Maxim Integrated Products has introduced the new member of its high-speed LVDS SerDes (serialiser/deserialiser) family: the MAX9259/MAX9260 SerDes chipset. This Gigabit multimedia chipset forms a bidirectional digital-video link over a single DC-balanced twisted-pair or differential line. The company's differential, full-duplex control channel eliminates the need for an external CAN or LIN interface, claimed to simplify design while saving space and cost. This approach enables bidirectional communication with the display module, as well as programming of camera settings through an UART/I2C interface on a frame-by-frame basis. The chipset is suitable for automotive applications such as sign recognition, collision avoidance, night vision, and lane departure. The chipset offers programmable spread-spectrum modulation to reduce EMI, making it easier to pass automotive compliance tests. This chipset allows isolation between the serialiser and deserialiser through AC-coupling; provides hot-swap capability to increase fault tolerance; and allows on-the-fly frequency programming. Line fault detection and integrated self-test features check for link integrity at system power-up.
