A low-power digital camera-on-a-chip implemented in CMOS active pixel approach

Abstract

The advent of high performance imaging in CMOS technology using active pixel sensors has enabled ultra-low power, miniature, integrated, single-chip camera systems. We report the first fully digital, programmable, 5-wire, large format (512/spl times/512) digital-camera-on-a-chip that integrates the imager array, control logic, ADC, and bias generation on the same chip. The VLSI chip runs off a single (3.3 V) power supply, consumes only 8 mW at video rates, is capable of electronic panning, and produces high quality images with 78 dB dynamic range.