, the time difference between the emitting time and the receiving time of the reflected sensing beam is called the flight time t of the sensing beam, and the distance information of the object 2 can be obtained by calculating the half of the distance the sensing beam has passed in the flight time tInformation processing device

Where c is the speed of light.

Alternatively, in some other embodiments, the photodetection device 10 may also be an iToF measurement device 10 that performs three-dimensional information sensing based on an indirect Time of Flight (iToF) measurement principle. The iToF measuring device 10 obtains three-dimensional information of the object 2 by comparing the phase difference between the emitted sensing beam and the received reflected sensing beam.

In the following embodiments of the present application, the photoelectric detection device 10 is mainly described as a dtofs measuring device.

Optionally, as shown in fig. 2, the photodetection device 10 includes a transmitting module 12, a receiving module 14, and a processing module 15. The emitting module 12 is configured to emit a sensing light beam in a detection range to detect three-dimensional information of the object 2 in the detection range, wherein a part of the sensing light beam is reflected by the object 2 and returns, the reflected sensing light beam carries the three-dimensional information of the object 2, and a part of the reflected sensing light beam can be sensed by the receiving module 14 to obtain the three-dimensional information of the object 2. The receiving module 14 is configured to sense an optical signal from the detection range and output a corresponding optical sensing signal, and the distance detection of the object 2 in the detection range can be realized by analyzing the optical sensing signal. It is understood that the optical signal sensed by the receiving module 14 can be photons, for example, photons including the sensing light beam reflected by the object 2 within the detection range and photons of the ambient light within the detection range. The processing module 15 is configured to analyze and process the light sensing signal to obtain a time when the sensing light beam is sensed by the receiving module 14, and obtain three-dimensional information of the object 2 according to a time difference between an emission time of the sensing light beam and a time when the sensing light beam is reflected back.

The processing module 15 may be disposed on the photodetecting device 10. Optionally, in some other embodiments, all or a part of the functional units of the processing module 15 may also be disposed on the electronic device 1.

Alternatively, the sensing beam may be a laser pulse having a preset frequency. The emitting module 12 is configured to periodically emit the laser pulses as a sensing beam at a preset frequency within a detection frame.

Optionally, the sensing light beam is, for example, visible light, infrared light or near-infrared light, and the wavelength range is, for example, 390 nanometers (nm) -780nm, 700nm-1400nm, 800nm-1000 nm.

Referring to fig. 2 and fig. 3 together, fig. 3 is a schematic diagram of the statistical histogram obtained by the processing module 15 in fig. 2. Optionally, in some embodiments, the processing module 15 may include a counting unit 152, a statistics unit 154, a time-of-flight obtaining unit 156, and a distance obtaining unit 158. The counting unit 152 is configured to cumulatively count the time of outputting the corresponding light-induced signal according to the light signal sensed by the receiving module 14 in a corresponding time bin, where the time bin is a time unit Δ t when the counting unit 152 records the generation time of the light-induced signal, and can reflect the accuracy of time recording of the light-induced signal by the counting unit 152, and the finer the time bin is, the higher the accuracy of the recording time is.

Optionally, in some embodiments, the counting unit 152 may include a Time-to-Digital Converter (TDC) 1521 and a count memory 1522, where the count memory 1522 has a count storage space correspondingly allocated according to Time bins, and each Time the TDC1521 records a generation Time of a light sensing signal, the count storage space corresponding to a Time bin is cumulatively incremented by one.

Optionally, in some embodiments, the statistical unit 154 may be configured to perform statistics on the accumulated light sensing signal counts in each corresponding time bin to generate a corresponding statistical histogram. The abscissa of the statistical histogram represents the timestamp of each corresponding time bin, and the ordinate of the statistical histogram represents the light-induced signal count value accumulated in each corresponding time bin. Alternatively, the statistical unit 154 may be a histogram circuit. It should be understood that the statistical unit 154 performs statistical analysis on the photo-sensing signal counts accumulated by the sensing light beams emitted multiple times in a detection frame, and the number of times of emitting the sensing light beams in a detection frame may be as many as several tens of thousands, ten thousands, or even millions of times in order to make the counts mathematically statistically significant.

In the sensing process, a large number of photons of the ambient light are also sensed by the receiving module 14 to generate a corresponding photo-sensing signal count. The probability that photons of these ambient light are sensed and left to count within the corresponding time bin tends to be the same, constituting a Noise floor (Noise Level) within the detection range, which is relatively high in the scene of high ambient light intensity and relatively low in the scene of low ambient light intensity. On the basis, the sensing light beam reflected from the object 2 is sensed, and the corresponding light-induced signal count is superposed on the noise background, so that the light-induced signal count in the time bin corresponding to the sensing light beam sensing moment is obviously higher than the light-induced signal counts in other time bins, and a prominent signal peak is formed. It is understood that the height of the counting value of the signal peak may be influenced by the optical power of the sensing light beam, the reflectivity of the object 2, the detection range of the photo-detection device 10, etc., and the width of the signal peak may be influenced by the pulse width of the emitted sensing light beam, the time jitter of the photoelectric conversion element and the TDC of the receiving module 14, etc. Thus, the time-of-flight obtaining unit 156 can obtain the time-of-flight of the associated sensing beam reflected back by the object 2 according to the time difference between the time stamp t1 of the time bin corresponding to the signal peak and the emission time t0 (not shown) of the associated sensing beam generating the signal peak. The distance acquisition unit 158 may be configured to obtain distance information between the object 2 reflecting the sensing light beam and the photo detection device 10 according to the time of flight of the sensing light beam determined by the statistical histogram, for example: the distance of the connecting line between the object 2 in the detection range and the photo detection means 10.

It should be understood that the emitting module 12 and the receiving module 14 are disposed side by side and adjacent to each other, the light emitting surface of the emitting module 12 and the light incident surface of the receiving module 14 both face the same side of the photoelectric detection apparatus 10, and the distance between the emitting module 12 and the receiving module 14 may range from 2 millimeters (mm) to 20mm, for example. Because the emitting module 12 and the receiving module 14 are relatively close to each other, although the emitting path of the sensing light beam from the emitting module 12 to the object 2 and the return path of the sensing light beam from the object 2 to the receiving module 14 after reflection are not completely equal, both of them are far larger than the distance between the emitting module 12 and the receiving module 14, and can be regarded as being approximately equal. Thus, the distance information between the object 2 and the photo detection means 10 can be calculated from the product of half the time of flight t of said sensing beam reflected back by the object 2 and the speed of light c.

Fig. 4 is a schematic view illustrating a definition manner of the emitting direction of the sensing beam emitted by the emitting module 12 in fig. 2. As shown in fig. 4, the sensing light beam emitted by the emission module 12 along the predetermined emission direction irradiates the detection area 20 (see fig. 6-11) located at a corresponding position within the detection range, so as to perform distance detection on the object 2 located within the detection area 20. Optionally, in some embodiments, a rectangular coordinate system xyz of the emission module is established in a manner that a direction perpendicular to the light-emitting surface of the emission module 12 is a forward direction of the z-axis, and the x-axis and the y-axis are located in the light-emitting surface of the emission module 12. The emitting direction of the sensing beam can be defined by the parameter value of the emitting module rectangular coordinate system xyz, for example: the included angle between the transmitting direction of the sensing light beam and the positive direction of the z axis of the rectangular coordinate system xyz of the transmitting module is the polar angle phi of the transmitting direction, and the included angle between the projection of the transmitting direction of the sensing light beam on the xy plane of the rectangular coordinate system xyz of the transmitting module and the positive direction of the x axis is the azimuth angle of the transmitting direction

. Therefore, the emission direction of the sensing light beam can pass through the polar angle phi and the azimuth angle thereof in the rectangular coordinate system xyz of the emission module

And (4) defining. It can be understood that the transmitting moduleThe origin of the rectangular coordinate system xyz may be the center of the light emitting surface of the emitting module 12, or any point in the light emitting surface of the emitting module 12, which is not specifically limited in this application.

Alternatively, the emission direction of the sensing light beam may also be defined in other suitable manners, as long as the emission direction of the sensing light beam can be accurately described in a quantifiable manner, which is not specifically limited in this application. For example, in some other embodiments, the emitting direction of the sensing beam may also be defined by the angle between the emitting direction and the x, y, and z axes of the emitting module rectangular coordinate system xyz.

