Marketwire: In-Stat predicts MIPI CSI-2 penetration is to surpass 70% in computing and consumer electronic devices with image sensors by 2016. Smartphones and handsets will account for the largest percentage and highest growth rate of CSI-2 and CSI-3 penetration.
In-Stat expects over 225 million Tablet PC image sensors to ship using MIPI in 2016, with MIPI CSI-3 representing about 20% of these, and MIPI CSI-2 representing 80%.
"Proprietary interfaces prevent devices from different manufacturers from working together and result in industry fragmentation," says Jim McGregor, Chief Technology Strategist. "MIPI’s CSI-2 and CSI-3 provide the entire electronics industry, not just mobile devices, with a standard that is high-speed, low-power, cost-effective, and scalable."
Tuesday, March 08, 2011
NIT Introduces Color Logarithmic WDR Sensors
NIT announces a range of color sensors operating in logarithmic response mode. These new sensors are based upon NIT patented Native WDR pixel technology where the pixel photodiodes are used as single solar cells providing extraordinary intrinsic dynamic range without exposure time.
The new sensors deliver sharp and accurate colour images over a dynamic range exceeding 140 dB, without any setup or need for white balance. Specific algorithms for colour de-bayerisation have been developed in order to accomodate the specific logarithmic response of NIT sensors. The photoelectric signal response of NIT photodiodes is predictable and modeled with extreme accuracy which simplify the chromatic calibration process and further increase the colour stability over temperature changes.
A dedicated Native WDR pixel of 5.6 um size, implementing micro lenses and a colour bayer array has been designed and implemented first on a D1 - 768x576 pixels sensor. Youtube video links are here and here:
Thanks to P.P. for sending me the info!
The new sensors deliver sharp and accurate colour images over a dynamic range exceeding 140 dB, without any setup or need for white balance. Specific algorithms for colour de-bayerisation have been developed in order to accomodate the specific logarithmic response of NIT sensors. The photoelectric signal response of NIT photodiodes is predictable and modeled with extreme accuracy which simplify the chromatic calibration process and further increase the colour stability over temperature changes.
A dedicated Native WDR pixel of 5.6 um size, implementing micro lenses and a colour bayer array has been designed and implemented first on a D1 - 768x576 pixels sensor. Youtube video links are here and here:
Thanks to P.P. for sending me the info!
Imagers Getting Worse, Images Getting Better
"Imagers getting worse, Images getting better" - this is the title of Albert Theuwissen's presentation at Stanford University few days ago. Here are six slides out of 37 in the presentation:
Monday, March 07, 2011
TYZX Enhances its Stereo Vision by Texture Projection
Marketwire: TYZX announced that it has received a Notice of Allowance from the USPTO for TYZX's claims for the use of projecting a random textured pattern from a diffractive optimal element onto a target area in order for a stereo vision system to calculate distances to one or more points. This invention is called "Enhancing Stereo Depth Measurements with Projected Texture."
"For many applications, including gaming, 3D mapping, and robotics, projecting a textured pattern on poorly illuminated or featureless surfaces makes calculating range data more effective," said Ron Buck, President and CEO of TYZX. "By integrating a texture projector in a TYZX stereo vision system, we create a highly accurate, highly compact, real-time 3D vision solution ideally suited for home entertainment systems that support a variety of applications such as gaming."
"For many applications, including gaming, 3D mapping, and robotics, projecting a textured pattern on poorly illuminated or featureless surfaces makes calculating range data more effective," said Ron Buck, President and CEO of TYZX. "By integrating a texture projector in a TYZX stereo vision system, we create a highly accurate, highly compact, real-time 3D vision solution ideally suited for home entertainment systems that support a variety of applications such as gaming."
TowerJazz to Manufacture BSI Sensors for US Army
Business Wire: TowerJazz announced it has signed contracts for two phases of development with the US Army RDECOM CERDEC Night Vision Electronics and Sensors Directorate (NVESD) for CMOS low light image sensor development for Army portable systems. As part of this effort, TowerJazz is expanding its aerospace and defense on-shore capability by introducing CIS foundry processes and solutions in its Newport Beach, CA facility. This project will result in advanced CIS technology at TowerJazz’s on-shore facility and provide the US Army with a solution for its demanding technology needs and provide state-of-the-art CIS technology for DoD CIS programs.
