Clicking and shaking

Micron Technology has taken the wraps off a 1/4-inch, 3-megapixel complete camera system-on-chip (SOC) sensor for mobile handsets.

Unique to the market, Micron has designed an anti-shake feature into the sensor, which greatly reduces image blurring often found in camera phone pictures due to camera shake.
   
Blurry images are especially common in low-light situations where the shutter is open for longer periods of time to collect enough light to take the picture. The company claims that a camera phone designed with Micron’s new sensor (product number MT9T111) can dramatically reduce image blur by automatically activating the anti-shake feature when sensing camera shake.

Micron has posted comparison shots of camera phone images taken with and without the new anti-shake feature in the MT9T111 product flyer at http://download.micron.com/pdf/flyers/mt9t111.pdf

“With the camera phone market’s move toward DSC quality pictures and features, our new 3-megapixel product is positioned to provide the ability to produce clean, sharp images under a wide range of conditions,” said Bob Gove, vice president of Micron’s imaging group.
   
 The new 3-megapixel sensor integrates additional camera capabilities on chip including JPEG compression and image processing that would typically require additional chips. For basic operation, the sensor only requires a power supply, lens and clock source.

General customer sampling is planned for August 2007 with mass production expected in the fourth quarter of 2007.