Profile: OmniVision Technologies Inc (OVTI.O)

OmniVision Technologies, Inc. (OmniVision), incorporated in May 1995, designs, develops and markets semiconductor image-sensor devices. The Company's main products, image-sensing devices, which it refers to as CameraChip image sensors, capture an image electronically and are used in a number of consumer and commercial mass-market applications. OmniVision’s CameraChip image sensors are manufactured using the complementary metal oxide semiconductor (CMOS), fabrication process and are predominantly single-chip solutions that integrate several distinct functions including image capture, image processing, color processing, signal conversion and output of a fully processed image or video stream. It also integrated its CameraChip image sensors with wafer-level optics, which it refers to as CameraCube imaging devices. Its CameraCube imaging device is a small footprint, total camera solution that will enable the further miniaturization of camera products.

OmniVision also supplies companion chips used to connect its image sensors to various interfaces, including the universal serial bus (USB), a connection which allows add-on devices to be connected to notebook and Webcams and other interfaces. In addition, it provides companion digital signal processors (DSP), that perform compression in standardized still photo and digital video formats. It also designs and develops standard software drivers for Linux, Mac OS and Microsoft Windows, as well as for embedded operating systems, such as Blackberry OS, Palm OS, Symbian, Windows CE, Windows Embedded and Windows Mobile. These software drivers accept the image data being received from the USB, provide data decompression, if required, and manage interface protocols with the camera.

In January 2009, OmniVision introduced the OV7740, a 1/5-inch video graphics array (VGA) CameraChip image sensor with 4.2 µm pixels based on the OmniPixel3-HS architecture. OV7740 is also an ideal solution for security, surveillance, automotive and games and toy applications. In February 2009, as part of its CameraCube technology announcement, it introduced two new CameraCube imaging devices. The first product is the OVM6680. It is has a SquareGA resolution. The second product is the OVM7680, and it has a VGA resolution. In February 2009, as part of its CameraCube technology announcement, the Company introduced two new CameraCube imaging devices. The first product is the OVM6680. It is has a SquareGA resolution. The second product is the OVM7680, and it has a VGA resolution. In February 2009, it also introduced the OV3650, a 1/4-inch 3-megapixel image sensor with 1.75 µm OmniPixel3-HS pixels. This image sensor is designed for mobile phones, notebook, Webcam and other applications that require low-light performance without the need for flash.

In March 2009, OmniVision introduced the OV9810, a new 1/2.3-inch 9-megapixel image sensor with 1.75 µm OmniPixel3-HS pixels. This sensor is designed for the digital still camera (DSC) and high definition (HD) camcorder markets. It combines 9-megapixel photography with 1080p HD video on a single chip. In November 2008, it introduced two new devices based on its OmniPixel3-HS architecture. The first device is the OV6930, a SquareGA (400 × 400 pixels) CameraChip image sensor with a 1/10-inch form factor. The second device is the OV9710 in quad flat package (QFP). It is a 1-megapixel image sensor designed specifically for advanced automotive vision and sensing systems. In September 2008, it introduced two devices based on its 1.4 micron OmniBSI architecture.

The Company competes with Aptina Imaging, Samsung, Sharp, Sony, STMicroelectronics, Toshiba, Foveon, PixArt, Pixelplus, Pixim, SETi, SiliconFile, Fuji, Kodak, NEC, Panasonic and Sanyo.