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Before we go further with the camera module classification, let’s acknowledge the basic definition of the camera module. A compact Camera Module usually called a Camera Module includes four parts: Lens, Sensor, Flexible Printed Circuit(FPC) or Printed Circuit Board(PCB), an image processing chip- Digital Signal Processor(DSP). The important components that determine the quality of a module are Lens, DSP, and Sensor. Camera Module Introduction from SAMSUNG Working Process The light collected by the object through the lens, through the CMOS or CCD integrated circuit, converts the optical signal into an electrical signal. During the processing, it will convert the signal into a digital image signal by the Internal Image Processor (ISP) and then will be further processed by the Digital Signal Processor (DSP), Thus it will be converted into standard GRB, YUV and other format image signals. Classification Distinguishing camera module classification from different dimensions can give us a clearer understanding of camera modules. Usually, there are the following categories, let’s figure it out! 1. Sort by Interface A.Universal Serial Bus (USB): USB was designed to standardize the connection of peripherals to personal computers, both to communicate with and to supply electric power. B.Mobile Industry Processor Interface (MIPI): standard defines industry specifications for the design of mobile devices such as smartphones, tablets, laptops, and hybrid devices. C.Digital Video Port (DVP): This interface is designed to transmit uncompressed digital video and can be configured to support multiple modes such as DVI-A (analog only), DVI-D (digital only), or DVI-I (digital and analog) D.Low Voltage Differential Signaling (LVDS): is a technical standard that specifies the electrical characteristics of a differential, serial signaling standard. E.Serial Digital Interface (SDI): known as the high-definition serial digital interface (HD-SDI), is standardized in SMPTE 292M; this provides a nominal data rate of 1.485 Gbit/s. 2. Sort by Lens Wide-angle Lens: This type of lens allows more of the scene to be included in the photograph, which is useful in architectural, interior, and landscape photography where the photographer may not be able to move farther from the scene to photograph it. Standard Lens: also known as a “normal lens”, is one that produces an image that roughly matches what the human eye sees, and which looks natural to the viewer. It sits between the telephoto lens and the wide-angle lens, which produce unnaturally zoomed-in and zoomed-out images respectively. Telephoto Lens: Telephoto lenses have longer focal lengths and are great for bringing distant scenes and subjects closer. Zoom Lens: Technically speaking, a single lens made up of multiple glass elements, can change its effective angle of view by moving certain elements within the lens as a whole. Visually, this gives the effect of “zooming in” or “zooming out”, while maintaining a sharp image. Pinhole Lens: It is a simple camera without a lens but with a tiny aperture (the so-called pinhole)—effectively a light-proof box with a small hole in one side. 3. Sort by Imaging Color Camera Module Black and White Camera Module Infrared Camera Module 4. Sort by Sensor Type CCD Camera Module (Charge-coupled Device) CMOS Camera Module (Complementary Metal Oxide Semiconductor) For more detail you want to know about the difference between CCD and CMOS, please refer to the post: CMOS VS CCD, Which Performs a Better Vision? 5. Sort by Focus Fixed Focus Camera Module: A photographic lens for which the focus is not adjustable is called a fixed-focus lens or sometimes focus-free. Auto Focus Camera Module: An autofocus (or AF) optical system uses a sensor, a control system, and a motor to focus on an automatically or manually selected point or area. Zoom Camera Module. 6. Sort by Sensor Package Chip Scale Package (CPS)： A chip-scale package or chip-scale package (CSP) is a type of integrated circuit package. check more on Wiki about Chip Scale Package. (COB)： Chip on board (COB) is a method of circuit board manufacturing in which the integrated circuits (e.g. microprocessors) are attached (wired, bonded directly) to a printed circuit board, and covered by a blob of epoxy. By eliminating the packaging of individual semiconductor devices, the completed product can be more compact, lighter, and less costly. Check more on Wiki about Chip on board. Views: 22

CMOS Complementary Metal Oxide Semiconductor CCD Charge-Coupled Device 1. Imaging Process The principle of photoelectric conversion CMOS VS CCD image sensors is the same. The main difference between them is that the readout process of the signal is different. The CCD has only one (or a few) output nodes to read out uniformly, the consistency of its signal output is very good. In the CMOS chip, each pixel has its own signal amplifier, which performs charge-voltage conversion, and the consistency of its signal output is poor. However, in order to read out the entire image signal. the CCD requires a wide signal bandwidth of the output amplifier. In a CMOS chip, the bandwidth requirement of the amplifier in each pixel is low, which greatly reduces the power consumption of the chip. This is the main reason CMOS has lower power consumption than CCD. Despite the reduced power consumption, the inconsistency of the multi-million amplifiers results in higher stationary noise, again an inherent disadvantage of CMOS over CCD. 2. Integration From the point of view of the manufacturing process, the circuits and devices in CCD are integrated with semiconductor single-crystal material manufacturers, and the