STMicroelectronics Launches Pressure Sensors That Can Identify Floors

On September 6, the well-known semiconductor supplier STMicroelectronics (STMicroelectronics, referred to as STMicroelectronics code: STM) has introduced a pressure sensor that accurately measures the altitude of portable devices such as mobile phones. The availability of this sensor means that the mobile device can not only identify the floor on which it is located, but it can also determine the position of the staircase.

This new-generation pressure sensor features a 3x3mm miniature package, low operating voltage, and ultra-low power consumption, making it extremely convenient for use in portable devices such as smartphones and sport watches. At present, this world's smallest digital pressure sensor has been put into mass production and is used by Samsung's latest smart phones.

In previous consumer electronics products with geolocation capabilities (such as the iPhone 4), when a user enters a very thick building, the built-in sensor may lose its signal with the satellite, resulting in the LBS being unable to recognize it. Geographic location, and no sense of vertical height.

Benedetto Vigna, executive vice president and general manager of analog, MEMS and sensor products division of STMicroelectronics, said: “Since the MEMS consumerization wave has been set off, we have developed sensors that can detect gravity, acceleration, angular velocity and geomagnetic field. These sensors help Smart Consumer Electronics detects motion and responds accordingly. Now we have introduced pressure sensing sensors that help consumer electronics determine whether people or objects are moving up or down."

According to the atmospheric pressure characteristics, the air pressure will steadily decrease as the altitude increases. Therefore, the pressure sensor using pressure sensing technology of STMicroelectronics will be higher than the global navigation satellite system (GNSS) at the vertical height of the sensing resolution. ).

According to reports, STMicroelectronics is the world's largest manufacturer of MEMS (MicroElectroMechanicalSystems), its introduction of three-axis gyroscopes, geomagnetic sensors (Northern function) and digital silicon microphones have been widely used in Apple iPhone4 and other consumer electronics product.