OmniVision Technologies, Inc., a leading developer of advanced digital imaging solutions, today announced from the Security China Show in Beijing its latest 2-micron image sensor family members built with OmniBSI(tm) pixel technology, the OS02F10 and OS04B10. The two sensors provide the industry's most cost-effective backside illumination (BSI) solutions and are designed for capturing high definition (HD) images in entry-level IoT, industrial, commercial, and residential security and surveillance cameras.
"Previously, entry-level IoT security and surveillance cameras could only afford frontside illumination image sensors, which has limited the performance of these cameras," said Brian Fang, business development director at OmniVision. "With our new OS02F10 and OS04B10 image sensors, even security cameras designed for residential applications will no longer have to sacrifice performance for cost effectiveness. The compact OmniBSI architecture reduces pixel crosstalk, yielding excellent image quality."
The OS02F10 and OS04B10, with superior low-light sensitivity, can produce high-quality digital images and HD video, even in poor lighting conditions. This capability is critical for security applications. Their wide chief ray angle (CRA) of 9 degrees enables thinner modules with wide-aperture lenses for accurate, unobtrusive surveillance.
The OS02F10 is a 2-megapixel (MP) sensor that supports 1080p (1920 x 1080) resolution streaming video at 30 frames per second (fps). This ultra-compact sensor features a 1/4-inch optical format and a 4.9 x 3.0-mm chip scale package (CSP). Its high quantum efficiency (QE) requires less IR illumination, thus enabling low power consumption for excellent camera battery life. The OS02F10 itself consumes less than 120 mW.
The OS04B10 is designed for applications covering larger surveillance areas. With 3.6-MP resolution, the OS04B10 supports 2K (2560 x 1440) resolution streaming video at 30 fps. It features a 1/3-inch optical format and a 6.3 x 3.7-mm CSP. The OS04B10's power consumption is less than 140 mW, and it has high QE for low system power.
OmniVision has also announced the OS02C10, a 2.9-micron, 2-megapixel image sensor with breakthrough ultra-low-light (ULL) technology. Combining ULL with OmniVision's industry-leading Nyxel(tm) near-infrared (NIR) technology, the OS02C10 works equally well in all lighting conditions. It can detect incident light in both visible and NIR wavelengths and produce precise color and monochrome images for security applications.
Nxyel NIR technology infuses the OS02C10 with exceptional quantum efficiency (QE) of 60% at 850nm and 40% at 940nm, which is 2x to 4x better than competing devices. Such excellent QE enables the use of lower-power IR illumination in total darkness, resulting in an estimated 3x reduction in system-level power consumption. Additionally, 940nm NIR lighting cannot be detected by the human eye in dark indoor settings, while 850nm light is ideal for outdoor security cameras. The OS02C10's ability to capture crisp, clear images using undetectable 940nm NIR light means that indoor security cameras will not disturb sleeping occupants, and can be easily concealed from intruders.
The amount of NIR light that a sensor requires to capture high-quality images can be quantified with a new metric called NIR SNR1, which takes into account the QE, pixel size and read noise. The OS02C10 achieves an SNR1850nm of 23nw/cm2 and an SNR1940nm of 31nw/cm2, which are 2x to 4x smaller numbers compared with the leading competitors' sensors. For the designers of security cameras that operate in total darkness, this means they can reduce IR illumination to consume 2x to 4x less power compared to the competitors' sensors, for the same environment and over the same image-detection range.
"Surveillance cameras with AI functionality need the highest possible resolution in all lighting conditions for accurate facial recognition," said Brian Fang, business development director at OmniVision. "These next-generation, intelligent-sensing surveillance systems are being enabled by our new sensor's top imaging performance, with industry-best detection capabilities under both extremely low visible light and infrared light in complete darkness."
The OS02C10 has a superior low-noise design, achieving an SNR1 of 0.16 lux while producing high definition 1080p images. OmniVision's proprietary dual-conversion-gain technology allows this sensor to achieve the industry's best ULL performance, while the 3-frame staggered shutter minimizes motion artifacts and enables a high dynamic range (HDR) of 120 dB. Additionally, these technologies are easily upgradable to 2K and 4K resolution as security systems begin their transition to higher-quality displays.
