TCS3530 ultra-sensitive color sensor

New TCS3530 is an ultra-sensitive color sensor that matches the response of the human eye to visible light
The sensor’s highly accurate measurements of chromaticity and illuminance support superior automatic white balancing in cameras, as well as sophisticated display color management
Fully integrated optical assembly with built-in diffuser backed by end-of-line calibration simplifies manufacturers’ production processes and optical designs

Premstaetten, Austria and Munich, Germany (July 11, 2023) -- ams OSRAM (SIX: AMS), a global leader in optical solutions, has launched the TCS3530, its leading-edge color sensor which enables a smartphone camera to achieve near-perfect color rendition in any lighting conditions, and helps displays to produce a more natural picture quality.

The TCS3530 also features a new fully integrated optical assembly that makes production operations simpler for smartphone, camera and display manufacturers.
Darrell Benke, Director of Product Management for Integrated Optical Sensors at ams OSRAM, said: ‘Camera performance is a primary differentiator in the smartphone market, and the TCS3530 now gives cameras the ability to reproduce the colors that the user sees, no matter how difficult the lighting conditions are. The sensor’s performance is exceptional, it’s like having a professional photographer’s colorimeter embedded in a smartphone.’
The TCS3530 color sensor produces an XYZ tri-stimulus response, which means that its three-channel output closely matches the response of the average human eye’s three sets of color-sensitive light receptors. It is the most sensitive XYZ color sensor that ams OSRAM has ever created, producing accurate measurements of chromaticity and illuminance in all conditions, from bright sunlight to near darkness.
The sensor’s XYZ light measurements are converted in the chip to chromaticity coordinates precisely located in CiE color space. This enables ultra-accurate automatic white balancing in cameras, resulting in natural rendition of object colors in all conditions including:

Images captured under distorting light sources, such as fluorescent lamps or LEDs
Images dominated by large blocks of non-white color

The TCS3530 in displays, monitors and televisions enables superior color management in all ambient lighting conditions – algorithms can use the sensor’s outputs to adjust the display’s whitepoint to match the ambient light whitepoint, resulting in more accurate and pleasing color rendering and perceived picture quality.

Integrated diffuser improves performance, saves space, and reduces design complexity
The high performance of the TCS3530 color sensor results from a series of ams OSRAM innovations in optical chip technology and packaging. These include a new 8-channel configuration consisting of the XYZ channels, an infrared channel, and four reference channels. The TCS3530 also includes a new high-speed flicker detection capability up to 7 kHz, to enable the elimination of interference from flickering AC mains-driven lights and LEDs during image and video capture.
The TCS3530’s new optical assembly includes a built-in diffuser. This eliminates the need for the end-product manufacturer to design and build their optical assembly with an external diffuser. This greatly simplifies the optical design effort and manufacturing. The TCS3530’s assembly has a precisely engineered distance between sensor and aperture and benefits from exact diffuser placement. Combined with 100% end-of-line calibration, the TCS3530’s integrated architecture produces extremely consistent optical performance from one unit to the next. It also relieves manufacturers of the need to perform expensive and complex sensor system calibration at the factory.
The integrated assembly is also thinner than a discrete arrangement with an external diffuser, enabling smartphone manufacturers to accommodate the color sensor more easily in ultra-compact product designs.

The TCS3530 True Color Sensor is housed in a 2.5 mm x 1.8 mm x 1.5 mm OLGA package. It is available for sampling now. For more technical information or for sample requests, visit https://ams-osram.com/products/sensors/ambient-light-color-spectral-sensors/ams-tcs3530-true-color-sensor-with-flicker-detection.

Product Image for the TCS3530

Image: ams OSRAM

Product Image for the TCS3530

Image: ams OSRAM

Application Image for the TCS3530

Image: ams OSRAM

For further information
Media Relations
Hilary McGuinness Fernholz
Head of PR
Tel.: +49 151 27670184
hilary.mcguinnessfernholz@ams-osram.com
press@ams.com
ams-osram.com

About ams OSRAM

The ams OSRAM Group (SIX: AMS) is a global leader in optical solutions. By adding intelligence to light and passion to innovation, we enrich people’s lives. This is what we mean by Sensing is Life.

With over 110 years of combined history, our core is defined by imagination, deep engineering expertise and the ability to provide global industrial capacity in sensor and light technologies. We create exciting innovations that enable our customers in the automotive, consumer, industrial and healthcare sectors maintain their competitive edge and drive innovation that meaningfully improves the quality of life in terms of health, safety and convenience, while reducing impact on the environment.

Our around 22,000 employees worldwide focus on innovation across sensing, illumination and visualization to make journeys safer, medical diagnosis more accurate and daily moments in communication a richer experience. Our work creates technology for breakthrough applications, which is reflected in over 15,000 patents granted and applied. Headquartered in Premstaetten/Graz (Austria) with a co-headquarters in Munich (Germany), the group achieved over EUR 4.8 billion revenues in 2022 and is listed as ams-OSRAM AG on the SIX Swiss Exchange (ISIN: AT0000A18XM4).

Find out more about us on https://ams-osram.com

ams is a registered trademark of ams-OSRAM AG. In addition many of our products and services are registered or filed trademarks of ams OSRAM Group. All other company or product names mentioned herein may be trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective owners.

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