GigE Vision is a camera interface developed using the Gigabit Ethernet protocol for file transfer. Hosted by the Association for Advancing Automation (A3), it allows for fast image transfer using low cost, twisted pair Ethernet cables over very long distances. With version 2.1, it now supports 10 gigabit networks (1250 MB/s) plus multi-camera, multi-sensor systems.
Included in the standard are:
- GigE Vision Control Protocol (GVCP), which defines how to control and configure devices
- GigE Vision Stream Protocol (GVSP), which specifies how images can be transferred
- GigE Device Discovery Mechanism, which allows devices to obtain IP addresses
Underlying the standard is the GenICam software standard, which is a generic programming interface for machine vision devices. Learn more about GigE Vision and how to license it.
Macnica offers an intellectual property package to help you develop machine vision cameras, medical imaging systems and other products using GigE Vision. Learn more.
There is also a new 10 gigabit version of GigE, 10GigE Vision, which provides the same benefits but with a tenfold increase in data rate and frame rate. Macnica offers a 10GigE intellectual property package ready for licensing but without the support of IEEE1588. Contact us to learn more.
USB3 Vision is a camera interface developed for image transfer using the USB 3.0 protocol. One of the fastest growing machine vision camera standards, it too is based on the GenICam software standard, but it uses devices’ USB ports instead of Ethernet. Though not as fast as GigE and limited to much shorter distances, USB3 offers an easy-to-use, plug-and-play interface ideal for situations where the processor will be close to the camera. Like GigE Vision, USB3 Vision was developed by the Association for Advancing Automation (A3).
Included in the standard are:
- Device detection protocols
- Streaming data protocols, which specifies how images can be transferred
- Register access protocols
- Event handling
Like other camera interface standards, USB3 utilizes the programming interface GenICam. Learn more about USB3 Vision and how to license it.
Macnica offers an intellectual property package to help you develop machine vision cameras, medical imaging systems and other products using USB3 Vision. Learn more.
CoaXPress is a digital interface standard for high speed image data transmission using 75 ohm coaxial cable. Developed by the Japan Industrial Imaging Association (JIIA), it is very fast and can support systems with multiple cables for even higher bandwidths. (CoaXPress 1.1 offers speeds of up to 6.25 Gbps per cable; CoaXPress 2.0 up to 12.5 GBps.) It includes an uplink channel from the computer or processor to the camera, used for camera control and firmware updates.
Like other camera standards, CoaXPress utilizes the programming interface GenICam. Learn more about CoaXPress and how to license it.
Macnica offers an intellectual property package to help you develop machine vision cameras, medical imaging systems and other products using CoaXPress Vision 1.1 (and soon will introduce an IP package for Version 2.0). Learn more.
GenICam is a generic application programming interface (API) for machine vision cameras. Though a key component of all of the major camera interface standards, it can also be used on its own for direct camera-to-processor connections.
In addition to the API, GenICam includes a standard features naming convention, a transport layer, data container, and control protocol. Learn more about GenICam and how to license it.
Macnica offers host software which greatly simplifies the development of GenICam-compliant software applications.
HDMI is the most widely-used interface for transmitting uncompressed video and audio between devices, including from cameras to processors and displays in machine vision applications. You can learn more about the standard here.
Macnica offers intellectual property to allow you to quickly and easily use HDMI 2.0 with a number of Intel FPGAs commonly used in machine vision products. Learn more.
Read the AIA Guide to Interface Standards