Alternatively, in some embodiments, the distance detection extrema to be satisfied by the photodetecting device 10 for the detection regions 20 at different positions within the detection range are different. That is, the photo detection device 10 needs to detect a far position and a near position for some positions in the detection range. It is to be understood that the position of the detection area 20 may be indicated by the emission direction of the sensing light beam illuminating the detection area 20. That is, the distance detection extreme value that the sensing light beam needs to satisfy is the distance detection extreme value that the detection area 20 correspondingly illuminated by the photoelectric detection device 20 along the emitting direction of the sensing light beam needs to satisfy.

Fig. 5 is a side schematic view of a distance detection extreme value to be satisfied by a sensing light beam emitted by the photoelectric detection device 10 in a detection range and a corresponding change of optical power with an emission direction. As shown in fig. 5, with the photodetection device 10 as a starting point, the lengths of the line segments along different emission directions of the sensing beam are positively correlated with the size of the distance detection extremum that needs to be satisfied along the emission direction, and the end points of these line segments are combined to form a first envelope surface 102 that represents the variation of the distance detection extremum that needs to be satisfied by the sensing beam with the emission direction in the detection range. For example: the distance detection extreme value that the sensing light beam emitted from the central position of the photoelectric detection device 10 in the horizontal direction needs to satisfy is the largest, the distance detection extreme value that needs to satisfy in the direction deviating from the horizontal direction to the periphery is gradually reduced, the distance detection extreme value that needs to satisfy in the direction deviating from the horizontal direction to the farthest detection range edge is the smallest, and the correspondingly formed first envelope surface 102 is a curved surface with the middle protruding outwards relative to the periphery as shown by the dotted line in fig. 5.

In order to achieve a sufficient signal-to-noise ratio, it is necessary to set a relationship that the optical power P of the sensing beam and the distance detection extreme value L that the sensing beam needs to satisfy along the emitting direction thereof satisfy a second-order positive correlation, as shown in the following formula (1):

P＝A×L ² ×α ² (1)

where a is a coefficient related to the emitting module 12 of the photo-detecting device 10, and α is a divergence angle of the sensing beam. Accordingly, the length of the line segment emitted along a certain emission direction represents the optical power of the sensing beam along the emission direction, and the end points of the line segments can be combined to form the second envelope surface 104, which is a curved surface with a steeper change compared with the first envelope surface 102, as shown by the chain line in fig. 5. The second envelope surface 104 is capable of reflecting the variation of the optical power of the sensing beam in different emission directions within the detection range. It can be seen that, for the case that the distance detection extrema that the detecting regions 20 at different positions of the photoelectric detecting apparatus 10 need to satisfy differ, the optical power of the sensing light beam also varies correspondingly with the emitting direction, and the magnitude of the optical power of the sensing light beam and the distance detection extrema that need to satisfy in the corresponding emitting direction have a preset relationship, such as: and the two phases are in a second-order positive correlation relationship with each other.

It should be understood that the optical power of the sensing beam is used to represent the energy level of the sensing beam. Optionally, in some embodiments, the sensing beam is a pulsed beam, and the optical power of the sensing beam may refer to a peak optical power or an average optical power of the pulsed beam.

It should be understood that the extreme distance detection value that the sensing beam satisfies along a certain emission direction refers to the end value of the distance detection range of the photodetection device 10 along the emission direction, i.e. the farthest distance that can effectively perform distance detection with the photodetection device 10 as the starting point.

The emitting module 12 is configured to emit at least one sensing light beam to the detection range, and the sensing light beam has a preset emitting direction. Optionally, in some embodiments, the emission module 12 emits a plurality of sensing light beams to the detection range, where each of the sensing light beams has an emission direction different from that of other sensing light beams, so as to correspondingly illuminate detection areas located in different directions within the detection range, and improve spatial resolution of the three-dimensional information detection performed by the photoelectric detection apparatus 10. It can be understood that the emission module 12 may emit a plurality of sensing beams along different emission directions simultaneously, or emit a plurality of sensing beams having different emission directions in different periods, and the number of the sensing beams emitted in different periods may be the same or different.

Specifically, as shown in fig. 6, the emitting module 12 includes a light source 120 and an emitting optical device 124, the light source 120 is configured to emit a light beam, and the emitting optical device 124 is configured to emit the light beam from the light source 120 along a preset emitting direction to form the sensing light beam, so as to correspondingly illuminate the detection area 20 located at a preset position in the detection range. Since the distance detection extrema that the photoelectric detection device 10 needs to satisfy along different emission directions are different in the detection range, the optical powers of the sensing beams projected along different preset emission directions are also different correspondingly.

Optionally, in some embodiments, the light source 120 includes a first light emitting unit 1221 and a second light emitting unit 1222. The first and second

light emitting units

1221 and 1222 are configured to emit light beams independently of each other. The detection range of the photo detection apparatus 10 includes a first detection area 201 and a second detection area 202 respectively located at different positions, and the emission optics 124 is configured to form the light beam emitted by the first light emitting unit 1221 into a first sensing light beam emitted along a first emission direction to correspondingly illuminate the first detection area 201. The emission optics 124 are configured to form the light beam emitted by the second light emitting unit 1222 into a second sensing light beam emitted in a second emission direction to correspondingly illuminate the second detection area 201. The first emission direction and the second emission direction are two different emission directions respectively. The photodetection device 10 has different distance detection extremum requirements for the first detection region 201 and the second detection region 202, respectively. Correspondingly, the distance detection extreme value that the first sensing light beam needs to satisfy is different from the distance detection extreme value that the second sensing light beam needs to satisfy. Because the optical power of the sensing light beam and the distance detection extreme value which the sensing light beam needs to satisfy along the emission direction of the sensing light beam have a positive correlation relationship, for example: the second order positive correlation, the optical power of the first sensing beam is also different from the optical power of the second sensing beam. In addition, since the emitting power of the light emitting unit 122 and the corresponding light power of the sensing beam are also in a positive correlation relationship, the emitting power of the first light emitting unit 1221 is also different from the emitting power of the second light emitting unit 1222, and is in a positive correlation relationship with the distance detection extreme value that the first sensing beam and the second sensing beam respectively need to satisfy.

Optionally, in some embodiments, the light source 120 includes a plurality of light emitting units 122, and the light emitting units 122 are configured to emit light beams correspondingly. The detection range of the photo detection apparatus 10 includes a plurality of detection areas 20 respectively located at different positions, and the light beams emitted by the light emitting units 122 are modulated by the emission optics 124 to form sensing light beams respectively emitted along a predetermined specific emission direction, so as to respectively illuminate the detection areas 20 located at different corresponding positions within the detection range. That is, each of the light emitting units 122 has a one-to-one correspondence relationship with the emission direction of the formed sensing light beam and the detection area 20 irradiated in the detection range. Therefore, if the photoelectric detection device 10 has different distance detection extreme value requirements for the detection areas 20 along different emission directions, the optical power of the sensing light beam emitted along the emission direction can be correspondingly determined according to the specific value of the distance detection extreme value required to be met along each preset emission direction, and the emission power of the light emitting unit 122 forming the corresponding sensing light beam can be further set. That is, at least two of the plurality of light emitting units 122 have different emission powers, and the emission power of each light emitting unit 122 can be determined according to the distance to the detection extreme value that the formed sensing light beam needs to satisfy along the emission direction thereof.

Alternatively, in some embodiments, the plurality of light emitting units 122 may be arranged in an array. In other embodiments, the plurality of light emitting units 122 may be arranged in other suitable manners, such as: and the like are arranged in a straight line or randomly and irregularly, and the application is not limited in this respect.

Alternatively, the Light Emitting unit 122 may be a Light source 120 in the form of a Vertical Cavity Surface Emitting Laser (VCSEL for short, also known as Vertical Cavity Surface Emitting Laser), an Edge Emitting Laser (EEL), a Light Emitting Diode (LED), a Laser Diode (LD), or the like. The edge-emitting laser may be a Fabry Perot (FP) laser, a Distributed Feedback (DFB) laser, an Electro-absorption Modulated (EML) laser, and the like, which is not limited in the embodiment of the present application.

Optionally, the light emitting unit 122 has a preset emission power, and the emission power is in a positive correlation with a distance detection extreme value that the sensing light beam formed by the light emitting unit needs to satisfy. The emission power value may be set by the magnitude of the driving signal applied to the light emitting unit 122. Alternatively, the light emitting unit 122 may also include a plurality of light emitting sub-units (not shown), and the emission power of the light emitting unit 122 is correspondingly set by setting the number of the light emitting sub-units to be lit.

