Omnivision Released First C-PHY Image Sensors

PRNewswire: Tektronix names Omnivision among early adopters of the new MIPI C-PHY standard, published in September 2014. OmniVision's OV23850 and OV21840 20+ megapixel image sensors for smartphones have implemented the C-PHY 1.0 interface. Using Tektronix C-PHY Essentials analysis software, OmniVision and Tektronix were able to successfully validate and characterize the C-PHY interface used on the two new sensors.

"With an up to 17.1 Gb/s data rate over a nine-wire interface, C-PHY provides the performance needed for high megapixel count image sensors along with low power consumption," said Brian Reich, GM, Performance Oscilloscopes, Tektronix. "Our solution for C-PHY transmitter testing allows engineers to detect issues early on in the product development phase and confidently assures transmitter devices' performance and interoperability."

"OmniVision is excited to have Tektronix's oscilloscope-based C-PHY Essentials software for validating the next generation MIPI interface. With its three-wire signaling, C-PHY represents a significant design and test challenge," said Paul Gallagher, senior director of marketing and business development at OmniVision. "With the help of Tektronix C-PHY Essentials, we were able to easily set up cameras utilizing the OV23850 and OV21840 sensors and confirm the C-PHY interface's compliance with the MIPI specification."

For some reason, the original announcement of OV23850 and OV21840 in Nov. 2014 does not mention C-PHY interface feature.