Sensors used in Mobile

By: Kapil Gupta

Department of Mechanical Engineering
Hindustan College of Science & Technology
Farah, Mathura
 Introduction to Sensors
 Since the beginning of race in mobile
communication, a new model is being launched
every day into the world with different features.
 These new features and specifications gain
enough fame of users to survive in the
competition of mobile technology.
 One of the feature that attracts the mobile
phone buyer is the smart work it does.
 Different types of sensors like accelerometer,
ambient light sensor, GPS sensor, compass,
proximity sensor, pressure sensor, gyroscope etc
are behind these smart phones.
 Proximity Sensor
 The main function of this proximity sensor is to detect how close
your Smartphone's screen is to your body.
 When you use your Smartphone, it detects the position of ear
with respect to screen and turns off the light of screen and saves
battery.
 Also proximity sensor stops the accidental touch, unwanted
input during talk.
 This sensor also detects the signal strength, interference sources
and amplify or filter by use of Beam Forming Technique.
 Thus, in a nutshell, proximity sensor detect the presence of
body like cheek, face or ear and stops the web surfing, music or
video during talk/calling and save the battery. After the
conversation, it resumes the same function which was stopped
earlier during talk.
GPS (Global Positioning System) sensor
• GPS short form of Global Positioning System,
originally developed and setup for military
operations and was made available for everyone
in 1980s by Government.
• GPS is a system which tracks the target or
'navigate' the things by map or picture with the
help of GPS satellites. Nowadays smart phones
come with assisted GPS or A-GPS which does the
same work with the help of intermediate server
in case of disconnection with main GPS satellite.
 Ambient Light Sensor
• This sensor optimize the light of screen when it
exposed to normal light with different intensity.
Ultimate function of ambient light sensor is to
adjust the display brightness, which at the end
saves the battery power and life too.
• Ambient light sensor senses and adjust the light
based on principle of "superposition". They
contains photo diodes which are sensitive to
different spectrum of light and combined
mathematical effect adjusts the gain and output
changes of the light intensity on the screen.
 Accelerometer
 The main function of accelerometer is to sense the changes in the
orientation of Smartphone with respect to datum and adjust the
orientation to suits the viewing angle of operator.
 For example, when you are looking for web-page with increased
width, you can get this landscape view from changing the
orientation of phone to horizontal.
 Similarly camera mode also changes the portrait to landscape or
landscape to portrait mode when we change the orientation of
phone/camera.
 Ultimately this accelerometer sensor sense the change in
orientation by 3D (X,Y & Z axis) measurement of acceleration of the
device with respect to free fall.
 One can better use this feature/sensor while playing
racing games where he/she can steer the car in the desired
direction by leaning the phone in that direction.
 Compass
 We all know that the function of compass is to give right
direction with respect to the north-south pole of earth by use
of magnetism. But due to interference in communication,
Smartphone does not use the magnet as one of the component
in compass sensor
 If ultra low frequency signal coming from specific direction like
North or South and with the help of accelerometer, the sensor
can calculate the orientation and direction. This can be possible
by 'Hall effect'.
 Thus, by use of multiple sensors put across different
orientation and using disk/magnetic concentrator (with high
permeability material)which bends the lines of magnetic field
which are parallel to the plane of sensor plane this can be
attained.
 Gyros or Gyroscope
• This sensor's function is to maintain and control the
position, level or orientation based on the principle of
angular momentum.
• When 'Gyros' used along with accelerometer senses
motion from six axes i.e. right, left, up, down, forward
and backward. It also detects the roll, pitch and yaw
motions. Yaw, Roll and Pitch are the angular moments
seen from three axes i.e. X, Y and Z.
• Using MEMS(Micro Electrical and Mechanical System)
technology, gyroscopic sensors helps in navigation
purpose and detecting the gesture recognition systems
used in smart phones and tablets.
 Back-Illuminated sensor
• Back-illuminated sensor is one of the new
feature that every camera contains.
• It is a type of digital image sensor which
changes or increase the light captured while
capturing a photograph.
• Earlier it was designed for security cameras
and astronomical purposes. Sony is the first
company to implement this technology in
2009.