- The world’s smallest class for 8M pixel chip, plus lower power consumption -

TOKYO — (BUSINESS WIRE) — February 26, 2015 — Toshiba Corporation's (TOKYO:6502) Semiconductor & Storage Products Company today started mass production shipments of “T4KA3”, an 8-megapixel BSI^[1] CMOS image sensor.

Toshiba: new 8-megapixel BSI CMOS image sensor "T4KA3" for smartphones and tablets. (Photo: Business Wire)

The sensor has a new low power circuit design that cuts power consumption to 46% that of Toshiba’s current 8MP sensors ^[2] , and a chip size that puts it in the smallest class for 8MP sensors.^[3] The small chip size will realize smaller camera modules; 6.5mm square, for example, which is suitable for front-facing camera. In addition, 8MP output at 30fps is possible using MIPI® ^[4] 2 Lanes.

High speed video recording generally requires a high frame rate with short exposure time, resulting in underexposed images.
However, "T4KA3" incorporates "Bright Mode" technology that boosts image brightness up to four times, realizing HD video capture at 240 fps equivalent. It allows smartphones and tablets to record high quality, high speed video, and to offer extended imaging functions, including smooth slow motion playback and high speed continuous shooting.

The new sensor incorporates 8Kbit OTP, which can store lens shading correction data for two conditions, correction data for indoors and for outdoors, for example, which have a different light profiles. These conditions can be separately applied to image correction, and users can switch from one to the other with a simple command.

The product allows smartphones and tablets to record high quality video at high speed, contributing to extended imaging functions such as slow motion replay, while achieving reductions in module size, power consumption and parts in the camera module, opening the way to the design of smaller and thinner mobile devices.

Applications

• Rear- and front-facing camera for smartphones and tablets.

Key Features

• Low power circuit design that reduce power consumption to 46% that of Toshiba current products.
• The world’s smallest class in chip size for 8 megapixel CMOS image sensor
• HD video capture at 240fps.
• “Bright Mode” technology to boost image brightness up to four times.
• Output of 8 megapixel, full-resolution 30fps by MIPI® 2 lanes