OmniVision Technologies Inc. is an American subsidiary of Chinese
semiconductor device
A semiconductor device is an electronic component that relies on the electronic properties of a semiconductor material (primarily silicon, germanium, and gallium arsenide, as well as organic semiconductors) for its function. Its conductivit ...
and
mixed-signal integrated circuit
A mixed-signal integrated circuit is any integrated circuit that has both analog circuits and digital circuits on a single semiconductor die.[Will Semiconductor
Will Semiconductor (WillSemi; ) is a Chinese publicly listed fabless semiconductor company headquartered in Shanghai.
Its primary focus is on research and development for semiconductor design and sale of semiconductor devices. Its products are ...]
. The company designs and develops
digital imaging
Digital imaging or digital image acquisition is the creation of a digital representation of the visual characteristics of an object, such as a physical scene or the interior structure of an object. The term is often assumed to imply or include ...
products for use in
mobile phones
A mobile phone or cell phone is a portable telephone that allows users to make and receive calls over a radio frequency link while moving within a designated telephone service area, unlike fixed-location phones ( landline phones). This radio ...
,
laptops
A laptop computer or notebook computer, also known as a laptop or notebook, is a small, portable personal computer (PC). Laptops typically have a clamshell form factor with a flat-panel screen on the inside of the upper lid and an alpha ...
,
netbooks
A netbook is a small-sized laptop computer; they were primarily sold from 2007 until around 2013, designed mostly as a means of accessing the Internet and being significantly less expensive than regular-sized laptops.
At their inception in l ...
,
webcams
A webcam is a video camera which is designed to record or stream to a computer or computer network. They are primarily used in Videotelephony, video telephony, live streaming and social media, and Closed-circuit television, security. Webcams can b ...
, security,
entertainment
Entertainment is a form of activity that holds the attention and Interest (emotion), interest of an audience or gives pleasure and delight. It can be an idea or a task, but it is more likely to be one of the activities or events that have deve ...
,
automotive and
medical imaging
Medical imaging is the technique and process of imaging the interior of a body for clinical analysis and medical intervention, as well as visual representation of the function of some organs or tissues (physiology). Medical imaging seeks to revea ...
systems. Headquartered in
Santa Clara,
California
California () is a U.S. state, state in the Western United States that lies on the West Coast of the United States, Pacific Coast. It borders Oregon to the north, Nevada and Arizona to the east, and shares Mexico–United States border, an ...
, OmniVision Technologies has offices in the
US,
Western Europe
Western Europe is the western region of Europe. The region's extent varies depending on context.
The concept of "the West" appeared in Europe in juxtaposition to "the East" and originally applied to the Western half of the ancient Mediterranean ...
and
Asia
Asia ( , ) is the largest continent in the world by both land area and population. It covers an area of more than 44 million square kilometres, about 30% of Earth's total land area and 8% of Earth's total surface area. The continent, which ...
.
In 2016, OmniVision was acquired by a consortium of Chinese investors consisting of Hua Capital Management Co., Ltd.,
CITIC Capital and Goldstone Investment Co., Ltd.
History
OmniVision was founded in 1995 by Aucera Technology (TAIWAN:奧斯來科技).
Some company milestones:
* 1999: First
Application-specific integrated circuit
An application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC ) is an integrated circuit (IC) chip customized for a particular use, rather than intended for general-purpose use, such as a chip designed to run in a digital voice recorder or a high-efficienc ...
(ASIC)
* 2000:
IPO
An initial public offering (IPO) or stock launch is a public offering in which shares of a company are sold to institutional investors and usually also to retail (individual) investors. An IPO is typically underwritten by one or more investment ...
* 2005: Acquired CDM-Optics, a company founded to commercialize
wavefront coding.
* 2010: Acquires Aurora Systems and adds LCOS to its product line
* 2011: Acquired
Kodak
The Eastman Kodak Company, referred to simply as Kodak (), is an American public company that produces various products related to its historic basis in film photography. The company is headquartered in Rochester, New York, and is incorporated i ...
patent
A patent is a type of intellectual property that gives its owner the legal right to exclude others from making, using, or selling an invention for a limited period of time in exchange for publishing an sufficiency of disclosure, enabling discl ...
s
* 2015: Signed an agreement to be acquired by a group of Chinese investors, including Hua Capital Management, CITIC Capital Holdings and GoldStone Investment, for about $1.9 billion in cash in April 2015.
