Radiant energy – Photocells; circuits and apparatus – Photocell controlled circuit
Reexamination Certificate
2005-06-14
2005-06-14
Luu, Thanh X. (Department: 2878)
Radiant energy
Photocells; circuits and apparatus
Photocell controlled circuit
C250S2140AG
Reexamination Certificate
active
06906302
ABSTRACT:
A distance measuring device and photosensor circuit are disclosed herein. By pulsing a light source such as an LED to illuminate an object and measuring the phase difference between the light reflected from the object and the original phase of the light source, the distance to an object may be determined. In order to measure the phase difference, a CMOS photosensor or photosensor array may be used to receive the reflected light and store charge generated during different portions of time in different storage nodes or pixel cells. The difference between the amount of charge stored in different storage nodes can be used to determine the phase difference between the original light illuminating the object and the light reflected from the object. This phase difference can in turn be used to determine the distance to the object.
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Luu Thanh X.
Sohn Seung C.
Toler Larson & Abel, LLP
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