MIPI Alliance
Trade associations | |
Industry | Mobile and Mobile-Influenced |
Founded | 2003 |
Headquarters | United States |
Number of locations | Global |
Website |
www |
MIPI Alliance is a global, open membership organization that develops interface specifications for the mobile ecosystem including mobile-influenced industries. It was founded in 2003 by ARM, Intel, Nokia, Samsung, STMicroelectronics and Texas Instruments.[1]
The organization has more than 250 member companies worldwide, 12 active working groups and has delivered more than 45 specifications within the mobile ecosystem in the last decade. MIPI specifications provide interface solutions for mobile handsets. As the traditional mobile ecosystem has expanded to include tablets and laptops, MIPI Alliance’s specifications are implemented beyond mobile phones including: tablets, PCs, cameras, industrial electronics, Machine to Machine (IoT), augmented reality, automotive, and medical technologies.[2]
MIPI members include handset manufacturers, device OEMs, software providers, semiconductor companies, application processor developers, IP tool providers, test and test equipment companies, as well as camera, tablet and laptop manufacturers.
Mission and vision
The Mission of the MIPI Alliance is to develop low-power interface technology by establishing, promoting and supporting hardware and software interface standards for the benefit of mobile and mobile influenced industries. The organization actively promotes and encourages the adoption of these specifications throughout the industry value chain.
MIPI Alliance’s Vision is to develop the world's most comprehensive set of interface specifications for mobile and mobile-influenced products.
Organizational structure
MIPI is a non-profit corporation governed by a Board of Directors. The Officers of MIPI Alliance include the Chairman, Vice Chairman, Secretary, and Treasurer. The Board manages the general affairs of the organization, acting in the interest of its members in the development of specifications which advance interface technology for mobile devices. The Board receives technical direction from a Technical Steering Group.[3]
The Board approves and directs Working Groups to evaluate or develop specifications to meet a specific interface requirement.
The Marketing Working Group is responsible for developing and executing activities that promote the MIPI Specifications.
Birds of a Feather and Investigation Groups may be formed by the Board to evaluate and consider new technology or market trends which could benefit from the development of an interface specification.[4]
MIPI Alliance working groups
MIPI Alliance Working Groups [5] are created and structured to define common mobile-interface specifications. The organization currently has more than 15 working groups, spanning mobile device design. Each working group progresses along a standard path - from investigation group to specification. Led by a technical chair, group members define the requirements for the specification, solicit input and proposals, discuss, and create a draft specification. From there, the specification is vetted and reviewed by the Board of Directors. After a final vote, the draft becomes a specification which is made available to all member companies. Only MIPI members have access to the complete published specification. Working Group participation is open to Board, Promoter and Contributor member companies. While Adopter members do not participate in working groups, they do have access to the published specifications.[6]
Current working groups include:
- Analog Control Interface
- Battery Interface (MIPI BIF) (a kind of smart battery interface)
- Camera: Camera Serial Interface
- Debug
- DigRF
- Display (Display Serial Interface)
- High Speed Synchronous Interface
- Low Latency Interface
- Low Speed Multipoint Link (SLIMbus)
- Marketing
- PHY
- Reduced Input/Output Working Group (RIO)
- RF Front-End Working Group (RFFE)
- Sensor Work Group (I3C)
- Software Investigation Group
- Technical Steering Group
- Test Working Group
- UniPro, including M-PHY, used by Mobile PCIe
About the specifications
MIPI specifications address only the interface technology, such as signaling characteristics and protocols; they do not standardize entire application processors or peripherals. Products which utilize MIPI specs will retain many differentiating features. By enabling products which share common MIPI interfaces, system integration is likely to be less burdensome than in the past.[7]
MIPI is agnostic to air interface or wireless telecommunication standards. Because MIPI specifications address only the interface requirements of application processor and peripherals, MIPI compliant products are applicable to all network technologies, including GSM, CDMA2000, WCDMA, PHS, TD-SCDMA, and others.[8][9]
Some of the specifications by MIPI include:
Membership categories
MIPI membership categories include:
- Adopters can use MIPI Specifications to develop MIPI Compliant products, and receive licenses to do so. Any company may apply for adopter level membership.
- Contributors have all rights of Adopters, plus the opportunity to define MIPI Specifications by participating in the working groups.
- Promoters are elected by the Board from the set of Contributors. Each Promoter has all rights of a Contributor, plus a voting board seat.
- Founders have all rights of a Promoter and a permanent board seat.
MIPI partner organizations
- JEDEC
- USB Implementers Forum
- PCI-SIG
- MEMS Industry Group
- VESA
References
- ↑ Mobile Chip Interface Gets Real Merritt, Rick “EE Times”, US, 13 February 2006.
- ↑ Understanding MIPI Alliance Interface Specifications Wietfeldt, Rick and Lefkin, Peter “Electronic Design”, US, 1 April 2014.
- ↑ "MIPI Structure and Governance". MIPI Alliance. Retrieved 29 March 2014.
- ↑ "MIPI Working Group Overview". MIPI Alliance. Retrieved 4 April 2014.
- ↑ "MIPI Working Groups". MIPI Alliance. Retrieved 4 April 2014.
- ↑ "MIPI Alliance Working Groups | MIPI Alliance". Mipi.org. Retrieved 8 March 2013.
- ↑ MIPI Alliance Works on New Specs for Audio and Sensors Tehrani, Rich “TMCnet”, US, 27 February 2014.
- ↑ EMI from high-speed digital interfaces McCune, Earl and Lefkin, Peter “EDN”, US, 17 January 2014.
- ↑ Achieve Mutual Transparency For High-Speed Interface Operation McCune, Earl and Lefkin, Peter “Electronic Design”, US, 6 February 2014.