* 2016: Becomes a
private company
A privately held company (or simply a private company) is a company whose Stock, shares and related rights or obligations are not offered for public subscription or publicly negotiated in their respective listed markets. Instead, the Private equi ...
due to buyout by Chinese private equity consortium
* 2018/2019: Will Semiconductor acquired OmniVision Technologies (for $2.178 billion) and
SuperPix Micro Technology, merging them to form Omnivision Group
* 2019: Achieved
Guinness World Record
''Guinness World Records'', known from its inception in 1955 until 1999 as ''The Guinness Book of Records'' and in previous United States editions as ''The Guinness Book of World Records'', is a British reference book published annually, listi ...
for world's smallest commercially available sensor for OV6948 used as the
CameraCubeChip.
Technologies
OmniPixel3-HS
OmniVision's front-side illumination (FSI) technology is used to manufacture compact cameras in mobile handsets, notebook computers and other applications that require low-light performance without the need for flash.
OmniPixel3-GS expands on its predecessor, and is used for
eye-tracking for facial authentication, and other
computer vision
Computer vision tasks include methods for image sensor, acquiring, Image processing, processing, Image analysis, analyzing, and understanding digital images, and extraction of high-dimensional data from the real world in order to produce numerical ...
applications.
OmniBSI
Backside illuminated image (BSI) technology differs from FSI architectures in how light is delivered to the photosensitive area of the sensor. In FSI architectures, the light must first pass through transistors, dielectric layers, and metal circuitry. In contrast, OmniBSI technology turns the image sensor upside down and applies color filters and micro lenses to the backside of the pixels, resulting in light collection through the backside of the sensor.
OmniBSI-2
The second-generation BSI technology, developed in cooperation with Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company Limited (
TSMC
Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company Limited (TSMC or Taiwan Semiconductor) is a Taiwanese multinational semiconductor contract manufacturing and design company. It is one of the world's most valuable semiconductor companies, the world' ...
), is built using custom 65 nm design rules and 300mm
copper
Copper is a chemical element; it has symbol Cu (from Latin ) and atomic number 29. It is a soft, malleable, and ductile metal with very high thermal and electrical conductivity. A freshly exposed surface of pure copper has a pinkish-orang ...
processes. These technology changes were made to improve low-light sensitivity,
dark current, and
full-well capacity and provide a sharper image.
CameraCubeChip
In this
camera module, sensor and lens manufacturing processes are combined using
semiconductor
A semiconductor is a material with electrical conductivity between that of a conductor and an insulator. Its conductivity can be modified by adding impurities (" doping") to its crystal structure. When two regions with different doping level ...
stacking methodology. Wafer-level optical elements are fabricated in a single step by combining CMOS image sensors, chip scale packaging processes, (CSP) and
wafer-level optics (WLO). These fully integrated chip products have camera functionality and are intended to produce thin, compact devices.
RGB-Ir technology
RGB-iR technology uses a color filter process to improve color fidelity. By committing 25% of its pixel array pattern to
infrared
Infrared (IR; sometimes called infrared light) is electromagnetic radiation (EMR) with wavelengths longer than that of visible light but shorter than microwaves. The infrared spectral band begins with the waves that are just longer than those ...
(IR) and 75% to RGB, it can simultaneously capture both
RGB
The RGB color model is an additive color model in which the red, green, and blue primary colors of light are added together in various ways to reproduce a broad array of colors. The name of the model comes from the initials of the three ...
and IR images. This makes it possible to capture both day and night images with the same sensor. It is used for battery powered home security cameras as well as
biometric
Biometrics are body measurements and calculations related to human characteristics and features. Biometric authentication (or realistic authentication) is used in computer science as a form of identification and access control. It is also used t ...
authentication, such as gesture and facial recognition.
PureCel technologies
OmniVision developed its PureCel and PureCel Plus image sensor technology to provide added camera functionality to smartphones and action cameras. The technical goal was to provide smaller camera modules that enable larger optical formats and offer improved image quality, especially in low-light conditions.