Optionally, in some embodiments, the emission optics 124 of the emission module 12 includes a projection lens, which may include one or more lenses. The projection lens is configured to emit the light beams emitted by the light emitting units 122 along different preset emission directions to form the sensing light beams, which correspondingly illuminate the detection areas 20 located at different positions within the detection range. As shown in fig. 6, the light source 120 of the emission module 12 may include, for example, 16 light emitting units 122, and the light emitting units 122 are arranged in a 4 × 4 array and labeled as nos. 1 to 16, respectively. The light beams emitted by each light emitting unit 122 form sensing light beams emitted along a preset emission direction through the projection lens, and correspondingly illuminate the detection area 20 located at a preset position in the detection range. Specifically, the light beams emitted by the 16 light emitting units 122 respectively form the sensing light beams emitted along the corresponding 16 different preset emission directions through the projection lens, and the 16 detection areas 20 located at different positions in the corresponding irradiation detection range are respectively labeled as numbers I to XVI. The photodetection device 10 detects the farthest extreme value of the distance required for the detection areas VI, VII, X, XI 20 located at the center of the detection range, the second extreme value of the distance required for the detection areas II, III, V, IX, VIII, XII, XIV, XV 20 located at the edges of the detection range, and the smallest extreme value of the distance required for the detection areas I, IV, XIII, XVI 20 located at the corners of the detection range. Correspondingly, the No. 6, 7, 10, 11 light emitting unit 122 forming the sensing light beam irradiating the No. VI, VII, X, XI detection region 20 has the highest emission power, the No. 2, 3, 5, 9, 8, 12, 14, 15 light emitting unit 122 forming the sensing light beam irradiating the No. II, III, V, IX, VIII, XII, XIV, XV detection region 20 has the second lowest emission power, and the No. 1, 4, 13, 16 light emitting unit 122 forming the sensing light beam irradiating the No. I, IV, XIII, XVI detection region 20 has the lowest emission power.

Optionally, in some embodiments, the emitting optics 124 of the emitting module 12 may include a beam splitter, and the light source 120 includes at least one light emitting unit 122. The beam splitter is configured to split the light beam to split one light beam emitted from the light emitting unit 122 into two or more sensing light beams having different emission directions, and correspondingly illuminate detection areas located at different positions within the detection range. The emitting power of the light emitting unit 122 is determined according to the distance detection extreme value that the formed sensing light beam needs to satisfy along the respective emitting directions. Such as a cylindrical lens, a grating, a microlens array, a Diffractive Optical Element (DOE), and the like. The plurality of sensing light beams split by the beam splitter may be distributed along one dimension or may be distributed on a two-dimensional plane, which is not specifically limited in the present application. Alternatively, the beam splitter may be made of a resin material or a glass material, or may be made of both a resin material and a glass material. The beam splitter can increase the number of sensing beams having different emission directions, thereby improving the spatial resolution of three-dimensional detection.

As shown in fig. 7, the light source 120 of the emission module 12 includes, for example, 4 light emitting units 122, and the light emitting units 122 are arranged in a 2 × 2 array and respectively labeled as nos. 1 to 4. The light beam emitted by each light emitting unit 122 is split into 4 sensing light beams with different preset emission directions by the beam splitter, the light beams emitted by the 4 light emitting units 122 are split into 16 sensing light beams with different preset emission directions in total by the beam splitter, and the 16 detection areas 20 corresponding to the irradiation detection range are respectively marked as numbers I to XVI. Specifically, the light beam emitted by the No. 1 light-emitting unit 122 is divided into 4 sensing light beams with different preset emission directions by the beam splitter, and the sensing light beams respectively correspond to the No. I, II, III, and IV detection areas 20 within the irradiation detection range; the light beam emitted by the No. 2 light-emitting unit 122 is divided into 4 sensing light beams with different preset emission directions by the beam splitter, and the sensing light beams respectively correspond to the No. V, VI, VII and VIII detection areas 20 within the irradiation detection range; the light beam emitted by the No. 3 light emitting unit 122 is divided into 4 sensing light beams with different preset emission directions by the beam splitter, and the sensing light beams respectively correspond to the No. IX, X, XI, and XII detection areas 20 within the irradiation detection range; the light beam emitted from the No. 4 light emitting unit 122 is divided into 4 sensing light beams with different preset emission directions by the beam splitter, which correspond to the No. XIII, XIV, XV, XVI detection areas 20 in the irradiation detection range, respectively. The photodetection device 10 requires a shorter distance detection extremum for the detection regions No. I, II, III, IV, V, VI, VII, VIII located in the upper half of the detection range, and requires a longer distance detection extremum for the detection regions No. IX, X, XIII, XIV, XI, XII, XV, XVI located in the lower half of the detection range. Correspondingly, the emission power of the emission sensing light beam irradiating the No. 1, No. 2 light emitting unit 122 of the No. I, II, III, IV, V, VI, VII, VIII detection area 20 is higher, and the emission power of the emission sensing light beam irradiating the No. 3, No. 4 light emitting unit 122 of the No. IX, X, XIII, XIV, XI, XII, XV, XVI detection area 20 is lower.

Optionally, in some embodiments, the beam splitter is configured to split one light beam emitted by one light emitting unit 122 into at least two sensing light beams with different optical powers along different emission directions. That is, the beam splitter redistributes the energy of the original light beam when performing the beam splitting process, the specific distribution condition of the light beam energy may be set according to the actual requirement of the sensing light beam formed after beam splitting, and the light beam energy may be distributed equally so that each sensing light beam after beam splitting has the same optical power, or may be distributed unequally so that some sensing light beams after beam splitting have higher optical power and other light beams have lower optical power. Thus, two or more sensing light beams formed by the beam splitter from the same light emitting unit 122 can correspondingly detect two or more detection areas with different distance detection extremum requirements. For example: at least two of the 4 sensing light beams split by the beam splitter by the No. 1 light-emitting unit 122 in fig. 7 may have different optical powers respectively, and correspond to detection areas for detecting the detection extremum requirements with different distances. It should be understood that, in some other embodiments, at least two sensing light beams in different emission directions formed by one light beam emitted by the same light-emitting unit 122 via the beam splitter may have the same optical power.

Optionally, in some embodiments, the light emitting unit 122 may have a fixed emitting power, and may be set according to a distance detection extreme value that the sensing light beam formed by the light emitting unit 122 needs to satisfy correspondingly. It is understood that the light emitting unit 122 with a fixed emitting power can be used in a scenario where the formed sensing light beam has a fixed preset emitting direction and the distance detection extremum to be satisfied along the emitting direction is stable and constant.

Optionally, in some embodiments, the emitting optics 124 of the emitting module 12 includes a scanner, and the light source 120 includes at least one light emitting unit 122, and the scanner is configured to correspondingly change the light beam emitted by the same light emitting unit 122 into the sensing light beam emitted along different emitting directions at different time intervals, so as to irradiate the detection areas 20 located at different positions in the detection range at the corresponding different time intervals, thereby improving the spatial resolution of the distance detection performed by the photodetecting device 10. The scanner 128 is, for example, a Micro-Electro-Mechanical System (MEMS) galvanometer, and can reflect the light beam emitted from the light source 120 to different emission directions by deflecting the micromirror. Alternatively, the scanner 128 is, for example, an Optical Phased Array (OPA), and adjusts the emitting direction of the sensing beam by controlling the orientation of the equiphase surface of the sensing beam. Correspondingly, if the distance detection extreme value that the sensing light beam needs to satisfy after changing the emission direction by the scanner is changed compared with the distance detection extreme value that the sensing light beam needs to satisfy before changing the emission direction, the emission power of the light emitting unit 122 forming the sensing light beam changes in proportion according to the distance detection extreme value that the sensing light beam needs to satisfy. That is, if the distance from the detection extreme value is far, the optical power requirement of the sensing beam is correspondingly high, and the emission power of the light emitting unit 122 forming the sensing beam is correspondingly increased; if the distance from the detection extreme value is close, the optical power requirement of the sensing beam is correspondingly low, and the emission power of the light emitting unit 122 forming the sensing beam is also correspondingly reduced.

