# Histogram-less LiDAR through SPAD response linearization

arXiv: https://arxiv.org/abs/2310.09176 · HTML: https://mlsanity.com/paper/2310.09176/

## Key facts

- Cited by 3 papers in the map (data through 14 Oct 2026).
- First posted on arXiv 13 Oct 2023.

## Built on by (most cited first, 3 of 3)

- [Resolution Limit of Single-Photon LiDAR](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2403.17719/) (2024)
- [Single-Photon 3D Imaging with Equi-Depth Photon Histograms](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2408.16150/) (2024)
- [High-Flux Count-Free Single-Photon 3D Cameras](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2608.18306/) (2026)

## Abstract (arXiv)

We present a new method to acquire the 3D information from a SPAD-based direct-Time-of-Flight (d-ToF) imaging system which does not require the construction of a histogram of timestamps and can withstand high flux operation regime. The proposed acquisition scheme emulates the behavior of a SPAD detector with no distortion due to dead time, and extracts the Tof information by a simple average operation on the photon timestamps ensuring ease of integration in a dedicated sensor and scalability to large arrays. The method is validated through a comprehensive mathematical analysis, whose predictions are in agreement with a numerical Monte Carlo model of the problem. Finally, we show the validity of the predictions in a real d-ToF measurement setup under challenging background conditions well beyond the typical pile-up limit of 5% detection rate up to a distance of 3.8 m.