IP Library Granted Patent US 12669590
Granted Patent B2
US 12669590 · App. 18/249,387 · Granted Jun 30, 2026

Photodetection device and photodetection system

Inventor: Yasuji Ikeda (Kanagawa, JP)
Assignee: SONY SEMICONDUCTOR SOLUTIONS CORPORATION
G01S7/4863G01S7/4816G01S7/487
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12669590
App. No.
18/249,387
Granted
Jun 30, 2026
Kind
B2
Abstract

A photodetection device according to the present disclosure includes a plurality of light-receiving sections that each generates a pulse signal including a pulse corresponding to a result of light reception, a plurality of edge detectors that each generates a detection signal by detecting an edge of the pulse in the pulse signal generated by a corresponding light-receiving section, and an adder that generates a detection value indicating number of the pulses on the basis of a plurality of the detection signals. The edge detectors each include a first latch circuit that generates a first signal by latching the pulse signal on the basis of a first clock signal, a second latch circuit that generates a second signal by latching the first signal on the basis of a second clock signal that is an inverted signal of the first clock signal, a combination circuit that generates a third signal on the basis of the pulse signal, the first signal, and the second signal, and a third latch circuit that generates the detection signal by latching the third signal on the basis of the first clock signal.

Claims (83)

1 . A photodetection device comprising:

a plurality of light-receiving sections that each includes a light-receiving element, and generates a pulse signal including a pulse corresponding to a result of light reception by the light-receiving element;

a plurality of edge detectors each of which is provided for a corresponding one of the plurality of light-receiving sections, and generates a detection signal by detecting an edge of the pulse in the pulse signal generated by the corresponding one of the plurality of light-receiving sections; and

an adder that generates a detection value indicating number of the pulses by performing addition processing on a basis of a plurality of the detection signals generated by the plurality of edge detectors, wherein

each of the plurality of edge detectors includes

a first latch circuit that generates a first signal by latching the pulse signal on a basis of a first clock signal,

a second latch circuit that generates a second signal by latching the first signal on a basis of a second clock signal that is an inverted signal of the first clock signal,

a combination circuit that generates a third signal on a basis of the pulse signal, the first signal, and the second signal, and

a third latch circuit that generates the detection signal by latching the third signal on a basis of the first clock signal.

2 . The photodetection device according to claim 1 , wherein

each of the plurality of edge detectors detects an edge of the pulse in a detection period based on the first clock signal and the second clock signal, and

a pulse width of the pulse is equal to or larger than a time width of the detection period.

3 . The photodetection device according to claim 2 , wherein a time length of the detection period is a time length corresponding to a period of the first clock signal.

4 . The photodetection device according to claim 1 , further comprising a cumulative adder that generates an accumulated value by performing cumulative addition processing on a basis of the detection value.

5 . The photodetection device according to claim 4 , further comprising a counter that performs count processing, wherein

the cumulative adder sets a flag active every time the accumulated value reaches a predetermined value, and

the counter performs the count processing on a basis of the flag.

6 . The photodetection device according to claim 1 , wherein

a plurality of the light-receiving elements is provided on a first semiconductor substrate, and

the plurality of edge detectors is provided on a second semiconductor substrate bonded to the first semiconductor substrate.

7 . A photodetection device comprising:

a plurality of light-receiving sections that each includes a light-receiving element, and generates a pulse signal including a pulse corresponding to a result of light reception by the light-receiving element;

a plurality of edge detectors each of which is provided for a corresponding one of the plurality of light-receiving sections, and generates a first detection signal and a second detection signal by detecting an edge of the pulse in the pulse signal generated by the corresponding one of the plurality of light-receiving sections;

a first adder that generates a first detection value indicating number of the pulses by performing addition processing on a basis of a plurality of the first detection signals generated by the plurality of edge detectors; and

a second adder that generates a second detection value indicating number of the pulses by performing addition processing on a basis of a plurality of the second detection signals generated by the plurality of edge detectors, wherein

each of the plurality of edge detectors includes

a first latch circuit that generates a first signal by latching the pulse signal on a basis of a first clock signal,

a second latch circuit that generates a second signal by latching the pulse signal on a basis of a second clock signal,

a first combination circuit that generates a third signal on a basis of the pulse signal and the first signal, and

a second combination circuit that generates a fourth signal on a basis of the pulse signal and the second signal, and

each of the plurality of edge detectors generates the first detection signal on a basis of the third signal, and generates the second detection signal on a basis of the fourth signal.

