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OMNIVISION Expands the Landscape of Digital Imaging
Sep 28, 2005

NEW OMNIPIXEL®2 ARCHITECTURE BRINGS HIGHER RESOLUTIONS INTO MAINSTREAM CAMERA MARKETS

SUNNYVALE, Calif. — September 28, 2005 — OmniVision Technologies, Inc. (Nasdaq: OVTI), the world’s leading supplier of CMOS image sensors, today unveiled its new OmniPixel®2 architecture. OmniPixel®2’s pixel size of just 2.2 x 2.2 microns is less than half the size of the first generation OmniPixel® structures, and represents one of the industry’s smallest pixel sizes commercially available. OmniPixel®2 also features three major new process and technology developments on both the sensor and system level, enabling better performance per area and a further reduction in overall sensor size.

In a separate announcement today, OmniVision also introduced the OV3630, its first 3 megapixel CameraChip™ designed for mobile applications and based on the new OmniPixel®2 architecture.

“With OmniPixel®2 already sampling at major customers through our new OV3630, we believe that our 2.2 micron pixel is among the first commercially available, giving OmniVision and its partners a direct competitive advantage, especially in the camera phone market,” said Jess Lee, Vice President of the Mainstream Products Business Unit at OmniVision. “We strive to keep our customers highly competitive. Earlier this year we brought 1.3 megapixel image sensors into the mainstream camera phone market. We expect that OmniPixel®2 will allow OmniVision to move even higher resolutions into the mainstream, enabling our customers to introduce compact, high resolution camera phones.”

To increase the pixel density within a compact sensor size and to maximize the performance of the smaller pixel, OmniPixel®2 features three major technology developments:

First is the research activity that resulted in a proprietary new process and innovative pixel design. This allowed an increase in the fill factor of 40 percent along with more vibrant and truer-to-life color reproduction.

Second, OmniPixel®2 sensors are designed with a zero-gap micro-lens, eliminating the space between the lenses that are placed over each pixel, thus more efficiently directing the light to the pixel’s active area. This allows the pixels to capture over 20 percent more light and therefore make more effective use of the smaller pixel’s active area.

Third, the OmniPixel®2 architecture brings significant improvements to the pixel’s dynamic range through higher quantum efficiency and improved full well capacity. The quantum efficiency, which measures how effectively pixels convert the captured photons to electrons, was improved through OmniVision’s new proprietary 0.13 micron process. These process improvements, designed to optimize image performance, also give rise to a further increased full well capacity, which means that OmniPixel®2 has even better full well capacity than its larger 3.18-micron predecessor. Combined, these improvements are the key to the new sensors’ higher dynamic range, which measures performance in extreme bright or dark conditions.

“OmniVision was one of the early pioneers in CMOS imaging,” Lee commented, “and we are leading the way with the introduction of OmniPixel®2. This enables our customers to develop the smallest, most competitive high-resolution camera solutions. Today, we also launched the 3 megapixel (OV3630) camera chip: the first in a full range of OmniPixel®2 products that OmniVision will release in the coming months.”

 

Safe-Harbor
Language Certain statements in this press release, including statements regarding the performance achievements and capabilities of OmniPixel®2 and the release of other OmniPixel®2 products in the immediate future and the leadership status of OmniVision in CMOS imaging, 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; risks associated with building customer acceptance of and demand for OmniPixel®2; the development of the market for CMOS sensors in the camera phone market as well as in markets for other portable applications incorporating image sensors; the rapid changes in technical requirements for camera phone 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. 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.

About OMNIVISION

OMNIVISION is a global fabless semiconductor organization that develops advanced digital imaging, analog, and touch & display solutions for multiple applications and industries, including mobile phones; security and surveillance; automotive; computing; medical; machine vision; and IoT / emerging applications. Its award-winning innovative technologies enable a smoother human/machine interface in many of today’s commercial devices. Find out more at www.ovt.com.

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