Ingenic Show

During the 2023 CPSE Security Expo, Ingenic once again brought multiple technological innovations such as AI-ISP, inclusive AI, Always on Video (AOV), new multi camera technology, Mert audio, and intelligent display and control, pushing the application of smart vision to new heights. Below, we will introduce some of the innovative achievements released by Ingenic.

1 AI-ISP

Ingenic has innovatively launched AI-ISP technology based on years of technological accumulation in the field of star level night vision imaging.

It is reported that AI-ISP learns massive scenes and data through deep networks, outputs algorithm models, and accurately processes images. 

Its advantage lies in that it is no longer just a fixed line algorithm optimization, but with the support of AI algorithms, it can dynamically restore image colors and details based on image quality, suppress noise, and achieve global optimization of low illumination images.

Liu Yuan, Deputy General Manager of Ingenic Intelligent Video Business Unit, said, "AI-ISP technology can present images clearly and in full color at an illuminance of around 0.001 Lux, and the imaging of motion images will not be blurry. "

Its application scenarios are not limited to security, and it will also be widely used in fields such as smart homes and consumer electronics in the future, making it a universal feature

At the exhibition site, Ingenic specially designed a rectangular darkroom simulation scene with a length of about 6 meters. 

The illuminometer showed that the illumination inside the darkroom was about 0.007 Lux. 

At this time, the image displayed using AI-ISP technology had bright colors, clear image details, and the license plate in motion could always be clearly displayed without any trailing phenomenon, which was significantly better than the comparison scheme.

The author also learned on site that Ingenic has been optimized based on the first generation AI-ISP technology and plans to launch the second generation AI-ISP solution next year.

The imaging effect of the second generation AI-ISP was demonstrated on-site, and it was found that the noise was no longer visible in the second generation AI-ISP. 

The full color image quality effect was basically close to the indoor scene imaging effect under normal illumination, which was even more stunning. 

According to Ingenic staff, the second generation AI-ISP technology will be installed on the T42 series chips.

2  AOV

The battery is the only power source for smart locks, visual doorbells, home surveillance cameras, and some devices designed for inconvenient wiring scenarios. 

How to improve battery life is a challenge for various solution providers.

With multiple self-developed core technologies, Ingenic has long been one of the leading enterprises in low-power solutions. 

Its products have been widely used in civil and consumer electronics fields, and low-power products based on Ingenic's solutions are even sold overseas.

A certain device manufacturer once stated, "In terms of low power consumption, Ingenic has always been our preferred solution."

However, the original low-power solutions often adopt a triggered start method to achieve long-term battery life monitoring. 

When the monitoring screen is still, the device is in a dormant state and cannot achieve 24-hour monitoring.

In this regard, Ingenic has made a new upgrade to the original low-power solution and officially launched the new generation AOV ultra-low power technology. 

The staff introduced that this technology is based on the fast start and standby technology of ultra-low power memory, achieving 7 × 24/7 video recording solves the problem of traditional low-power solutions without recording information during event triggering periods.

Liu Yuan said, "The power consumption of AOV technology is very low, which can enable pure battery devices to continuously record."

It is also understood that AOV ultra-low power continuous imaging technology has been applied on the T41 series flagship chips and is expected to be popularized on other series chips in the future, providing strong support for downstream ultra-low power applications.

3  Mert AI Audio

In addition to video, the importance of audio is also becoming increasingly prominent, especially in the civilian field. 

Applications such as voice wake-up and two-way intercom are becoming increasingly frequent. 

However, in practical applications, it has been found that traditional voice technology is only a simple recording, making it difficult to eliminate environmental noise. 

This leads to the difficulty of avoiding the situation where environmental noise covers up important voice information.

Based on this pain point, Ingeni has launched Mert AI audio technology, which can automatically filter background noise such as current sound, wind sound, and motor sound through AI algorithms, thereby focusing on human voice and achieving clear and recognizable speech.

In the on-site demo, under traditional schemes, the human voice is difficult to recognize due to high wind noise. 

However, after processing based on Mert intelligent speech technology, the human voice is clear and recognizable.

Mert also supports functions such as AI noise reduction and AI echo cancellation, and can customize ROI sound. 

The Ingenic staff said, "Mert can model sounds of interest, not limited to human voices. For example, in window scenes, it can model the sound of glass breakage. In conditions of strong environmental noise, Mert technology can also clearly identify the sound of glass breakage. Combined with backend AI, corresponding AI emergency strategies can be customized."

Moreover, based on Mert technology, the device's requirements for pickups are relatively reduced, making product design more flexible.

4  Multi Camera

Affected by environmental factors such as the COVID-19 and geopolitical factors, the security market is still in the recovery stage. 

However, in the field of one machine and multiple cameras, it has shown a booming trend since the end of last year. 

Ingenic, with its one machine dual camera product layout starting in 2020, quickly seized market opportunities. 

Liu Yuan introduced, "Currently, we have achieved a significant share in the one machine and multiple cameras market

With the continuous popularity of the one machine dual eye market, Ingenic continues to make efforts and has launched a series of products such as one machine three eyes and one machine four eyes to meet downstream demand, continuing to lead innovative applications.

It is reported that Ingenic achieves coverage of the monitoring area without dead spots through multi camera solutions such as gun ball linkage, multi camera long and short focus, and multi camera fusion splicing, supplemented by functions such as automatic cruise control, human tracking, electronic fence, and fixed point monitoring of abnormal shots. 

At the exhibition site, Ingenic conducted a one machine four camera demonstration based on the T40 chip. From the stitching images, it was found that the color transition of the stitching images was smooth, and there were no signs of stitching.

According to on-site technical personnel, Ingenic has currently launched a complete product solution based on the multi camera market. "

Ingenic not only seizes the first mover advantage of the one camera multi camera market, but also has competitiveness in terms of low power consumption, high cost-effectiveness, and other aspects of the product.

5  All AI solution

With the above technical support, Ingenic's overall product solution capabilities have been further improved.

Among them, the backend product line has officially built an end-to-end one-stop solution since the completion of the A-series product line on the side in 2021. 

The author found on site that Ingenic has comprehensively upgraded the A series this year.

 Among the displayed products, the decoding ability of a single chip has been improved to 36 channels, which can simultaneously access 36 channels of 4K resolution cameras, and has the ability to build small and medium-sized monitoring networks.

A-series chips provide 1.4 TOPS@int8 AI hardware computing power and a basic model library for non human machines. 

Based on supporting AI development tools, cooperating clients can quickly develop the necessary AI products. "We provide a complete set of solutions that customers can use, greatly reducing the product development threshold. If we are already cooperating clients, new product development will become easier." The on-site staff introduced.

Not only the backend, but also the front-end has formed a complete AI matrix supporting. The T-series supports 0.5 TOPS to 4 TOPS computing power coverage. 

Liu Yuan said, "We have formed a complete layout from the front-end to the backend, and then to AI, which can provide customers with a full stack solution and achieve front-end and back-end AI linkage, truly achieving inclusive AI."

The innovative technologies, solutions, and applications showcased by Ingenic at this exhibition are all laid out around the changing demands of the industry, such as the AOV function, which compensates for the shortcomings of the original technology and allows users to obtain new value in all-weather low-power recording; One machine with multiple cameras has opened up a new path for cost reduction and efficiency improvement; AI-ISP and Mert audio empower users on the underlying technology, laying a solid foundation for inclusive AI.

The concentrated exhibition of various innovative technologies is not only a witness to Ingenic's transformation of danger into an opportunity, but also a broader opportunity to be found in the recovering security market.