A key goal of the US Army RDECOM CERDEC NVESD program is to enable CMOS imagers with low noise and high sensitivity over a broad spectral range. TowerJazz was chosen as a development partner due to its pixel process which uses advanced methods and technology providing higher pixel performance than competing commercial approaches. The transferred 180nm CMOS image sensor process at TowerJazz’s US location is meant to be a viable, commercially sustainable foundry offering to support not only the Army NVESD and their suppliers, but all DoD agencies and other interested third parties.
The TowerJazz process will enable the design of the NVESD 4 Mpixel low light level BSI sensor and other low dark current, high performance imagers. TowerJazz will also evaluate the types of process flows needed to support fabrication of backside illuminated or SOI based CMOS image sensors.
A key goal of the US Army RDECOM CERDEC NVESD program is to enable CMOS imagers with low noise and high sensitivity over a broad spectral range. TowerJazz was chosen as a development partner due to its pixel process which uses advanced methods and technology providing higher pixel performance than competing commercial approaches. The transferred 180nm CMOS image sensor process at TowerJazz’s US location is meant to be a viable, commercially sustainable foundry offering to support not only the Army NVESD and their suppliers, but all DoD agencies and other interested third parties.
The TowerJazz process will enable the design of the NVESD 4 Mpixel low light level BSI sensor and other low dark current, high performance imagers. TowerJazz will also evaluate the types of process flows needed to support fabrication of backside illuminated or SOI based CMOS image sensors.
Friday, March 04, 2011
Global and China Camera Module Market, 2010-2011
Research In China released its Global and China CMOS Camera Module Industry Report, 2010-2011. Some quotes from the report:
"BSI has become a new standard of CMOS sensor. BSI technology was developed by Sony and further promoted by Omnivision through TSMC. Manufacturers like Samsung, SETI and APTINA are following suit. During the technology migration period, the capacity might fall short of the demand, especially in the case of the CMOS sensor for notebook, which makes meager profit and the manufacturers are reluctant to produce. It is expected that the supply of CMOS sensor will be pinched throughout 2011.
In the field of CMOS camera lens, Taiwanese enterprises are becoming stronger despite intensifying competition, while their Japanese counterparts lag behind. Largan Precision has consolidated its dominant position in the industry, way ahead the runner-up, Asia Optical, in revenue. Thanks to Ether Optronics, the mainland-based subsidiary, Asia Optical is getting increased in shipment. Japanese enterprises are engaged in the cut-throat competition with their Taiwanese peers while facing the pressure of JPY appreciation. Most Japanese enterprises are USD10 billion-level giants, and they won’t provide too much support for CMOS camera lens accounting for less than 1% of their revenue. Take KMOT for example, its revenue from CMOS camera lens business in 2010 shrunk to one third of 2009. The same went for Fujinon, and other Japanese enterprises might quit the field.
On the CMOS camera lens market in 2010, Genius Electronic Optical did a great job. In 2005, Genius Electronic Optical was acclaimed because of the glory of Motorola V3 series. In 2006-2009, Genius Electronic Optical suffered hard blows during the consecutive 4 years. But in the second half of 2009, Genius Electronic Optical passed the supplier authentication of Apple, becoming Apple’s second largest supplier of CMOS camera lens. In 2010, the revenue of Genius Electronic Optical rose by nearly 250%. And it is expected that the revenue of the enterprise in 2011 will increase by more than 5 folds over 2009, with the gross margin climbing up to 22% from -3%.
In the field of CMOS camera module assembly in 2010, Foxconn continued to be the leader in this industry. Both Samsung Electro-Mechanics and LG INNOTEK increased their shipment, shoving Sharp from the first place to the third place. With the contracted shipment of Nokia, the shipment of Sharp will decrease further."
