Usually, when Apple gets a patent on stress, it is related to using touch to control devices. But iPhone It is also often exposed to environmental pressure, especially during transportation and use in flight, or in water. "Electronic device with integrated pressure sensor" is a newly granted patent to apple, which involves preventing external pressure or pressure changes from damaging the iPhone or affecting the accuracy of its sensors.
Apple said in the patent that as users rely more and more on mobile devices such as mobile phones, these devices are designed to be more robust. For example, plastic parts may be replaced by metal parts, or glass parts may be thicker and made of tempered glass, and these devices are also designed to be used in a wider range of environments. Apple cited environmental examples of problems with the device, such as when the device is taken for mountaineering or skiing / hiking, the temperature is far below the freezing point, or the device may often be brought into the water or used by the water. For this reason, equipment is usually designed to be waterproof to some extent, because water can cause electrical components in the equipment to fail.
However, sealing equipment may have unexpected consequences, affecting the operation of some sensors in the equipment. Sealing equipment may cause the operating temperature to rise, so the equipment may get thermal damage instead of water damage. If the iPhone's temperature is too high and the time is too long, it will automatically turn off, but obviously this is not ideal. Therefore, what is needed is an improved way to integrate various sensors into portable electronic devices.
Apple believes it can measure ambient pressure by creating a sealed cavity in the device. The cavity is sealed to form an air volume in the cavity, which is discharged to the external environment through a pneumatic vent fluid coupled with the first opening on the housing. A sensor measures the characteristics of the second air volume in the isolation cavity, which is discharged to the external environment through the second opening of the housing.
Apple's patent does not specify, for example, what can be done when a high voltage is detected. This is not within the scope of this patent. What this patent wants to determine is how to use this pressure chamber. In particular, apple believes that you can't just completely close and seal the parts. When there is a pressure difference between the gas in the sealed container and the gas around the sealed container, the gas in the sealed container will lead to structural failure.