Sunnyvale, CA — Feb. 23, 2004 — OMNIVISION Technologies, Inc. (Nasdaq: OVTI), a leading independent supplier of CameraChip™ solutions for high-volume imaging applications, today announced that it has become the first in the industry to begin shipping production volumes of 1.3-megapixel small form factor CMOS image sensors for cameraphones. OMNIVISION is ramping production of the OV9640 CameraChip™, an advanced CMOS image sensor that provides 1.3-megapixel resolution in a small-footprint, 1/4-inch design. It gives cameraphones the ability to capture digital photographs of keepsake quality and offers the best feature set in its class—highest resolution, lowest power consumption, broad dynamic range, high reliability, small size and top price/performance.
“The volume shipment of the OV9640 builds upon our proven record of being the first in the industry to deliver production volumes of the latest technology products,” said Kimble Dong, OMNIVISION’s vice president of Operations and Systems. “The OV9640 is a plug-compatible 1/4-inch imaging system that provides cameraphone makers with a higher standard of performance for new designs, as well as an easy way to upgrade prior-generation CIF, VGA and 1.0-megapixel handsets. It has already achieved more than 30 design wins with 10 different manufacturers of cameraphones.”
The OV9640 CameraChip™ is the ideal imaging solution for mainstream mobile phones. It incorporates a 1304- by 968-pixel array in a ¼-inch chip that operates at 15 frames per second in full resolution and at up to 120 frames per second in QCIF resolution. The OV9640 is a complete system-on-a-chip with full image processing, including exposure control, gamma correction, gain control, white balance, sharpness control, color saturation control, hue control, and windowing—all easily programmable through a standard serial interface. For images that are consistently clear and sharp, it features OMNIVISION’s proprietary embedded algorithms, which eliminate digital effects such as smearing, fixed-pattern noise and blooming, along with VarioPixel® technology, which provides superior performance in low-light conditions and in videophone applications. The OV9640 requires only 50 milliwatts of power in active mode and 30 microwatts of power in standby mode and outputs image data in all standard formats—YUV, RGB, and 10-bit raw data. It can seamlessly replace most current VGA solutions by integrating into an image module that is only 8 millimeters wide, 8 millimeters long and 6.8 millimeters high.
Safe-Harbor
Statement Certain statements in this press release, including but not limited to statements regarding the performance and capabilities of the OV9640 CameraChip™ and its industry position, are “forward-looking statements” as defined in the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 and are subject to risks and uncertainties. These risks and uncertainties, which could cause the forward-looking statements to differ materially from actual events, include, without limitation, the performance and quality of OMNIVISION’s new products relative to other CMOS image sensors, the growth and changing technical requirements in the markets for OMNIVISION’s products, potential errors and flaws in our new products, customers’ continued acceptance of OMNIVISION’s products, and the other risks detailed from time to time in OMNIVISION’s Securities and Exchange Commission filings and reports, including, but not limited to, OMNIVISION’s annual report on Form 10-K and its quarterly reports on Form 10-Q. OMNIVISION disclaims any obligation to update information contained in any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.