元器件交易网讯  4月4日消息，据外媒报道，美国专利及商标局最近公布的一项新专利显示，苹果正在探索结合电容式触摸和红外线感应来确定压感的触摸屏技术。

　　专利描述的方法是使用从玻璃屏幕框架下的发射器和接收器传输的红外线，确定用户触摸电容屏幕的压力。电容式触摸结合光线可确定手指的位置，区分软触摸和硬触摸。 

　　利用红外线来确定用户触摸屏幕的方法，称红外光谱。红外光谱本质上是一个光学检测多点触控的方法，触摸屏检测到手指反射红外线。结合电容触摸时，也可以测量出触摸的力度。

　　红外光谱已经用于微软的Perceptive Pixel产品。微软提供了几个使用红外光谱的大屏多点触控感应设备，以及被称作微软PixelSense的技术。该技术也用于三星SUR40中。

　　正如微软的技术一样，红线光谱也用于照相机来检测压力折射的光线，允许多人同时使用一款设备，也能够识别区分物体和手指。

　　尽管苹果尚未在移动设备触屏中植入压力传感技术，但该公司在过去几年中一直在探索各种压力检测技术。已经开发出压力传感器、压力传感设备外壳等。

　　（元器件交易网董蕾 译）

　　外媒原文如下：

　　Apple is exploring touch screen technology that determines pressure sensitivity using a combination of capacitive touch and infrared light sensing, according to a new patent application recently published by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (viaAppleInsider). 

　　The patent describes a method of determining the force of a user's touch on a capacitive screen using infrared transmit lines from transmitters and receivers positioned under the frame of the cover glass. Capacitive touch combined with light would determine both the position of the finger and distinguish a soft touch from a harder touch, allowing Apple to implement gestures that could vary with force. 

　　Using infrared light to determine where a user touches a screen is a method known as Frustrated Total Internal Reflection, or FTIR. FTIR is essentially a light-based way to detect multitouch, bouncing infrared light off of the touch screen to detect interference from a finger. When combined with capacitive touch, the interference measurements can also deduce force. 

　　FTIR has been used by Microsoft for its Perceptive Pixel products, as noted in Apple's patent application. Microsoft offers several large-screened multi-touch sensing devices that use FTIR and offers a technology called Microsoft PixelSense, which is used in theSamsung SUR40. 

　　As implemented by Microsoft, the FTIR technology, which uses cameras to detect light refracted by pressure, allows multiple people to use the device at once and it also recognizes and distinguishes objects that are not fingers. 

　　Though Apple has not yet built pressure sensitivity into the touch screens of its mobile devices, the company has been looking at various techniques for implementing pressure detection over the last several years. In addition to infrared light, Apple has explored force sensors, spring membranes, and pressure sensitive device casings. 

　　Given Apple's continued interest in pressure sensitive touch screens and competing products that already include pressure sensitivity, such as Microsoft's Surface Pro line of tablets, the implementation of the technology in some form or another seems like a logical step for Apple's future mobile devices.