In order to make the future mobile devices to realize rapid detect environment in 3 d vision, Infineon Technologies (Infineon Technologies) and PMD Technologies company jointly developed a new 3 d image sensor chip. REAL3 will be able to achieve a very real virtual and augmented reality (AR) game experience, to make the game players through the head-mounted device with both hands and living environment interaction in the game. Other image sensor chip applications include room and object space measurement, indoor navigation, as well as special photos of implementation effect.

Infineon and PMD will be held in 2016 in Las Vegas in the consumer electronics show (CES) exhibited REAL3 series is the latest 3 d image sensor chip. The new 3 d image sensor in the optical sensitivity and power consumption, better than the previous generation of products. In addition a built-in electronic devices take up the space is quite small. This chip can keep the cell phone have a mini camera systems, measurement of 3 d depth information.

Using the micro lenses with high sensitivity

Camera range and measurement accuracy depends on two factors - the intensity of the infrared emission and reflection, as well as the critical 3 d image pixel sensor chip sensitivity. New 3 d images of optical sensor chip pixel sensitivity is twice the previous generation of products. This represents only half of the emission light output, can achieve the same superior level measurement. Therefore, manufacturers of mobile device camera system can not only provide more cost-effective infrared light, also can put the camera system power consumption in half.

Optical pixels enhance sensitivity of the key lies in each of the 3 d image sensor chip pixels using a micro lens, let most of the incoming light can be guide to the surface of pixels of sensitive, that is, there will be no loss of light energy to function.

Optimization of appearance: the sensor size in half

Scheduled at CES designed for 3 d image sensor chip for mobile devices, the most applications only need 38000 pixel resolution. So before the 100000 pixels matrix scaled down the scale, and other functional blocks (such as a/d converter chip area) and efficiency after optimization. So reduce the system cost, the sensor chip area is almost in half, as a result of lower resolution can match more micro optical lens and more affordable price.

The new 3 d image sensor chip with 19000, 38000 and 100000 pixels. In addition, three new REAL3 are equipped with 3 d image sensor chip micro lens, the optical performance and function is almost the same. The difference between the three new products resolution: IRS1125C x288 pixels, RS1645C for 352 to 224 x172 pixels, while IRS1615C 160 x120 measures how pixels. Therefore, IRS1645C and IRS1615C chip area of IRS1125C half.

Google Project Tango with infineon 3 d image sensor IC

Use IRS1645C is especially suitable for mobile devices. Infineon and pmdtechnologies jointly participate in Google's "Project Tango" program. In the "Tango" project, the mobile phone and tablet computer with a special optical sensor system, contains the infineon IRS1645C 3 d image sensor chip 3 d camera, 3 d perception. Application projects include augmented reality, indoor navigation and 3 d measurement. Complete Google "Tango" 3 d camera contains IRS1645C and active infrared laser illumination, configuration in about 10 mmx20mm area. In measuring distance up to 4 meters far, measurement accuracy is 1% of the distance, the frame rate is 5 FPS (frame per second), start the 3 d camera subsystem of power consumption is less than 300 mw.

3 d images by using infrared light sensor chip operation, the time range (ToF) measuring principle: a 3 d detector crystal for mass itself every pixel, measuring time back and forth between the camera and the object of infrared light. At the same time the brightness values of each pixel can detect objects.

IRS1125C will start mass production in the first quarter of 2016. Smaller IRS1645C and IRS1615C production is expected to begin in the second quarter of 2016. These three products supply in naked crystal way, provides the highest design flexibility, at the same time reduce the system cost.