process is more complicated. Only a few manufacturers in the world can produce CCD wafers, such as DALSA, SONY, Panasonic, and so on. The CCD can only output analog electrical signals, which requires subsequent processing by address decoders, analog converters, and image signal processors. It also needs to provide three groups of power synchronous clock control circuits with different voltages, so the integration level is very low. CMOS is integrated into a single material called metal oxide. This process is the same as the process of producing tens of thousands of semiconductor integrated circuits such as computer chips and storage devices. Therefore, the cost of producing CMOS is much lower than that of CCD. At the same time, the CMOS chip can integrate the image signal amplifier, signal reading circuit, A/D conversion circuit, image signal processor, and controller into one chip. Only one chip can realize all the basic functions of the camera, and the integration is very high. The high, chip-scale camera concept was born from this. With the continuous development of CMOS imaging technology, more and more companies can provide high-quality CMOS imaging chips, including Micron, CMOSIS, Cypress, etc. 3. Speed CCD adopts photosensitive output one by one, and can only output according to the specified program, and the speed is relatively slow. CMOS cameras have the potential for higher frame rates, as the process of reading out each pixel can be done more quickly than with the charge transfer in a CCD sensor’s shift register. For digital cameras, exposures can be made from tens of seconds to minutes, although the longest exposures are only possible with CCD cameras, which have lower dark currents and noise compared to CMOS. The noise intrinsic to CMOS imagers restricts their useful exposure to only seconds. 4. Noise CCD technology has developed earlier and is relatively mature. It uses a PN junction or silicon dioxide (SiO2) isolation layer to isolate noise, and the imaging quality has certain advantages over CMOS photoelectric sensors. Due to the high integration of CMOS image sensors, the distance between components and circuits is very close, so there are have some interference, and the noise has a great impact on the image quality. In recent years, with the continuous development of CMOS circuit noise reduction technology, good conditions are provided for the production of high-density and high-quality CMOS image sensors. With the advancement of CMOS image sensor technology, it has the advantages of fast imaging speed, low power consumption, and low cost. Therefore, most of the industrial cameras on the market now use CMOS image sensors. 5. Applications There are very many applications where both types of technology are important. In general, a need for CCD technology can be seen in life science, as well as in high-end inspection applications – that is, applications where high image quality is required, such as in microscopy – but also in applications where longer exposure times play a major role. Here, CCDs can exploit their advantage of a lower dark current. A wide range of applications is opening up for global shutter CMOS technology: From traditional automation inspection of a production line to traffic applications. We are also seeing a lot of interest in many 3D scanner applications. There, CMOS technology is preferred due to lower power consumption and often lower cost. While not impossible, it is more difficult to work with a rolling shutter for 3D scanning. Therefore, a global shutter CMOS sensor is especially worthwhile for any kind of 3D scanning application. Different applications demand different requirements. Anyway, all that matter is to choose the right chip to assemble your product perfectly according to your own needs. Views: 160

The camera modules have various different application areas, and most customers’ needs also vary a lot. Offering customized camera module service to meet the customers’ requirements is crucial and necessary. In the process of customization, effective communication between the two parties about their respective needs can help the entire customization process to proceed more smoothly. Usually includes the following key steps： Requirements Proposal It would be better if you could have very specific, detailed, and clear requirements for your customized products, in this way we are able to offer the best solutions tailed to your needs within the shortest possible.  Solutions Communication Our company provides solutions according to your needs, we would propose a one-stop solution suitable for your requirement for you to choose. And then let’s communicate together your ideal camera module solutions further. Drawing Confirmation Confirm with the customers of your module type, sensor type, size, interface and other settings, and we would send you a product drawing diagram to finalize the design. After the customers’ confirmation, let us move forward. Quotation Send the quotation according to the design level of your products. Sample Development Determine the details of the development sample and the delivery time. Communicate at any time to ensure smooth progress. It usually would be completed within 15 days. Sample Testing Send the first sample for confirmation, and mass production would be started after confirmation. Mass Production During mass production, production and quality control of mass-produced products would be carried out, to be sure that customized R&D and production of the camera module can be completed with high quality and quantity since it meets the customer’s requirements.   Shipping Start shipping and keep tracking the good’s transportation throughout the process. Views: 18