Abstract: Described is a circuit for background light suppression (SBI, 500) for a light propagation time sensor (22) which operates according to a phase measuring principle and the light propagation time pixels of which have integration nodes or diodes (Ga, Gb, diode_a, diode_b) for the accumulation of charges, having an input stage (50), an operational amplifier (OP) and an SBI current source (SQ), wherein the input phase (50) has bypass and common mode circuits (SBP, SVcm) via which signals of the integration nodes (Ga, Gb, diode_a, diode_b) are guided to the operational amplifier (OP) and via which the operational amplifier (OP) can be switched to a maximum detection or common mode operation, wherein the operational amplifier (OP) is designed such that based on the signals of the integration nodes (Ga, Gb, diode_a, diode_b) switched by the input stage (50) to the operational amplifier (OP), a gate voltage (gate_cs) is generated for the SBI current source (SQ), wherein the SBI current source (SQ) has a first current

Abstract: The disclosure relates to a light propagation time pixel, comprising modulation gates and integration nodes which are arranged on the upper face of a photosensitive semiconductor region. The photosensitive semiconductor region is designed as an N-epitaxy and is delimited laterally and/or at the corners by p-doped vertical p-structures. A buried layer with a p-doping adjoins the lower face of the photosensitive semiconductor region, and the vertical p-structures are in electric contact with the buried layer.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for the dynamic extension of raw phase images of a time-of-flight camera or time-of-flight camera system, in which method at least two depth images are taken using different exposure times.

Abstract: The invention relates to a PMD light transit time sensor (22) for an optical distance measurement system, comprising an array of PMD light transit time pixels (21), said light transit time pixels having diode nodes (Ga, Gb) for an A channel and a B channel (A, B) and being connectable to a corresponding column line (cola, colb) via a first switch (S1) and to a reset potential (vreset) via a second switch (S2). The PMD light transit time sensor comprises multiple shift registers, which are constructed and connected to the pixels such that the two switches (S1, S2) can be switched in an alternating manner on the basis of register entries of the individual registers (FF), wherein multiple columns or rows are at least partly assigned to a shift register; and a switch matrix (80), which is designed such that the column lines (cola, colb) can be connected to one of a plurality of amplifiers (100) and multiple column lines (cola, colb) can be connected to a common amplifier (100).

Abstract: The invention relates to a light transit time pixel comprising —at least one modulation gate (GA, GB) which has a photoactive region (FAB) and a storage region (MA, MB), said storage region (MA, MB) having a locally increased n-type doping below the modulation gate (GA, GB) and delimiting the photoactive region (FAB) of the modulation gate (GA, GB), —at least one transfer gate (TXA, TXB) which adjoins the storage region (MA, MB) of the modulation gate (GA, GB), —at least one reading diode (DA, DB) which follows the transfer gate (TXA, TXB), —at least one drain gate (DG) which adjoins one side of the light-sensitive region (FAB) of the modulation gate (GA, GB), and —at least one drain diode (DD) which follows the drain gate (DG).

Abstract: Described is a circuit for background light suppression (SBI, 500) for a light propagation time sensor (22) which operates according to a phase measuring principle and the light propagation time pixels of which have integration nodes or diodes (Ga, Gb, diode_a, diode_b) for the accumulation of charges, having an input stage (50), an operational amplifier (OP) and an SBI current source (SQ), wherein the input phase (50) has bypass and common mode circuits (SBP, SVcm) via which signals of the integration nodes (Ga, Gb, diode_a, diode_b) am guided to the operational amplifier (OP) and via which the operational amplifier (OP) can be switched to a maximum detection or common mode operation, wherein the operational amplifier (OP) is designed such that based on the signals of the integration nodes (Ga, Gb, diode_a, diode_b) switched by the input stage (50) to the operational amplifier (OP), a gate voltage (gate_cs) is generated for the SBI current source (SQ), wherein the SBI current source (SQ) has a first current

Abstract: The disclosure relates to a time-of-flight camera comprising: a time-of-flight sensor having several time-of-flight pixels for determining a phase shift of emitted and captured light, distance values being determined in accordance with the detected phase shifts, characterised in that the time-of-flight camera has a memory in which parameters of a point spread function, which characterise the time-of-flight camera and the time-of-flight sensor, are stored; an evaluation unit which is designed to deploy a detected complex-valued image in Fourier space, in accordance with the stored point-spread function, and a complex-valued image corrected by diffused light is determined and the phase shifts or distance values are determined using the corrected complex-valued image.

