OmniVision Technologies reports that its OV5610 5-megapixel camera chip has achieved eight design wins in the digital still camera (DSC) and video camera markets. These design wins represent the first uses of a 5-megapixel CMOS image sensor to process both still and video images in mass market consumer devices. The market introduction of the OV5610 last September marked the industry's first high-end CMOS sensor that competes head-to-head with similar CCD devices. Up to this point, single-chip CMOS image sensors have served the low-end DSC market, while CCD sensors have served the high-end DSC and camcorder markets. With these design wins, the OV5610 will appear in digital still, video and hybrid cameras, and personal media players.

The OV5610 architecture is based around OmniPixelT technology. The sensor's 2.775-micron pixels allowed OmniVision to design its 5-megapixel device with an optical format (footprint) of just 1/1.8 inches. It incorporates a 2592 x 1944 image array and an on-chip 10-bit A/D converter capable of operating at 30 frames per second (FPS) in VGA resolution. OmniVision's sensor technology utilizes advanced algorithms to cancel fixed pattern noise (FPN), eliminate smearing, drastically reduce blooming and virtually eliminate dark current.

www.ovt.com