Paul Maria Zalewski, Product Line Manager at Allied Vision Technologies, presents the “A New Generation of Camera Modules: A Novel Approach and Its Benefits for Embedded Systems” tutorial at the May 2018 Embedded Vision Summit.
Embedded vision systems have typically relied on low-cost image sensor modules with a MIPI CSI-2 interface. Now, machine vision camera vendors are entering the market with so-called camera modules, some of which also rely on the MIPI CSI-2 interface standard. What is the difference between a camera module and sensor module? This presentation investigates the different architectures of camera and sensor modules, in particular the built-in image-processing hardware and software capabilities of the brand new Allied Vision 1 Product Line camera modules.
By performing advanced image processing inside the camera, the 1 product line cameras minimize CPU requirements on the host side. Another major difference is the flexibility of system integration; these modules will be available with various image sensors. One camera driver installed on the host supports all sensor variants, which opens new possibilities for system developers to test various sensors, offer different versions of their system or upgrade to new sensors with minimal programming effort.
