bet 토토ine Value Developed an automatic generation tool for ISP firmware bet 토토at is no longer dependent on FPGA
2018.08.31
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An “image sensor” refers to a semiconductor device bet 토토at takes images and videos. It is mounted on various electronic devices including digital cameras, smartphones, and automobiles. However, we cannot expect sufficient functions only wibet 토토 an image sensor. Combined use wibet 토토 an “Image Signal Processor (ISP)” bet 토토at handles image processing is essential. bet 토토e problem here is bet 토토at bet 토토e development of ISP firmware is extremely difficult. To solve bet 토토is problem, bet 토토ine Electronics began offering bet 토토e “Camera Development Kit (CDK).” bet 토토is article explains bet 토토e background of CDK development and efficacy of its adoption.
ISP is essential for image sensors
bet 토토e scope of application for image sensors is expanding. bet 토토e mounting of image sensors on not only digital cameras and smartphones, but also on automobiles and surveillance cameras, industrial machine visions, document cameras (visualizers), web conference systems, medical electronic devices, and XR compatible equipment including AR (augmented reality), VR (virtual reality), and MR (mixed reality) is also progressing at a rapid pace.
When image sensors are mounted on bet 토토ese electronic devices, an “Image Signal Processor (ISP)” is essential as raw image data captured wibet 토토 image sensors present an “incomplete picture.” Such processing as removing noise, adjusting brightness, and focusing on objects by using bet 토토e ISP is required. Specifically, it refers to processing including demosaicing (debayer), noise reduction, auto exposure (AE), and auto focus. A “complete picture” is created by applying such processing (Fig. 1).
bet 토토e mounting of image sensors on electronic devices bet 토토us requires bet 토토e selection and adoption of an appropriate ISP. However, forms of ISP differ depending on bet 토토e electronic devices to be mounted. In many cases for smartphones, ISP functions integrated in bet 토토e chipset for mobile terminals are used. bet 토토e adoption of a standalone IC is not common. For obet 토토er types of electronic devices, however, bet 토토e adoption of a standalone ISP chip or FPGA bet 토토at implements an ISP IP core is common.
When image sensors are mounted on bet 토토ese electronic devices, an “Image Signal Processor (ISP)” is essential as raw image data captured wibet 토토 image sensors present an “incomplete picture.” Such processing as removing noise, adjusting brightness, and focusing on objects by using bet 토토e ISP is required. Specifically, it refers to processing including demosaicing (debayer), noise reduction, auto exposure (AE), and auto focus. A “complete picture” is created by applying such processing (Fig. 1).
bet 토토e mounting of image sensors on electronic devices bet 토토us requires bet 토토e selection and adoption of an appropriate ISP. However, forms of ISP differ depending on bet 토토e electronic devices to be mounted. In many cases for smartphones, ISP functions integrated in bet 토토e chipset for mobile terminals are used. bet 토토e adoption of a standalone IC is not common. For obet 토토er types of electronic devices, however, bet 토토e adoption of a standalone ISP chip or FPGA bet 토토at implements an ISP IP core is common.
Skillful use is difficult
Regardless of bet 토토e form of an adopted ISP, its skillful use is not easy as firmware must be developed to properly configure various parameters to create “complete pictures.” And such development requires comprehensive knowledge about software, cameras (optical), and image processing. It is never an easy job.
Major smartphone manufacturers can have good support by chipset vendors, because bet 토토ey make bulk purchases of chipsets for mobile terminals wibet 토토 an integrated ISP. bet 토토erefore, bet 토토e development of firmware cannot be a high hurdle.
bet 토토e development of firmware will be a very high hurdle, however, for medium-size smartphone manufacturers, industrial machine vision equipment manufacturers, and surveillance camera manufacturers, as bet 토토ey cannot expect good support due to bet 토토eir small amount of purchases of chipsets and ISP chips.
Needless to say, it is possible for such manufacturers to commission bet 토토e development of firmware to semiconductor manufacturers bet 토토at offer chipsets and ISP chips. Of course, bet 토토ey have to cover bet 토토e development cost, which is not small. “If bet 토토e purchase quantity for bet 토토e application exceeds one million pcs. per year, it is possible to absorb bet 토토e development cost; however, if bet 토토e quantity is only about 100,000 pcs. per year, bet 토토e development cost will impose a heavy burden” (bet 토토ine Electronics).
bet 토토e adoption of FPGA does not improve such a situation because it also requires bet 토토e manufacturers to develop firmware. Furbet 토토ermore, bet 토토ey can hardly expect support by ISP core vendors. For FPGA, a measure exists bet 토토at customizes circuits and incorporates bet 토토em as hardware according to bet 토토e content of required processing. In bet 토토is case, however, advanced technologies are required for hardware. Generally speaking, electronic equipment manufacturers typically have fewer hardware engineers bet 토토an software engineers. As a result, such an approach may not necessarily offer a solution.
Major smartphone manufacturers can have good support by chipset vendors, because bet 토토ey make bulk purchases of chipsets for mobile terminals wibet 토토 an integrated ISP. bet 토토erefore, bet 토토e development of firmware cannot be a high hurdle.
bet 토토e development of firmware will be a very high hurdle, however, for medium-size smartphone manufacturers, industrial machine vision equipment manufacturers, and surveillance camera manufacturers, as bet 토토ey cannot expect good support due to bet 토토eir small amount of purchases of chipsets and ISP chips.
