METHODS AND APPARATUSES FOR DETECTING MOISTURE

• US 20140130573A1
• Filed: 11/14/2013
• Published: 05/15/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 11/14/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Revive Electronics, LLC
• Original Assignee: Revive Electronics, LLC
• Inventors: Zielinski, Reuben Quincey, Trusty, Joel Christopher, Trusty, Micah Neil
• Granted Patent: US 9,488,564 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 73/29.03
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 1/24 Suction devices G01N1/22 - G01N1/2294 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 19/10 Measuring moisture content, e.g. by measuring change in length of hygroscopic filament; Hygrometers
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 27/048 for determining moisture content of the material

Abstract

Methods and apparatuses for detecting moisture are disclosed. Embodiments detect the existence and/or level of moisture in electronic devices, such as by using one or more moisture sensors that removably connect to a pre-existing port in the electronic device (such as a headphone jack or similar port). Some embodiments detect a component of the ambient air (such as moisture level) to improve the accuracy of the moisture detector. Some embodiments decrease pressure at the port using a pneumatic pump and move gas from the electronic device into the moisture detector. Some embodiments detect the movement of air in the vicinity of at least one moisture sensor (such as by measuring pressure) and use this information to improve the accuracy of the moisture detector. Some embodiments display information related to the moisture in the electronic device and/or the ambient air.

Claims

1. A moisture detector, comprising:

one or more moisture sensors; and

a connector operatively connected to the one or more moisture sensors, the connector adapted to connect to an external port of an electronic device;

wherein the one or more moisture sensors receive gas moved from the electronic device and through the connector connected to the external port of the electronic device, and

wherein the one or more moisture sensors determine the presence of moisture within the gas moved from the electronic device.

2. The moisture detector of claim 1, comprising:

a low pressure source connected to the one or more moisture sensors and adapted to

decrease pressure within the connector, and

move gas from the connector to the one or more moisture sensors.

3. The moisture detector of claim 2, wherein the low pressure source is one or more pumps.

4. The moisture detector of claim 2, comprising:

a flow sensor adapted to detect the flow of gas near the one or more moisture sensors, wherein the moisture level within the electronic device is calculated using

information related to the presence of moisture within the gas, and

information related to the flow of gas near the one or more moisture sensors.

5. The moisture detector of claim 4, wherein the flow sensor is a pressure sensor and the information related to the flow of gas near the one or more moisture sensors is information related to the pressure of the gas.

6. The moisture detector of claim 1, comprising:

an ambient air port connected to the one or more moisture sensors,

wherein the one or more moisture sensors receive air from the ambient air port and determine the presence of moisture within the ambient air.

7. The moisture detector of claim 6, comprising:

a valve that selectively connects the connector and the ambient air port to the one or more moisture sensors.

8. The moisture detector of claim 6, comprising:

a first moisture sensor connected to the connector;

a second moisture sensor connected to the ambient air port; and

a valve to selectively connect the first and second moisture sensors to a low pressure source.

9. The moisture detector of claim 6, wherein the moisture level within the electronic device is calculated using

information related to the presence of moisture within the gas, and

information related to the presence of moisture within the ambient air.

10. The moisture detector of claim 9, comprising:

a low pressure source connected to the one or more moisture sensors and adapted to

decrease pressure within the connector,

move gas from the connector to the one or more moisture sensors.

a flow sensor adapted to detect the flow of gas near the one or more moisture sensors, wherein the information related to the presence of moisture within the gas is modified with information related to the flow of air near the one or more moisture sensors.

11. The moisture detector of claim 10, wherein the flow sensor is a pressure sensor and the information related to the flow of air near the one or more moisture sensors is information related to the pressure of the gas.

12. The moisture detector of claim 10, wherein the moisture level within the electronic device is calculated using

information related to the presence of moisture within the gas,

information related to the presence of moisture within the ambient air, and

information related to the flow of gas near the one or more moisture sensors.

13. A method, comprising:

connecting a moisture detector with one or more moisture sensors to an external port of an electronic device; and

detecting moisture within the electronic device with the one or more moisture sensors.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein said connecting includes pneumatically connecting the moisture detector and the interior of the electronic device, the method comprising:

moving gas from the electronic device to the one or more moisture sensors.

15. The method of claim 14, comprising:

detecting the flow of gas near the one or more moisture sensors.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein said detecting the flow of gas includes detecting the pressure of the gas near the one or more moisture sensors.

17. The method of claim 15, wherein said detecting moisture within the electronic device includes determining the moisture level within the electronic device with the one or more moisture sensors.

18. The method of claim 17, comprising:

computing a moisture level within the electronic device using information obtained from

said determining the moisture level within the electronic device, and

said detecting the flow of gas.

19. The method of claim 13, comprising:

sampling ambient air; and

detecting moisture within the ambient air.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein said detecting moisture within the electronic device and said detecting moisture within the ambient air are performed by a single moisture detector.

21. The method of claim 20, comprising

facilitating said detecting moisture within the ambient air while inhibiting said detecting moisture within the electronic device during a first time interval;

and

facilitating said detecting moisture within the electronic device while inhibiting said detecting moisture within the ambient air during a second time interval different from the first time interval.

22. The method of claim 19, comprising:

computing a moisture level within the electronic device using information obtained from

said detecting moisture within the electronic device, and

said detecting moisture within the ambient air.

23. The method of claim 22, comprising:

moving gas from the electronic device to the one or more moisture sensors; and

detecting the flow of gas near the one or more moisture sensors;

wherein said computing a moisture level includes using information obtained from said detecting the flow of gas.

24. The method of claim 23, comprising:

displaying the computed moisture level.

25. A method, comprising:

sampling gas from within an electronic device by generating a low pressure region within the electronic device;

measuring the moisture level within the sampled gas;

measuring the pressure of the sampled gas; and

generating a moisture level output by modifying the measured moisture level using information from the measured pressure of the gas.

26. The method of claim 25, comprising:

sampling ambient air from outside the electronic device; and

measuring the moisture level within the sampled ambient air;

wherein said generating a moisture level output includes modifying the measured moisture level using information from the measured moisture level of the ambient air.

27. The method of claim 26, comprising:

displaying information related to the modified moisture level of the gas.

28. A method, comprising:

sampling gas from within an electronic device by generating a low pressure region within a port of the electronic device;

detecting the moisture level within the sampled gas;

sampling ambient air from outside the electronic device;

detecting the moisture level within the sampled ambient air; and

calculating the moisture level within the sampled gas using

the detected moisture level within the sampled gas, and

the detected moisture level within the sampled ambient air.

29. The method of claim 28, comprising:

detecting the pressure of the sampled gas;

wherein said calculating includes using the detected pressure of the gas.

30. The method of claim 29, comprising:

displaying the calculated moisture level to a user.