Cypress unveils high throughput pipelined global shutter CMOS image sensor

Cypress Semiconductor (San Jose, CA, USA) introduced a high-sensitivity, high-speed CMOS image sensor targeted for the high-end machine vision market. The new 25-megapixel VITA 25K sensor offers the market's highest throughput for a device with a pipelined and triggered global shutter. The sensor has 32 10-bit digital Low Voltage Differential Signaling (LVDS) outputs that enable transfer of image data over a standard industry protocol at low power and low noise. Each channel runs at a 620 Mbps, which results in a high frame rate of 53 frames-per-second (fps) at full resolution for undistorted images and fast readout. The VITA 25K is ideal for high-end machine vision applications, such as inspection machines; biometric inspection, such as next-generation palm print readers; and intelligent traffic systems.

The VITA 25K sensor offers a 35-mm optical format with monochrome or color digital output. The pipelined global shutter capability enables exposure during read-out to reduce motion blur. The sensor also works in a rolling shutter mode with Correlated Double Sampling (CDS) to reduce noise and increase dynamic range. Customers have the ability to program up to 32 individual regions of interest to view in more detail within an image from the sensor. More information on the VITA 25K sensor is available at www.cypress.com/go/VITA25K.

The new VITA 25K sensors expands on the capabilities of the 1.3-megapixel VITA 1300 family, which is broadly sampling today and expected to be in production later this year. Cypress will demonstrate its industry-leading custom and standard CMOS image sensor solutions, including these VITA family offerings, at the 2010 Image Sensing Show in Yokohama, Japan from June 9-11 in Booth #51. Interested parties can send an e-mail to imagesensors@cypress.com to arrange a meeting at the show. "Cypress continues to expand our leadership position for machine vision applications by bringing to market faster and higher sensitivity CMOS image sensors such as the VITA 25K family," said Georges Hiltrop, general manager of Cypress's image sensor business unit. "The new sensor combines leading throughput with pipelined shutter capability and a host of dynamic features to address the most demanding applications, and it is backed by Cypress's robust customer support." The VITA 25K sensor has 5120 x 5120 active pixels with 4.5 um x 4.5 um pixel size. The image sensor integrates a programmable offset and gain amplifier for each channel of the 32 LVDS outputs. Customers can achieve higher frame rates for the sensor with windowed or sub-sampled readout modes, and can program the sensor's settings over an SPI interface. An on-board sequencer generates all internal exposure and timing of read-outs. The sensor allows the setting of multiple slopes for extended optical dynamic range, which maintains good contrast in shadowed regions of an image without saturating bright areas in scenes. The VITA 25K sensor also features a 10-bit on-chip analog-to-digital converter (ADC) for digital output and on-chip timing control for easy application development. Posted by Vision Systems Design