SUNNYVALE and SAN DIEGO, Calif. — September 27, 2006 — OmniVision Technologies, Inc. (Nasdaq: OVTI), a leading independent supplier of CMOS CameraChip™ image sensors for high-volume applications, today introduced the OV7720, a high sensitivity digital VGA CameraChip™ sensor designed specifically for security and surveillance applications. Unlike the sensors used in conventional analog security cameras, the new sensor produces high quality digital output, thus eliminating the need for A/D converters and simplifying post processing for use in smart security systems and in Internet Protocol (IP) or 3G cameras.
Smart security systems, primarily designed for commercial applications, employ post processing applications such as motion detection to activate cameras, which provides the ability to initiate recording activity without a human interface. IP and 3G security cameras, which target the consumer side of the market, allow users to access a video stream through IP or through a mobile handset by connecting to a 3G wireless network.
“The OV7720 is one of the first high performance sensors capable of running at 60 frames per second,” said Hasan Gadjali, Vice President of Advanced Products at OmniVision. “At this frame rate, the OV7720 addresses the need for a digital sensor that delivers exceptional low-light sensitivity and performance without sacrificing the speed required for advanced security applications. In fact, the OV7720 was designed to address all security and surveillance market requirements in terms of performance, quality, reliability, low power consumption and cost.”
The OV7720 CameraChip™ is a high performance, one-quarter inch single-chip VGA video camera chip. Its design features a 6-micron pixel based on OmniVision’s proprietary OmniPixel®2 technology, and in CSP packaging the OV7720 enables a camera module size of just 7 x 7 x 5 mm. All required camera functions including exposure control, gain, white balance and windowing are programmable through the serial camera control bus (SCCB) interface.
The OV7720 comes in both CSP and CLCC packaging and is currently available for customer sampling.
Safe-Harbor Language
Certain statements in this press release, including statements regarding the performance, achievements and capabilities of the OV7720 CMOS image sensor, are forward-looking statements that are subject to risks and uncertainties. These risks and uncertainties, which could cause the forward-looking statements and OmniVision’s results to differ materially, include, without limitation: potential errors, design flaws or other problems with OmniPixel®2 or the OV7720 CMOS image sensor; risks associated with building customer acceptance of and demand for the OV7720 sensor; the development of the market for CMOS sensors in the security and surveillance market; the rapid changes in technical requirements for-security and surveillance camera products; competitive risks; as well as other risks detailed from time to time in OmniVision’s Securities and Exchange Commission filings and reports, including, but not limited to, OmniVision’s most recent annual report filed on Form 10-K and quarterly report filed on form 10-Q. OmniVision expressly disclaims any obligation to update information contained in any forward-looking statement whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.