Nov 11 2008
OmniVision Technologies, Inc. (NASDAQ:OVTI) , a leading independent supplier of CMOS image sensors, today introduced the first megapixel CMOS image sensor designed specifically for advanced automotive vision and sensing systems, the OV9710 in QFP package. Megapixel sensors are the next wave in automotive vision systems, enabling the adoption of advanced forward-looking and extreme-wide angle applications. Initial interest in the OV9710 is strong, and it is currently sampling with multiple automotive customers.
The 1-megapixel OV9710 is built with OmniVision's proprietary OmniPixel3-HS(TM) technology sporting best-in-class low light performance. This enables it to operate in virtually every lighting condition -- from bright daylight to nearly complete darkness.
The OV9710 is highly suitable for wide angle vision systems, such as bird's eye view applications and for advanced parking assistance systems. "Megapixel resolution is critical for extreme wide angle (greater than 160 degrees) applications, such as 360 degree view multi-camera systems, where distortion correction and image stitching is required," said Inayat Khajasha, Senior Automotive Product Marketing Manager at OmniVision. "VGA cameras simply cannot address electronic (on - or off-chip) distortion correction beyond 130 degree angles because they result in stretching and blurring the image, which can seriously compromise driver and passenger safety."
The OV9710 is also highly suitable for automotive camera systems where multiple forward-looking applications such as lane departure warning, sign recognition and object recognition are combined into a single camera solution.
The OV9710 is a 1/4-inch sensor providing full-frame, sub-sampled or windowed 8-bit/10-bit images in raw RGB format via the digital video port. The sensor delivers full-frame video at 30 frames per second (fps) and VGA resolution at 60 fps with complete user control over image quality, formatting and output data transfer. The OV9710 incorporates image processing functions, including: exposure control, gain control, white balance, lens correction and defective pixel correction. These functions are also programmable through the serial camera control bus (SCCB) interface.
The OV9710 comes in a lead-free QFP package and, with an operating temperature range of -40 degrees C to +105 degrees C, is built to meet the stringent specifications of the Automotive Electronics Council (AEC-Q100). The AEC-Q100 qualification is expected to be completed by end of the first quarter of 2009. The OV9710 is currently available for sampling. PPAP completion and mass production will be ready by the end of the second quarter of 2009.
For further information about OmniVision's automotive imaging solutions, please visit OmniVision's booth (A23-A24) at Electronica 2008, held at the New Munich Trade Fair Centre in Munich, Germany November 11-14, 2008. Additionally, OmniVision's Automotive Technical Marketing Manager Dr. Mario Heid will give a talk on Trends and Challenges in Automotive Camera Design at Electronica on November 12 at 4:00pm at the Automotive Forum.