Kodak, Texas Instruments Simplify Camera Phone Design

Eastman Kodak Company is making it easier for camera phone manufacturers to build next-generation devices that offer improved image quality and multimedia capabilities. New KODAK CMOS image sensors for mobile phone and consumer digital still camera applications now seamlessly connect to OMAP 2 application processors from Texas Instruments Incorporated , a platform which delivers a foundation for mobile device manufacturers to provide the latest in mobile entertainment, productivity, and imaging applications on "All-in-One" mobile entertainment devices.

This combination will allow manufacturers to leverage TI's high-performance, power-efficient OMAP 2 platform with Kodak's leading pixel technology to bring new multimedia-rich mobile devices to market.

Kodak and TI have worked with Ingenient Technologies, a premier developer of multimedia product solutions, to develop a reference design that incorporates these advanced components. Availability of this reference design - utilizing Kodak's new CMOS image sensors and TI's OMAP 2 processors - will simplify adoption of these imaging components by designers of advanced mobile devices.

"Digital imaging has become a requirement for mobile phone and hand-held device manufacturers," said Chris McNiffe, General Manager of Kodak's Image Sensor Solutions group. "Together with TI's OMAP platform, we are making it easier for phone and consumer electronics manufacturers to build next-generation products that meet consumer demand for real-time, voice, data and multimedia tools. This is another example of Kodak's commitment to work with leading chip set manufacturers to facilitate the design of multimedia consumer imaging devices."

The five-megapixel KODAK KAC-5000 and three-megapixel KODAK KAC-3100 Image Sensors are fully integrated, high performance, 2.7 um pixel devices designed for mass-market consumer imaging applications. The new image sensors incorporate KODAK PIXELUX technology, a proprietary architecture that provides higher performance, improved image quality, and more innovative features than are available from current CIS devices (see release, "Kodak Advances CMOS Image Sensor Market with New Products for Camera Phones and Digital Still Cameras").

TI's OMAP 2 platform supports leading mobile entertainment applications, such as camera phones, video recording, and 3D gaming, allowing mobile device manufacturers to meet consumer expectations for a high-quality entertainment experience on the mobile phone. The OMAP 2 architecture is helping to re-define mobile entertainment by delivering a state-of-the-art multimedia and gaming experience.

"Kodak has a strong reputation for delivering high quality digital imaging devices, and we are excited that a reference design is now available that combines Kodak's new CMOS image sensors with TI's industry-leading OMAP processors," said Avner Goren, marketing director of TI's Cellular Systems Business. "With this powerful combination, manufacturers will be able to bring new features and capabilities to cell phones as we see the imaging, communications and the electronic markets converge."

"The combination of Kodak's imaging expertise with TI's application processor strengths is very compelling," said Sami Levi, President and CEO, Ingenient Technologies, Inc. "With a reference design in place, manufacturers now have a clear path to use these powerful components to bring advanced digital imaging and multimedia capabilities to new portable devices."

The KAC-3100 and KAC-5000 image sensors are both currently sampling.

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