As shown in fig. 8 to 11, in some embodiments, the light source 120 of the emission module 12 includes, for example, 4 light emitting units 122, and the light emitting units 122 are arranged in a 2 × 2 array, and are respectively marked with numbers 1 to 4. The light beams emitted by each light emitting unit 122 can be redirected by the scanner to form sensing light beams respectively scanned in 4 different preset emission directions, and the light beams emitted by the 4 light emitting units 122 can be redirected by the scanner to form sensing light beams scanned in a total of 16 different preset emission directions, which correspond to 16 detection regions 20 in the irradiation detection range respectively in different time periods T1-T4, and are respectively labeled as I-XVI. Specifically, the light beam emitted by the No. 1 light-emitting unit 122 is redirected by the scanner to form a sensing light beam that scans along 4 different preset emission directions, corresponding to the No. I, II, III, IV detection areas 20 in the irradiation detection range respectively in different time periods T1-T4; the light beam emitted by the No. 2 light-emitting unit 122 is changed in direction by the scanner to form a sensing light beam which scans along 4 different preset emission directions, and the No. V, VI, VII and VIII detection areas 20 in the irradiation detection range are respectively corresponding to different time periods T1-T4; the light beams emitted by the No. 3 light-emitting unit 122 can form sensing light beams which are scanned along 4 different preset emission directions by changing the direction of the scanner, and the IX-, X-, XI-, XII-th detection areas 20 in the irradiation detection range are respectively corresponding to different time periods T1-T4; the light beam emitted by the light emitting unit No. 4 122 is redirected by the scanner to form a sensing light beam that is scanned in 4 different preset emission directions, corresponding to the detection regions No. XIII, XIV, XV, XVI 20 within the irradiation detection range for different periods T1-T4, respectively. If the distance detection extreme value required by the photodetection device 10 for the detection regions No. I, IV, IX, XII, V, VIII, XIII, XVI is close to the detection extreme value required by the detection region No. II, III, X, XI, VI, VII, XIV, XV 20 is far away from the detection extreme value required by the detection region No. II, III, X, XI, VI, VII, XIV, XV. Correspondingly, when the No. 1 light emitting unit 122 scans from the No. I detection area 20 to the No. II detection area 20 through the sensing light beam formed by the scanner, the optical power needs to be increased, and at this time, the emission power of the No. 1 light emitting unit 122 also rises correspondingly, and when the No. III detection area 20 scans to the No. IV detection area 20, the optical power needs to be reduced, and at this time, the emission power of the No. 1 light emitting unit 122 also decreases correspondingly; when the light beam generated by the No. 2 light emitting unit 122 through the scanner is scanned from the No. V detection area 20 to the No. VI detection area 20, the light power needs to be increased, and at this time, the emission power of the No. 2 light emitting unit 122 also rises correspondingly, and when the light beam is scanned from the No. VII detection area 20 to the No. VIII detection area 20, the light power needs to be decreased, and at this time, the emission power of the No. 2 light emitting unit 122 also decreases correspondingly; when the No. 3 light emitting unit 122 scans from the No. IX detection area 20 to the No. X detection area 20 through the sensing light beam formed by the scanner, the light power needs to be increased, at this time, the emission power of the No. 3 light emitting unit 122 also increases correspondingly, when the No. XI detection area 20 scans to the No. XII detection area 20, the light power needs to be decreased, at this time, the emission power of the No. 3 light emitting unit 122 also decreases correspondingly; when the No. 4 light emitting unit 122 scans from the No. XIII detection area 20 to the No. XIV detection area 20 through the sensing light beam formed by the scanner, the light power needs to be increased, and the emission power of the No. 4 light emitting unit 122 also increases accordingly, and when the No. 4 light emitting unit 122 scans from the No. XV detection area 20 to the No. XVI detection area 20, the light power needs to be decreased accordingly.

Optionally, the emitting direction of the sensing light beam can pass through its polar angle phi and azimuth angle in the rectangular coordinate system xyz of the emitting module

And (4) performing definition. Alternatively, the emission direction of the sensing light beam may also be defined in other suitable manners, as long as the emission direction of the sensing light beam can be accurately described in a quantifiable manner, which is not specifically limited in this application.

Referring to fig. 2, in some embodiments, the setting module 18 may further include an emission parameter setting unit 184, and the emission parameter setting unit 184 is configured to set the emission parameter of the corresponding light emitting unit 122 according to the distance detection extreme value to be satisfied by the detection area 20 to be irradiated. Optionally, the emission parameters of the light emitting unit 122 include emission power, emission frequency, number of pulse emissions, and emission period length. Wherein, the emitting power of the light emitting unit 122 is positively correlated with the distance detection extreme value that the irradiated detection area 20 needs to satisfy, and the emitting power of the light emitting unit 122 is correspondingly larger the farther the distance detection extreme value of the irradiated detection area 20 is away from the detection extreme value, so that the formed sensing light beam has enough energy to be irradiated to the distance detection extreme value and return; the closer the distance detection extreme value to be satisfied by the irradiated detection region 20, the smaller the emission power of the light emitting unit 122 correspondingly, so as to reduce the overall power consumption of the emission module 12. The length of the emission period of the light emitting unit 122 emitting one sensing pulse light beam is positively correlated with the distance detection limit value to be satisfied by the irradiated detection region 20, and the farther the distance detection limit value to be satisfied by the irradiated detection region 20 is, the longer the emission period of the light emitting unit 122 emitting one sensing pulse light beam is correspondingly, so that the photons of the emitted sensing light beam have enough flight time to be emitted to the distance detection limit value of the corresponding detection region 20 and return; the shorter the emission period of the light-emitting unit 122 emitting one sensing pulse beam is, the closer the distance detection limit value to be satisfied by the irradiated detection region 20 is, means that the light-emitting unit 122 and the photosensitive pixel 142 performing the corresponding distance detection can complete the corresponding distance detection one time faster, and the power consumption of the corresponding light-emitting unit 122 and the photosensitive pixel 142 can be reduced.

It will be appreciated that the position of the detection area 20 illuminated by the sensing light beam may be represented by the emission direction of the sensing light beam, for example: the polar angle phi and the azimuth angle of the emission direction of the sensing light beam in the rectangular coordinate system xyz of the emission module can be used

To define the position of the detection area 20 illuminated by the sensing beam. Accordingly, a correspondence relationship between the emission direction of the sensing light beam and the distance detection extremum that the detection area 20 irradiated correspondingly needs to satisfy can be established.

It is understood that, if the number of times the light emitting unit 122 emits the sensing pulse beam in one detection frame is not changed, the shorter the emission period of the light emitting unit 122 means the higher the emission frequency, and the longer the emission period of the light emitting unit 122 means the lower the emission frequency. In this case, the emitting frequency of the sensing pulse beam emitted by the light emitting unit 122 is inversely related to the distance detection extreme value required by the corresponding irradiated detection area 20.

Alternatively, in some embodiments, the sensing beam is a sensing pulse beam with a preset frequency, and the number of times the sensing pulse beam is emitted by the light source 120 in one detection frame is in a positive correlation with the required distance detection extreme value in the emitting direction of the sensing pulse beam. For example, as shown in fig. 6 and 13, the light source 120 emits a first sensing pulse beam in a first emission direction, corresponding to a first detection area 201 within an irradiation detection range. The light source 120 emits a second sensing pulse beam along a second emission direction, which corresponds to illuminating a second detection area 202 within the detection range. The first emission direction and the second emission direction are different emission directions, and correspondingly, the first detection area 201 and the second detection area 202 are respectively located at different positions within the detection range. The distance detection extreme value to be met by the first detection area 201 irradiated along the first emission direction is a first distance detection extreme value, the distance detection extreme value to be met by the second detection area 202 irradiated along the second emission direction is a second distance detection extreme value, and the first distance detection extreme value is different from the second distance detection extreme value. Correspondingly, the light source 120 emits the first sensing pulse beam a different number of times within one detection frame than the second sensing pulse beam. If the first distance detection extreme value is greater than the second distance detection extreme value, the number of pulse emissions of the first sensing pulse beam in one detection frame is correspondingly greater than the number of pulse emissions of the second sensing pulse beam in one detection frame; if the first distance detection extreme value is smaller than the second distance detection extreme value, the pulse emission times of the first sensing pulse beam in one detection frame are correspondingly smaller than the pulse emission times of the second sensing pulse beam in one detection frame. Optionally, the light source 120 comprises a first light emitting unit 1221 and a second light emitting unit 1222, the emission optics 124 is configured to form the pulse light beam emitted by the first light emitting unit 1221 into the first sensing pulse light beam emitted in a first emission direction, and the emission optics 124 is configured to form the pulse light beam emitted by the second light emitting unit 1222 into the second sensing pulse light beam emitted in a second emission direction. Alternatively, the optical power of the first sensing pulse beam may be the same as that of the second sensing pulse beam, and correspondingly, the emission power of the first light emitting unit 1221 may also be the same as that of the second light emitting unit 1222. That is, the first sensing pulse beam and the second sensing pulse beam having the same optical power and different pulse emission times can respectively perform distance detection on the first detection area 201 and the second detection area 202 having different distance detection extreme values, and the pulse emission times of the sensing pulse beam in one detection frame is in a positive correlation with the distance detection extreme value to be satisfied when the sensing pulse beam performs distance detection.

