IoT

A reference design developed by Infineon Technologies, working with Qualcomm Technologies is for 3D authentication based on the Qualcomm Snapdragon 865 mobile platform.

The reference design uses the REAL3 3D time of flight (ToF) sensor and enables a standardised integration for smartphone manufacturers.

At CES 2020, Infineon introduced the 4.4 x 5.1mm ToF sensor, describing it as the world’s smallest yet most powerful 3D image sensor with VGA resolution. It can be used for face authentication, enhanced photo features and authentic augmented

Andreas Urschitz, division president power management and multimarket at Infineon, commented: “3D sensors enable new uses and additional applications such as secured authentication or payment by facial recognition. We continue to focus on this market and have clear growth targets”.

Infineon develops the 3D ToF sensor technology in co-operation with the software and 3D time-of-flight system specialist pmdtechnologies.

From this month, Infineon’s REAL3 ToF sensor will enable the video bokeh function for the first time in a 5G-capable smartphone for optimal image effects even in moving images. Using the precise 3D point cloud algorithm and software, the received 3D image data is processed for the application. The 3D image sensor captures 940nm infrared light reflected from the user and the scanned objects. It also uses high-level data processing to achieve accurate depth measurements. The patented SBI (Suppression of Background Illumination) technology offers a wide dynamic measuring range from bright sunlight to dimly lit rooms for robust operation without loss of data processing quality.

pmdtechnologies is a fabless IC company headquartered in Siegen, Dresden and Ulm with subsidiaries in the USA, China and Korea. It claims to be the leading 3D ToF CMOS-based digital imaging technology supplier. Founded in 2002, the company owns over 350 worldwide patents concerning pmd-based applications, the pmd measurement principle and its realisation. The company operates in industrial applications.

http://www.infineon.com

To accelerate low power, embedded vision development such as image sensor bridging, aggregation, splitting and processing, Lattice Semiconductor has introduced the mVision solutions stack with support for the Nexus platform and CrossLink-NX FPGAs.

It includes the modular hardware development boards, design software, embedded vision IP portfolio, reference designs and demos needed to implement sensor bridging, sensor aggregation, and image processing applications found in machine vision, advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS), drones and augmented reality / virtual reality (AR/VR) for the industrial, automotive, consumer, smart home and medical markets.

Initially used in manufacturing, today embedded vision is used in automated assembly and inventory, explained Jeff Bier, founder of the Edge AI and Vision Alliance. “Many of these applications demand small, low cost, low power solutions,” he continued, adding “Solutions stacks, such as sensAI and mVision . . . help developers more easily integrate smart vision capabilities into their product designs.”

Key features of the Lattice mVision solutions stack are the Video Interface Platform (VIP) modular hardware development boards with support for a variety of video and I/O interfaces commonly used in embedded vision applications (including MIPI, LVDS, DisplayPort, HDMI, USB, and others). The VIP development boards currently support Lattice FPGAs including CrossLink, ECP5 and CrossLink-NX, based on the Lattice Nexus platform.

There is also a comprehensive IP Library. The Lattice mVision solutions stack includes ready-to-implement IP cores for interfacing to MIPI and LVDS image sensors, image signal processing pipelines, common connectivity standards like USB and Gigabit Ethernet, and display standards such as HDMI, DisplayPort, and GigE Vision.

The stack supports both of Lattice’s FPGA design tools, Lattice Diamond and Lattice Radiant. The tools automate many common design tasks.

There are also complete reference designs for common embedded vision applications including sensor bridging, sensor aggregation and image processing.

Customers can also access a  network of design service partners, developed by Lattice, for support ranging from developing individual functional design blocks to complete turn-key solutions.

http://www.latticesemi.com/mvision