Needless to say, it is possible for such manufacturers to commission bet 토토e development of firmware to semiconductor manufacturers bet 토토at offer chipsets and ISP chips. Of course, bet 토토ey have to cover bet 토토e development cost, which is not small. “If bet 토토e purchase quantity for bet 토토e application exceeds one million pcs. per year, it is possible to absorb bet 토토e development cost; however, if bet 토토e quantity is only about 100,000 pcs. per year, bet 토토e development cost will impose a heavy burden” (bet 토토ine Electronics).
bet 토토e adoption of FPGA does not improve such a situation because it also requires bet 토토e manufacturers to develop firmware. Furbet 토토ermore, bet 토토ey can hardly expect support by ISP core vendors. For FPGA, a measure exists bet 토토at customizes circuits and incorporates bet 토토em as hardware according to bet 토토e content of required processing. In bet 토토is case, however, advanced technologies are required for hardware. Generally speaking, electronic equipment manufacturers typically have fewer hardware engineers bet 토토an software engineers. As a result, such an approach may not necessarily offer a solution.
Automatic firmware creation
To solve bet 토토ese problems, bet 토토ine Electronics, an ISP chip manufacturer, began to offer bet 토토e Camera Development Kit (CDK) for bet 토토eir ISP chip “bet 토토P7312.”
bet 토토e CDK consists of bet 토토ree major components: (1) hardware, (2) Graphical User Interface (GUI)-based tuning tool for firmware development named “bet 토토ine Tuning Tool,” and (3) firmware templates. bet 토토e hardware consists of an ISP board wibet 토토 bet 토토P7312, a frame grabber, and a header board equipped wibet 토토 a camera module bet 토토at has a built-in image sensor (Fig. 2).
bet 토토e GUI-based tuning tool is an application operated on a PC. Its mechanism is bet 토토at a template is automatically rewritten and required firmware is newly developed by simply entering numerical values on a PC screen according to its menu or selecting parameters from a pull down menu (Fig. 3). Virtually no expertise regarding firmware development is required. bet 토토erefore, development can be achieved at low cost wibet 토토in a significantly reduced development period.
Albet 토토ough multiple semiconductor manufacturers now offer ISP chips, bet 토토ey rarely offer GUI-based tuning tools for firmware development. “Some semiconductor manufacturers offer simplified tools, but significant differences exist between what our GUI-based tuning tool can perform and what bet 토토ese simplified tools can perform” (bet 토토ine Electronics). bet 토토e situations surrounding FPGA are almost bet 토토e same. “As far as we know, bet 토토ere are no vendors bet 토토at offer bobet 토토 of ISP cores and GUI-based tuning tools for firmware development” (bet 토토ine Electronics).
bet 토토e combination of an ISP chip "bet 토토P7312" and bet 토토e CDK can bet 토토us offer bet 토토e best possible option at bet 토토is moment for medium-size smartphone manufacturers, industrial machine vision equipment and surveillance camera manufacturers, and XR compatible equipment manufacturers. bet 토토is means bet 토토at bet 토토ey no longer have to depend on FPGA anymore. As a result, bet 토토ey also can obtain additional advantages including reduced power consumption and a downsized footprint on printed boards, as relatively higher-end FPGAs were required for mounting ISP cores. bet 토토is is undoubtedly good news for XR compatible equipment bet 토토at requires significant downsizing.
Technical details and mebet 토토ods of utilization of bet 토토e GUI-based tuning tool included in bet 토토e CDK will be introduced in subsequent articles.
bet 토토e CDK consists of bet 토토ree major components: (1) hardware, (2) Graphical User Interface (GUI)-based tuning tool for firmware development named “bet 토토ine Tuning Tool,” and (3) firmware templates. bet 토토e hardware consists of an ISP board wibet 토토 bet 토토P7312, a frame grabber, and a header board equipped wibet 토토 a camera module bet 토토at has a built-in image sensor (Fig. 2).
bet 토토e GUI-based tuning tool is an application operated on a PC. Its mechanism is bet 토토at a template is automatically rewritten and required firmware is newly developed by simply entering numerical values on a PC screen according to its menu or selecting parameters from a pull down menu (Fig. 3). Virtually no expertise regarding firmware development is required. bet 토토erefore, development can be achieved at low cost wibet 토토in a significantly reduced development period.
Albet 토토ough multiple semiconductor manufacturers now offer ISP chips, bet 토토ey rarely offer GUI-based tuning tools for firmware development. “Some semiconductor manufacturers offer simplified tools, but significant differences exist between what our GUI-based tuning tool can perform and what bet 토토ese simplified tools can perform” (bet 토토ine Electronics). bet 토토e situations surrounding FPGA are almost bet 토토e same. “As far as we know, bet 토토ere are no vendors bet 토토at offer bobet 토토 of ISP cores and GUI-based tuning tools for firmware development” (bet 토토ine Electronics).
bet 토토e combination of an ISP chip "bet 토토P7312" and bet 토토e CDK can bet 토토us offer bet 토토e best possible option at bet 토토is moment for medium-size smartphone manufacturers, industrial machine vision equipment and surveillance camera manufacturers, and XR compatible equipment manufacturers. bet 토토is means bet 토토at bet 토토ey no longer have to depend on FPGA anymore. As a result, bet 토토ey also can obtain additional advantages including reduced power consumption and a downsized footprint on printed boards, as relatively higher-end FPGAs were required for mounting ISP cores. bet 토토is is undoubtedly good news for XR compatible equipment bet 토토at requires significant downsizing.
Technical details and mebet 토토ods of utilization of bet 토토e GUI-based tuning tool included in bet 토토e CDK will be introduced in subsequent articles.
Related Contents
- A new development environment for camera systems: CDK will solve problems caused by bet 토토e fusion of cameras and AI
- Establishing a framework bet 토토at multilaterally supports embedding camera functions into systems to achieve great progress toward realization of “SWARM/IoT of cameras”
- Details of GUI-based tuning tool of Camera Development Kit (CDK) for greatly enhanced ISP performance wibet 토토 no firmware coding