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The ISL-1600 image sensor test interface, combined with the Image Sensor Lab software for research and development, offers a quick and easy method of communicating with and testing a variety of digital image sensors. The ISL-1600 aids camera designers, developers, and engineers in interfacing with image sensors and characterizing image sensor performance.
The ISL-1600 connects to a host PC via a single USB connection and utilizes USB 2.0 High Speed to achieve up to 450 Mbps image and data transfer.
The ISL-1600 includes full function digital frame capture with sophisticated and flexible timing and synchronization. Data widths up to 16-bits are supported and a 16-megaword image-capture memory buffer is provided. I2C sensor communication is included as well as a programmable master clock source. The ISL-1600 also includes up to 5 ultra-low noise programmable, built-in power supplies for use in powering an attached image sensor.
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USB 2.0 High Speed Interface with up to 480 Mbps data transfer |
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Programmable internal image sensor power source with constant voltage 0 to 4V, and programmable current limit from 0 – 200 mA |
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Image Sensor I2C or SPI communications |
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Programmable Master clock up to 68 MHz. |
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16-bit image data width (8 or 16-bit data download) |
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Flexible Digital Frame Capture |
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16-megaword memory depth |
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Up to 4 synchronization signals |
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| Vertical |
| Spare Sync 0 |
| Spare Sync 1 |
| Spare Sync 2 |
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4 general-purpose digital inputs from image sensor (i.e. Shutter, LED, Motor, etc.) |
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4 general-purpose digital outputs to image sensor (i.e. Reset, Power Down, Capture, etc.) |
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Built-in timer/counter measurements |
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Voltage level buffering for all image sensor data and control lines |
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FET image sensor isolation allows changing image sensor without powering down the interface electronics |
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Field upgradeable FPGA firmware. |
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Complete LabVIEW tm driver library |
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The enclosure size is 6.3 inches wide by 9.5 inches deep by 3.1 inches high. The ISL-1600 is powered by an external DC power supply. The external power supply shipped with the product, ELPAC model WRI2731, accepts a universal 95 – 250 VAC 47 – 63 Hz. input power through a standard IEC-320 input connector. The supply provides +5V at a minimum of 3A and ±12 at a minimum of 0.5A each, through a standard DIN 5-pin connector.
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I2C Communications 
Image Sensor Lab provides I2C communications with an image sensor connected to the ISL-1600 interface adapter board. I2C communication parameters are configurable through the Image Sensor Lab application software. The clock rate can be set to the 100 KHz or 400 KHz standards or 252 other clock speeds up to 10 MHz. Both 7 and 10-bit device addressing is supported.
Image Sensor Lab provides simple register read/write functionality, and allows users to enter decimal, hexadecimal, or Boolean registers, addresses, and values for maximum flexibility.
Image Sensor Lab Advanced provides the additional capability of creating, saving, loading, and execution of custom I2C scripts. The feature allows users to quickly command specific image sensor operating modes to facilitate certain characterization tests.
ISL-1600 Sensor Power Supplies
Image Sensor Lab allows user adjustment of the power supplies contained in the ISL-1600. The programmable power supplies that are routed to pins on the ISL-1600 image sensor interface connector. These power supplies are available for use by the various image sensor subsystems. The programmable power supplies are adjustable from 0V to 3.3V. Some image sensors require different voltage levels for the various power inputs and these can be set through the Image Sensor Lab application software interface.
ISL-1600 Master Clock
Image Sensor Lab allows user adjustment of the image sensor master clock in the ISL-1600. The master clock is programmable between .001 MHz. and 68 MHz. This master clock signal is routed to the sensor interface connector on the ISL-1600.
ISL-1600 Frame Capture Configuration
The Image Sensor Lab application software allows the complete configuration of the ISL-1600 frame capture subsystem. The ISL-1600 contains four synchronization signal inputs that can be used for capturing image frames from the image sensor.
Synchronization Signal |
Description |
Configurable Parameters |
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Vsync |
Vertical Synchronization |
1. Start Edge Invert Enable
2. End Edge Invert Enable |
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Xsync0 |
Spare sync 0 (usually Horizontal Sync) |
1. Xsync0 Disable
2. Xsync0 Invert Enable |
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Xsync1 |
Spare sync 1 (usually Pixel Qualifier) |
1. Xsync1 Disable
2. Xsync1 Invert Enable |
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Xsync2 |
Spare sync 2 |
1. Xsync2 Disable
2. Xsync2 Invert Enable |
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Pixel data is clocked out serially from the image sensor, and synchronization signals are used to reconstruct the flattened 1D pixel data back into a 2D image. The Vertical Synchronization (Vsync) signal is used to indicate the start and end of a frame or image (as shown in the figure left).
Most image sensor modes also use a second synchronization signal to define each line of pixels. This synchronization signal is usually termed the Horizontal Sync (HSync). The ISL-1600 Xsync0 is usually used for this signal (although could easily be connected to the Xsync1 or Xsync2 signal inputs as well).
Image sensors often contain a Pixel Qualifier synchronization signal to further restrict which pixel data to include in the final image output. The ISL-1600 can accommodate this signal; it is typically wired to the Xsync1 input (although can be connected to any of the Xsync inputs). |
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Capturing Images
Image Sensor Lab supports 8- or 16-bit image capture from the ISL-1600 image sensor interface instrument, which accommodates all the various image sensor output format types including raw Bayer, YCbCr (YUV), RGB565, RGB555, RGB444, and many others.
Control and Monitoring of Image Sensor Additional Static Control and Status lines
Image Sensor Lab provides an interface for the four additional image sensor static control inputs and the four additional image sensor static control and status line outputs of the ISL-1600. These signals are general purpose digital I/O and vary greatly among image sensor types. Typical sensor functions such as Reset input, Acquire input, Power down input, Flash or LED output, Motor output for focus, etc. Image Sensor Lab provides direct access to these ISL-1600 signals inputs/outputs. |
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