iPhone 4 MEMS sensor technology detailed analysis

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近期由于iPhone 4走红,许多媒体纷纷宣扬iPhone将引爆传感器题材商机,在报导描述中也用上了热门的技术名词:微机电系统(MEMS),期望使题材能更热。

MEMS传感器的称呼,使许多人以为iPhone 4内所用的传感器全是用MEMS技术实现的,特别是许多苹果粉丝,阅读这类文章后也跟着在自己的部落格上宣扬这类题材,反而使歪述更为扩张。因此笔者期望藉此文说明一些传感器技术,期望能让已扩散的歪述有点约束。

微机电系统(MEMS)概述

在正式说明前,先让我们了解何谓MEMS?关于此还必须先说明何谓IC?IC(Integrated Circuit)台湾译为集成电路,就是把电子组件(如电阻、电容、二极管、晶体管等)以及由组件构成的电路,不断缩小其长宽尺寸与整体体积,功效仍旧相同,生产成本却可以大幅降低。

更简单说,就是把电子电路微型化,不断微缩,但成本更低,且能让电路更复杂精密,此亦是近年来俗称的芯片。

好,IC、芯片就是电子组件、电路的微型化,但我们能否把机械组件、机械结构也微型化,功效依然相同成本却大幅降低。是的,此即称为微机械,与IC微电子概念相同。

进一步的,若把微电子与微机械结合在一起,就成了微机电,微电子与微机械结合的系统,就称为微机电系统(MEMS)。

iPhone 4的传感器技术

进入正题,iPhone 4到底用上了哪些传感器呢?

1) 影像传感器

简单说就是相机镜头,由于只牵涉到微光学与微电子,没有机械成份在里头,即便加入马达、机械驱动的镜头,这类的机械零件也过大,不到「微」的地步,所以此属于光电半导体,属于光学、光电传感器

2) 亮度传感器

外界并不清楚iPhone 4用何种方式感应环境光亮度,而最简单的实现方式是用一个光敏电阻,或者,iPhone 4直接用影像传感器充当亮度侦测,也是可行。无论如此,此亦不带机械成份,属于光电类传感器,甚至可能不是微型的,只是一般光学、光电传感器。

3) 磁阻传感器

简单讲就是感测地磁,这样讲还是太学名,感应地磁就是指南针原理,将这种地磁感应电子化、数字化,就称为数字指南针(Digital Compass)。老实说,数字指南针技术比较偏玩具性,因为用来感测地磁的磁阻传感器,很容易受环境影响(如高压电塔旁、马达旁),必须时时校正才有用。

磁阻传感器目前没有被视为热门的MEMS组件,有些MEMS组件会追加整合磁阻感测能力(如ADI的产品,且目标应用是鱼雷用途),但一般而言磁阻传感器尚无迫切微型化的迹象。

4) 近接传感器

近接传感器的实现技术非常多种,可以是红外线(例如便利商店的自动门、男生公共厕所的自动冲水器)、可以是超音波、雷射等,太多太多。同样的,Apple没讲,我们只能乱猜或尽可能网搜,不过,近接传感器也没有迫切微型化的需要,不在热门MEMS组件之列。

5) 声波传感器

学名声波传感器,俗名麦克风。是的,iPhone 4 为了强化声音质量,使用2组麦克风与相关运算来达到降噪(降低噪音)的效果,这种技术称为数组麦克风(Array MIC),事实上早在Apple实行之前,2004年Wintel就已经在PC上提出过,差别是Apple用于手机,Wintel用于PC。

麦克风需要微型化吗?是的,需要,相当需要,且使用一个以上的麦克风,麦克风的体积缩小需求就更迫切,麦克风也牵涉到机械(声波会使微型机械振动),并将机械振动转换成电子信号,因此微型化的麦克风,是个不折不扣的MEMS传感器。

6) 加速度传感器

俗称加速规、G-Sensor,可以感应物体的加速度性。事实上加速度传感器的实现方式也是许多种,MEMS只是手法之一,用MEMS实现加速度传感器确实是目前的趋势。

加速度传感器一般有「X、Y两轴」与「X、Y、Z三轴」两种,两轴多用于车、船等平面移动为多,三轴多用于飞弹、飞机等飞行物。而不用多说,Wii遥控器也是用三轴,iPhone可以感应实体翻转而自动对应翻转画面,也是靠这个传感器。

7) 角加速度传感器

更简单讲就是陀螺仪,陀螺仪实现技术有机械式与光学(红外线、雷射)式,第六项的加速度传感器比较能感测平移性,但对于物体有个轴心,进行角度性的移动,则其感应效果不如陀螺仪好,所以许多应用多半是混何使用加速度传感器与陀螺仪,而今iPhone 4也从善如流。不过,iPhone 4确实是率先使用陀螺仪的手机。


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