Key Technologies and Solutions Shaping Smart Building Security and Surveillance

The security and surveillance needs of smart buildings are shifting from "post-event forensics" to "pre-event warning and operational optimization." The core challenges lie in: system silos that are difficult to interconnect, increasingly complex threat forms, and higher requirements for privacy and data security.
 
The technology trends addressing these challenges first pursue edge AI and proactive security. Security architecture is shifting from passive recording to active real-time intelligent analysis. For example, devices have intelligent analysis capabilities. By running AI algorithms directly on devices such as cameras (edge AI), functions such as face recognition and behavior analysis (such as loitering and tailgating) are realized, and alarms are triggered only when anomalies are detected, greatly improving response speed and reducing bandwidth consumption. In addition, it also pursues pre-event warning capabilities through AI, such as visual AI enabling early video fire detection (identifying smoke and flames), or monitoring battery thermal runaway risk through thermal imaging sensors, greatly moving the security defense line forward.
 
On the other hand, smart building applications are also developing toward system integration and IoT integration, breaking the isolation of subsystems and allowing security data to interconnect with other building systems to create greater value. For example, using a unified platform for management, integrating video surveillance, access control, fire protection, and more into a unified platform, realizing cross-system coordinated responses such as automatically triggering video verification upon alarm and linking access control closure, as well as providing identity graphs and space optimization. Data generated by access control systems is not only used for security, but can also analyze space occupancy rates and automatically adjust lighting and air conditioning (HVAC) in that area to achieve energy savings. Multi-sensor fusion is another important trend, combining different sensors such as thermal imaging, radar, and LiDAR to compensate for the detection shortcomings of a single camera in severe weather or low illumination, reducing false alarms.
 
Although digitalization and networking bring convenience in management and use, physical security devices also need to defend against digital attacks at the same time. Cybersecurity has become a basic requirement. The zero trust principle of "never trust, always verify" must be implemented in physical security networks, encrypting and strictly authenticating all device-to-device communications, and providing hardware-level security. Devices come with secure boot, encrypted communication, and firmware integrity checks from the factory, protecting video streams and access control data from tampering or theft.
 
In addition, a balance must be achieved between security needs and personal privacy, and the system must be ensured to remain available under extreme conditions. Privacy-by-design must be adopted, using edge computing so that sensitive data is processed on the device side, and only analysis results rather than raw video are uploaded, protecting privacy from the source. At the same time, system resilience must be retained, providing the ability to maintain critical functions and recover quickly when the system is under failure or attack. This includes redundant power, communications, and predefined emergency procedures, all regarded as security architecture components as important as cameras.

onsemi's security and surveillance solution is not a single product, but a complete technology system covering the entire chain of "sensing - processing - power supply - connectivity," providing a full set of solutions from image sensors to power management, wireless connectivity, and development tools. The core advantage lies in helping devices extend battery life while overcoming complex lighting challenges and achieving clear image capture through ultra-low power design, high dynamic range (HDR) imaging, and highly integrated power architecture.
 
First, onsemi provides a "visual foundation" for different security scenarios through the core sensing capability of the Hyperlux image sensor series. These include the low-power, long-endurance HyperluxLP series, designed specifically for battery-powered or power-sensitive devices (such as smart doorbells and portable/wearable cameras). It uses 1.4 µm back-illuminated pixels, with power consumption 40% lower than similar products. This series offers 5-megapixel, 8.3-megapixel, and 20-megapixel options, and supports RGB-IR versions. Combined with active infrared illumination, it can capture 2D/3D images in complete darkness, preventing photo spoofing. In addition, its "Wake-on-Motion" function allows the sensor to consume extremely low power in standby (<2mW), and only wakes up the main system when motion is detected, significantly extending battery life (up to several years).
 
The Hyperlux LH series has high dynamic range (HDR) and excellent low-light performance, suitable for harsh environments such as outdoor surveillance and traffic analysis. It supports embedded HDR (eHDR) and eDR up to 120dB, can clearly capture scenes with strong light-dark contrast, and its near-infrared (NIR) enhancement technology has high quantum efficiency, enabling clear 4K video output even at night. In addition, the Hyperlux ID series has 3D depth sensing capability. Through iToF (indirect time-of-flight) technology, it can perform high-precision distance measurement and 3D contour construction of moving objects, suitable for scenarios requiring liveness detection such as smart door locks and doorbells. On the other hand, the SWIR (short-wave infrared) series supports spectral expansion, covering the 400-2100nm wavelength range, and is used in professional fields such as agricultural sorting and semiconductor inspection that require "seeing through" or identifying material differences.

