Image sensor powerhouse saves a multi-million dollar business line

“We didn’t have the time or budget for a long design phase. The Chipworks reports gave us the technical detail we needed to accelerate our design and secure numerous customer wins.”

                                                                                  - Design Group Manager

Situation

A leader in high performance CCD imaging components for camera phones had invested in an expensive but proven technology. Increasingly, its competitors were using lower cost CMOS image sensors, posing a threat to its entire business line and hundreds of millions of dollars. Needing to catch up quickly, it turned to Chipworks for technical details on competing CMOS solutions.

 
Challenges

• Verify that CMOS image sensors were viable and likely to replace CCD components
• Protect a significant business line while changing the technology model quickly and successfully

 
Chipworks Solution

• Identified how two leading CMOS image sensor manufacturers set new performance and cost standards
• Produced a Circuit Analysis Report using reverse engineering to detail the CMOS sensors’ design and function 
• Developed a schematic design and Process Reports describing the device assembly to expedite the design cycle
• Provided competitive intelligence to strengthen the client’s roadmap, and preserve its image sensor leadership

Results

• Saved a multi-million dollar business line and retained market leadership
• De-risked the design effort for under three percent of the R&D budget; saving eight times the investment in Chipworks in R&D costs alone
• Cut 24 months and $500,000 off the design, regaining market share worth 600 times its Chipworks investment
• Grew at five times the market rate, vaulting past an aggressive competitor within 24 months

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