Abstract: A light detection and ranging (LIDAR) sensor includes a first reflective surface configured to oscillate about a first rotation axis to deflect a light beam into an environment; and a second reflective surface configured to oscillate about a second rotation axis to guide light received from the environment onto a photodetector of the LIDAR sensor. The first rotation axis and the second rotation axis extend parallel to one another. The LIDAR sensor also includes a control circuit configured to drive the first reflective surface to oscillate with a first maximum deflection angle about the first rotation axis, and to drive the second reflective surface to oscillate with a second maximum deflection angle about the second rotation axis, the first maximum deflection angle being greater than the second maximum deflection angle, and an area of the first reflective surface is less than an area of the second reflective surface.

Abstract: A scanning system includes a microelectromechanical system (MEMS) scanning structure configured with a desired rotational mode of movement based on a driving signal; a plurality of comb-drives configured to drive the MEMS scanning structure according to the desired rotational mode of movement based on the driving signal, each comb-drive including a rotor comb electrode and a stator comb electrode that form a capacitive element that has a capacitance that depends on the deflection angle of the MEMS scanning structure; a driver configured to generate the at least one driving signal; a sensing circuit selectively coupled to at least a subset of the plurality of comb-drives for receiving sensing signals therefrom, wherein each sensing signal is representative of the capacitance of a corresponding comb-drive; and a processing circuit configured to determine a scanning direction of the MEMS scanning structure in the desired rotational mode of movement based on the sensing signals.

Abstract: An oscillator system includes an electrostatic oscillator structure configured to oscillate about an axis based on a deflection that varies over time; an actuator configured to drive the electrostatic oscillator structure about the axis, the actuator including a first capacitive element having a first capacitance dependent on the deflection and a second capacitive element having a second capacitance dependent on the deflection; a sensing circuit configured to receive a first displacement current from the first capacitive element and a second displacement current from the second capacitive element, to integrate the first displacement current to generate a first capacitive charge value, and to integrate the second displacement current to generate a second capacitive charge value; and a measurement circuit configured to receive the first and the second capacitive charge values and to measure the deflection of the electrostatic oscillator structure based on the first and the second capacitive charge values.

Abstract: A system includes a power driver, configured to generate an electric excitation; an oscillating system, configured to perform an oscillation induced by the electric excitation; a feedback detector, configured to detect a feedback measurement signal with to the oscillation; and a controller configured to operate: in a closed loop mode, to control the power driver to generate the electric excitation as a discontinuous electric excitation according to timing information obtained from the detected feedback measurement signal, to synchronize the discontinuous electric excitation with the detected feedback measurement signal; in a learning mode preceding the closed loop mode, to control the power driver to generate the electric excitation as a continuous electric excitation, to obtain timing information from the feedback measurement signal to be used, at least once, in the subsequent closed loop mode, to synchronize the discontinuous electric excitation with the detected feedback measurement signal.

Abstract: There are disclosed techniques for laser scanning control. A system includes control equipment to perform a coordinated scanning control by controlling: a mirror driver, to drive a mirror along desired mirror positions through a motion mirror control signal; and a laser driver, to generate laser light pulses to be impinged onto the mirror at the desired mirror positions through a pulse trigger control signal. The control equipment includes a motion estimator to provide estimated motion information based on feedback motion measurement(s), to generate the pulse trigger control signal by adapting a desired scheduling, for triggering the laser light pulses, to the estimated motion information.

Abstract: An oscillator system includes an electrostatic oscillator structure configured to oscillate about an axis based on a deflection that varies over time; an actuator configured to drive the electrostatic oscillator structure about the axis, the actuator including a first capacitive element having a first capacitance dependent on the deflection and a second capacitive element having a second capacitance dependent on the deflection; a sensing circuit configured to receive a first displacement current from the first capacitive element and a second displacement current from the second capacitive element, to integrate the first displacement current to generate a first capacitive charge value, and to integrate the second displacement current to generate a second capacitive charge value; and a measurement circuit configured to receive the first and the second capacitive charge values and to measure the deflection of the electrostatic oscillator structure based on the first and the second capacitive charge values.

