NEC Electronics today introduced its new camera engine 151 (CE151) system-on-chip (SoC), an image processing device for camera phones to provide high-quality images comparable to digital-still cameras (DSCs).

NEC says that the new CE151 SoC provides advanced picture quality, performance, and functions for still images and video data, using even lower power consumption.

The new CE151 SoC allows mobile phones to output full-HD (1080-pixel) video stream and still image data up to 13 megapixels received by the CMOS sensor. The Camera Engine Software Platform is designed for re-usability with a rich command-layer application-programming interface (API). The SoC is also backward compatible with previous NEC Electronics' CE series.



Main features of the CE151 SoC

1) Improved noise-reduction function
Minimizes distortion caused by lenses and offer the latest generation 1.1 micron sensors to record still images and video frames.

2) Lowered power consumption by approximately 25 percent

3) Supports SpeedTags technology to eliminate shutter lag
NEC Electronics' CE151 SoC implements SpeedTags technology from Scalado, an imaging company that manages the delay between pressing the capture button and saving the captured image. This technology enables users to instantly capture multi-megapixel images without any shutter lag.

4) Improved image-stabilizing function
The new CE151 SoC also realizes advanced image stabilizing and optical compensation technologies that can be found in the high-end DSCs.

Samples of CE151 SoC are available now with pricing of US $40 per unit (additional charge for technical support). The projected total monthly production of 1.0 million units is scheduled by April 2010, NEC said.