TAINAN, Taiwan, Jan. 19, 2016 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Himax Imaging, Inc., a subsidiary of Himax Technologies, Inc. (Nasdaq: HIMX ) (“Himax” or the “Company”), a leading supplier and fabless manufacturer of display drivers and other semiconductor products, today announced the HM01B0, an ultra-low power QVGA CMOS Image Sensor that consumes less than 700µW when operating at QQVGA resolution of 30 Frames Per Second (FPS), and less than 2mW when operating at QVGA resolution with support for even lower power modes. Himax is planning to deliver samples to selected customers and partners in the first quarter of 2016.
The HM01B0 ultra-low power consumption allows the sensor to be placed in a constant state of operation, enabling “always on”, contextually aware, computer vision capabilities such as feature extraction, proximity sensing, gesture recognition, object tracking and pattern identification. To address the broad requirements of computer vision systems and applications, the HM01B0’s unique low power architecture gives camera integrators and developers the flexibility to find the right balance of sensor resolution, speed, noise, and power consumption that is best-suited to the system.
The HM01B0 integrates a motion detection circuit with an interrupt output pin, and an automatic exposure and gain control loop to minimize host processor computation as well as data communication to reduce system power. The sensor utilizes an advanced 3.6µm pixel technology that offers sensitivity of below 1 lux, eliminating the need for additional light source, thereby further reducing system power consumption. The sensor’s reflowable chip scale package measures less than 5mm 2 and requires only three passive components to support a highly compact camera module and miniature wafer level module assembly that can be easily integrated into next-generation power-efficient devices for context sensitive computer vision applications.
“Our image sensors for notebook and smartphone applications, such as our ¼" 8MP MIPI sensor, have been among the lowest power in the industry,” stated Jordan Wu, CEO of Himax Technologies. “We believe that the HM01B0 is the lowest power CMOS image sensor in the industry with similar resolution, while offering outstanding sensor performance and high level of feature integration. We are excited to build upon our core competence to develop a new class of sensors that will support very low power computer vision to enable new applications across smartphones, tablets, AR/VR devices, IoT, and artificial intelligence for consumer, medical, and industrial markets. With this new ultra-low power sensor, Himax has been working with leading consumer electronic brand customers and major platform providers to help develop innovative features and reduce power consumption of existing cameras. We have received a good level of interest from quite a few of the industry’s leading players.”
Himax believes its HM01B0 is the best solution on the market to meet the ever-growing computer vision and power saving expectations and can be universally adopted for mobile devices, AR/VR devices, IoT, and artificial intelligence applications. The HM01B0 will be available in both monochrome and color options. The sensor can also integrate into Wafer Level Modules to be available for selected customers and partners in the first quarter of 2016.
About Himax Technologies, Inc.
Himax Technologies, Inc. (HIMX) is a fabless semiconductor solution provider dedicated to display imaging processing technologies. Himax is a worldwide market leader in display driver ICs and timing controllers used in TVs, laptops, monitors, mobile phones, tablets, digital cameras, car navigation, and many other consumer electronics devices. Additionally, Himax designs and provides controllers for touch sensor displays, LCOS micro-displays used in palm-size projectors and head-mounted displays, LED driver ICs, power management ICs, scaler products for monitors and projectors, tailor-made video processing IC solutions and silicon IPs. The company also offers digital camera solutions, including CMOS image sensors and wafer level optics, which are used in a wide variety of applications such as mobile phone, tablet, laptop, TV, PC camera, automobile, security and medical devices. Founded in 2001 and headquartered in Tainan, Taiwan, Himax currently employs around 1,900 people from three Taiwan-based offices in Tainan, Hsinchu and Taipei and country offices in China, Korea, Japan and the US. Himax has 2,764 patents granted and 566 patents pending approval worldwide as of December 31, 2015. Himax has retained its position as the leading display imaging processing semiconductor solution provider to consumer electronics brands worldwide.
About Himax Imagining (A subsidiary of Himax Technologies)
Himax Imaging is a fabless semiconductor company that develops CMOS Image Sensors (CIS), system-on-chip (SOC) and wafer level camera solutions for next generation camera, video communication and sensing applications. As a relative newcomer in the CIS industry, Himax Imaging has quickly developed a broad portfolio of products and technologies that have been adopted by leading mobile computing and communication device manufacturers. For more information, please visit: http://himaximaging.com/ .
Forward Looking Statements
Factors that could cause actual events or results to differ materially include, but not limited to, general business and economic conditions and the state of the semiconductor industry; market acceptance and competitiveness of the driver and non-driver products developed by the Company; demand for end-use applications products; reliance on a small group of principal customers; the uncertainty of continued success in technological innovations; our ability to develop and protect our intellectual property; pricing pressures including declines in average selling prices; changes in customer order patterns; changes in estimated full-year effective tax rate; shortages in supply of key components; changes in environmental laws and regulations; exchange rate fluctuations; regulatory approvals for further investments in our subsidiaries; our ability to collect accounts receivable and manage inventory and other risks described from time to time in the Company's SEC filings, including those risks identified in the section entitled "Risk Factors" in its Form 20-F for the year ended December 31, 2014 filed with the SEC, as may be amended.
Company Contacts: Jackie Chang, CFO Himax Technologies, Inc. Tel: +886-2-2370-3999 Ext.22300 Or US Tel: +1-949-585-9838 Ext.252 Fax: +886-2-2314-0877 Email: jackie_chang@himax.com.tw www.himax.com.tw Nadiya Chen, Investor Relations Himax Technologies, Inc. Tel: +886-2-2370-3999 Ext. 22513 Fax: +886-2-2314-0877 Email: nadiya_chen@himax.com.tw www.himax.com.tw Penny Lin, Investor Relations Himax Technologies, Inc. Tel: +886-2-2370-3999 Ext.22320 Fax: +886-2-2314-0877 Email: penny_lin@himax.com.tw www.himax.com.tw Investor Relations - US Representative Lamnia International, LLC. John Mattio, CEO Tel: +1-203-885-1058 Email: jmattio@lamniaintl.com www.lamniaintl.com