8 . The photodetection device according to claim 7 , wherein

each of the plurality of edge detectors further includes

a third latch circuit that generates the first detection signal by latching the third signal on a basis of a third clock signal that is an inverted signal of the first clock signal, and

a fourth latch circuit that generates the second detection signal by latching the fourth signal on a basis of a fourth clock signal that is an inverted signal of the second clock signal.

9 . The photodetection device according to claim 7 , wherein the second clock signal is an inverted signal of the first clock signal.

10 . The photodetection device according to claim 7 , wherein a phase of the second clock signal is different from a phase of the first clock signal.

11 . The photodetection device according to claim 7 , wherein

each of the plurality of edge detectors detects an edge of the pulse in a detection period based on the first clock signal and the second clock signal, and

a pulse width of the pulse is equal to or larger than a time width of the detection period.

12 . The photodetection device according to claim 11 , wherein

the first clock signal changes between a first level and a second level, and

a time length of the detection period is a time length of a period in which the first clock signal maintains the first level.

13 . The photodetection device according to claim 7 , further comprising a cumulative adder that generates an accumulated value by performing cumulative addition processing on a basis of the first detection value.

14 . The photodetection device according to claim 13 , further comprising a counter that performs count processing, wherein

the cumulative adder sets a flag active every time the accumulated value reaches a predetermined value, and

the counter performs the count processing on a basis of the flag.

15 . The photodetection device according to claim 13 , wherein

the first detection value includes a third detection value and a fourth detection value, and

the cumulative adder generates a first accumulated value by performing the cumulative addition processing on a basis of the third detection value, and generates a second accumulated value by performing the cumulative addition processing on a basis of the fourth detection value.

16 . The photodetection device according to claim 15 , further comprising a first counter and a second counter that perform count processing, wherein

the cumulative adder sets a first flag active every time the first accumulated value reaches a predetermined value, and sets a second flag active every time the second accumulated value reaches the predetermined value,

the first counter performs the count processing on a basis of the first flag, and

the second counter performs the count processing on a basis of the second flag.

17 . The photodetection device according to claim 7 , wherein

a plurality of the light-receiving elements is provided on a first semiconductor substrate, and

the plurality of edge detectors is provided on a second semiconductor substrate bonded to the first semiconductor substrate.

18 . A photodetection system comprising:

a light-emitting section that emits light; and

a photodetector that detects light reflected by a detection object of the light emitted from the light-emitting section, wherein

the photodetector includes

a plurality of light-receiving sections that each includes a light-receiving element, and generates a pulse signal including a pulse corresponding to a result of light reception by the light-receiving element,

a plurality of edge detectors each of which is provided for a corresponding one of the plurality of light-receiving sections, and generates a detection signal by detecting an edge of the pulse in the pulse signal generated by the corresponding one of the plurality of light-receiving sections, and

an adder that generates a detection value indicating number of the pulses by performing addition processing on a basis of a plurality of the detection signals generated by the plurality of edge detectors, and

each of the plurality of edge detectors includes

a first latch circuit that generates a first signal by latching the pulse signal on a basis of a first clock signal,

a second latch circuit that generates a second signal by latching the first signal on a basis of a second clock signal that is an inverted signal of the first clock signal,

a combination circuit that generates a third signal on a basis of the pulse signal, the first signal, and the second signal, and

a third latch circuit that generates the detection signal by latching the third signal on a basis of the first clock signal.

19 . A photodetection system comprising:

a light-emitting section that emits light; and

a photodetector that detects light reflected by a detection object of the light emitted from the light-emitting section, wherein

the photodetector includes

a plurality of light-receiving sections that each includes a light-receiving element, and generates a pulse signal including a pulse corresponding to a result of light reception by the light-receiving element,

a plurality of edge detectors each of which is provided for a corresponding one of the plurality of light-receiving sections, and generates a first detection signal and a second detection signal by detecting an edge of the pulse in the pulse signal generated by the corresponding one of the plurality of light-receiving sections,

a first adder that generates a first detection value indicating number of the pulses by performing addition processing on a basis of a plurality of the first detection signals generated by the plurality of edge detectors, and

a second adder that generates a second detection value indicating number of the pulses by performing addition processing on a basis of a plurality of the second detection signals generated by the plurality of edge detectors,

each of the plurality of edge detectors includes

a fourth latch circuit that generates a first signal by latching the pulse signal on a basis of a first clock signal,

a second latch circuit that generates a second signal by latching the pulse signal on a basis of a second clock signal,

a first combination circuit that generates a third signal on a basis of the pulse signal and the first signal, and

a second combination circuit that generates a fourth signal on a basis of the pulse signal and the second signal, and

each of the plurality of edge detectors generates the first detection signal on a basis of the third signal, and generates the second detection signal on a basis of the fourth signal.