Abstract: The disclosure relates to a pixel array for a camera, in particular for a light propagation time camera, having: a plurality of pixel elements arranged in a matrix arrangement, wherein each individual pixel element has a photoelectric region and at least one other region which is non-sensitive to light; and a plurality of routing paths which are arranged in a grid-like manner and which divide the pixel array into fields. A group of first fields and a group of second fields are created, in which each of the first fields is provided by a photoelectric region of one of the pixel elements and each of the second fields is provided by the other regions, wherein the first fields and the second fields are arranged in an alternating manner similar to a chessboard. The disclosure further relates to a corresponding camera, in particular a light propagation time camera for a light propagation time camera system, and to a corresponding light propagation time camera system.

Abstract: An optical sensor device configured to detect a time of flight of an electromagnetic signal includes a semiconductor substrate having a main surface and a conversion region configured to convert at least a fraction of the electromagnetic signal into photo-generated charge carriers; a first control electrode formed in a trench extending from the main surface into the semiconductor substrate; a second control electrode disposed directly or indirectly on the main surface; a control circuit configured to apply a varying first potential to the first control electrode and to apply a varying second potential to the second control electrode, where the varying second potential has a fixed phase relationship to the first varying potential, to generate electric potential distributions in the conversion region to direct the photo-generated charge carriers; and a readout node arranged in the semiconductor substrate and configured to detect the directed photo-generated charge carriers.

Abstract: An optical sensor device configured to detect a time of flight of an electromagnetic signal includes a semiconductor substrate with a conversion region configured to convert at least a portion of the electromagnetic signal into photo-generated charge carriers. A deep control electrode is formed in a trench extending into the semiconductor substrate. The deep control electrode extends deeper into the semiconductor substrate than a shallow control electrode. A control circuit is configured to apply to the deep control electrode and to the shallow control electrode varying potentials having a fixed phase relationship to each other, to generate electric potential distributions in the conversion region, by which the photo-generated charge carriers in the conversion region are directed. The directed photo-generated charge carriers are detected at at least one readout node.

Abstract: An optical sensor device includes a semiconductor substrate including a conversion region to convert an electromagnetic signal into photo-generated charge carriers, a read-out node configured to read-out a first portion of the photo-generated charge carriers, a control electrode, which is formed in a trench extending into the semiconductor substrate, and a doping region in the semiconductor substrate, where the doping region is adjacent to the trench, where the doping region has a doping type different from the read out node, and where the doping region has a doping concentration so that the doping region remains depleted during operation.

Abstract: The disclosure relates to a method for calibrating and/or evaluating a light propagation time camera by means of a reference surface, wherein the light propagation time camera has a light propagation time sensor consisting of an array of light propagation time pixels, in which method various spacings between the light propagation time camera and the reference surface are set in order to calibrate and/or evaluate the light propagation time camera by means of translational spacing changes. The method has the following steps: determining first distance data for a first spacing, determining second distance data for a second spacing, calculating distance differences from the first and second distance data, determining an orientation of the light propagation time camera with respect to the reference surface on the basis of the calculated distance differences.

Abstract: A monitoring system includes at least one three-dimensional (3D) time-of-flight (TOF) camera configured to monitor a safety-critical area. An evaluation unit is configured to activate a safety function upon an entrance of at least one of an object and a person into the monitored area and to suppress the activation of the safety function where at least one clearance element is recognized as being present on the at least one of the object and the person.

