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.

The red, green, and blue color intensities of each pixel are represented in this format. This data format can be used directly for display but is typically 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 to 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)是专为移动设备设计的接口标准，通常用于手机和其他移动设备中的摄像头连接。MIPI可以高效地传输图像数据，具有低功耗和高带宽优势。