Terminology » Mobile Communication » MIPI C-PHY vs. MIPI D-PHY: Key Differences Explained

MIPI C-PHY vs. MIPI D-PHY: Key Differences Explained

mipi c-phy d-phy mobile communication interface

This article breaks down the key differences between MIPI C-PHY and MIPI D-PHY, two essential physical layers defined by the Mobile Industry Processor Interface (MIPI) alliance. MIPI aims to standardize interfaces for connecting components like cameras, displays, and chips within mobile devices. It encompasses various physical layers including M-PHY, C-PHY, and D-PHY, facilitating communication between:

  • Application processors and cameras
  • Application processors and displays
  • Baseband and RF ICs

Let’s dive into a comparison of MIPI C-PHY V1.0 and MIPI D-PHY V1.2, highlighting their specifications and functionalities.

  • Both C-PHY and D-PHY are efficient uni-directional streaming interfaces.
  • Both support low-speed in-band reverse channels.

MIPI C-PHY vs. D-PHY: A Detailed Comparison

SpecificationsMIPI C-PHYMIPI D-PHY
Full FormC stands for CSI (Camera Serial Interface)D stands for DSI (Display Serial Interface)
FunctionSpecifies a serial interface between a processor and a camera module.Specifies a serial interface between a processor and a display module.
Clock MechanismUses embedded clockUses DDR source-synchronous clock
Equalization/EncodingChannel equalization encoding to reduce data toggle rateData skew control relative to clock
Configurations1 lane (trio), simplex, 3 pins1 lane plus clock, simplex, 4 pins
Max. Transmitter Swing AmplitudeLP: 1300 mV (peak), HS: 425 mV (peak)LP: 1300 mV (peak), HS: 360mV (peak)
HS (Data Rate Per Lane)80 Msym/sec to 2.5 Gsym/sec times 2.28 bit/sym OR 5.7 Gbps (MAX)80 Mbps to approximately 2.5 Gbps (Aggregate)
LS (Data Rate Per Lane)< 10 Mbps< 10 Mbps
BW per Port (3 or 4 Lanes)Approx. 17.1 Gbps per 3 lane port (Aggregate) (Maximum)Approx. 10 Gbps per 4 lane port (Aggregate) (Maximum)
Typical Pins Per Port (3 or 4 Lanes)9 (3 lanes)10 (4 lanes, 1 lane clock)