"BSI has become a new standard of CMOS sensor. BSI technology was developed by Sony and further promoted by Omnivision through TSMC. Manufacturers like Samsung, SETI and APTINA are following suit. During the technology migration period, the capacity might fall short of the demand, especially in the case of the CMOS sensor for notebook, which makes meager profit and the manufacturers are reluctant to produce. It is expected that the supply of CMOS sensor will be pinched throughout 2011.
In the field of CMOS camera lens, Taiwanese enterprises are becoming stronger despite intensifying competition, while their Japanese counterparts lag behind. Largan Precision has consolidated its dominant position in the industry, way ahead the runner-up, Asia Optical, in revenue. Thanks to Ether Optronics, the mainland-based subsidiary, Asia Optical is getting increased in shipment. Japanese enterprises are engaged in the cut-throat competition with their Taiwanese peers while facing the pressure of JPY appreciation. Most Japanese enterprises are USD10 billion-level giants, and they won’t provide too much support for CMOS camera lens accounting for less than 1% of their revenue. Take KMOT for example, its revenue from CMOS camera lens business in 2010 shrunk to one third of 2009. The same went for Fujinon, and other Japanese enterprises might quit the field.
On the CMOS camera lens market in 2010, Genius Electronic Optical did a great job. In 2005, Genius Electronic Optical was acclaimed because of the glory of Motorola V3 series. In 2006-2009, Genius Electronic Optical suffered hard blows during the consecutive 4 years. But in the second half of 2009, Genius Electronic Optical passed the supplier authentication of Apple, becoming Apple’s second largest supplier of CMOS camera lens. In 2010, the revenue of Genius Electronic Optical rose by nearly 250%. And it is expected that the revenue of the enterprise in 2011 will increase by more than 5 folds over 2009, with the gross margin climbing up to 22% from -3%.
In the field of CMOS camera module assembly in 2010, Foxconn continued to be the leader in this industry. Both Samsung Electro-Mechanics and LG INNOTEK increased their shipment, shoving Sharp from the first place to the third place. With the contracted shipment of Nokia, the shipment of Sharp will decrease further."
Thursday, March 03, 2011
Dexela 23 cm x 29 cm (!) 12MP CMOS Imager
Talking about huge imagers, like one presented by Canon at ISSCC, there is even bigger CMOS sensor made by Dexela, model 2923, first announced a year and a half ago:
The sensor is intended for X-Ray sensing applications. Packaging of such a huge and power hungry sensor is also challenging: the package weights 5.5kg and includes two fans:
- Resolution: 3888 x 3072 pixels
- Sensitive area: 290.8 mm x 229.8 mm
- Pixel size: 74.8 um
- Saturation charge: 1.4 Me- in high saturation mode, 0.36 Me- in high sensitivity mode
- Dynamic range: 70dB typ. in high saturation mode, 66dB typ. in high sensitivity mode
- Dark current: 8000 e-/s (typical at 40C)
- ADC resolution: 14 bits
- Speed: 26 fps at full resolution
- Power consumption: 45 W max (active)
- Power down current: <150 mA
The sensor is intended for X-Ray sensing applications. Packaging of such a huge and power hungry sensor is also challenging: the package weights 5.5kg and includes two fans:
Digital Imaging Pioneers Among The National Inventors Hall of Fame 2011 Inductees
PR Newswire: The National Inventors Hall of Fame has announced its 2011 Inductees. Digital imaging is well represented among the seven living inductees:
Eric Fossum
"CMOS Active Pixel Image Sensor - Eric Fossum, now at Dartmouth College, led the team at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory that created the CMOS active pixel sensor camera-on-a-chip. Today, CMOS image sensors are a fixture in camera phones, and other applications include digital SLR cameras, embedded web-cams, automotive safety systems, swallowable pill cameras, toys and video games, and wireless video-security networks. Worldwide annual revenue for the technology is estimated to reach $6 billion in 2011."