Abstract: An oscillator system includes an electrostatic oscillator structure configured to oscillate about an axis based on a deflection that varies over time; an actuator configured to drive the electrostatic oscillator structure about the axis, the actuator including a first capacitive element having a first capacitance dependent on the deflection and a second capacitive element having a second capacitance dependent on the deflection; a sensing circuit configured to receive a first displacement current from the first capacitive element and a second displacement current from the second capacitive element, to integrate the first displacement current to generate a first capacitive charge value, and to integrate the second displacement current to generate a second capacitive charge value; and a measurement circuit configured to receive the first and the second capacitive charge values and to measure the deflection of the electrostatic oscillator structure based on the first and the second capacitive charge values.

Abstract: A method of Lissajous scanning includes driving a first oscillator structure about a first rotation axis at a first resonance frequency according to a first driving signal, and driving a second oscillator structure about a second rotation axis at a second resonance frequency according to second driving signal different from the first resonance frequency. The first driving signal has a first low level, a first high level, and a first duty cycle, the combination of which produces the first resonance frequency, and the second driving signal has a second low level, a second high level, and a second duty cycle, the combination of which produces the second resonance frequency. At least one of the second low level, the second high level, and the second duty cycle is different from the first low level, the first high level, and the first duty cycle, respectively.

Abstract: A scanning system includes a microelectromechanical system (MEMS) scanning structure configured with a desired rotational mode of movement based on a driving signal; a plurality of comb-drives configured to drive the MEMS scanning structure according to the desired rotational mode of movement based on the driving signal, each comb-drive including a rotor comb electrode and a stator comb electrode that form a capacitive element that has a capacitance that depends on the deflection angle of the MEMS scanning structure; a driver configured to generate the at least one driving signal; a sensing circuit selectively coupled to at least a subset of the plurality of comb-drives for receiving sensing signals therefrom, wherein each sensing signal is representative of the capacitance of a corresponding comb-drive; and a processing circuit configured to determine a scanning direction of the MEMS scanning structure in the desired rotational mode of movement based on the sensing signals.

Abstract: An oscillator system includes a first oscillator structure configured to oscillate about a first rotation axis at a first oscillation frequency; a second oscillator structure configured to oscillate about a second rotation axis at a second oscillation frequency; a driver circuit configured to generate a first driving signal to drive an oscillation of the first oscillator structure with a first oscillation phase and the first oscillation frequency and generate a second driving signal to drive an oscillation of the second oscillator structure with a second oscillation phase and the second oscillation frequency. The first oscillation frequency and the second oscillation frequency have a variable frequency ratio with respect to each other that varies over time. The driver circuit is configured to modulate at least one of the first oscillation phase or the second oscillation phase to modulate the variable frequency ratio.

Abstract: An oscillator system includes a first oscillator structure configured to oscillate about a first rotation axis at a first oscillation frequency; a second oscillator structure configured to oscillate about a second rotation axis at a second oscillation frequency; a driver circuit configured to generate a first driving signal to drive an oscillation of the first oscillator structure with a first oscillation phase and the first oscillation frequency and generate a second driving signal to drive an oscillation of the second oscillator structure with a second oscillation phase and the second oscillation frequency. The first oscillation frequency and the second oscillation frequency have a variable frequency ratio with respect to each other that varies over time. The driver circuit is configured to modulate at least one of the first oscillation phase or the second oscillation phase to modulate the variable frequency ratio.

Abstract: An oscillator system includes an electrostatic oscillator structure configured to oscillate about an axis based on a deflection that varies over time; an actuator configured to drive the electrostatic oscillator structure about the axis, the actuator including a first capacitive element having a first capacitance dependent on the deflection and a second capacitive element having a second capacitance dependent on the deflection; a sensing circuit configured to receive a first displacement current from the first capacitive element and a second displacement current from the second capacitive element, to integrate the first displacement current to generate a first capacitive charge value, and to integrate the second displacement current to generate a second capacitive charge value; and a measurement circuit configured to receive the first and the second capacitive charge values and to measure the deflection of the electrostatic oscillator structure based on the first and the second capacitive charge values.

