Southchip Launches Fully Integrated "Perception-Computation-Execution" OIS Drive Chip

Southchip officially released the Optical Image Stabilization (OIS) Voice Coil Motor (VCM) drive chip SC29111. This chip achieves complete closed-loop control and can support three-axis anti-shake compensation. It provides a full-link, high-precision solution for camera modules in smartphones, tablets, and wearable devices, ranging from perception to execution. This marks a high-end breakthrough for Southchip in the field of optical image stabilization.

 

 

As consumer's demands for mobile photography image quality, especially in low-light, motion, and other scenarios, become increasingly stringent, OIS has become an indispensable core feature for a high-end imaging experience. It is rapidly penetrating broader markets such as AI glasses, drones, security surveillance, and virtual reality. Its deep integration with AI algorithms also presents new opportunities for the industry's development.

OIS systems monitor device motion status in real-time through micro-sensors and quickly adjust optical components via the drive system to counteract the impact of shake on image quality. Among these, the performance of the drive chip directly determines the stabilization's response speed, precision, stability, and power consumption, making it a core technology of OIS systems. Market data shows that global sales of the OIS optical stabilization drive market reached $689 million in 2024 and are expected to reach $934 million by 2031, with a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 4.5%.

Southchip's SC29111 integrates a Hall sensor, a digital PID controller, and an H-bridge motor driver into a single chip. This enables a complete "perception-computation-execution" control loop, significantly simplifying peripheral circuit design and bringing a new stabilization solution with higher precision, smaller size, and faster response to OIS.

On the perception side, the built-in Hall sensor can capture minute camera module jitter in real-time and feed it back to the computation side. In addition to compensating for the traditional horizontal and vertical axes (X & Y axes), it also supports compensation for the rotational axis (Z axis), achieving comprehensive stabilization.

On the computation side, calculation is performed via a 13-bit ADC and PID controller, supporting algorithms such as feedforward compensation, automatic position zoning, and loop gain adjustment to further enhance system response speed, precision, and reliability.

On the execution side, the integrated H-bridge current drivers supplies power to the VCM, with an output current capability of up to ±160mA. The VCM directly converts electrical energy into mechanical energy without the intermediate components of traditional motors (lead screws, gears, or reduction gears), offering a simple control method. Furthermore, the integrated 12-bit DAC utilizes current soft-landing technology to ensure smooth transitions of the drive current, preventing secondary vibrations caused by sudden starts or stops.

To meet the real-time requirements of high-end applications, SC29111 supports the I3C standard with a communication rate of up to 12.5MHz and is compatible with the 3.4MHz I2C mode, ensuring low latency in instruction and data exchange between the processor and the drive chip. Simultaneously, the chip provides 48 bytes of user-programmable MTP memory and three sets of PID coefficients for rapid switching, allowing customers to perform deep customization and rapid tuning based on the characteristics of different camera modules, accelerating time-to-market.

SC29111 operates within a voltage range of 2.2V to 3.6V and features comprehensive protection functions such as magnetic bias calibration, coil resistance measurement, temperature monitoring, and under-voltage lockout, ensuring stable operation in various complex environments. It is packaged in a 0.59mm*2.24mm WLCSP-6 form, offering an extremely compact footprint that frees up space for increasingly sophisticated camera module designs.