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PHOTOBIT ILLUMINATES CMOS IMAGE SENSING.

From:

Sensor Business Digest

Date:

September 1, 2000

More results for:

"eric r fossum"

Companies mentioned:

Photobit Corp.

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Photobit Corporation (Pasadena, CA, 626-683-2200)(www.photobit.com),
which has an exclusive license to high-performance, convenient, and
cost-effective image capture technology invented at NASA's Jet Propulsion
Laboratory, is spearheading key advances in image sensor technology that
foster the proliferation of digital imaging.

In contrast to incumbent CCD (charge coupled device) image sensors,
which require a non-standard fabrication process, Photobit's CMOS APS
(complementary metal oxide active pixel sensor), invented in the '90s by
Photobit's founders, utilizes the same CMOS design and manufacturing
process that is typically employed to produce microprocessors and memory
chips. As a result, the APS sensor chip can contain control and signal
processing microcircuitry for system-on-a-chip functionality in a
miniaturized, low-power consuming design. Moreover, CMOS APS devices can
be produced cost-effectively in volume.

CCDs have been a prevailing technology in image capture for around 30
years. However, Photobit notes that, by the late 1990s, charge-coupled
devices began to be replaced by CMOS image sensors, which draw
considerably less power. CMOS image sensors enable end-products to run
longer on batteries, a key benefit in portable applications, such as PDAs
(personal data assistants) and video cell phones.

Dr. Sabrina Kemeny, chairman and a co-founder of Photobit, told SBD
that the CMOS APS leverages the powerful CMOS manufacturing infrastructure
to provide key advantages over CCDs in terms of power consumption, cost,
and ease of integration of signal processing/control electronics. The CMOS
APS is more convenient for a system integrator to use, since A/D
conversion circuitry can readily be integrated on the sensor chip to
provide a digital output. She added that the CMOS APS can take the place
of 3 or 4 CCD chips.

The APS' architecture was created by team of JPL engineers--led by Dr.
Eric R. Fossum, vice chairman and chief technology officer at
Photobit--who embedded active transistor circuitry within each pixel of
the image sensor and combined the pixel array with on-chip noise reduction
CMOS circuitry. Founded in 1995, Photobit--which had revenues of $4
million in 1999, and projects revenues of $20 million in 2000--has
designed over 40 off-the-shelf and custom CMOS image sensors. The company
also performs R&D for the U.S. government.

Photobit's customers include Eastman Kodak, Gentex, Logitech, Lucent
Technologies, and Schick Technologies. Applications for Photobit's CMOS
image sensors include PC video cameras (including Logitech's QuickCAM (TM)
Express); medical imaging (including Given Imaging's "camera-in-a-pill");
dental radiography (Schick Technologies is a customer); imaging systems
for the automotive industry (Gentex (Grand Rapids, MI) is a customer and
business partner); and machine vision, where Photobit is strategically
aligned with Basler AG (Ahrensburg Germany). Additional promising
applications include digital still cameras and video cell phones, as well
as biometrics, toys, and laptop computers.

Photobit has designed an ultra-low power (<3 milliwatts) CMOS image
sensor featuring a very minute silicon die for use in an
ingestible/disposable capsule-camera to be marketed by Given Imaging Ltd.
(Yokneam, Israel). In this application, the sensor produces color video of
the gastrointestinal tract.

The capsule with a video camera-on-a-chip, designed to be swallowed
like a pill, takes images of the stomach and small bowel as the device
passes through them unaided. The procedures (e.g., endoscopy and
radiological imaging) that are, at present, typically used for such
internal-medicine applications can be expensive, have limited inspection
capabilities, or cause patient discomfort.

The capsule, which measures 11 mm x 30 mm, addresses these limitations.
For example, it would allow for inspecting areas of the small intestine
that are elusive for conventional endoscopes.

"Our goal has always been to commercialize a minimally-invasive,
disposable imaging capsule for diagnosing small intestine disorders,"
stated Dr. Gavriel D. Meron, Given Imaging's president and CEO.
"Photobit's sensor, with its ability to combine all camera functions on
such an incredibly small chip, has made this dream a reality."

