STMicroelectronics introduces low-cost megapixel CMOS sensor

OCTOBER 9--STMicroelectronics (www.st.com) has announced immediate availability of its new 1.3 million (1280 x 1024) pixel CMOS sensor designed for high-quality, low-cost digital-still-camera and camcorder markets. The new sensor, the VV6600, benefits from ST's high-performance 0.35-μm CMOS imaging process and is implemented with a classical 10-wire data interface for easy integration with any back-end coprocessor or compression device. The sensor is capable of operating at 15 frames per seconds in SXGA (1280 x 1024) mode or at 30 frames per second in VGA (640 x 480) mode for preview on an LCD or a PC, via USB streaming.

The product also features a flexible power-management technique making it a cost-effective solution for USB-enabled cameras. The devices can operate either from a single USB supply voltage of 4--5.5-V or from a 3--3.6-V regulated voltage. In addition, the sensor integrates on-chip voltage regulators that can be used to power other components in the application.

The read-out mode of the sensor is very flexible, allowing native pan and tilt as well as addressing programmable VGA windows of interest. An on-chip optical black level calibration has been integrated to ease the companion processor task. The sensor also benefits from a newly patented mode that minimizes the vertical fixed-pattern noise.

The VV6600C001 is available in a ceramic LCC48 package and is sampling now. An evaluation kit based on a PCI interface including hardware and software is also available.