Abstract: The present invention concerns a lighting device comprising a source for generating electromagnetic radiation, and a beam shaper which is so arranged and adapted that in operation of the lighting device it spatially expands the electromagnetic radiation issuing from the source. In comparison therewith the object of the present invention is to provide such a lighting device which ensures eye safety even when the beam shaper is detached or damaged. For that purpose it is proposed according to the invention that the lighting device has a sensor which is so adapted that in operation of the lighting device it detects a state of the beam shaper, wherein the sensor and the source are so operatively connected together and adapted that if during operation of the lighting device the state of the beam shaper changes in such a way that electromagnetic radiation could issue from the lighting device without the beam shaper being in the beam path of the electromagnetic radiation the source is switched off.

Abstract: The disclosure relates to a method for calibrating and/or evaluating a light propagation time camera by means of a reference surface, wherein the light propagation time camera has a light propagation time sensor consisting of an array of light propagation time pixels, in which method various spacings between the light propagation time camera and the reference surface are set in order to calibrate and/or evaluate the light propagation time camera by means of translational spacing changes. The method has the following steps: determining first distance data for a first spacing, determining second distance data for a second spacing, calculating distance differences from the first and second distance data, determining an orientation of the light propagation time camera with respect to the reference surface on the basis of the calculated distance differences.

Abstract: An optical sensor device includes a semiconductor substrate comprising a conversion region to convert an electromagnetic signal into photo-generated charge carriers, a read-out node configured to read-out a first portion of the photo-generated charge carriers, a control electrode, which is formed in a trench extending into the semiconductor substrate, and a doping region in the semiconductor substrate, wherein the doping region is adjacent to the trench, and wherein the doping region has a doping type different from the read out node, wherein the doping region has a doping concentration so that the doping region remains depleted during operation.

Abstract: An optical sensor device configured to detect a time of flight of an electromagnetic signal includes a semiconductor substrate with a conversion region configured to convert at least a portion of the electromagnetic signal into photo-generated charge carriers. A deep control electrode is formed in a trench extending into the semiconductor substrate. The deep control electrode extends deeper into the semiconductor substrate than a shallow control electrode. A control circuit is configured to apply to the deep control electrode and to the shallow control electrode varying potentials having a fixed phase relationship to each other, to generate electric potential distributions in the conversion region, by which the photo-generated charge carriers in the conversion region are directed. The directed photo-generated charge carriers are detected at at least one readout node.

Abstract: Devices and methods are provided related to modulated power supplies. The device includes an inductor. When a load is to be supplied with power, a terminal of the inductor is coupled to the load. When the load is not to be supplied with power, terminals of the inductor may be coupled with each other.

Abstract: A light speed camera system, with a camera module, which has a light speed photo sensor, preferably based on mixed photo detection, having at least one reception pixel, and with an illumination module which has an illumination light source, wherein the illumination module and the camera module each have a transmission circuit which is formed in such a way that a first signal as a differential signal and a second signal as a modulated basic voltage can be transmitted between the camera module and illumination module via a differential signal line is provided.

Abstract: A light transit time camera system and method for operating such a system which can be operated with at least three modulation frequencies, having the steps a) determining a phase shift (?i) of an emitted signal (Sp1) and a received signal (Sp2) for a modulation frequency (f1, f2, f3) in a phase-measuring cycle (PM1, PM2, . . . ), b) carrying out a plurality of phase-measuring cycles (PM1, PM2, . . . ), c) determining a distance value (dn,n+1) on the basis of the phase shifts (?n, ?n+1) determined in two successive phase-measuring cycles (PMn, PMn+1), in a distance-measuring cycle (M1, M2, . . . ), d) carrying out a plurality of distance-measuring cycles (M1, M2, . . . ), e) determining a distance deviation (?d) between the distance values of successive distance-measuring cycles, f) outputting of a distance value (dn,n+1) as a valid distance value if the distance deviation (?d) is within a tolerance limit (?dtol) is provided.