OmniVision unveil OV6680 sensor for 3G video phones

October 4, 2006

OmniVision Technologies, a supplier of CMOS CameraChip solutions for high-volume imaging applications, unveiled a new high-performance Square Graphics Array (SGA) 400 x 400 resolution camera chip sensor. The new OV6680 is intended principally for use in secondary cameras in the fast growing 3G video phone market, and has already been designed into several 3G handsets.

"Our new SGA camera chip has outstanding low light sensitivity and is designed to meet the small form factor requirements of our handset customers by utilizing a 3.6 micron pixel with OmniPixel2 technology," said Jess Lee, Vice President Mainstream Products at OmniVision. "The OV6680's excellent performance and image quality should make it very attractive both for secondary cameras in 3G phones and for entry-level camera phones."

Market research firms Strategy Analytics and Yankee Group have estimated that this year 3G handset volume will reach 193 million units, or 25 percent of total handsets sold worldwide. By 2009, 3G handsets are expected to comprise over 60 percent of total handset shipments worldwide, translating into more than 500 million 3G phones. Even more importantly for OmniVision, approximately 85-90 percent of 3G handsets are expected to have a secondary camera.

The OV6680 combines superior low-light performance and image quality with a compact module design (5 x 5 x 3.0mm) to enable reliable, cost efficient camera solutions. Low light performance is especially critical in video conferencing applications because LCD screens rarely emit enough light (~5 lux) to compensate for the lighting conditions of most indoor environments.

The OV6680 operates at 30 frames per second in SGA resolution with complete user control over image quality, formatting and output data. The 400 x 400 pixel output enables image stabilization functions with post processing and all required image processing functions, such as exposure control, gamma, white balance, color saturation and hue control, are also programmable through the serial camera control bus (SCCB) interface.

The OV6680 comes in CSP packaging and is currently available in sample quantities. Volume production is expected to start in Q4 of calendar year 2006.