Renesas Electronics and Renesas Mobile intro single chip solution for top view system with image recognition capabilities

TOKYO, JAPAN: Renesas Electronics Corp. and its subsidiary, Renesas Mobile Corp., an innovative supplier of advanced cellular semiconductor solutions and platforms, have announced the availability of its new image recognition system-on-chip (SoC), the SH7766.

This solution integrates on a single chip all the required functions to implement camera based surround view system together with the display of crucial information such as lanes, signs and markings, pedestrians, vehicles, etc.

The new SH7766 SoC retains compatibility with Renesas’ existing SH77650 image recognition SoC while delivering improved performance. In particular, the display functions such as viewpoint conversion and dynamic range control (brightness compensation, etc.) are enhanced. These new functions make it possible to realize applications such as clear and easily-distinguishable top-view virtual camera visualization using different viewpoints to display the changing surroundings in real time as well as monitoring functionalities such as advanced driver assistance system (ADAS).

ADAS applications, such as lane deviation warning systems, are becoming widespread. The other trend is the display applications for monitoring the vehicle surroundings during parking maneuver. Especially, rearview monitor and top view systems are gaining in popularity. As advances are made in seamless safety support systems providing uninterrupted coverage of the area in front of the vehicle as well as its surroundings, there is demand in the field of image recognition for improved recognition technology, as a key sensing technology, and also for extended functions for providing a clear and easily understandable display to the driver.

Simultaneously, the image recognition systems are diversifying beyond lane recognition to include simultaneous recognition of multiple objects such as signs and markings, pedestrians, and vehicles. This directly leads into an increased performance demand for image recognition engines, which must perform multiple processing tasks in parallel. An efficient architecture using a combination of CPU and specialized IP is necessary to handle the different recognition algorithms in order to distinguish objects such as persons, in all various shapes and orientations.

In response to these demands, the next-generation SH7766 image recognition SoC improves on the performance of its predecessor, the SH77650, and delivers enhanced view functions and improved image recognition engine performance.