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Development of an Imaging System that Creates a High-Speed Imaging World

High-Speed Imaging System

	Time machine imaging: Never missing the best instant
	Multiplane synthesis: Creating new functions and superb picture quality
	Ultrahigh-speed imaging: Seeing things that cannot be seen
	Seamless video and still imaging: Fusing video and still imaging

Welcome to the World of High-Speed Imaging !

Sony created the IMX017 ^*1 high-speed CMOS sensor making it possible to “capture the instant”, something that was previously impossible, and then developed the IMX032^*2, which features further miniaturization and higher resolution.
High-speed imaging systems that combine the CXD4109AGG high-speed image processing engine with these sensors not only achieve even faster continuous imaging performance, but also create new imaging experiences and open the door to a world of high-speed imaging. In this world of high-speed imaging, previously unknown applications, such as time machine imaging, which never misses the best instant, multiplane image stabilization, which makes handheld photography at night possible, and multiplane wide dynamic range imaging, which significantly improves image quality in backlit situations can be included in digital still cameras and digital video cameras. In this article, we introduce the new imaging world that is created by this high-speed imaging system.

*1: Diagonal 9.10 mm (Type 1/1.8) 6.40M-effective pixel color CMOS sensor
*2: Diagonal 7.63 mm (Type 1/2.3) 9.29M-effective pixel color CMOS sensor

System Overview

This high-speed imaging system implements a digital camera by combining a high-speed CMOS sensor, either the IMX017 or the IMX032, with the CXD4109AGG high-speed image processing engine, memory, and other peripheral devices. (See figure 1.) The most significant feature of this system is applications that extend along the direction of continuous, high-speed RAW image capture. To achieve high-speed RAW image capture, it is necessary to store, in real time, the high-speed data output from the high-speed CMOS sensor in a high-speed/large-capacity image memory.
In this system, up to four 2G-bit DDR2 memory chips can be connected. When this maximum amount of memory is used, up to 100 6M-pixel RAW images (one 6M-pixel RAW image requires about 6M bytes) can be stored in the memory.
Here we present high-speed imaging applications made possible by Sony’s high-speed imaging system and detailed information on the technologies that support this system.

Figure 1 System Structure

Time Machine Imaging: Never Missing the Best Instant

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Vol.55

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