ST launches time-of-flight sensor with patented histogram algorithm

     STMicroelectronics further expands its product range of FlightSense™ ToF ranging sensors with the introduction of a new product, the VL53L3CX, based on a patented histogram algorithm. The new product can measure the distance of multiple targets with greater accuracy.

     The VL53L3CX has a range of 2.5cm to 3m, and unlike traditional infrared sensors, the measurement accuracy is not affected by the color or reflectivity of the target object, enabling end product designers to introduce powerful new features into the product, such as enabling the occupancy detector to ignore unwanted background or foreground objects and achieve correct occupancy status detection. Or report the exact distance of multiple targets within the sensor's field of view.

     St's patented histogram algorithm improves sensor immunity to glass cover crosstalk and enables real-time stain compensation to prevent external contamination from affecting ranging accuracy, such as vacuum cleaners or other equipment operating in dusty industrial environments. In addition, the ranging performance under ambient light has also been improved.

     In addition, the linearity of the VL53L3CX is also excellent, which improves the accuracy of short-range measurements, thereby improving the wall-following and cliff-detection and obstacle avoidance capabilities of service robots, vacuum cleaners and other devices, where ST has achieved great commercial success. Like all FlightSense sensors, the VL53L3CX features a compact all-in-one package design that simplifies the integration of the sensor with customer devices, while low power consumption helps extend battery life.

     ToF sensors bring superior ranging performance to a wide range of applications, enabling more reliable occupancy detection for building automation and lighting controllers, smarter proximity sensing for iot endpoint devices, easier automatic wake-up for portable devices, and more robust user detection for automatic bathroom devices. The high precision and fast response of ToF sensors also enhances the performance of robots, indoor drones and other devices that require precise motion control.