Both of these technologies are offered in a stacked die format (PureCel-S and PureCelPlus-S). This stacked die methodology separates the imaging array from the image sensor processing pipeline into a stacked die structure, allowing for additional functionality to be implemented on the sensor while providing for much smaller die sizes compared to non-stacked sensors. PureCelPlus-S uses partial deep trench isolation (B-DTI) structures comprising an interfacial oxide, first deposited HfO, TaO, oxide, Ti-based liner, and a tungsten core. This is OmniVision's first DTI structure, and the first metal filled B-DTI trench since 2013.
PureCel Plus uses buried color filter array (BCFA) to collect light with various incident light angles for tolerance improvements. Deep trench isolation reduces
crosstalk
In electronics, crosstalk (XT) is a phenomenon by which a signal transmitted on one circuit or channel of a transmission system creates an undesired effect in another circuit or channel. Crosstalk is usually caused by undesired capacitive, ...
by creating isolation walls between pixels inside silicon. In PureCel Plus Gen 2, OmniVision set out to improve deep trench isolation for better pixel isolation and low-light performance. Its target application is smartphone video cameras.
Nyxel
Developed to address the low-light and
night-vision performance requirements of advanced
machine vision
Machine vision is the technology and methods used to provide image, imaging-based automation, automatic inspection and analysis for such applications as automatic inspection, process control, and robot guidance, usually in industry. Machine vision ...
,
surveillance
Surveillance is the monitoring of behavior, many activities, or information for the purpose of information gathering, influencing, managing, or directing. This can include observation from a distance by means of electronic equipment, such as ...
, and automotive camera applications, OmniVision's Nyxel NIR imaging technology combines thick-silicon pixel architectures and careful management of the wafer surface texture to improve
quantum efficiency
The term quantum efficiency (QE) may apply to incident photon to converted electron (IPCE) ratio of a photosensitive device, or it may refer to the TMR effect of a magnetic tunnel junction.
This article deals with the term as a measurement of ...
(QE). In addition, extended deep trench isolation helps retain modulation
transfer function
In engineering, a transfer function (also known as system function or network function) of a system, sub-system, or component is a function (mathematics), mathematical function that mathematical model, models the system's output for each possible ...
without affecting the sensor's dark current, further improving
night vision
Night vision is the ability to see in low-light conditions, either naturally with scotopic vision or through a night-vision device. Night vision requires both sufficient spectral range and sufficient intensity range. Humans have poor night v ...
capabilities. Performance improvements include image quality, extended image-detection range and a reduced light-source requirement, leading to overall lower system power consumption.
Nyxel 2
This second generation near-infrared technology improves upon the first generation by increasing the silicon thickness to improve imaging sensitivity. Deep trench isolation was extended to address issues with crosstalk without impacting
modulation transfer function. Wafer surface has been refined to improve the extended
photon
A photon () is an elementary particle that is a quantum of the electromagnetic field, including electromagnetic radiation such as light and radio waves, and the force carrier for the electromagnetic force. Photons are massless particles that can ...
path and increase photon-electron conversion. The sensor achieves 25% improvement in the invisible 940-nm
NIR light spectrum and a 17% increase in the barely visible 850-nm NIR wavelength over the first-generation technology.
LED flicker mitigation and high dynamic range
High-dynamic-range (HDR) imaging relies on
algorithm
In mathematics and computer science, an algorithm () is a finite sequence of Rigour#Mathematics, mathematically rigorous instructions, typically used to solve a class of specific Computational problem, problems or to perform a computation. Algo ...
s to combined several image captures into one to create a higher quality image than native capture alone.
LED
A light-emitting diode (LED) is a semiconductor device that emits light when current flows through it. Electrons in the semiconductor recombine with electron holes, releasing energy in the form of photons. The color of the light (corresp ...
lighting can create a flicker effect with HDR. This is a problem for machine vision systems, such as those used in
autonomous vehicles. That is because LEDs are ubiquitous in automotive environments, from headlights to traffic lights, road signs and beyond. While the human eye can adapt to LED flickering, machine vision cannot. To mitigate this effect, OmniVision uses split-pixel technology. One large photodiode captures a scene using short exposure time. A small photodiode using long exposure simultaneously captures the LED signal. The two images are then joined in a final picture. The result is a flicker-free image.
