New ISOCELL Image Sensor: Optimized for Vehicular Cameras

A Wide Range of Vision You’re backing up, obstacles on either side of you. A bad turn might leave a nasty scratch on your (or someone else’s) vehicle. Go too far, and a pole puts a dent in your bumper. To achieve this, you have turn your body all the way to look behind you, then turn back to check your mirrors—and repeat. Some well-placed, high quality cameras would allow you to maneuver out of this situation without doing this awkward, seated version of “the Twist.” From memory to solid state drives to application processors, Samsung is a company that stands at the forefront of semiconductor technology. Now, it has ventured to create its first image sensor optimized for automotive applications. The ISOCELL Auto 4AC offers an advanced 120dB high dynamic range (HDR) and LED flicker mitigation (LFM) in high-definition resolution (1280 x 960), tailored for performance in the next generation of automotive applications. Each unit contains an embedded image signal processor (ISP) to streamline the installation process for auto manufacturers. The ISOCELL Auto 4AC’s wide range allows a vehicle’s cameras to capture images from all angles, removing doubt from otherwise tricky driving situations. Samsung’s new sensor can be implemented in four main positions on the vehicle: as a front-view camera (FVC), two surround-view monitors (SVM) on each mirror, and as a rear-view camera (RVC). The ISOCELL Auto 4AC excels especially in the SVM and RVC positions due to its wide range of vision.

Day, Night, or Somewhere in Between Similarly to how the human eye can adjust to different light environments, the ISOCELL Auto 4AC dynamically reacts to changes in light levels. It accomplishes this through CornerPixel™ technology, a specialized pixel structure that contains two photodiodes – one 3.0µm pixel for viewing low light images, and a 1.0µm pixel placed at the corner of the larger one for brighter environments – simultaneously capturing images in different exposures.

The technology also allows for smooth transitions from light to dark environments, granting up to 120dB HDR with minimal motion blur. Whether it’s exiting a dark garage or entering and leaving a tunnel, the ISOCELL Auto 4AC adjusts accordingly. In addition to ambient light level adaptation, ISOCELL Auto 4AC is able to avoid flashes and flickers that come from the vehicle’s environment, like lights from a high beam, reflections off of road signs, or bright street lamp. These flashes can sometimes become overwhelming to a typical sensor reporting to a car’s camera screen, causing overexposure or annoying flickering. By controlling its exposure time, the ISOCELL Auto 4AC can prevent pulsing LED light from being displayed as flickering on the camera screen, and mitigate the effect of these LED light over 90Hz. With its CornerPixel™ technology and range of vision, Samsung is not just providing vehicles with a powerful sensor, it’s optimizing the ISOCELL Auto 4AC to perform optimally in automotive vehicles, benefiting both drivers and manufacturers.