Alternatively, as shown in fig. 6 and 13, in some embodiments, the first sensing pulse light beam and the second sensing pulse light beam emitted by the light source 120 in different emission directions may have the same emission frequency, emission period length and detection frame length. The distance detection extreme value which needs to be met when the first sensing pulse light beam performs detection along the first emission direction is smaller than the distance detection extreme value which needs to be met when the second sensing pulse light beam performs detection along the second emission direction, and the pulse emission times of the first sensing pulse light beam in one detection frame are correspondingly smaller than the pulse emission times of the second sensing pulse light beam in one detection frame. The length of the detection frame needs to enable the light source 120 to completely emit the sensing pulse beam with the maximum preset pulse emission times, and for the sensing pulse beams with the smaller pulse emission times, the light source 120 stops emitting the sensing pulse beams after the preset pulse emission times are emitted until the current detection frame is finished. For example, in some embodiments, the light source 120 may start to emit the first sensing pulse beam and the second sensing pulse beam simultaneously within a detection frame, and when the first sensing pulse beam with the required number of pulse emissions is completely emitted, the light source 120 stops emitting the first sensing pulse beam and waits for the sensing pulse beams with the other pulses emitted more than once, for example: and the second sensing pulse beam finishes the emission of one detection frame after being completely emitted. It is understood that in other embodiments, the light source 120 may start to emit the first sensing pulse light beam and the second sensing pulse light beam at different time instants within one detection frame, for example: the second sensing pulse beam with more requirement on pulse emission times can be emitted first, and the first sensing pulse beam with less requirement on pulse emission times starts to be emitted after the second sensing pulse beam with certain times is emitted. Alternatively, the sensing pulse beam may be emitted discontinuously for a required number of pulse emissions within one detection frame, for example: the number of pulse transmissions required for the first sensing pulse beam in a detection frame is N times, which may be divided into M predetermined groups for transmission, N is N1+ N2+ … … + NM, the light source 120 transmits the first sensing pulse beam N1 times successively in a detection frame, and transmits the first sensing pulse beam N2 times after a predetermined time interval, and so on until the first sensing pulse beam NM is finally transmitted. That is, the light source 120 only needs to transmit the required pulse transmission times corresponding to each sensing pulse beam according to the preset frequency in one detection frame, the sensing pulse beam types can be divided according to the required pulse transmission times, and the required pulse transmission times of each sensing pulse beam and the distance detection extreme value that needs to be satisfied when each sensing pulse beam performs distance detection have a positive correlation.

It should be understood that, for the sensing pulse beams with the same optical power, the number of photons of the sensing pulse beam reflected by the object 2 when detecting the closer object 2 is larger, and the probability of being sensed and counted by the receiving module 14 is higher, only a smaller number of pulse emission times is needed to obtain the statistical histogram meeting the signal-to-noise ratio requirement, while the number of photons of the sensing pulse beam reflected by the object 2 when detecting the farther object is smaller, and the probability of being sensed and counted by the receiving module 14 is correspondingly lower, and a larger number of pulse emission times is needed to obtain the statistical histogram meeting the signal-to-noise ratio requirement. Therefore, the emission power consumption of the light source 120 can be reasonably reduced by correspondingly setting the pulse emission times of the sensing pulse light beam in one detection frame according to the distance detection extreme value requirement which needs to be correspondingly met by the sensing pulse light beam.

Alternatively, in some embodiments, the emission parameter setting unit 184 may set the emission parameter of the light source 120 according to a predetermined correspondence between the emission parameter of the sensing light beam and the distance detection extremum to be satisfied by the detection area 20 irradiated by the sensing light beam, such as: an emission setting comparison table may be established, which is used to record the corresponding relationship between the position information of each detection area 20 in the detection range, the distance detection extreme value to be satisfied by each detection area 20, and the emission parameter of the sensing light beam irradiating the corresponding detection area 20. The emission parameter setting unit 184 may control the emission parameters of the sensing light beam emitted by the light source 120 according to the emission setting look-up table. The emission setting map may be stored in the photodetection device 10 or in a storage medium of the electronic apparatus 1. Optionally, the emission setting comparison table may be preset before the product leaves the factory, or may be set by a user according to an actual scene during the use process.

Optionally, in some embodiments, the plurality of emission parameters of the sensing beam may be set simultaneously according to the distance detection extremum to be satisfied. For example, the sensing pulse beam for detecting the distance to the detection area 20 near the required detection extremum can be set to have a lower optical power, a shorter pulse emitting time period and a smaller number of pulse emitting times in one detection frame; the sensing pulse beam for detecting the distance to the detection area 20 farther from the detection limit value may be set to have a higher optical power, a longer pulse emitting time and a larger number of pulse emitting times in a detection frame. That is, a plurality of emission parameters of different light emitting units 122 on the light source 120, such as: the transmitting power, the transmitting frequency, the pulse transmitting times and the like are set according to the distance detection extreme value which needs to be met by the correspondingly formed sensing light beam, so that the overall transmitting power consumption of the transmitting module during detection is reduced as much as possible. It should be understood that the number of terms of the emission parameters of the sensing light beam, which can be set according to the distance detection extremum to be satisfied by the irradiated detection region 20, is not particularly limited, and may be any one or a combination of any two or more thereof.

Referring also to fig. 6-11, the receiving module 14 may include a photosensor 140 and receiving optics 144. The receiving optics 144 are disposed on the light entrance side of the photosensor 140 and are configured to propagate light signals from the detection range to the photosensor 140 for sensing. For example, in some embodiments, the receiving optics 144 include a receiving lens. Alternatively, the receiving lens 144 may include one lens or a plurality of lenses. The photosensor 140 is configured to sense optical signals propagating from the detection range via the receiving optics 144 and output corresponding light-induced signals.

Optionally, in some embodiments, the receiving module 14 may further include a peripheral circuit (not shown) composed of one or more of a signal amplifier, an Analog-to-Digital Converter (ADC), and the like, and the peripheral circuit may be partially or completely integrated in the photosensor 140.

Alternatively, in some embodiments, the photosensor 140 includes a single photosensitive pixel 142 or includes a plurality of photosensitive pixels 142 to form a photosensitive pixel array, for example. The detection range of the photo detection apparatus 10 includes a plurality of detection areas 20 respectively located at different positions, the photosensitive pixels 142 of the photo sensor 140 have corresponding detection areas 20 in the detection range, and the optical signal returned from the detection areas 20 propagates to the corresponding photosensitive pixels 142 through the receiving optics 144 for sensing. It should be understood that the detection area 20 corresponding to the photosensitive pixel 142 can be regarded as the spatial range covered by the angle of view formed by the photosensitive pixel 142 via the receiving optics 144. It should be understood that the optical signal returning from the detection region 20 includes the sensing beam projected to the detection region 20 and reflected back by the object 2 located within the detection region 20, as well as photons of ambient light returning from the detection region 20. Alternatively, one of the photosensitive pixels 142 may include a single photoelectric conversion device or include a plurality of photoelectric conversion devices. The photoelectric conversion device is configured to sense the received optical signal and convert the received optical signal into a corresponding electrical signal to be output as the optical sensing signal. The photoelectric conversion device is, for example, a Single Photon Avalanche Diode (SPAD), an Avalanche Photodiode (APD), a Silicon Photomultiplier (SiPM) in which a plurality of SPADs are arranged in parallel, and/or other suitable photoelectric conversion elements.

