SLVS-EC support on Nvidia Jetson platform

FRAMOS, a global custom vision solutions and component supplier, today announced a new integration supporting SLVS-EC – Sony’s next-gen data interface – natively on the NVIDIA Jetson platform. This implementation is based on an existing IMX530 FRAMOS Sensor Module (FSM) with a 4th Generation Sony Pregius Global Shutter sensor and provides a reference implementation for customers looking to operate this 24 MP sensor module over an SLVS-EC interface on the NVIDIA Jetson AGX Xavier system on module (SOM) streaming at 54 fps.

Overcoming Limitations of MIPI CSI-2

Many image sensors in the embedded vision market have standardized on the MIPI CSI-2/D-PHY interface, which has limitations with respect to bandwidth and distance. Sony’s SLVS-EC interface overcomes these technical challenges, making them more robust while increasing bandwidth and reach.

The NVIDIA Jetson AGX Xavier offers GPU workstation-class performance with an unparalleled 32 TeraOPS (TOPS) of peak compute, 750 Gbps of high-speed I/O and SLVS-EC interface in a compact form factor. With this release from FRAMOS, customers can now integrate the latest Sony sensors that exclusively incorporate SLVS-EC within the NVIDIA Jetson AGX Xavier SOM into their solutions to deliver the best performance without requiring expert knowledge. This allows developers to focus on their core competencies to build and deploy optimum products and bring their respective computer vision applications to market faster.

SLVS-EC’s Advantages Over MIPI CSI-2 / D-PHY

• Spearhead for Sony’s future image sensor technology
• Embedded clock increases robustness and signal integrity
• Simplified designs, lane-to-lane skew is less critical
• Longer routing tracks are possible due to more robust signalling
• Up to 8 lanes and double the bandwidth of a single sensor to 20 Gbps

Until now, this technology was limited to FPGA professionals and industrial applications due to its complex nature and engineering knowledge required to implement it correctly. Now, FRAMOS has created an opportunity for NVIDIA Jetson developers to benefit from these high-performance Sony sensors with their SLVS-EC interfaces. Customers can fully exploit the 2.5 Gbps data throughput on all 8 lanes to get a native overall bandwidth of almost 20 Gbps from a single image sensor within their specific imaging solution. This opens them up to a much broader sensor selection, specifically ones developed for the industrial or AV market.

FRAMOS – An NVIDIA Elite Partner

As an NVIDIA Elite partner and specialist, FRAMOS was able to utilize its robust FSM module designs to accelerate and improve the performance of the SLVC-EC interface that was supported by NVIDIA Jetson AGX Xavier platform, making this solution possible to use these larger, faster Sony sensors, like the IMX530. Moreover, utilizing the on-board Image Signal Processor (ISP) of the NVIDIA Jetson platform, FRAMOS leverages the SOM’s native capabilities and provides its customers with full support for image processing applications on NVIDIA Jetson. Replacing expensive data conversion solutions and proprietary image pre-processing algorithms with direct data interface connections into the processor maximizes speed and efficiency while reducing development and product BOM costs.