The VD6853 and VD6803 are the high-performance 3.15-megapixel CMOS image sensors with integrated EDoF. The new integration of on-chip EDoF with the company’s advanced 1.75 um pixel process results in an excellent image quality at a focus distances down to 15 cm, extending the camera’s in-focus range from the ultra-short distance optical character recognition and bar-code reading to best infinity.
The company’s new CMOS sensors also implant image enhancement filters, incorporating 4-channel anti-vignette to balance the uneven illumination or defect correction on the fly that ensure optimum image quality and decrease tuning complexity. Additionally to mobile phones, the new sensors can be utilized in other imaging applications where the cost, power consumption or the physical size of conventional auto-focus solutions is prohibitive, like laptop cameras, toys or machine-vision applications.
Our newest sensors smartly combine advantages of auto-focus solutions – image sharpness and rich user experience – with size, cost and reliability benefits associated with fixed-focus camera modules, stated Arnaud Laflaquiere, Sensor BU director, STMicroelectronics. These devices meet the demanding performance and cost requirements from camera phone vendors and are well suited for future wafer-scale optics and assembly technologies.
The new sensors are available in the company’s Through Silicon Via (TSV) wafer-level package. This type of package allows the production of standard and also wafer-level camera modules. The reflowable modules are soldered directly on phone printed circuit board (PCB) that saves cost, space and time compared with process of fixing traditional camera modules in board socket.
The company’s new image sensors are available with a 10-bit parallel legacy interface (VD6803) or the CCP2 interface (VD6853). These interfaces are compatible with new baseband and application processors with the integrated Image Signal Processor. For example, the SMIA-compliant VD6853 is fully compatible with the company’s image processor (STV0986) that brings the standalone digital camera performance to cellphones, PDAs, gaming devices and other mobile applications.
Engineering samples and the demo-kits are available, with the volume production scheduled for the third quarter of 2009. The VD6803 and VD6853 are available in two package options, as a Chip On Board (COB) die or in the TSV wafer-level package. Unit pricing is below $5, depending on package types and shipment dates.
