By integrating the ISP into R-Car V3x SoCs and leveraging MM Solutions' Automotive Camera Development Kit (AutoCDK), the open ISP solution in R-Car SoCs allows automotive Tier 1 suppliers to simplify sensor calibration and tuning processes for camera applications, including front-facing and surround-view cameras, offering greater flexibility and faster time to market in this competitive industry.
As part of the Renesas Autonomy™ platform, the open ISP solution supports a wide range of development needs, from low-level programming ISP capabilities through the open interface for users with deep internal ISP experience, to AutoCDK that allows users to restart their development by leveraging MM Solutions' tools and image quality expertise.
Vehicles in the era of autonomous driving will need to be able to sense their surroundings, and smart cameras, including front-facing cameras and surround-view systems, play a key role in detecting traffic signs, lanes, pedestrians, vehicles, and other obstacles in real time to create a safe and secure driving environment. The demand for high-performance computer vision creates several requirements, including highly reliable and configurable image signal processors (ISPs) that support high dynamic ranges in challenging driving situations, as well as low noise and image perception close to, or better than, the level of the human eye. At the same time, drivers will want a realistic visual representation of the car's surroundings, where the ISP plays a crucial role in image adjustment.
In collaboration with MM Solutions, Renesas has developed an open ISP solution that helps users fine-tune and control their sensors to support both human and machine vision. Integrating the ISP vision processing software into the high-performance R-Car V3x SoCs offers a camera-neutral approach, giving camera manufacturers and Tier 1 suppliers the flexibility to work with their sensor and ECU solutions of choice, whether they are entering the smart camera market or refining their cutting-edge designs.
Key features of the Open ISP solution with AutoCDK from MM Solutions
High flexibility and cost-effectiveness
• Renesas continues to collaborate with leading sensor providers, from defining ISP integration in SoCs to implementing proof-of-concept testing across a variety of sensors.
• The sensor-neutral solution eliminates the need for sensor-specific ISPs, reducing user development time and system costs.
High performance and rich feature set
• The open ISP solution supports industry-leading sensor resolutions with high pixel processing capabilities for use in multi-camera use cases.
• The integrated ISP function includes shader correction as well as local and global tone mapping to deliver high image quality for human and computer vision applications.
• In surround-view systems, the open ISP solution contributes to color and brightness harmonization across multiple cameras by centralizing control of individual camera parameters.
Support for a wide range of ISP expertise and easy implementation
• The low-level firmware API gives ISP design experts additional control to manage the ISP programming process.
• Integration with MM Solutions' AutoCDK provides out-of-the-box automation for image quality adjustment, enabling users to reduce their time to market without an extensive design learning curve.
• AutoCDK is compatible with major operating systems and is open to the addition of advanced image generation algorithms, in addition to built-in features such as Auto Exposure Control and Auto White Balance.
