Sharp unveils one of the world's smallest cmos camera modules
1 min read
Sharp Microelectronics has unveiled what it claims to be one of the smallest cmos camera modules in the world for automotive applications. The housing volume is 7cc so the camera has the potential to be hidden almost anywhere in the outer skin of vehicles.
According to Sharp, in automotive applications, an ambient light of just 1.8lux, about the same brightness of a moonlit road, is sufficient for the cmos camera module to produce clear images.
The RJ642A10000Q cmos module has been designed to reach the high light sensitivity usually found with ccd modules. Due to its reduced dimensions, it can be used in automotive applications, such as a reversing camera into the frame of a rear window or into a side mirror, in order to eradicate blind spots.
Sharp says the electronic shutter of the RJ642A10000Q module reaches electronic shutter speeds of up to 1/100,000 of a second. The VGA cmos sensor captures images in the 1/3.7 format with a resolution of 656 x 492 pixels and a viewing angle of 134° horizontally and 104° vertically. The image data is emitted by the cmos module in form of an analogue NTSC video signal, which can then be used directly by all common applications inside the vehicle. The energy consumption is less than 100mA.
The operating temperature of the camera lies between -40 to 85°C, while Sharp says it can withstand impact tests at acceleration speeds of up to 1000m/s² and vibration tests in the range of 10 – 55Hz.