Products
CMOS image sensors
OmniVision CMOS image sensors range in resolution from 64
megapixels to below one megapixel. In 2009, it received orders from
Apple
An apple is a round, edible fruit produced by an apple tree (''Malus'' spp.). Fruit trees of the orchard or domestic apple (''Malus domestica''), the most widely grown in the genus, are agriculture, cultivated worldwide. The tree originated ...
for both 3.2 megapixel and 5 megapixel CIS.
ASIC
OmniVision also manufactures application integrated circuits (
ASICs) as companion products for its image sensors used in automotive, medical,
augmented reality
Augmented reality (AR), also known as mixed reality (MR), is a technology that overlays real-time 3D computer graphics, 3D-rendered computer graphics onto a portion of the real world through a display, such as a handheld device or head-mounted ...
and
virtual reality
Virtual reality (VR) is a Simulation, simulated experience that employs 3D near-eye displays and pose tracking to give the user an immersive feel of a virtual world. Applications of virtual reality include entertainment (particularly video gam ...
(AR/VR), and
IoT applications.
CameraCubeChip
OmniVision's CameraCubeChip is a fully packaged, wafer-level camera module measuring 0.65 mm × 0.65 mm. It is being integrated into disposable
endoscope
An endoscope is an inspection instrument composed of image sensor, optical lens, light source and mechanical device, which is used to look deep into the body by way of openings such as the mouth or anus. A typical endoscope applies several modern ...
s and
catheter
In medicine, a catheter ( ) is a thin tubing (material), tube made from medical grade materials serving a broad range of functions. Catheters are medical devices that can be inserted in the body to treat diseases or perform a surgical procedure. ...
s with diameters as small as 1.0mm. These medical devices are used for a range of medical procedures, from diagnostic to
minimally invasive surgery. The used OV6948 sensor has a size of and a resolution of 200 × 200 Pixel.
LCOS
OmniVision manufacturers liquid crystal on silicon (
LCOS) projection technology for display applications.
In 2018,
Magic Leap
Magic Leap, Inc. is an American technology company that released a head-mounted augmented reality display, called ''Magic Leap One'', which superimposes 3D computer-generated imagery over real world objects. It is attempting to construct a lig ...
used OmniVision's LCOS technology and their sensor bridge ASIC for the Magic Leap One augmented reality headset.
Markets and applications
The digital imaging market has converged into two paths:
digital photography
Digital photography uses cameras containing arrays of electronic photodetectors interfaced to an analog-to-digital converter (ADC) to produce images focused by a lens, as opposed to an exposure on photographic film. The digitized image is ...
and
machine vision
Machine vision is the technology and methods used to provide image, imaging-based automation, automatic inspection and analysis for such applications as automatic inspection, process control, and robot guidance, usually in industry. Machine vision ...
. While
smartphone
A smartphone is a mobile phone with advanced computing capabilities. It typically has a touchscreen interface, allowing users to access a wide range of applications and services, such as web browsing, email, and social media, as well as multi ...
cameras drove the market for some time, since 2017, machine vision applications have driven new developments.
Autonomous vehicles, medical devices, miniaturized security cameras, and
internet of things
Internet of things (IoT) describes devices with sensors, processing ability, software and other technologies that connect and exchange data with other devices and systems over the Internet or other communication networks. The IoT encompasse ...
(IoT) devices all rely on advanced imaging technologies. OmniVision's image sensors are designed for all imaging market segments including:
* Mobile
* Automotive
* Security
* IoT/emerging
* Computing
* Medical
The following are examples of OmniVision products that have been adopted by end-users.
* The
iPhone 5
The iPhone 5 is a smartphone that was developed and marketed by Apple Inc. It is the List of iPhone models, 6th generation iPhone, succeeding the iPhone 4s, and preceding both the iPhone 5s and iPhone 5c. It was formally unveiled as part of ...
front-facing camera is an OV2C3B unit.
* The Official 5.0 megapixel camera for the
Raspberry Pi
Raspberry Pi ( ) is a series of small single-board computers (SBCs) developed in the United Kingdom by the Raspberry Pi Foundation in collaboration with Broadcom Inc., Broadcom. To commercialize the product and support its growing demand, the ...
released in 2013 uses an OV5647.
