With the development of smartphones and mobile terminals, imaging quality has been a key user experience. In Huawei’s HiSilicon Kirin SoC series, the ISP (Image Signal Processor) module is an essential component. It is a yardstick for judging a phone’s imaging quality as well as an influence on day-to-night shooting, video recording, AI photography, and many more aspects. Kirin ISP chips have been evolving continuously, which shows Huawei’s strong ability in the field of chip and image sensor technology.

Functional Positioning of Kirin ISP

1. The ISP is the central unit bridging the image sensor to display and storage. The raw signals captured by the sensors are usually with noise, color distortion, and limited dynamic range, and they need ISP to produce a vivid natural image. The merits of Kirin ISP are as follows:
2. Noise reduction and detail enhancement: Multi-frame fusion with AI technology increases the image brightness without noise under the dim light environment, improving the details of the photo.
3. AWB (AI white balance) and AC (hue control): The color correction in a variety of shooting conditions can present your skin tone naturally and gray degrees of the environment.
4. Auto-exposure control: Fast adjusts brightness to the high contrast and backlit environments.
5. HDR creation: Restores more dynamic range in your video for bright, brilliant colors in high-light or backlight.
6. Multi-camera synchronization: Users can easily combine wide-angle, telephoto, black and white or other lenses to enhance the flexibility of imaging.

Development History of Kirin ISP

1. As early as the Kirin 920, Huawei started to invest in self-developed ISP technology. By the Kirin 970 and subsequent flagships, ISP was already as core as a CPU or GPU.

• Kirin 970: It was the first time that the stand-alone NPU (Neural Processing Unit) was integrated into the ISP, which helps achieve artificial intelligence-based scene recognition and intelligent photography.
• Kirin 980: Debut of an even faster dual-ISP system for simultaneous parallel processing and multiple-camera use.
• Kirin 990: Improved video recording and capability to record in 4K HDR.
• Kirin 9000 series: Breakthrough in ISP, achieving new heights in professional photography supporting the highest resolution sensors and Dual-main camera multi-shot Ultra Wide imaging supported. New ISP technology allows Huawei to push the technical boundary internationally for better low light conditions, vivid detail with amazing colors (far exceeding all human perception). Huawei was effectively saying their latest phones were as good or even better than professional.

1. From simple imaging to AI-blessed imaging, the way of Kirin ISP.

Technical Advantages

• AI power: Kirin ISP collaborates closely with NPU, which does not only basic signal processing but also real-time scene recognition, instant portrait optimizing, and impressive enhancement of photographs.
• Low power consumption: The self-designed ISP architecture can realize energy efficiency for mobile applications.
• The synergy of hardware and software: The company created unique features like “Ultra Vision Imaging,” “Night Mode” and “Super Slow Motion” to enable differentiated user experiences.
• Security: Some Kirin ISPs can achieve hardware-level data security protection and guarantee the image protection during the process of processing.

Application Scenarios

1. Kirin ISP is extensively used in imaging functions of Huawei and Honor smartphones:

• Night Shot: Multi-frame noise reduction algorithm significantly reduces the picture noise to make it even clearer and brighter.
• Video: 4K/8K recording, HDR video, and real-time background blur.
• Natural portrait optimization: Face detection with AI natural beauty effect.
• Multi-camera: Kirin ISP can achieve seamless switching and fusion between the ultra-wide, telephoto, and main cameras on Mate and P series devices. These are the functions which have helped make Kirin smartphones' cameras some of the best in mobile imaging.

Future Development Trends

1. With the increasing AI and mobile imaging integration, it is anticipated that Kirin ISP will evolve in the following directions:

• Increased resolution and pixel support: Supporting sensors with 100-plus megapixels.
• AI ISP: Further reliance on AI and deep learning for real-time super-resolution and intelligent scene enhancement.
• Multicamera and AR/VR integration: Supporting greater number of sensor inputs for improved physical world representations as well as richer interaction in immersive experiences.
• Low power: More aggressive power savings during 5G + AI workloads.

Conclusion

ISP chips for Kirin also serve as the core of Huawei’s smartphone imaging systems, and their domestic development represents an exploration into breakthroughs in semiconductor technology. Through iterative evolution, Kirin ISP has evolved from conventional image processing to AI-intelligent imaging, thereby facilitating a great leap forward in mobile photography. As imaging requirements continue to increase in the future, Kirin ISP will always play an important role, providing smart, clean, and realistic mobile phone image experience.