MIPI: Powering the Future of Connected Devices

By Rambus Inc.

July 18, 2025

From the first monochrome mobile displays to today’s ultra-high-definition automotive dashboards and immersive AR/VR headsets, MIPI technology has quietly become the backbone of modern data connectivity. Let’s explore how MIPI standards have evolved, the markets they serve, and why Rambus is at the forefront of this transformation.

What does MIPI stand for?

The MIPI Alliance (Mobile Industry Processor Interface Alliance) primary mission is to develop interface specifications to standardize the communication between components in mobile and mobile-influenced devices.

At the time of its creation, the mobile industry was rapidly evolving, but it lacked standardized interfaces for connecting components like cameras, displays, and processors. Each manufacturer often used proprietary solutions, which led to:

• Increased development costs
• Longer time-to-market
• Compatibility issues
• Limited scalability and innovation

Over the years, its scope has expanded dramatically: MIPI now covers a wide range of physical and protocol layers, enabling high-speed, low-power, and low-latency data transfer for everything from smartphones to smart cars.

The MIPI Protocols

At its core, the MIPI protocol defines how data moves between components inside a device. This includes both the physical layer—how bits are transmitted electrically—and higher-level rules for organizing and managing that data. The most widely used MIPI protocols are:

• CSI-2 (Camera Serial Interface): Handles high-speed image sensor data, crucial for modern cameras in phones and cars.
• DSI-2 (Display Serial Interface): Transmits video data from the processor to the display.
• D-PHY, C-PHY, A-PHY: These are physical layer standards that support different speeds, cable lengths, and use cases.

A common point of confusion is the difference between MIPI and DSI-2. In fact, DSI is a specific protocol within the MIPI umbrella, focused on display data. Similarly, CSI-2 is MIPI’s protocol for camera data. Both use the same underlying physical layers but serve different functions: CSI-2 brings images from sensors to the processor, while DSI-2 sends processed video to the display.

MIPI vs. Other Interfaces: SPI and LVDS

To understand MIPI’s advantages, it helps to compare it with other well-known protocols.

SPI (Serial Peripheral Interface) is a simple, widely used protocol for connecting basic peripherals such as sensors and low-resolution displays. While SPI is easy to implement and cost-effective, it’s limited in speed and scalability. In contrast, MIPI interfaces—such as CSI (Camera Serial Interface) and DSI (Display Serial Interface)—support much higher data rates, are optimized for low power consumption, and use differential signaling for better noise immunity. This makes MIPI ideal for high-resolution cameras and displays where large amounts of data need to be transferred quickly and efficiently.

LVDS (Low-Voltage Differential Signaling) was once the standard for connecting displays and other high-speed peripherals. While LVDS also uses differential signaling, it lacks the advanced protocol features and scalability of MIPI. MIPI’s packetized, high-speed data transfer and support for virtual channels allow for more efficient and flexible system designs, especially as devices become more complex.

Target Markets: Where MIPI Shines

MIPI’s versatility is reflected in the diversity of its target markets:

• Mobile & Tablets: MIPI DSI-2 is the leading display interface, powering the crisp visuals and fast refresh rates of today’s smartphones and tablets.
• Automotive: Modern vehicles rely on MIPI for everything from ADAS cameras and driver monitoring systems to high-resolution infotainment and digital cockpits. The robust, scalable, and low-latency nature of MIPI protocols—especially with the introduction of long-reach A-PHY—makes them ideal for the demanding requirements of automotive environments.
• AR/VR: MIPI’s high bandwidth and low power consumption enable the ultra-high pixel density and rapid frame rates needed for immersive AR/VR experiences.
• IoT & Wearables: Low power, small form factor, and low EMI make MIPI a natural fit for battery-powered IoT devices and wearables, where efficiency and reliability are paramount.

MIPI and Automotive: A Transformational Use Case

Perhaps the most compelling story for MIPI today is its rapid adoption in the automotive sector. Modern vehicles are evolving into sophisticated sensor platforms, with advanced driver-assistance systems (ADAS) and autonomous driving features relying on a fusion of data from cameras, radar, LIDAR, and ultrasound sensors. Each of these sensors generates massive amounts of data that must be transmitted quickly, reliably, and securely to electronic control units (ECUs) for real-time processing.

