Camera Sensor Interfacing Direct to FPGA over LVDS
Direct interfacing of a camera sensor to an FPGA over LVDS: from sensor initialization through control to parsing and encoding the image data stream — with no processor in between.
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Starting Point
An image sensor needed to be connected directly to an FPGA without a detour through an ISP or processor, for minimal latency and full control over the data path. The challenge: high-speed LVDS reception, correct sensor configuration, and reliably reconstructing the image data stream from the serial channels — clock-stable and free of image artifacts in continuous operation.
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Solution
We implemented the complete interfacing chain in the FPGA: initialization and configuration of the sensor over its control interface, deserialization of the LVDS data channels including word alignment and channel synchronization, followed by protocol parsing and decoding into a valid pixel stream. The prepared image signal is handed directly to downstream processing, with defined interfaces and verified against reference data.
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Result
An end-to-end, deterministic data path from sensor to image processing — with no additional processor and no unnecessary latency. Stable reception in continuous operation, clean channel synchronization, and a modular implementation that transfers to further sensors and resolutions.