{"id":462,"date":"2023-02-10T15:34:15","date_gmt":"2023-02-10T15:34:15","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/gidel.com\/?p=462"},"modified":"2026-09-20T20:13:54","modified_gmt":"2026-09-20T20:13:54","slug":"high-speed-image-acquisition","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/gidel.com\/high-speed-image-acquisition\/","title":{"rendered":"High-Speed Image Acquisition and Gigapixel Processing in Vision Systems"},"content":{"rendered":"

High-Speed Image Acquisition in Modern Vision Systems<\/strong><\/h2>\n

High-Speed Image Acquisition<\/strong> has become a central requirement in modern machine vision and imaging<\/a> systems. High-resolution and high-frame-rate cameras can generate several gigapixels per second, creating significant demands on acquisition bandwidth, memory, processing, storage, and downstream computing.<\/p>\n

A system processing several gigapixels per second must continuously acquire, move, and often preprocess billions of pixels every second without dropping frames.<\/p>\n

Maintaining real-time performance requires more than a fast camera interface. The complete acquisition path must sustain the incoming data rate while preserving deterministic timing, low latency, and reliable image transfer.<\/p>\n

Why Gigapixel Data Rates Create Acquisition Bottlenecks<\/h2>\n

As camera resolution, frame rate, bit depth, and camera count increase, imaging systems must continuously move and process much larger data streams.<\/p>\n

High-bandwidth interfaces such as CoaXPress, GigE Vision, and Camera Link can deliver large volumes of image data into the system. However, acquisition is only the first stage. The architecture must also handle buffering, preprocessing, image enhancement, compression, memory transfers, and application processing without losing frames.<\/p>\n

This is especially challenging when the system must process multiple gigapixels per second while maintaining predictable latency.<\/p>\n

FPGA Architecture for High-Speed Image Acquisition<\/h2>\n

FPGA-based acquisition allows image data to move directly from the camera interface into dedicated processing logic.<\/p>\n

The FPGA can handle deterministic acquisition, protocol processing, buffering, timing, image preprocessing, and data preparation before transferring image data to the host CPU, GPU, or embedded processor.<\/p>\n

This architecture helps reduce the amount of acquisition and pixel-processing work performed by general-purpose processors. As a result, CPU and GPU resources remain available for AI inference, application logic, visualization, and other higher-level workloads.<\/p>\n

Real-Time FPGA Preprocessing Before the CPU or GPU<\/strong><\/h2>\n

High-speed acquisition becomes more efficient when pixel-intensive processing occurs close to the camera input.<\/p>\n

The FPGA can perform operations such as image correction, HDR, compression, filtering, buffering, and data preparation directly within the acquisition pipeline.<\/p>\n

Processing data before it reaches the CPU or GPU can reduce downstream memory traffic and processing requirements while maintaining deterministic real-time operation.<\/p>\n

Reducing Gigapixel Data with FPGA Compression<\/strong><\/h2>\n

High-speed imaging systems can also generate significant storage and network demands. Real-time compression helps reduce the amount of image data that must move through the rest of the system.<\/p>\n

Gidel\u2019s FPGA Image Compression IPs<\/strong><\/a> operate directly within the FPGA processing pipeline.<\/p>\n

For applications requiring high image quality with substantial data reduction, Quality+ Compression<\/strong><\/a> can reduce bandwidth and storage requirements while maintaining high image quality.<\/p>\n

High-Speed Image Acquisition with Edge AI<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Gidel\u2019s FantoVision Edge AI Systems<\/strong><\/a> combine high-bandwidth FPGA acquisition and processing with NVIDIA Jetson<\/a> computing.<\/p>\n

The FPGA handles deterministic camera acquisition and pixel-intensive processing before transferring image data to the Jetson. This leaves more CPU\/GPU resources available for AI inference, detection, tracking, classification, and application processing.<\/p>\n

High-Bandwidth Camera Interfaces<\/h2>\n
\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
High-Speed Image Acquisition Interface Comparison<\/caption>\n
Area<\/strong><\/th>\nCoaXPress<\/strong><\/th>\nGigE Vision<\/strong><\/th>\nCamera Link<\/strong><\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n
Architecture<\/strong><\/td>\nDedicated point-to-point camera interface<\/td>\nEthernet-based network architecture<\/td>\nDedicated parallel camera interface<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Nominal Interface \/ Link Rate<\/strong><\/td>\nVery high, including 12.5 Gb\/s per CXP-12 link<\/td>\nScalable across multiple Ethernet speeds, including 1, 2.5, 5, and 10 GigE Vision<\/td>\nUp to approximately 6.8 Gb\/s with 80-bit Deca configurations<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Cabling<\/strong><\/td>\nCoaxial cable<\/td>\nCopper or fiber Ethernet<\/td>\nDedicated Camera Link cabling<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Camera Power<\/strong><\/td>\nPoCXP available<\/td>\nPoE available on compatible systems<\/td>\nPoCL available on compatible systems<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Multi-Camera Scaling<\/strong><\/td>\nMultiple dedicated links or frame grabbers<\/td>\nFlexible switched Ethernet networking<\/td>\nMultiple frame-grabber channels<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Typical Strength<\/strong><\/td>\nVery high bandwidth and deterministic point-to-point acquisition<\/td>\nLong reach, networking flexibility, and scalable camera connectivity<\/td>\nEstablished deterministic industrial acquisition<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Typical Applications<\/strong><\/td>\nHigh-resolution, high-frame-rate, scientific, defense, and advanced inspection<\/td>\nDistributed imaging, machine vision, robotics, inspection, and multi-camera systems<\/td>\nIndustrial inspection, sorting, scientific imaging, and established machine vision systems<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/div>\n
Swipe horizontally to view all columns \u2192<\/div>\n

Different high-speed image acquisition systems require different camera interfaces depending on bandwidth, distance, cabling, synchronization, and system architecture.<\/p>\n

Gidel supports high-bandwidth acquisition through:<\/p>\n