Camera modules are an integral part of advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS), which are designed to make cars safer. Automotive cameras and camera modules are often assist in blind spot detection, nap prevention, lane and border detection, surround view and parking. Based on application, there are multiple types of camera modules available such as front camera, rear camera, night vision camera. Figure 8-8 shows the typical block diagram of camera module used in an automotive environment with key electronics building blocks in the system.

The camera module is usually situated externally at front, back or either side of the vehicle. Many times the main controller that does the data processing can not be used on camera module side due to size constraints. The camera module unit communicates with central processor over co-axial cable. The camera module data is transmitted over a coaxial cable using a serializer. On the data processing unit, a deserializer is used to communicate this data with the host processor. The power to the camera module is also transmitted over a coaxial cable. Because the camera module is remotely placed and power is transferred over a coaxial cable that can be few meters long, voltage received by camera module and critical voltage rails powering image sensors are often monitored against permissible variations. Also, the difference between camera lens and external ambient temperature can introduce dampness and degrade video quality. To ensure optimal video quality, camera lens temperature is often monitored for any possible correction. The device monitoring these system-level parameters must be a small size because of the limited board space available on the camera module side. Also, the I²C interface is preferred because this interface enables the user to connect multiple monitoring and sensing devices on the same I²C bus. The ADS7142-Q1 small footprint (2-mm × 3-mm, WSON package) and the I²C interface capable of working over wide digital I/O voltages enable this device in camera module monitoring applications without demanding extra board space.