"We're excited to be part of such a revolutionary medical application,"
stated Dr. Kemeny. "We're excited to be part of such a revolutionary
medical application. CMOS imaging technology, which can be used in
anything from PC video cameras to machine vision, is here helping to
ensure a more pleasant experience for patients."

In the diagnostic process, the patient swallows the "M2A (TM)" capsule
(the patented imaging device). The pill passes through the digestive tract
and is naturally excreted. The capsule transmits signals to an antenna
array attached to the patient, and the signals are recorded by a wireless
recorder worn on a belt around the patient's waist. A computer
workstation, equipped with Given's proprietary RAPID (TM) (reporting and
processing of images and data) software processes the data and produces a
20-minute video clip of the images captured by the CMOS sensor in
synchronization with the capsule's trajectory as it passes through the
body. The camera-in-a-pill is expected to undergo human trials in
September.

Schick Technologies (Long Island City, New York) uses Photobit's CMOS
APS in their dental radiography equipment. By using a scintillating layer
on top of silicon, the sensor serves as an X-ray detector.

Basler AG, which currently has a 16% stake in Photobit, uses Photobit's
image sensor in their machine vision systems.

Kemeny noted that there are a host of highly promising in-vehicle
automotive applications for image sensors, including collision avoidance,
lane tracking, smart airbag sensors (where image sensors would be used for
passenger recognition to help control the airbag's deployment), black
boxes providing information for insurance companies, rain sensors, and
blind spot detection.

Photobit's CMOS APS purportedly equals or exceeds CCDs with respect to
image quality characteristics, such as sensitivity, dynamic range, noise,
smear, and blooming. The power consumption of the CMOS APS devices is
purportedly less than 5% of equivalent CCD devices; and portable CMOS APS
camera systems are described as being capable of operating up to 20 longer
than a CCD-based system.

Since they utilize VLSI (very large scale integration) technology, APS
image sensors offer enhanced functionality. In addition to standard camera
functions, such as auto exposure control and A/D (analog-to-digital)
conversion, the sensor chip can contain value-added functions, such as
dynamic range enhancements, image filtering, color encoding, and
compression.

Moreover, the APS allows random access to each pixel, enabling
high-performance features, such as windowing for on-chip electronic
pan-and-tilt and electronic zoom functions. The windowing capability
provides enhanced flexibility in applications requiring motion detection,
target tracking, or compression.

The column-parallel high-speed A/D converter architecture, used in
Photobit's sensors for certain applications, allows for digital sensors
with very high frame rates. Moreover, this scheme, in which an entire row
of data is processed at the same time, allows for using lower power. For
some applications, Photobit uses a serial analog-to-digital converter
architecture in their image sensors.

On November 23, 1999, a third patent (U.S. Patent #5,990,506) covering
Photobit's image sensor technology was issued, and licensed to Photobit by
the California Institute of Technology. Dr. Kemeny and Dr. Fossum are
listed as co-inventors for the new patent, titled "Active-Pixel Sensors
with Substantially Planarized Color Filtering Elements." The new patent
covers the basic light-filtering process by which CMOS image sensors
capture color. It is a broad patent governing the deposition of a color
filter array on an active pixel sensor.

The latest patent, along with two other broad patents, strengthens
Photobit's CMOS image sensor intellectual property portfolio, which now
totals 15 patents, with over 70 patents pending. U.S. Patent #5,471,515
for active pixel circuitry enabled high-performance CMOS imaging by
placing an amplifier in each pixel; and U.S. Patent #5,841,126 for
camera-system-on-a-chip architecture addressed the combining of a pixel
array and control circuitry on a single piece of silicon.

"Since we filed for these major patents, our engineering teams have
reached several milestones using this technology," Kemeny stated. "For
instance, we have produced the world's fastest megapixel CMOS image
sensor, used in machine vision, and the world's lowest-power image sensor,
which will enable video watches, among other devices."

