AntLinx™

Next Generation CMOS Chip-on-Tip Endoscopy Interface

Technology Benefits

Endoscopy using CMOS Chip-on-Tip is a rapidly growing and evolving market segment. There is a significant need within endoscopic imaging to incorporate a CMOS imager at the distal tip of the endoscope and for this imager to support an interface that has a high bandwidth, is low in pin count, needs a cost-effective cable and is immune to EMC/EMI and noise over a long transmission distance. All these challenges are satisfied by a new medical interface: AntLinx™, from OMNIVISION, a world leader in endoscopic imaging.

Reduces Size and Complexity

The implementation of an interface that uses only 4 pins for a less than 2MP image sensor, and 8 pins for up to 10MP image sensors, reduces the size and complexity at the distal tip of the endoscope as well as the cable attached to it. The compact interface enables a slim, cost-effective cable.

High Quality Images

AntLinx™ includes both 4-wire analog and digital interfaces, depending on the data throughput. The robust EMC/EMI profile and high noise immunity ensure high-quality image delivery to the CCU.

Integrated Bridge Chip

The output from the imager in AntLinx™ format is decoded by a bridge chip from OMNIVISION that resides in the back end of the endoscopic system. This bridge chip handles all the electrical and logical protocol with the imager and produces DVP or MIPI output to connect to back-end processor.

Technology Features

AntLinx™ has analog and digital features

For Analog

• Analog link from imager to transfer the image data

• Companion chip to decode data + A-to-D conversion

• I2C reverse control embedded into analog link during vertical blanking
For Digital

• VDD, GND, Dp, Dn twisted pair with data 8b/10b encoded (clock embedded) for easy clock and data recovery at the receiver side

• SCCB and ref-clock embedded into reverse signaling or local oscillator with calibrations