ON Semiconductor's intelligent sensing technologies and solutions fuel innovation in industrial automation.

Intelligent sensing is one of the key technologies empowering industrial automation, such as machine vision, robotics, scanning, and inspection. With over 40 years of experience in imaging, onsemi also leads the industry in in-depth perception, such as LiDAR, offering a variety of advanced intelligent perception solutions with highly differentiated imaging technologies such as high dynamic range, global shutter, NIR, RGB-IR, and depth perception technologies such as silicon photomultiplier (SiPM) to meet different application and collaborate with global leaders in industrial cameras to drive industrial innovation and automation.

High dynamic range

Dynamic range refers to the ratio between the brightest and darkest areas of a scene.

8.3 megapixel AR0821: On-chip HDR (eHDR) technology for best-in-class dynamic range of over 140 dB

The AR0821 delivers 8.3 megapixels of 4K video at 60 fps with extremely low power consumption, featuring a roll-up shutter, ON Semiconductor's exclusive 2.1 µm DR-Pix™ back-illuminated (BSI) pixel design, and embedded high dynamic range (DR) technology, enabling high quantum efficiency and high dynamic range to deliver the superior image quality and advanced features in challenging lighting conditions for The AR0821 has been integrated into the Basler dart series of area scan camera modules to enable a wide range of image processing applications and provide the latest in machine vision technology.

Global shutter

The start and end times of each line of exposure in a roll-up shutter are not consistent, so distortion can occur when photographing moving objects. A global shutter, on the other hand, is the electronic equivalent of a mechanical shutter, with all pixels starting and ending at the same moment, so there is no distortion when capturing moving objects. Many industrial applications require the capture of images of fast-moving objects, which is why most industrial cameras require global shutter sensors.

Global shutter star product: accelerated development of the high-performance, low-noise XGS image sensor series

The XGS image sensor series features a high-bandwidth, low-power architecture, 3.2 um global exposure, support for 11 resolutions in just 2 PCBs, and resolutions ranging from 2 to 45 million, with the same camera hardware designed to be compatible with multiple resolutions and frame rates, greatly reducing development time for designers. The XGS 2000 to XGS 16000 pin-to-pin is compatible with 29 mm x 29 mm, and the XGS 20000 to XGS 45000 pin-to-pin is compatible with cameras larger than 50 mm x 50 mm. For the ITS market, ON Semiconductor offers a dedicated version with an optimized color filter array (CRA) to fit the mainstream lenses currently available in the ITS market.

The key specifications of the XGS series sensors are as follows:

The XGS series offers different principal incidence angles (CRA) for different applications, such as 0° for machine vision, 10° for large format capture, and 4.7° or 7.3° for ITS.
The XGS series offers not only 11 different resolutions but also different rate versions of the same resolution, allowing designers to choose the appropriate product for different camera interfaces, including CXP-6 interfaces, 10 Gigabit Ethernet (10 GigE), Camera Link, 5Gbase-T, USB 3.0 and other high, medium and low-speed interfaces.

ON Semiconductor offers three different XGS development platforms: XGS Demo Kit, X-Celerator, and X-Cube. XGS Demo Kit is a benchmark for client presentations or conference room presentations of IQ, with a larger sensor + lens mount, no on-board power system, no FPGA in the camera, captures maximum speed but can only display rates less than 30 fps on a PC, hardware required FrameBuffer board + Demo3 provided by ON Semiconductor, communicates with PC via USB 3.0, the software is ON Semiconductor's DevWare system, no algorithm code publicly available. x-Celerator is provided for FPGA development or ecosystem, sensor + lens holder is larger, has on-board power system, no FPGA in camera, captures the maximum speed, hardware X-Cube is primarily for ISP systems or SoC systems with MIPI interface, offers 29 mm x 29 mm interface, has on-board power system, small FPGA in camera to convert HiSPi interface to MIPI interface, system speed 30 fps, hardware with ON Semiconductor IAS board + Demo3 board or direct connection to user's ISP board, PC communication can be user-defined or via USB 3.0 in Demo3, software dependent on user or using ON Semiconductor's DevWare, no public algorithm code available.

Global Shutter: AR0234, designed for a variety of applications requiring high-quality image perception

The demand for high-quality image perception is increasing as more and more manufacturers adopt vision-based expert systems for automation. The AR0234 meets these requirements for applications as diverse as machine vision cameras, Augmented Reality (AR)/Virtual Reality (VR)/Mixed Reality (MR) headsets, Autonomous Mobile Robots (AMR), and barcode readers.

