Yahoo: Cypress, Belgium continues to serve niche markets. This time the former Fillfactory team designed a very fast 500fps, 1.3MP sensor with huge 14um pixels. Most probably the pixels are based 3T technology.
Yes, Photobit was quite ahead of time in fast sensors, among other things. What I dont understand is how come that Photobit agreed to be acquired for so cheap? With all its IP, patents and experience I think it deserved much higher price.
Bad timing. 2001 was a disaster year for semiconductor stocks, and fund raising. Frankly, there was also a strong belief that fabless would not cut it in the very near future. But apparently that was incorrect.
I am not so sure Photobit was ahead in those fast sensors. I rather thought Cypress was only serving custom designed products and they probably designed sensors with such high frame rates at that time as well.
Interesting. So what you say is that Fillfactory's work on fast image sensors remain unknown to the general public because it was made for a customer. Is this correct?
Seems so. A quick search learns that at least some of the sensors for these high speed cameras (>1Gpix/s, http://www.visionresearch.com/) were designed by the Fillfactory guys...
http://www.fast-vision.com/Downloads/bgawc4510/PB-MV13_Product_Specification.pdf
ReplyDeleteCypress is catching up, after 7+ years. btw, the MV13HS ran at 1000 fps, 1.3Mpixels, 12 um pixel pitch.
Yes, Photobit was quite ahead of time in fast sensors, among other things. What I dont understand is how come that Photobit agreed to be acquired for so cheap? With all its IP, patents and experience I think it deserved much higher price.
ReplyDeleteBad timing. 2001 was a disaster year for semiconductor stocks, and fund raising. Frankly, there was also a strong belief that fabless would not cut it in the very near future. But apparently that was incorrect.
ReplyDeleteI am not so sure Photobit was ahead in those fast sensors. I rather thought Cypress was only serving custom designed products and they probably designed sensors with such high frame rates at that time as well.
ReplyDeleteInteresting. So what you say is that Fillfactory's work on fast image sensors remain unknown to the general public because it was made for a customer. Is this correct?
ReplyDeleteSeems so. A quick search learns that at least some of the sensors for these high speed cameras (>1Gpix/s, http://www.visionresearch.com/) were designed by the Fillfactory guys...
ReplyDeleteOK, I see. Thank you for the history lesson.
ReplyDelete