Omnivision announces automotive industry’s first global shutter HDR sensor
Omnivision has launched the latest addition to its Nyxel near-infrared (NIR) technology family, the new OX05C—the automotive is the industry’s first 5-megapixel (MP) back-side illuminated (BSI) global shutter (GS) high dynamic range (HDR) sensor for in-cabin driver and occupant monitoring systems (DMS and OMS).
The OX05C GS HDR sensor delivers extremely clear images of the entire cabin, enabling improved algorithm accuracy even in challenging high-brightness lighting conditions. It features a pixel size of just 2.2µm and Omnivision’s Nyxel NIR technology, which achieves quantum efficiency (QE) at the 940nm NIR wavelength to further improve DMS and OMS capabilities in low-light conditions. The OX05C has on-chip RGB-IR separation, relieving the burden of a dedicated image signal processor (ISP) and backend processing, thus freeing extra bandwidth for other tasks.
At just 6.61mm x 5.34mm, the OX05C1S package is 30% smaller than its predecessor, the OX05B (7.94mm x 6.34mm), providing automotive OEMs with greater design flexibility to place the camera in various locations within the cabin. Moreover, OEMs can use the same camera lens when upgrading from the OX05B to the newer OX05C, providing a design and cost advantage.
Compared to rolling-shutter HDR sensors, the GS HDR OX05C avoids interference from other IR light sources in the cabin, improving the RGB image quality and providing flexibility to enable more capture scheme and functions in real applications. The OX05C features integrated cybersecurity and supports simultaneous driver and occupant monitoring with a single camera, reducing complexity, cost and space. In addition, Omnivision developed the sensor with strong ecosystem partner support to provide a complete, seamless solution for automotive OEMs.
The sensor comes in an Omnivision stacked a-CSP package. It is also available in a reconstructed wafer option for designers who want the flexibility to customise their own package. The OX05C sensor is available in both colour filter array RGB-IR and mono designs.
