據美國《商業(yè)新聞》3月24日消息，Altera公司和Apical有限公司宣布了全球首個視頻監(jiān)控攝像方面的高清晰度寬動態(tài)范圍(WDR)CMOS圖像傳感器處理解決方案。Altera在3.24-3.26日在內華達州拉斯維加斯舉辦的國際安全大會(ISC)西部博覽會上展示該解決方案的。Altera和Apical的完整的解決方案確保了監(jiān)控攝像即使在不同光照下條件下也有著卓越的視頻圖像質量，而這卻一直是前幾代監(jiān)控攝像機的絆腳石。具備Altera的Cyclone?III和CycloneIVFPGAs的特色和Apical的知識產權(IP)，該解決方案支持Aptina最新的MT9M033高清晰度寬動態(tài)CMOS圖像傳感器。

　　標準CMOS圖像傳感器受限于光的強度。當它受太陽光輕微直射時，相片就有可能變黑或洗出來時有盲點。WDRCMOS圖像傳感器可以解決此問題，但還有一個設計上的難題。這些圖像傳感器產生的大量的數據(每種顏色20比特×每秒60幀上面1.2M像素)必須使用圖像信號處理器(ISP)加以處理的，但數據實在太多了以致芯片處理不了。通常用于監(jiān)控系統的數字信號處理器(DSPs)和標準應用專用電路(ASSPs)沒有能力有效的處理該問題。而Altera的CycloneFPGAs有能力進行大型的數字運算算法，該算法能將原始圖像數據轉換成產生清晰的視頻圖像所需要的標準數字輸出。

　　“雖然以往的傳感器在任何光線不足或光線明亮的條件下也表現良好，但它們到目前為止還依然不能同時適應兩種環(huán)境。”Apical有限公司行政總裁MichaelTusch說：“一旦我們意識到DSPs不能完成我們所需要的功能，我們便轉向Altera的CycloneFPGAs，因為它們提供Apical在監(jiān)控市場上申請成本點和功率限制方面的IP所需要的性能?！?/P>

　　該FPGAs的傳感處理設計是由Apical提供的。Apical的IP包含了完整的ISP，該ISP可以執(zhí)行自動曝光、自動增益和自動白平衡，這有助于調整極弱光和強光條件下視頻圖像的清晰度。Apical的IP也通過整合Apica公司的使用高性能2D或3D降噪技術和先進的色彩處理技術模仿人類的眼睛的藝術級的iridix?地方色調映射引擎來優(yōu)化視頻圖像。CycloneIII和CycloneIV系列的FPGAs具備業(yè)界領先的時鐘速率，邏輯利用和降低功耗的所有功能。

　　“Altera的FPGAs使我們的客戶對他們的設計做更多的事，尤其是在工業(yè)市場上，在那傳統的DSPs和ASSPs是走不通的，”Altera的工業(yè)和汽車業(yè)務部總監(jiān)MichaelSamuelian說：“Altera低成本、低功耗的Cyclone系列FPGAs正在被用作從圖像捕捉到圖像顯示的主要圖像處理因素。結合我們的FPGAs和Apical的IP，下一代視頻監(jiān)控設備將更快地進入市場，且具有無限的潛力?！盵nextpage]

　　Altera and Apical Deliver World's First HD Wide Dynamic Range FPGA Solution for Surveillance

　　Altera's Cyclone FPGAs Provide Full Image-Processing Solution for High-Definition WDR CMOS Image Sensors

　　Press Release Source: Altera Corporation On Wednesday March 24, 2010, 8:00 am EDT

　　SAN JOSE, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Altera Corporation (NASDAQ: ALTR - News) and Apical Ltd. announced today the world's first high-definition wide dynamic range (WDR) CMOS image-sensor-processing solution for video-surveillance cameras. Altera is demonstrating the solution at the International Security Conference (ISC) West Expo from March 24 to 26 in Las Vegas, Nevada. Altera and Apical's complete solution ensures superb video-image quality regardless of varying lighting conditions, a major stumbling block for previous generations of surveillance cameras. Featuring Altera's Cyclone? III and Cyclone IV FPGAs, and Apical's intellectual property (IP), this solution supports Aptina's new MT9M033 High-Definition WDR CMOS image sensor.