The photosensitive pixels 142 have sensing periods with different lengths corresponding to the optical signals returned from the detection regions 20 at different positions in the detection range, and the specific length of the sensing period can be determined according to the distance detection extreme value required by the corresponding detection region 20. As shown in fig. 12, in some embodiments, the light emitting unit 122 periodically emits laser pulses at a preset frequency, and the laser pulses form the sensing beam to be projected to the detection range via the emission optics 124, i.e., the sensing beam may be a periodic pulse beam with a preset frequency. The light emitting unit 122 may emit a plurality of laser pulses within one detection frame, and a time period between emission timings of two adjacent laser pulses may be defined as one emission period of the laser pulses. The light-sensing pixels 142 have a sensing period corresponding to the emission period. For example, the light-sensing pixels 142 periodically perform sensing at the same preset frequency as the emission period, the sensing period having a start time and an end time coincident with the emission period. The light sensing pixels 142 start sensing photons returning from the detection range while each laser pulse is emitted, and the counting unit 152 counts the light sensing signals generated by the sensed photons. The counting unit 154 counts the counts accumulated in the corresponding time bins by the receiving module 14 when the photo sensing signals are sensed in a plurality of sensing periods of a detection frame, so as to generate a corresponding statistical histogram. The length of the sensing period is at least longer than the flight time required for the photons to travel to and from the distance detection extremum required by the corresponding detection region 20, so as to ensure that the photons reflected back from the distance detection extremum can be sensed and counted. The length of the sensing period may be set according to the distance detection extremum required by the detection region 20. Optionally, the sensing period length of the photosensitive pixel 142 is in a positive correlation with the distance detection limit value that the corresponding detected detection area 20 needs to satisfy, for example: for detection regions 20 farther from the detection extremum, the sensing period of the photosensitive pixel 142 performing the corresponding detection is longer; for detection regions 20 closer to the detection extremum, the sensing period of the photosensitive pixels 142 performing the corresponding detection is shorter.

Optionally, in some embodiments, the receiving module 14 may further include a counting unit 152. Referring to fig. 2, the counting unit 152 includes a TDC1521 and a count memory 1522, and the count memory 1522 has a count storage space allocated according to time bin correspondence. The TDC1521 is correspondingly connected to the photosensitive pixels 142, and is configured to record the time when the photosensitive pixels 142 generate the photosensitive signals and accumulate the counts in the count storage space corresponding to the time bin.

The photo detection apparatus 10 may further include a setting module 18, wherein the setting module 18 includes a sensing parameter setting unit 186, and the sensing parameter setting unit 186 is configured to set the sensing parameter of the photosensitive pixel 142 according to a distance detection extremum required by the detection area 20 correspondingly detected by the photosensitive pixel 142. Optionally, the sensing parameters of the photosensitive pixels 142 include a sensing period length and a correspondingly configured count storage space.

Alternatively, the sensing parameter setting unit 186 may set the sensing period length of the corresponding photosensitive pixel 142 by controlling the operating state of the TDC1521, for example, by sending a timing end signal to the TDC1521 connected to the corresponding photosensitive pixel 142 to stop the timing of the TDC1521 to end the sensing period, thereby setting the sensing period length of the corresponding photosensitive pixel 142.

Alternatively, in some embodiments, the photoelectric conversion elements in the light-sensitive pixels 142 are SPADs that require resetting before the end of each sensing period to continue sensing in the next sensing period. The sensing parameter setting unit 186 may also set the sensing period length of the corresponding photosensitive pixel 142 by issuing a sensing end signal to the SPAD to end the sensing of the SPAD. Alternatively, the SPAD ends the sensing period by performing a reset after receiving the sensing end signal. It will be appreciated that the same SPAD may quench the reset multiple times within one sensing period to increase the chance of sensing the returned light signal, however, no matter how many times the SPAD quenches the reset within one sensing period, the reset is required before the end of the sensing period to be in a state where photons can be sensed at the beginning of the next sensing period. Therefore, for the detection area 20 closer to the detection extreme value, the sensing period of the photosensitive pixels 142 performing the corresponding detection is relatively shortened, the detection frame rate of the detection area 20 can be increased, and the work energy consumption of the relevant photosensitive pixels 142 can be reduced.

Alternatively, in some embodiments, the timing end signal and the sensing end signal may be clock control signals respectively sent out by the sensing parameter setting unit 186.

It should be understood that, for the TDCs 1521 with the same time recording accuracy, the longer the sensing period of one sensing pulse light beam by the photosensitive pixel 142 is, the greater the number of time bins for the TDCs 1521 to time record the photosensitive signal generated by the photosensitive pixel 142 in the sensing period is, the number of photons sensed and counted in the sensing process is correspondingly increased, and thus, the more counting storage space needs to be correspondingly allocated to the counting storage 1522. Therefore, for the detection area 20 closer to the detection extremum, the photosensitive pixels 142 performing the distance detection may be correspondingly arranged to have a shorter sensing period and to configure a smaller count storage space; for the detection area 20 farther from the detection extreme, the photosensitive pixels 142 performing the distance detection may be correspondingly configured to have a longer sensing period and more counting storage space. That is, the sensing period length of the photosensitive pixels 142 for performing the distance detection is positively correlated to the distance detection limit value to be satisfied by the detection area 20 to be detected, and the count memory 1522 corresponding to the photosensitive pixels 142 is configured with the size of the count storage space corresponding to the photosensitive pixels 142, which is positively correlated to the distance detection limit value to be satisfied by the detection area 20 corresponding to the photosensitive pixels 142. Therefore, setting the sensing parameters of the photosensitive pixels 142 performing the corresponding distance detection according to the distance detection extrema that the detection areas 20 located at different positions need to satisfy can effectively reduce the overall power consumption of the receiving module 14, and can reduce the storage space of the count memory 1522 that needs to be configured, thereby saving the device cost of the receiving module 14.

Alternatively, in some embodiments, the sensing parameter setting unit 186 may set or adjust according to a predetermined correspondence between the distance detection extremum of the detection region 20 and the sensing period length, for example: a sensing setting comparison table may be established, which is used to record the corresponding relationship between the position information of each detection region 20 within the detection range, the distance detection extremum that each detection region 20 needs to satisfy, the number of photosensitive pixels performing distance detection, and the sensing parameter value associated with the distance detection extremum. The sensing parameter setting unit 186 may set or adjust the sensing parameters of the light-sensing pixels 142 according to the sensing setting look-up table. The sensing setting look-up table may be stored in the photo detection means 10 or in a storage medium of the electronic device 1. Optionally, the sensing setting comparison table may be preset before the product leaves the factory, or may be adjusted by a user according to an actual scene during the use process.

As shown in fig. 6, in some embodiments, the photosensor 140 includes a first photosensitive pixel 1421 and a second photosensitive pixel 1422. The first photosensitive pixel 1421 is configured to correspond to the first detection region 201 in the sensing detection range. The second photosensitive pixel 1422 is configured to correspond to the second detection region 202 in the sensing detection range. The first detection area 201 and the second detection area 202 are respectively located at different positions within the detection range. The photoelectric detection device 10 needs to satisfy a first far distance detection extremum for the first detection region 201, and needs to satisfy a second near distance detection extremum for the second detection region 202. The first photosensitive pixels 1421 have a periodic first sensing period for the first detection region 201, and the second photosensitive pixels 1422 have a periodic second sensing period for the second detection region 202. Accordingly, a length of a first sensing period in which the first photosensitive pixel 1421 performs distance detection is longer than a length of a second sensing period in which the second photosensitive pixel 1422 performs distance detection, and a first count storage space of the first photosensitive pixel 1421 is larger than a second count storage space of the second photosensitive pixel 1422.

Optionally, in some embodiments, the photosensor 140 includes a plurality of photosensitive pixels 142, and each photosensitive pixel 142 is configured to correspondingly sense an optical signal returning from one of the detection regions 20 in the detection range. For example, the number of the photosensitive pixels 142 is the same as the number of the detection areas 20 in the detection range, the receiving optics 144 is configured to correspondingly propagate the optical signal returned from each detection area 20 in the detection range to one photosensitive pixel 142 for sensing, and each of the plurality of photosensitive pixels 142 has a one-to-one correspondence relationship with one detection area 20 in a preset position in the detection range. Alternatively, each light-emitting unit 122 of the emitting module 12 also illuminates one detection area 20 located at a predetermined position within the detection range in a one-to-one correspondence, in which case the optical design of the photodetecting apparatus 10 may be such that a plurality of light-emitting units 122 of the emitting module 12 and a plurality of photosensitive pixels 142 of the receiving module 14 respectively establish a predetermined one-to-one correspondence relationship with a plurality of detection areas 20 located at different positions within the detection range. As shown in fig. 6, the light source 120 of the emitting module 12 includes 16 light emitting units 122 arranged in a 4 × 4 array, which are respectively labeled as nos. 1 to 16. The 16 light emitting units 122 emit sensing light beams along 16 different preset emission directions respectively through the