Photobit's PB-1024 CMOS image sensor for machine vision and motion
analysis, described as the world's fastest CMOS image sensor, provides
1024H x 1024V image resolution and delivers 8-bit megapixel
progressive-scan digital video at over 500 frames per second (or about 500
million pixels per second). The sensor also runs at lower frame rates. Its
power consumption is 100 mW at 60 fps and less than 450 mW at 500 fps. The
monochrome PB-1024 contains 10-micron-square active-pixel photodiodes and
has a 1" optical format.

Suitable applications for the PB-1024 in the machine vision/process
control and analysis area include robotic vision, scientific imaging,
high-speed medical imaging, volume visualization, sorting systems, and
flaw detection.

In motion analysis, the sensor records an event with a series of images
taken at a high repetitive rate and allows for viewing such images at
lower speeds. Motion analysis applications for the PB-1024 include
ballistics, sports performance, factory processes, automobile crash tests,
and explosion analysis. The sensor is also suitable for biometrics
applications involving identifying individuals by cataloging eyes, faces,
fingerprints, hands, or other body parts.

Major applications for the PB-1024 include high-speed cameras for
industrial inspection, motion analysis, or special effects.

Photobit's PB-100 CMOS camera-on-a-chip, designed for PC
videoconferencing and other applications requiring small-format image
capture, has a 1/5" optical format, power consumption of 100 mW at maximum
frame speed, and produces full-frame 8-bit digital video at up to 39
frames per second. The sensor supports low-bandwidth communication over
phone lines and the Internet; and its CIF pixel format and optical format
are suitable for promising emerging or expanding markets, such as video
cell phones, biometrics (fingerprinting), handheld scanners, interactive
children's products, and portable business tools. The PB-100 is primarily
used in PC video cameras. Video cell phones represent a key future
application area for the PB-100.

Photobit's PB-300 CMOS camera-on-a-chip for multimedia applications
outputs full-frame 8-bit digital video at up to 39 frames per second in a
VGA-format pixel array (640H x 480V) and has a maximum data rate of 24
megabytes per second (master clock 24 MHz). The sensor, whose power
consumption is 300 mV at the maximum data rate, is well-suited to portable
or battery products requiring excellent image quality. Suitable
applications for the PB-300 include high-end PC videoconferencing,
small-format digital still cameras, video cell phones, laptop computers,
and handheld business tools. At present, the major applications for the
PB-300 are PC cameras and low-end digital still cameras.

Kemeny noted that the major target markets/applications for Phobit's
image sensors include PC video cameras, digital still cameras, cell phone
video cameras, and machine vision cameras. Currently, most of Photobit's
image sensors, in terms of unit volume, are used in PC video cameras.

The civilian, open world market for optical image sensors (including
elements and encased sensors) approached $1.09 billion in 1998 and is
anticipated to exceed $1.52 billion in 2008, representing an average
annual growth rate of about 3.4%, according to Intechno Consulting's
Sensor Markets 2008 report.

In 1998, the world market for non-encased optical image sensor elements
totaled $366.0 million, of which 75% was accounted for by arrays and 25%
by CCDs. The world market for encased optical image sensors totaled $722.5
million in 1998, of which 96% was attributed to arrays and 4% to CCDs.

The civilian, open world market for optical image sensors in the
household appliances and consumer electronics sector totaled $40.1 million
in 1998 and is projected to reach $175.7 million in 2008, representing a
compound annual growth rate of about 15.9%. The global market for optical
image sensors in the medical sector totaled $15.9 million in 1998 and is
predicted to reach $32.5 million in 2008, representing an average annual
growth rate of about 7.4%.

COPYRIGHT 2000 Vital Information Publications. This
material is published under license from the publisher through the Gale
Group, Farmington Hills, Michigan.  All inquiries regarding
rights should be directed to the Gale Group. For permission to reuse this
article, contact Copyright Clearance Center.

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