With improved color uniformity and sensitivity, Agilent Technologies' ADCC-3960 1.3-Mpixel image sensor processes images and delivers JPEG-compressed files to the host system. The company's enhanced-performance (EP) pixel architecture achieves a tenfold reduction in dark current and surface-state noise to deliver more brilliant color image reproduction than previous-generation image sensors.
Additionally, the 1/3-in. format sensor offers 3.3-µm pixels. It can deliver lower crosstalk, higher blue sensitivity, and true correlated double sampling. Images can be captured at 15 frames/s with SXGA resolution and 30 frames/s with VGA resolution.
The EP pixel architecture uses Agilent's e-Field Shaping scheme, which reduces vignetting and crosstalk while improving sensitivity. In its night mode with no autofocus, the sensor can achieve a signal-tonoise ratio of 9.65 dB, which is about 50% higher than typical 1.3-Mpixel sensors now used in some cell phones. Color quality also is much closer to ideal color samples than most other 1.3-Mpixel sensors. The ADCC-3960 even delivers better quality than some of the 4-Mpixel sensors used in digital still cameras.
The chip includes a JPEG compression engine and an image processor that performs true-color image processing, smooth 4X digital zoom, picture sharpening, and adaptive tone mapping. On-chip logic also performs auto-focus control and supports flash strobe synchronization. The chip's special-effects generator lets users implement 20 different special imaging effects. In sleep mode, the sensor draws 10 µA. When active, it consumes about 145 mW in QVGA preview mode.
In large quantities, the ADCC-3960 will cost less than $5 each.
Agilent Technologies
Inc.
www.agilent.com/view/imaging