　　Standard CMOS image sensors are limited by the vast ranges of brightness levels, from low light to direct sunlight, that can black out or wash out a video subject. WDR CMOS image sensors correct this problem, but present a design challenge. The large amounts of data (up to 20 bits per color x 1.2 Mpixels at 60 frames per second) generated by these image sensors must be processed in the Image Sensor Pipeline (ISP), but are too much to be handled on-chip. The DSPs and ASSPs typically used in surveillance systems do not have the ability to handle the processing task efficiently. Altera's Cyclone FPGAs have the capability to perform the intense number-crunching algorithms that convert the raw image data into a standard digital output needed to produce a clear video image.

　　"While previous sensors have shown good performance in either low-light or bright-light conditions, they've never been able to do both, until now," said Michael Tusch, CEO of Apical Ltd. "Once we realized DSPs couldn't perform the functions we needed, we turned to Altera's Cyclone FPGAs because they offered the performance required to run Apical's IP for the cost point and power restrictions for the surveillance market."

　　The sensor processing design implemented in the FPGA is provided by Apical. The IP from Apical includes the full ISP, which performs the auto-exposure, auto-gain, and auto-white balancing that contribute to clear video images in extreme low-light and bright-light conditions. Apical's IP also optimizes video images by incorporating Apical's state-of-the-art iridix? local tone mapping engine, which mimics the human eye, with high performance 2D or 3D noise reduction, and advanced color processing. The Cyclone III and Cyclone IV families of FPGAs perform all of these functions at industry leading clock rates, logic utilization, and power consumption.

　　"Altera's FPGAs are enabling our customers to do more with their designs, especially in the industrial market where traditional DSPs and ASSPs have hit a wall," said Michael Samuelian, director of the industrial and automotive business unit at Altera. "Altera's low-cost and low-power Cyclone series of FPGAs are being used as the main image-processing element from image capture to image display. With our FPGAs and Apical's IP, next-generation video surveillance equipment will get to market faster and have unlimited potential."

　　For more information, or to obtain the HD WDR CMOS image sensor demo, reference design and evaluation kit, visit http://cts.businesswire.com/ct/CT?id=smartlink&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.altera.com%2Fpr%2Fsurveillance&esheet=6225142&lan=en_US&anchor=www.altera.com%2Fpr%2Fsurveillance&index=7&md5=5fbbdb1e0d1e170c526d66d44d1c78ab.

　　About Altera

　　Altera programmable solutions enable system and semiconductor companies to rapidly and cost-effectively innovate, differentiate and win in their markets. Find out more about Altera's FPGA, CPLD and ASIC devices at http://cts.businesswire.com/ct/CT?id=smartlink&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.altera.com%2Findex.jsp&esheet=6225142&lan=en_US&anchor=www.altera.com&index=11&md5=aa0accc4d50ca1273e14fd5903538352. Follow Altera via Facebook, RSS and Twitter.

　　About Apical

　　Apical is the industry leader in advanced dynamic range management and noise-reduction technology for embedded applications. The company's products are derived from research into the human visual system and are designed to maximize the performance of a wide range of image capture and display devices. The product range comprises hardware IP cores and embedded software libraries. Apical is a privately-held company based in the UK.

　　http://cts.businesswire.com/ct/CT?id=smartlink&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.apical-imaging.com&esheet=6225142&lan=en_US&anchor=www.apical-imaging.com&index=15&md5=d67ffc6e97f5163958c6f2c2db55e8ef

　　Altera, the Altera logo, and all other words that are identified as trademarks are, unless noted otherwise, Registered, U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, and the trademarks of Altera Corporation in the U.S. and other countries. All other product or service names are the property of their respective holders. iridix is a trademark of Apical Ltd.