Because image sensors are extremely sensitive to power, onsemi provides a complete power supply solution from LDO to PMIC to provide high-precision, low-noise power. For example, to ensure image quality, onsemi provides ultra-low-noise LDOs such as T30LMPSR165. Based on the new TREO process, it has ultra-fast transient response (1μs) and ultra-low dropout (26mV @ 300mA), as well as 75dB PSRR (power supply rejection ratio) and only 20μVrms noise. It can effectively filter out power ripple, ensuring the sensor "eats clean," and can provide more stable and precise voltage to the sensor when load changes rapidly.
 
onsemi's solution also covers communication, control, and development acceleration, providing system support and development tools. For example, in connectivity and control, it provides RSL15/RSL10 (Bluetooth 5.2 secure wireless MCU), making it convenient for devices to wirelessly transmit images and data to mobile phones or the cloud for AI analysis. In addition, there are products such as the NCN26010 (10BASE-T1S Ethernet controller) that facilitate device connectivity to the cloud or edge networks.
 
onsemi provides a detailed "power tree" solution for Hyperlux sensors, helping engineers make trade-offs between the low noise of LDOs and the high efficiency of Buck converters. For example, because LDOs have low cost and extremely low noise, they are very suitable for powering noise-sensitive analog circuits (such as VAA), but their fatal weakness is low efficiency. Input current is almost equal to output current, and excess power is all converted into heat, causing chip temperature to rise sharply. For digital core power supply, a high-efficiency Buck can be used to reduce heat. Buck converters have high efficiency (up to 90% or more) and can effectively control heat, but the cost is higher cost (requiring external inductors), and switching noise may interfere with sensitive circuits.
 
For designs with sufficient space or cost sensitivity, onsemi recommends using low-noise LDOs (such as NCP163 and NCP114) to power VAA, while Buck (such as FAN65004C) is used for step-down of higher voltages. For scenarios with limited space such as automotive camera modules to achieve efficient power supply, onsemi provides a complete power solution from discrete devices to highly integrated devices. onsemi mainly promotes the NCV92310 PMIC, which integrates multiple Buck converters and one low-noise LDO in a 3.5mm x 3.5mm package, supports programmable configuration of power-up sequencing through I²C, greatly simplifies design, and supports Power-over-Coax, greatly simplifying the power design of remote cameras.
 
In addition, micro PMICs such as NCP6922C can integrate two buck converters with efficiency up to 95% and two low-noise LDOs in a 4 x 4mm package. It is specially optimized for battery-powered camera subsystems, with extremely low quiescent current (82 µA), and can flexibly configure voltages to power sensors and processors.
 
onsemi also provides development accelerators, such as the Demo 3 evaluation board and DevWareX software, a free and powerful development tool set. The Demo 3 board provides a high-speed USB 3.0 interface, making it convenient to connect to a computer for image acquisition. Together with DevWareX software, it supports real-time evaluation, register configuration, and image analysis of image sensors, and can test various functions. In addition, there is the PRISM reference module, a standardized module pre-integrated with lens, sensor, ISP tuning, and common interfaces. It has been factory-calibrated and tested, helping developers skip cumbersome lens matching and ISP tuning and directly focus on core application development, quickly starting prototype design, and significantly shortening time to market.

In smart building applications, whether security surveillance cameras, smart access control, or occupancy sensors, image sensors are required to operate stably at extremely low power. onsemi's safety and security solution's typical application scenarios include IP cameras and smart video door locks, which can use the RGB-IR characteristics of AR0830 (Hyperlux LP). With reference designs from AMD and MakarenaLabs, they can simultaneously perform 2D face recognition and 3D liveness detection to prevent photo spoofing unlocks.
 
In addition, there are battery-powered cameras that provide Wake-on-Motion functionality, allowing the sensor to consume less than 2mW in standby. Once motion is detected (up to 8 meters away), it wakes up the system and quickly starts recording high-definition images, extending battery life by up to 40%. Through an efficient power tree design, it can work with such low-power sensors to ensure that high image quality and long endurance are maintained even under harsh battery or PoE power supply conditions.
 
On the other hand, for portable/wearable devices, such as body cameras or animal tracking cameras. These devices rely on batteries to operate. The low-power characteristics of Hyperlux LP and the wireless connectivity capability of RSL10 can ensure endurance while sending captured images or video clips to users.
 
Overall, onsemi's solution uses Hyperlux sensors as the "eyes," high-precision power as the "heart," and is complemented by an easy-to-use development platform, helping security devices achieve a balance among power consumption, image quality, and intelligence.

Security and surveillance in smart buildings is essentially a delicate balance between "sensing" and "endurance." onsemi provides everything from ultra-low-power image sensors with motion wake-up functionality, to high-precision, low-noise power management solutions, to evaluation tools and reference modules that accelerate development. A complete technology system is making security devices smarter, more energy-efficient, and easier to deploy. Whether it is a battery-powered wireless camera or a smart door lock requiring 3D liveness detection, the coordinated operation of these technologies not only solves the power supply and image quality challenges in harsh environments, but also elevates security protection from single-point passive recording to full-link proactive sensing. In the future, with the deep integration of edge AI and IoT, smart buildings will no longer be just cold buildings, but intelligent spaces that can actively protect and operate efficiently.