The AR0234CS captures 1080p video and single-frame images and can operate at up to 120 fps. With its industry-leading shutter efficiency, this 2.3-megapixel sensor produces sharp images by minimizing frame-to-frame distortion in high-speed scenes and reducing motion artifacts encountered by other image sensors. The AR0234CS sensor's innovative pixel architecture provides the wide dynamic range required to support a wide range of lighting conditions, from dark nights to bright sunlight. Low noise and improved microlight response make it suitable for applications across consumer, commercial, and industrial IoT, and the extended operating temperature range allows it to be deployed in challenging outdoor conditions. Other advanced features of the AR0234CS include programmable regions of interest with on-chip histograms, automatic exposure control, and 5 x 5 statistics engine, fully integrated strobe lighting control, flexible skip row, and column-skipping modes, as well as horizontal and vertical mirroring, windowing and pixel merging.

Together with the AP1302 Image Signal Processor (ISP), the AR0234CS provides a comprehensive camera system that can be designed and developed quickly for fast time-to-market. In addition, system designers can access DevSuite software to evaluate sensor features and functions, configure and fine-tune them, and provide ready-made outputs that can be used for further image processing. The AR0234CS is available in color and black and white variants with a CRA of 0° or 28°.

Near Infrared

Near Infrared Plus (NIR+) products are three times more quantum efficient (QE) than conventional products in the NIR band, meaning that NIR+ products give a brighter picture than conventional products at the same noise level, with the same exposure time and gain. Conversely, to achieve the same picture brightness, NIR+ products can use less NIR illumination, thus reducing overall power consumption and cost.

RGB-IR

RGB-IR products use NIR+ IR differential algorithms for the IR pixels in their arrays, allowing conventional industrial cameras to eliminate the need for IR cut switching to reduce maintenance costs while taking up less space. The images captured with RGB-IR processing will be richer and more realistic in color.

Representative product with RGB-IR: AR0237 RGB-IR, reducing footprint and cost

The 2-megapixel, 1/2.7-inch AR0237 RGB-IR sensor combines daytime color imaging with nighttime near-infrared imaging capability. The AR0237 RGB-IR eliminates the need for mechanical IR cut-off filters, which can lead to refocusing problems and expensive maintenance, as well as high noise and increased footprint, for high dynamic range imaging applications. The ISP uses black-and-white image processing, and under ambient light, the ISP uses the IR pixels as a reference to remove the IR signal from the RGB pixels for color image processing without loss of normal color information.

Laser Radar (LiDAR)

LiDAR sensing is a trending solution for industrial automation and control systems because of its advantages of high accuracy, speed, and scalability. LiDAR sensing using SiPM arrays enables object detection and avoidance, as well as motion and occupancy detection.

ON Semiconductor's SiPM arrays feature an innovative fast mode that reduces sensing time with industry-leading efficiency and dynamic range, allowing the sensors to operate in a variety of environments, including direct sunlight. ON Semiconductor offers LiDAR solutions as well as a wide range of LiDAR development platforms and tools and highly skilled and experienced application engineer support to assist in product development.

Related Products

RB Series

The RB Series is Near Infrared (NIR) enhanced SiPMs for LiDAR and ranging applications using NIR illumination such as 905nm and 940nm.

Evaluation / Development Kits

The direct time of flight (dToF) SiPM LiDAR reference platform SECO-RANGEFINDER-GEVK is a cost-effective single point rangefinder development kit for industries ranging from 0.11 m to 23 m. Based on the RB Series NIR enhanced SiPM, and it integrates all the basic system components including laser and reference circuit (Tx), receiver circuit (Rx), power supply, and a power supply, It is available as an evaluation kit or as a complete reference design, out of the box, with an easy-to-use graphical user interface (GUI), adjustable system variables, time-to-digital converter (TDC) with automatic calibration, software adjustable settings for various industrial applications, and compliance with laser safety standard IEC / EN 60825-1:1. EN 60825-1:2014, 21 CFR 1040.10 and 1040.11 (except Laser Notice No. 56).

Summary

Innovations in sensing technology are driving the development of high-growth industrial markets. ON Semiconductor is committed to providing advanced sensing technologies for market trends and applications, a comprehensive and scalable portfolio of intelligent sensing solutions, as well as global evaluation and application engineering support, and working with partners to drive innovation in industrial automation.