MIPI CSI-2 has emerged as the protocol of choice for this sensor data transport. Its high throughput and low latency are essential for applications like emergency braking or lane-keeping, where every millisecond counts. MIPI’s flexible physical layers—D-PHY and C-PHY for short-reach connections, A-PHY for long-reach links—allow automakers to design zonal architectures that reduce wiring complexity and weight, improving both reliability and efficiency.

Security and functional safety are paramount in automotive applications. The latest MIPI specifications, such as the Camera Service Extension (CSE), add robust authentication, encryption, and error detection capabilities, ensuring that sensor data remains trustworthy from the edge to the processor. This is critical not only for passenger safety but also for protecting vehicles from cyber threats.

Manufacturers like Rambus are at the forefront of implementing these advanced MIPI features. Their MIPI controller IP supports the latest CSI-2 versions, enabling sensor aggregation, advanced compression, and seamless integration with both short- and long-reach physical layers. Rambus next generation CSI-2 controllers will incorporate CSE for end-to-end security and functional safety, helping automakers meet the stringent requirements of next-generation vehicles.

The Rambus Offering: Integrated, High-Performance MIPI Solutions

Rambus, a leader in interface IP, offers a comprehensive portfolio of MIPI solutions designed for next-generation applications:

MIPI CSI-2 Controller

• Fully CSI-2 standard compliant
• 32-bit, 64-bit and now 128-bit core widths available
• Transmit and Receive versions
• Supports 1-8, 9.0+ Gbps D-PHY data lanes
• Supports 1-4, 6.0+ Gsym/s C-PHY lane (trio)
• Supports all data types
• Easy-to-use pixel-based interface
• Optional video interface
• Delivered fully integrated and verified with target MIPI PHY
• Delivered with a CSI-2 Testbench
• Support optional FPGA-based system validation
• Optional ASIL-B Ready safety deliverables

MIPI DSI-2 Controller

• Fully DSI-2/DSI standard compliant
• 32-bit or 64-bit core widths available
• Host (Tx) and Peripheral (Rx) versions
• Supports 1-4, 9.0+ Gbps D-PHY data lanes
• Supports 1-4, 6.0+ Gsym/s C-PHY lane (trio)
• Supports all data types
• Easy-to-use native interface
• Optional video interface
• Delivered fully integrated and verified with target MIPI PHY
• Delivered with a DSI-2 Testbench
• Support optional FPGA-based system validation
• Optional ASIL-B Ready safety deliverables

Advanced Video Compression: VESA DSC and VDC-M

As display resolutions increase and bandwidth demands grow, efficient high image quality compression becomes essential. Rambus leads the industry with its implementation of VESA’s advanced compression technologies:

• VESA DSC (Display Stream Compression): Delivers visually lossless compression at an appreciable 3:1 ratio, reducing a standard 24 bpp image to just 8 bpp. For HDR content at 30 bpp, DSC achieves an even more remarkable 3.75:1 compression ratio.
• VESA VDC-M (Video Display Compression – Mobile): Takes compression further with sophisticated encoding tools, achieving up to 5:1 compression ratio. VDC-M can reduce a 30 bpp (bits per pixel) uncompressed image to just 6 bpp while maintaining visually lossless quality in many scenarios, and can even reach 6:1 compression in specific use cases like instrument cluster displays (for automotive).

These compression technologies are game-changers for bandwidth-constrained applications, enabling higher resolutions, faster refresh rates, and reduced power consumption without sacrificing visual quality. The Rambus implementation of these compression codecs offers the best-in-class performance. The IP easily integrates with their MIPI DSI-2 controllers and your choice of C/D-PHY, creating a complete, optimized display solution.

Ready to Power Your Next Innovation?

As the demand for higher resolution, richer visuals, and smarter connectivity continues to grow, MIPI standards—and Rambus’s industry-leading solutions—are paving the way for the devices and vehicles of tomorrow. Whether you’re building the next breakthrough smartphone, an immersive AR headset, or a safer, smarter car, Rambus has the MIPI IP you need to succeed.

Discover how Rambus can accelerate your design. Visit www.rambus.com/interface-ip to learn more and get in touch with our experts today!