Abstract: A system includes a power driver, configured to generate an electric excitation; an oscillating system, configured to perform an oscillation induced by the electric excitation; a feedback detector, configured to detect a feedback measurement signal with to the oscillation; and a controller configured to operate: in a closed loop mode, to control the power driver to generate the electric excitation as a discontinuous electric excitation according to timing information obtained from the detected feedback measurement signal, to synchronize the discontinuous electric excitation with the detected feedback measurement signal; in a learning mode preceding the closed loop mode, to control the power driver to generate the electric excitation as a continuous electric excitation, to obtain timing information from the feedback measurement signal to be used, at least once, in the subsequent closed loop mode, to synchronize the discontinuous electric excitation with the detected feedback measurement signal.

Abstract: There are disclosed techniques for laser scanning control. A system includes control equipment to perform a coordinated scanning control by controlling: a mirror driver, to drive a mirror along desired mirror positions through a motion mirror control signal; and a laser driver, to generate laser light pulses to be impinged onto the mirror at the desired mirror positions through a pulse trigger control signal. The control equipment includes a motion estimator to provide estimated motion information based on feedback motion measurement(s), to generate the pulse trigger control signal by adapting a desired scheduling, for triggering the laser light pulses, to the estimated motion information.

Abstract: With regard to a particularly precise measurement of a wavefront using structurally simple means, a method for measuring a curved wavefront using a wavefront sensor is specified, wherein a plurality of measurements are carried out at different positions along the wavefront using at least one wavefront sensor in order to determine a local gradient of the wavefront at the different positions, which method is characterized in that the plurality of measurements are carried out in each case with a substantially tangential alignment of a light entrance plane of the wavefront sensor(s) with the curved wavefront. A corresponding apparatus for measuring a curved wavefront using a wavefront sensor is also specified.

Abstract: A light detection and ranging (LIDAR) sensor includes a first reflective surface configured to oscillate about a first rotation axis to deflect a light beam into an environment; and a second reflective surface configured to oscillate about a second rotation axis to guide light received from the environment onto a photodetector of the LIDAR sensor. The first rotation axis and the second rotation axis extend parallel to one another. The LIDAR sensor also includes a control circuit configured to drive the first reflective surface to oscillate with a first maximum deflection angle about the first rotation axis, and to drive the second reflective surface to oscillate with a second maximum deflection angle about the second rotation axis, the first maximum deflection angle being greater than the second maximum deflection angle, and an area of the first reflective surface is less than an area of the second reflective surface.

Abstract: A flash memory preprocessing system comprises at least one flash memory device, a memory controller controlling program and read operations of the at least one flash memory device, and a flash preprocessor receiving program data from an external source, generating preprocessed data by converting the received program data, and outputting the preprocessed data to the memory controller. The memory controller controls the at least one flash memory device to perform a program operation on the at least one flash memory device according to the preprocessed data.

Abstract: Disclosed is an access method of a non-volatile memory device which comprises detecting a threshold voltage variation of a first memory cell, the a threshold voltage variation of the first memory cell being capable of physically affecting a second memory cell; and assigning the second memory cell to a selected sub-distribution from among a plurality of sub-distributions according to a distance of the threshold voltage variation of the first memory cell, the plurality of sub-distributions corresponding to a target distribution of the second memory cell.

Abstract: Provided is a program method of a multi-bit memory device with memory cells arranged in rows and columns. The program method includes a programming each memory cell of the first group of memory cells to a state within a first group of states according to a verify voltage level of a first group of verify voltage levels within a first range of levels, and programming each memory cell of the second group of memory cells to a state within a second group of states according to a verify voltage level of a second group of verify voltage levels within a second range of levels. The lowest verify voltage level in the second range of levels is higher than the highest verify voltage level in the first range of levels.

Abstract: The storage device includes a storage unit configured to store data, an error controlling unit configured to correct an error of the data read out from the storage unit according to at least one read level, and a read level controlling unit configured to control the at least one read level when the error is uncorrectable. The read level controlling unit is configured to measure a distribution of memory cells of the storage unit, configured to filter the measured distribution, and configured to reset the at least one read level based on the filtered distribution.