emission optics

124, and 16 detection areas 20 located at different positions in the corresponding irradiation detection range are respectively marked as numbers I to XVI. The photo sensor 140 of the receiving module 14 includes, for example, 16 photosensitive pixels 142 arranged in a 4 × 4 array, which are respectively labeled as nos. 1 to 16. The plurality of sensing beams reflected back from the 16 detection areas 20 propagate through the receiving optics 144 to the 16 photosensitive pixels 142 for sensing in a one-to-one correspondence. For example, the sensing light beam emitted from the No. 1 light-emitting unit 122 along the preset emission direction through the emission optics 124 correspondingly illuminates the No. I detection area 20 within the detection range, and the sensing light beam reflected from the No. I detection area 20 propagates to the No. 1 light-sensitive pixel 142 through the receiving optics 144 for sensing. The one-to-one correspondence between the other light-emitting units 122 and the photosensitive pixels 142 and the other detection areas 20 may be the same according to the same reference numerals, and will not be described herein again. Thus, if the distance detection limits that the photodetecting device 10 needs to satisfy for the detection regions 20 at different positions are different, the sensing parameters of the photosensitive pixels 142 performing the corresponding detection may be set according to the distance detection limits that the respective detection regions 20 need to satisfy, such as: sensing period length and count storage space, etc. For a detection area 20 that needs to satisfy a longer distance detection extremum, the photosensitive pixels 142 performing the corresponding detection can be configured with a relatively longer sensing period length and a larger counting storage space. For the detection area 20 that needs to satisfy the closer distance detection extremum, the photosensitive pixels 142 performing the corresponding detection can set the sensing period length relatively short and configure the smaller counting storage space.

Optionally, in some embodiments, the photosensor 140 includes at least one photosensitive pixel 142, and the photosensitive pixel 142 is configured to sense optical signals returning from two or more detection regions 20 within the detection range. That is, the number of the photosensitive pixels 142 may be less than the number of the detection areas 20 in the detection range, the receiving optics 144 may be configured to correspondingly propagate the optical signals returning from two or more detection areas 20 in the detection range to the same photosensitive pixel 142 for sensing, and one photosensitive pixel 142 may be configured to correspondingly detect the distance information of two or more detection areas 20 in the detection range.

As shown in fig. 8 to 11, the light source 120 of the emission module 12 includes, for example, 4 light emitting units 122 arranged in a 2 × 2 array, which are respectively labeled as nos. 1 to 4. The light beam emitted by each light emitting unit 122 is redirected by the scanner to form sensing light beams respectively scanned along 4 different preset emission directions, the light beams emitted by the 4 light emitting units 122 are redirected by the scanner to form sensing light beams scanned along 16 different preset emission directions in total, and the 16 detection areas 20 corresponding to the irradiation detection range are respectively marked as numbers I to XVI. The photo sensor 140 of the receiving module 14 includes, for example, 4 photosensitive pixels 142 arranged in a 2 × 2 array, which are respectively labeled as nos. 1-4. The sensing light beams reflected from the adjacent 4 detection regions 20 respectively in different directions propagate through the receiving optics 144 to a corresponding one of the photosensitive pixels 142 for sensing, and the sensing light beams reflected from the 16 detection regions 20 can propagate through the receiving optics 144 to the 4 photosensitive pixels 142 for sensing.

It is to be understood that in this case, the photosensitive pixels 142 that detect two or more detection areas 20 respectively perform distance detection for the respective corresponding detection areas 20 at different periods. Accordingly, the light source 120 of the emitting module 12 also emits the sensing light beam to the corresponding detecting area 20 at the different time periods. For example, the light beams emitted by the No. 1 light-emitting unit 122 are changed in direction by the scanner to form 4 sensing light beams along different emission directions, so as to correspond to the No. I-IV detection areas 20 in the irradiation detection range in different time periods T1-T4, respectively, and the sensing light beams reflected from the No. I-IV detection areas 20 are transmitted to the No. 1 light-sensitive pixels 142 through the receiving optics 144 for sensing. For the case that one photosensitive pixel 142 is configured to correspondingly detect two or more detection areas 20 with different distance detection extrema, the sensing parameter setting unit 186 may further set the size of the count storage space allocated by the count memory 1522 corresponding to the photosensitive pixel 142 according to the farthest distance detection extremum to be satisfied in the detection area 20 to be sensed by the photosensitive pixel 142. For example, the photosensitive pixel 142 is configured to correspond to a first detection region 201 farther from the detection extremum and a second detection region 202 closer to the detection extremum in different periods, respectively, and the sensing parameter setting unit 186 sets the count storage space allocated to the photosensitive pixel 142 by the count memory 1522 according to the farther distance detection extremum that the first detection region 201 needs to satisfy.

Therefore, the emission parameters of the relevant light-emitting units 122 performing the distance detection and the sensing parameters of the photosensitive pixels 142 are correspondingly set according to the distance detection extreme values that need to be met by the detection areas 20 located at different positions, so that the overall power consumption of the photoelectric detection apparatus 10 can be effectively reduced, the storage space of the counting memory 1522 that needs to be configured can be reduced, and the device cost of the photoelectric detection apparatus 10 can be saved.

Alternatively, in some embodiments, all or a portion of the functional units in the setup module 18 and/or the processing module 15 may be firmware solidified in the storage medium 30 or computer software codes stored in the storage medium 30 and executed by the corresponding one or more processors 40 to control the relevant components to implement the corresponding functions. The Processor 40 is, for example, but not limited to, an Application Processor (AP), a Central Processing Unit (CPU), a Micro Controller Unit (MCU), and the like. The storage medium 30 includes, but is not limited to, a Flash Memory (Flash Memory), a charged Erasable Programmable read only Memory (EEPROM), a Programmable Read Only Memory (PROM), a hard disk, and the like.

Optionally, in some embodiments, the processor 40 and/or the storage medium 30 may be disposed in the photodetecting device 10, such as: integrated on the same circuit board as the transmission module 12 or the reception module 14. Optionally, in some other embodiments, the processor 40 and/or the storage medium 30 may also be disposed at other positions of the electronic device 1, such as: on the main circuit board of the electronic device 1.

Optionally, in some embodiments, a part or all of the functional units of the setting module 18 and/or the processing module 15 may also be implemented by hardware, for example, by any one of the following technologies or a combination thereof: a discrete logic circuit having a logic gate circuit for implementing a logic function on a data signal, an application specific integrated circuit having an appropriate combinational logic gate circuit, a Programmable Gate Array (PGA), a Field Programmable Gate Array (FPGA), or the like. It will be appreciated that the hardware described above for implementing the functions of the setting module 18 and/or the processing module 15 may be provided within the photo detection apparatus 10. The above-mentioned hardware for implementing the functions of the setting module 18 and/or the processing module 15 may also be disposed in other locations of the electronic device 1, such as: is provided on the main circuit board of the electronic device 1.

It will be appreciated that in some embodiments, the photodetection device 10 is, for example, a lidar and the electronic apparatus 1 is, for example, an automobile. The laser radar can be installed at a plurality of different positions on the automobile to detect the distance information of objects in the peripheral range of the automobile and accordingly realize driving control.

Optionally, the automobile 1 may include a first laser radar 101, where the first laser radar 101 is disposed at a front end of the automobile, for example: the area between two front headlights. The first laser radar 101 is configured to perform distance detection on an area directly in front of a vehicle forward direction. The distance detection extreme values of the first laser radar 101 along each direction in the detection range are different.

Fig. 14 shows a lateral schematic diagram of the distribution of the distance detection extrema with the direction within the detection range of the first lidar 101 on the vehicle 1. Referring to fig. 6-11 and fig. 14, the detection range of the first laser radar 101 may be an elevation angle range from the horizontal direction to the upper side and a depression angle range from the horizontal direction to the lower side, wherein the elevation angle range is mainly used for detecting obstacles in the space above the forward direction of the vehicle 1, and the depression angle range is mainly used for detecting obstacles on the road surface in the forward direction of the vehicle 1. Optionally, the maximum elevation angle ω of the upper boundary of the elevation range may be smaller than the maximum depression angle β of the lower boundary of the depression range. In order to ensure safety when the automobile 1 is traveling at a high speed, the detection range 20 of the first laser radar 101 has the largest first distance detection limit L1 in the horizontal detection range, and the distance detection limits required for the detection ranges from the horizontal upward direction to the horizontal detection range and from the horizontal downward direction to the horizontal detection range are gradually decreased. Alternatively, the second distance detection limit value L2 along the maximum elevation angle ω may be larger than the third distance detection limit value L3 along the maximum depression angle β. Correspondingly, the sensing light beam emitted by the emitting module 12 of the first lidar 101 along the front horizontal direction may have the maximum emitting power, and the emitting time period for emitting one sensing pulse light beam may also be longest, and the emitting power of the sensing light beam gradually decreases as the sensing light beam deviates from the horizontal direction upward and downward, and the emitting time period for emitting one sensing pulse light beam also gradually decreases. The photosensitive pixels 142 of the first lidar 101 for which the receiving module 14 performs distance detection on the detection area 20 in the horizontal direction may have the longest sensing period and may be configured with the largest count storage space accordingly. The sensing time period of the photosensitive pixels 142 performing distance detection for the detection area 20 in the elevation angle range upward and the depression angle range downward from the horizontal direction is shortened as the distance detection limit value becomes smaller, and the correspondingly configured count storage space is also reduced as the distance detection limit value becomes smaller.