Steve Sasson
"Digital Camera - In 1975, Kodak engineer Steve Sasson created a device that captured an image, converted it to an electronic signal, digitized the signal, and stored the image—the first digital camera. In 2008, 73% of Americans owned a digital camera and 34 million digital cameras were sold in the U.S., generating $7 billion in revenue. Virtually all of today's digital cameras rely on the same structure invented in 1975."
N. Joseph Woodland, Bernard Silver (1935-1963)
"First Optically Scanned Bar Code – Joe Woodland and Bernard Silver (deceased) invented the first optically scanned barcode, prompted in their work in 1948 after Silver overheard a food chain executive discussing his wish to capture product information at checkout. Today, the barcode has many applications, including tracking shipped packages, patient identification in hospitals, gift registries, and floor control in warehouses. It is estimated that five billion scans take place daily worldwide."
The induction ceremony will take place on May 4 at the historic Patent Office Building, now the Smithsonian American Art Museum and the National Portrait Gallery, in Washington, D.C.
Eric Fossum
"CMOS Active Pixel Image Sensor - Eric Fossum, now at Dartmouth College, led the team at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory that created the CMOS active pixel sensor camera-on-a-chip. Today, CMOS image sensors are a fixture in camera phones, and other applications include digital SLR cameras, embedded web-cams, automotive safety systems, swallowable pill cameras, toys and video games, and wireless video-security networks. Worldwide annual revenue for the technology is estimated to reach $6 billion in 2011."
Steve Sasson
"Digital Camera - In 1975, Kodak engineer Steve Sasson created a device that captured an image, converted it to an electronic signal, digitized the signal, and stored the image—the first digital camera. In 2008, 73% of Americans owned a digital camera and 34 million digital cameras were sold in the U.S., generating $7 billion in revenue. Virtually all of today's digital cameras rely on the same structure invented in 1975."
N. Joseph Woodland, Bernard Silver (1935-1963)
"First Optically Scanned Bar Code – Joe Woodland and Bernard Silver (deceased) invented the first optically scanned barcode, prompted in their work in 1948 after Silver overheard a food chain executive discussing his wish to capture product information at checkout. Today, the barcode has many applications, including tracking shipped packages, patient identification in hospitals, gift registries, and floor control in warehouses. It is estimated that five billion scans take place daily worldwide."
The induction ceremony will take place on May 4 at the historic Patent Office Building, now the Smithsonian American Art Museum and the National Portrait Gallery, in Washington, D.C.
Wednesday, March 02, 2011
iSuppli: BSI Sensors in 90% of Smartphones by 2014
ForexPros, Balkan.com and many other sites published an article on BSI sensor becoming dominant in the near future. Some interesting quotes:
"Needham & Co analyst Rajvindra Gill expects BSI sensors to be the predominant image sensors for smartphones within 2 years or so.
By 2014, 9 out of 10 smartphones and feature handsets will have BSI image sensors, up from fewer than one fifth today, predicts IHS iSuppli's Pamela Tufegdzic.
Analysts reckon the CMOS image sensor market is worth around $3 billion, and BSI sensors make up about 5 percent of that now."
"OmniVision, which said in November it was already pursuing design wins for its second-generation BSI chip, is about 6-9 months ahead of its nearest competitors."
"Needham & Co analyst Rajvindra Gill expects BSI sensors to be the predominant image sensors for smartphones within 2 years or so.
By 2014, 9 out of 10 smartphones and feature handsets will have BSI image sensors, up from fewer than one fifth today, predicts IHS iSuppli's Pamela Tufegdzic.
Analysts reckon the CMOS image sensor market is worth around $3 billion, and BSI sensors make up about 5 percent of that now."
"OmniVision, which said in November it was already pursuing design wins for its second-generation BSI chip, is about 6-9 months ahead of its nearest competitors."
Tuesday, March 01, 2011
CMOS to Overtake CCD in DSCs by 2013
iSuppli: CMOS image sensor shipments for DSCs in 2013 will reach 71.1 million units, up from 30.7 million in 2010. Meanwhile, CCD shipments will decline to 66.9 in 2013, down from 94.1 million in 2010. By 2014, more than 85 million DSC CMOS units will be shipping, compared to 51 million for CCD.
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