* In 2014,
Google
Google LLC (, ) is an American multinational corporation and technology company focusing on online advertising, search engine technology, cloud computing, computer software, quantum computing, e-commerce, consumer electronics, and artificial ...
developed 3D mapping technology,
Project Tango, for the purpose of bringing AR/VR technology to mobile applications. Tango contains a number of OmniVision products including a 4 MP RGB-Ir sensor that allows for high-res photo and video, as well as depth perception in its standard camera, as well as a low-power CameraChip.
* The Arlo home security camera by
Netgear
Netgear, Inc. (stylized as NETGEAR in all caps), is an American computer networking company based in San Jose, California, with offices in about 22 other countries. It produces networking hardware for consumers, businesses, and service provide ...
is a battery operated, wireless camera security system. It contains several OmniVision products including the OV00788 as the camera's image signal processor, and OV9712 a 1 MP progressive scan CMOS image sensor with video capturing capability.
* The Ring doorbell uses an HD camera that contains a OmniVision OV9712 1 MP Image Sensor OmniVision H.264 and a video compression chip used for video processing.
* The
Sony PlayStation contains two OV9713 CMOS image sensors in the
PlayStation Camera
The PlayStation Camera is a motion sensor and camera accessory for the PlayStation 4 and PlayStation 5, developed by Sony Computer Entertainment. It is the successor to the PlayStation Eye for the PlayStation 3, which was released in 2007. It ...
, as well as two USB bridge ASIC solutions. It also appears to have an OV580 ASIC chip that was made specifically for
Sony
is a Japanese multinational conglomerate (company), conglomerate headquartered at Sony City in Minato, Tokyo, Japan. The Sony Group encompasses various businesses, including Sony Corporation (electronics), Sony Semiconductor Solutions (i ...
.
* Automotive system supplier
ZF included OmniVision CMOS image sensors in its Gen-4 Generation S-Cam in both the mono camera and triple camera set-up.
* As of June 2020, the rear autopilot camera on the
Tesla Model S/X/3/Y uses the OV10635
720p
720p (720 lines progressive) is a progressive HD signal format with 720 horizontal lines/1280 columns and an aspect ratio (AR) of 16:9, normally known as widescreen HD (1.78:1). All major HD broadcasting standards (such as SMPTE 292M) includ ...
CMOS sensor.
* All five models of
Asus
ASUSTeK Computer Inc. (, , , ; stylized as ASUSTeK or ASUS) is a Taiwanese Multinational corporation, multinational computer, phone hardware and electronics manufacturer headquartered in Beitou District, Taipei, Taiwan. Its products include deskto ...
’
ZenFone 4 smartphone line include dual camera set ups. The mid-range model uses an 8-megapixel OV8856 for both the front camera and the secondary sensor to provides a 120-degree super wide view. The ZenFone 4 Selfie uses a low 5-megapixel resolution OV5670 as its secondary sensor, also for a super-wide view.
* The
Microsoft
Microsoft Corporation is an American multinational corporation and technology company, technology conglomerate headquartered in Redmond, Washington. Founded in 1975, the company became influential in the History of personal computers#The ear ...
Surface Pro 4 comes with an 8 MP rear camera with the OV5693 image sensor, and a 5 MP front facing camera with the OV8865 image sensor. The rear camera has 1.4
μm pixels, and a F/2 aperture for lower light scenarios. The front camera moves to a wider field of view for use with
video conferencing
Videotelephony (also known as videoconferencing or video calling) is the use of audio signal, audio and video for simultaneous two-way communication. Today, videotelephony is widespread. There are many terms to refer to videotelephony. ''Vide ...
. The quality is a bit grainy.
*
Qualcomm's virtual reality design kit (VRDK) was developed to provide a foundation for consumer electronics manufacturers so they could create VR headsets based on
Qualcomm's Snapdragon VR hardware. To achieve positional tracking, the company designed in on-board cameras backed by the OV9282 global shutter image sensor which can capture 1,280 × 800 images at 120 Hz, or 180 Hz at 640 × 480. Qualcomm chose it based on claims that low latency makes it a good choice for VR headsets.
References
{{commons category
Companies based in Santa Clara, California
Fabless semiconductor companies
Image sensor products