Camera Link is a real-time machine vision protocol developed to provide users maximum flexiblity and control over the camera sensor for high bandwidth (maximum 850 MB/s) parallel communication.

There are three performance level configurations ranging from 2.04 Gbps of data throughput (Base) to 4.08 Gbps (Medium) and 5.44 Gbps (Full), both of which require an additional Camera Link cable. User configurable options via GenICam range from low resolution and low frame rate to extremely high resolution and/or high frame rate. Pixel depths and formats (luminance, color, temperature etc.), and encodin (Bayer) can vary with the type of camera.

Most Camera Link implementations are augmented with FPGA resources that implement filters, comparisons, frame stamping, and statistical analysis of a captured image or video data.

The standard is maintained and administered by the Automated Imaging Association, or AIA, and a wide range of camera manufacturers provide compliant cameras.

CoaXPress is a high-resolution point-to-point protocol capable of high speed serial transmission of images for applications needing real-time video image acquisition.

The CoaXPress standard defines six different speeds of video transport downlinks from camera to computer that range from 1.25 Gbps on long distance cables to 6.25 Gbps on shorter cables. Cameras communicate to the host computer through a standard 75ohm coaxial cable. Camera control and triggering parameters are established through a 20 Mbps uplink channel from computer to camera.

The CoaXPress standard defines the transfer of video data, control data, triggers, and general purpose I/O over a single link. Power for the camera is defined on the cable and cable lengths of greater than 200 meters are supported.

The standard is maintained and administered by the Japan Industrial Imaging Association, or JIIA.

GigE Vision uses the Gigabit Ethernet communication protocol and delivers fast image transfer using low cost standard cables over long distances.

GigE Vision allows for non-streaming device control and accommodates networked video distribution applications that leverage switched Ethernet client/server video networks. Devices such as GigE Vision-enabled lights are automatically recognized by the computers on the network. GigE Vision also enables transmission of compressed images, accurate synchronization of multi-camera systems, and enhanced support for multi-tap sensors.

The GigE Vision specification relies on GenICam™, a generic programming interface for all kinds of cameras, to describe the features supported by the camera.

The standard is maintained and administered by the Automated Imaging Association, or AIA, and a wide range of camera manufacturers provide compliant cameras.

Cell phone cameras have made the MIPI CSI camera inteface poplar. With the introduction of heterogeneous CPUs such as Freescale’s iMX5 and 6, implementing vision applications using the processor rather than a USB I/O channel has become more appealing because the ARM Cortex, as a multi-core processor, already includes GPUs and MIPI camera interfaces.

Using a webcam style USB camera requires a lot of system level CPU time since USB is handled directly by the CPU. By using a MIPI CSI port directly from the CPU, the video is routed automatically to an on board GPU, relieving the CPU of vision processing tasks by as much as 35% − resulting in better overall system performance and better vision results.

Inadequate software tools made working with a GPU and MIPI camera interfaces difficult in the past. Today these barriers are being overcome with more fully integrated Board Support Packages giving users access to the tools they need to write applications without difficult integration.

NTSC/PAL is used in industrial analog video systems and niche applications not using a digital format, such as protection of copyrighted content on DVDs, video games, and other interactive electronic media. It is the analog broadcast television standard used by television stations for over 70 years before being phased out for digital broadcasting.

NTSC (a US standard) delivers content of 525 line scans at 30 frames per second while PAL (a European standard), delivers 625 line scans at 25 frames per second. Onboard video processing through the ARM Cortex CPU converts the image into a digital representation and sends it to the system memory, eliminating the need for a frame grabber.

Because NTSC/PAL is an older standard, cameras are cabling are inexpensive and readily availabile. A standard 75ohm coaxial cable up to 100m provides acceptable image quality.

FLIR Lepton is a revolutionary compact longwave infrared (LWIR) imager bringing low-cost thermal imaging to mobile and embedded applications. With a resolution of 80 × 60 active pixels, these thermal imaging cameras create crisp images which advanced algorithms can read to dispaly the correct temperature values from the images.

The Lepton is available in three models: 50° FOV w/o shutter, 25° FOV w/o shutter, and 50° FOV with a shutter for manual calibration.

USB3 Vision is based on the USB 3.0 standard, bringing the benefits of easy-to-use camera interoperability to machine vision systems.

USB3 Vision transfers data via the bulk transfer mode of USB 3.0 while offering 350 MB/s bandwidth and power up to 4.5W. Multiple cameras can be connected via hubs for larger systems. Camera features are accessed and controlled via the GenICam standard. Standard USB 3.0 off-the-shelf cables up to 8m can be used for USB3 Vision cameras.

The standard is maintained and administered by the Automated Imaging Association, or AIA, and a wide range of camera manufacturers provide compliant cameras.