The Relationship Between Camera Module Interfaces and Data Transmission

The interface and data transmission of camera modules are closely related. The module captures image data and transmits it to the processing unit (such as the processor on the motherboard) through different interfaces. Below is a detailed explanation of the between camera module interfaces and data transmission:

Camera modules can output data in various formats, including RAW data, RGB, and YUV. data formats are handled differently during transmission:

This is unprocessed raw image data, with each pixel containing only one color information (R,G, or B). This format of data needs to be processed by an Image Signal Processor (ISP) later to restore the full color image.

In this format, each pixel's red, green, and blue color intensities are represented. This format of data can be directly used for display but usually to be compressed to reduce transmission bandwidth.

This format separates image information into luminance (Y) and chrominance (U and V), which is suitable for video compression and transmission. It can effectively reduce the amount of data while maintaining image quality.

Camera modules transmit data the processing unit through specific interfaces. Common interfaces include USB and MIPI:

USB interfaces offer widespread compatibility and plug-and-play convenience. They provide high-speed data transmission, with standards like USB3.0 and USB3.1 capable of delivering data transmission speeds of up to 5Gbps and 10Gbps. This is sufficient to meet the video data transmission needs of high-definition and even ultra-high-definition cameras.

MIPI (Mobile Industry Processor Interface) is an interface standard designed specifically for mobile devices, commonly used in camera connections in phones and other mobile devices. MIPI can efficiently transmit image data with low power consumption and high bandwidth advantages.