Automotive image sensor beefs up resolution, cybersecurity

OmniVision Technologies, Inc. has expanded its image sensor family for automotive viewing cameras with the introduction of the OX03F10 automotive image sensor. This sensor extends the company’s ASIL-C viewing camera family with higher 3-megapixel (MP) resolution and cybersecurity features needed for Level 2 and 3 advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS) and higher levels of autonomy.

“We are addressing the automotive designers’ needs by applying cybersecurity features to our premium automotive image sensors, including our new OX03F10,” OmniVision told Electronic Products.

Security features include secure authentication of OmniVision image sensors, a private key, and a sensor ID unique to each image sensor, and cryptography to authenticate communications.

“These features will help prevent data tampering, ensure the integrity of the data collected, and offer added security and privacy,” said the company.

Maintaining the key features of the viewing camera family, the OX03F10 features a 3.0-micron pixel size with a high dynamic range (HDR) of 140 dB and LED flicker mitigation (LFM) performance for minimized motion artifacts as well as basic image processing capabilities, including defect pixel correction and lens correction. The sensor also is available in a 1/2.44” optical format and features a 4-lane MIPI CSI-2 interface.

By providing simultaneous  HDR and LFM, the image sensor provides greater image quality for automotive viewing applications including SVS, rearview cameras (RVC) and e-mirror camera monitoring systems (CMS), across all lighting conditions and in the presence of flickering LEDs from headlights, road signs and traffic signals. The sensor also incorporates the company’s Deep Well dual conversion gain technology for lower motion artifacts and PureCel Plus-S stacked architecture that boosts pixel and dark current performance.

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OmniVision said this is the “first viewing image sensor with HDR and LFM that can deliver the wide vertical array resolution of 1920 x 1536p at the highest rate of 60 frames per second (fps), which is needed for applications such as surround view system (SVS) captures for autonomous, machine vision systems as well as for e-mirror applications.

This OX03F10 image sensor is available now for limited sampling in a-CSP and a-BGA packages, and is planned to be AEC-Q100 Grade 2 certified.