Bringing Vision Standard Performance to Sony Block Cameras

Sony block cameras are widely deployed in demanding vision systems, particularly in applications where excellent image detail is required when zooming in and out. This includes security surveillance, intelligent transportation systems, and robotics applications.

Choosing the right video interface – the hardware and software used to format the imaging data, send it over a cable or wirelessly, and receive it at a computer or display – can have a significant impact on system costs and performance. Traditionally, Sony block video interfaces require multiple cables for video transmission and control, external power sources for cameras, and PCI frame grabbers to capture images at the PC or display. This results in more complex systems, longer design times, higher costs, and limited component selection.

In comparison, by leveraging the benefits of standards-based GigE Vision or USB3 Vision video interfaces manufacturers and integrators can easily meet cost and performance demands. With both standards, imaging data is transmitted directly to an existing port on a computing platforms. This eliminates the need for a PCIe frame grabber while enabling the use of laptops, embedded computing platforms, and in some cases mobile devices for processing, analysis, and display. 

With the extended-reach cabling of GigE, processing equipment can be located away from harsh environments, while the inherent networking benefits of Ethernet allows video to be easily shared across multiple endpoints. Alternatively, USB3 Vision interface solutions deliver sustained throughputs approaching 3 Gb/s over widely available cabling that supports simple plug-and-play installation.

For imaging system designers seeking to integrate vision standard connectivity, the most straightforward approach is to employ an off-the-shelf external frame grabber. Solutions available from Pleora Technologies transmit video with low, consistent latency at high frame rates between Sony block cameras and computing platforms or display panels.

The choice between a GigE Vision or USB3 Vision solution will depend on your application requirements. The iPORT SB-GigE External Frame Grabber supports highly reliable 1 Gb/s data transfer rates, while delivering a rich feature set that allows manufacturers to leverage flexible networking, extended reach, and Power over Ethernet (PoE) advantages. In comparison, the iPORT SB-U3 supports higher data transfer rates, power over USB (PoUSB), and plug-and-play usability for shorter-reach applications. 

In a ship-to-shore container crane system, for example, video feeds from multiple Sony block cameras can be converted to more manageable GigE Vision-compliant video, aggregated at a basic network switch, and transmitted over a single Ethernet cable to remotely located control and monitoring equipment.

The benefits of USB3 can be seen in a telepresence robotics application, where the iPORT SB-U3 enables the use of a lighter-weight, lower-power computing platform to simplify design and extend the operating life of the battery-powered systems.

In this application, images from Sony block cameras used for inspection and navigation are converted to USB3 Vision-compliant video streams by external frame grabbers.  Video, power, and control data is transmitted over high-bandwidth, flexible, low-cost USB cables directly to ports on an integrated single-board computing platform. By eliminating PCIe frame grabbers within the robot, designers can reduce system complexity, component count, and costs. In addition, decreasing the weight and power consumption of the robot extends battery life, translating into more patient visits between charges.

Pleora’s video interface solutions, including the iPORT SB-GigE and iPORT SB-U3, are available from Aegis Electronic Group, Inc.