Optionally, the vehicle 1 may comprise a second lidar 102, the second lidar 102 being arranged at a side of the vehicle, for example: the lower edge of the outer rearview mirror, the door or the door handle and the like. The second lidar 102 is configured for distance detection of a side region of the car, which may also be referred to as a blind-fill lidar.

Fig. 15 shows a schematic lateral view of the distribution of the distance detection extrema with the direction within the detection range of the second lidar 102 on the vehicle 1. Referring to fig. 6-11 and fig. 15 together, optionally, the entire detection range of the second laser radar 102 is located below the horizontal direction, and is mainly used for detecting the ground condition at the side of the automobile 1. With reference to the horizontal direction, the detection range of the second laser radar 102 includes an upper boundary that is offset downward from the horizontal direction by a first depression angle θ, and a lower boundary that is offset downward from the horizontal direction by a second depression angle δ that is greater than the first depression angle θ. The second laser radar 102 has a maximum fourth distance detection extreme value L4 along the detection region 20 in the direction of the upper boundary of the detection range, and when the distance detection extreme value required by the detection region 20 deviates downward from the direction of the upper boundary of the detection range, the fourth distance detection extreme value L4 is kept unchanged, and when the distance detection extreme value deviates to the direction intersecting the ground, the distance detection extreme value starts to gradually decrease until finally having a minimum fifth distance detection extreme value L5 along the direction of the lower boundary of the detection range. Correspondingly, the sensing light beam emitted by the emission module 12 of the second lidar 102 along the upper boundary of the detection range may have the largest emission power, the emission time period for emitting one sensing pulse light beam may be correspondingly the longest, the sensing light beam emitted along the lower boundary of the detection range may have the smallest emission power, and the emission time period for emitting one sensing pulse light beam may be correspondingly the shortest. The emitting power of the sensing light beam along other directions in the detection range changes to positive correlation change along with the direction of the distance detection extreme value, and the emitting time period of emitting one sensing pulse light beam also changes to positive correlation change along with the direction of the distance detection extreme value. The photosensitive pixels 142 of the second lidar 102 performing distance detection on the detection area 20 along the upper boundary direction of the detection range may have the longest sensing period and may be configured with the largest counting storage space, and the photosensitive pixels 142 performing distance detection on the detection area 20 along the lower boundary direction of the detection range may have the shortest sensing period and may be configured with the smallest counting storage space. The sensing time period of the distance detection performed by the receiving module 14 of the second lidar 102 for the detection area 20 along other directions in the detection range changes in positive correlation with the direction change of the distance detection extremum, and the correspondingly configured counting storage space also changes in positive correlation with the direction change of the distance detection extremum.

Therefore, the lidar 10 of the automobile 1 may adjust the operating parameters of the relevant light-emitting unit 122 and the photosensitive pixel 142 performing the distance detection according to the distance detection extrema in different directions within the detection range, so as to effectively reduce the overall power consumption of the lidar 10, reduce the storage space of the counting memory 1522 to be configured, and reduce the device cost of the lidar 10.

It should be noted that the technical solutions to be protected in the present application may satisfy only one of the above embodiments or satisfy a plurality of the above embodiments at the same time, that is, an embodiment formed by combining one or more of the above embodiments also belongs to the protection scope of the present application.

In the description of the present specification, reference to the description of "one embodiment," "certain embodiments," "illustrative embodiments," "examples," "specific examples," or "some examples" or the like means that a particular feature, structure, material, or characteristic described in connection with the embodiment or example is included in at least one embodiment or example of the present application. In this specification, the schematic representations of the terms used above do not necessarily refer to the same embodiment or example. Furthermore, the particular features, structures, materials, or characteristics described may be combined in any suitable manner in any one or more embodiments or examples.

It should be understood that portions of embodiments of the present application may be implemented in hardware, software, firmware, or a combination thereof. In the above embodiments, a plurality of functional units may be implemented by software or firmware stored in a storage medium and executed by a suitable instruction execution system. For example, if implemented in hardware, as in another embodiment, any one or combination of the following technologies, which are well known in the art, may be used: a discrete logic circuit having a logic gate circuit for implementing a logic function on a data signal, an application specific integrated circuit having an appropriate combinational logic gate circuit, a Programmable Gate Array (PGA), a Field Programmable Gate Array (FPGA), or the like.

The above description is only exemplary of the present application and should not be taken as limiting the present application, as any modification, equivalent replacement, or improvement made within the spirit and principle of the present application should be included in the protection scope of the present application.

Claims

1. A receiving module is configured to correspondingly sense optical signals transmitted from different detection areas in a detection range and output corresponding light-induced signals, distance detection of an object in the detection range can be achieved by analyzing the light-induced signals, and sensing parameters of the corresponding detection areas are set according to distance detection extreme values which need to be met by the different detection areas.

2. The receive module of claim 1, further comprising:

a photosensor including at least one light sensing pixel configured to correspondingly sense a light signal returned from a detection area located at a preset position within a detection range and output a corresponding light sensing signal;

the photosensitive pixels have periodic sensing time intervals for the detection areas to be sensed, the sensing parameters comprise sensing time interval lengths, and the sensing time interval lengths are set according to distance detection extreme values required to be met by the detection areas correspondingly detected by the photosensitive pixels.

3. The receiving module as claimed in claim 2, wherein the sensing period length of the photosensitive pixel is positively correlated to the distance detection limit value to be satisfied by the detection area to be detected.

4. The receive module of claim 2, further comprising a count unit, the count unit comprising a time-to-digital converter and a count memory, the time-to-digital converter being configured to record a time when the photosensitive pixel generates the photosensitive signal and accumulate a count in a count storage space correspondingly configured to the count memory, the time-to-digital converter being configured to stop the timing of the time-to-digital converter by sending a timing end signal to the time-to-digital converter to set the sensing period length of the corresponding photosensitive pixel.

5. The receiver module of claim 2, wherein the photosensitive pixels include one or more photoelectric conversion elements for sensing the optical signals propagating back and converting the optical signals into corresponding optical sensing signals for outputting, the photoelectric conversion elements are single photon avalanche diodes, and the sensing period length corresponding to the photosensitive pixels is set by sending a sensing end signal to the single photon avalanche diodes to end the sensing of the single photon avalanche diodes.

6. The receive module of claim 1, further comprising:

the photoelectric sensor comprises at least one photosensitive pixel and is configured to correspondingly sense an optical signal returned from a detection area located at a preset position in a detection range and output a corresponding optical sensing signal; and

a counting unit including a time-to-digital converter and a count memory, the time-to-digital converter being configured to record a timing at which the photosensitive pixel generates the light sensing signal and accumulate a count in a count storage space correspondingly configured to the count memory;

the sensing parameters comprise counting storage spaces correspondingly configured to the photosensitive pixels, and the size of the counting storage space correspondingly configured to the photosensitive pixels of the counting storage is set according to a distance detection extreme value required to be met by a detection area correspondingly detected by the photosensitive pixels.

7. The receive module of claim 6, wherein the count memory has a count storage space corresponding to a photosensitive pixel and is positively correlated to a distance detection limit that a detection area corresponding to the photosensitive pixel should satisfy.

8. A photodetecting device, comprising the receiving module according to any one of claims 1-7, wherein the photodetecting device further comprises an emitting module configured to emit a sensing light beam for distance detection to a detection range, and a processing module configured to analyze and process the light sensing signal for distance detection within the detection range.

9. An electronic device comprising the photodetecting apparatus according to claim 8, wherein the electronic device further comprises an application module configured to implement a corresponding function according to a detection result of the photodetecting apparatus.

10. The electronic device of claim 9, wherein the photoelectric detection device is a laser radar, the electronic device is an automobile, and the laser radar is installed at a plurality of different positions on the automobile to detect distance information of objects in the periphery of the automobile and accordingly realize driving control.