INTEGRATED ELECTRONIC DEVICE FOR MONITORING HUMIDITY AND/OR ENVIRONMENTAL ACIDITY/BASICITY AND/OR CORROSION

• US 20160041113A1
• Filed: 03/28/2014
• Published: 02/11/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 03/29/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: STMicroelectronics SRL (STMicroelectronics NV)
• Original Assignee: STMicroelectronics SRL (STMicroelectronics NV)
• Inventors: PAGANI, Alberto, MURARI, Bruno
• Granted Patent: US 10,001,453 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 17/04 Corrosion probes
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 27/223 for determining moisture content, e.g. humidity rain detectors on vehicle windows B60S1/0825

Abstract

An integrated electronic device 1 for detecting at least one parameter related to humidity and/or presence of water and/or acidity/basicity of an environment surrounding the device is described. Such device 1 comprises a separation layer 14 from the surrounding environment, comprising at least one portion of insulating material 14, and further comprises a first conductive member 11 and a second conductive member 12, made of an electrically conductive material, arranged inside the separation layer 14, with respect to the surrounding environment, and separated from the surrounding environment by the separation layer 14. The device 1 also comprises a measurement module 15, having two measurement terminals 151, 152, electrically connected with the first 11 and the second 12 conductive members, respectively; the measurement module 15 is configured to provide an electric potential difference between the first 11 and the second 12 conductive members. The device 1 further comprises electrode means 13, configured to act as an electrode, arranged outside of the separation layer 14, with respect to the first 11 and the second 12 conductive members; the electrode means 13 are arranged so as to form, with the first 11 and the second 12 conductive members, an electromagnetic circuit having an electromagnetic circuit overall impedance variable based upon the exposure to environmental conditions with a variable level of humidity and/or acidity/basicity. The measurement module 15 is configured to measure the electromagnetic circuit overall impedance, which is present between the measurement terminals 151, 152, and to determine the at least one parameter to be detected, based on the overall impedance measured.

Claims

1-24. -24. (canceled)

25. An integrated electronic device for detecting at least one parameter related to humidity, presence of water, and acidity/basicity of an environment surrounding the device, the device comprising:

first and second conductive members;

a measurement module comprising first and second measurement terminals respectively coupled to said first and the second conductive members, and configured to provide an electrical potential difference between said first and second conductive members;

a separation layer comprising an insulating material and configured to enclose said first and second conductive members and said measurement module so as to be separated from the surrounding environment; and

an electrode assembly on said separation layer and exposed to the surrounding environment and adjacent said first and the second conductive members, said electrode assembly forming with said first and second conductive members an electromagnetic circuit having an impedance that varies based upon exposure to the surrounding environment;

said measurement module configured to measure the impedance between the first and second measurement terminals to detect at least one parameter related to the humidity, presence of water, and acidity/basicity of the environment surrounding the device based on the measured impedance.

26. The device according to claim 25, wherein the at least one detected parameter comprises at least one of a humidity level, an acidity/basicity level, an indication of a presence of water, a pH level, and a degree of corrosion of a metal structure present within the surrounding environment.

27. The device according to claim 25, wherein said insulating material comprises passivation and galvanic material.

28. The device according to claim 25, wherein said electrode assembly comprises a third conductive member to form with said first conductive member a first capacitor having a first capacitance, and to form with said second conductive member a second capacitor having a second capacitance so that the electromagnetic circuit comprises the first capacitor, the third conductive member and the second capacitor coupled in series, with the third conductive member having an external impedance associated therewith, and with the impedance of the electromagnetic circuit being defined by the first capacitance, the external impedance, and the second capacitance.

29. The device according to claim 28, wherein said first and the second conductive members comprise respective connecting pads extending through said separation layer and in contact with said third conductive member.

30. The device according to claim 28, wherein the third conductive member comprises at least one stripe comprising an electrically conductive material arranged on said separation layer so as to form a stripe geometric pattern comprising a plurality of stripes and a plurality of interstitial spaces between the plurality of stripes;

the stripe geometric pattern having at least one first portion overlapping said first conductive member and spaced apart therefrom by said separation layer; and

the stripe geometric pattern having at least one second portion overlapping said second conductive member and spaced apart therefrom by said separation layer.

31. The device according to claim 30, wherein the third conductive member comprises at least one of the following:

a plurality of conductive segments parallel to one another;

two sets of conductive stripes arranged in an interdigitated configuration; and

two conductive stripes extending respectively along a perimeter of two similar polygons, one inside the other one.

32. The device according to claim 25, wherein said electrode assembly comprises a pair of spaced apart third conductive members with a gap therebetween exposing said separation layer, the pair of spaced apart third conductive members providing an equivalent external impedance when the gap is filled by water and/or humidity to form with said first conductive member a first capacitor having a first capacitance, and to form with said second conductive member a second capacitor having a second capacitance so that the electromagnetic circuit comprises the first capacitor, the pair of spaced apart third conductive members and the gap filled by the water and/or humidity, and the second capacitor coupled in series, and with the impedance of the electromagnetic circuit being defined by the first capacitance, the equivalent external impedance, and the second capacitance.

33. The device according to claim 25, wherein the environment surrounding the device is solid material that includes metal structures, and wherein said measurement module is further configured to detect:

a level of humidity and/or acidity/basicity of the solid material; and

a degree of corrosion of the metal structures within the solid material.

34. The device according to claim 33, wherein said electrode assembly comprises a third conductive member comprising at least one stripe comprising an electrically conductive material arranged on said separation layer so as to form a stripe geometric pattern comprising a plurality of stripes and a plurality of interstitial spaces between the plurality of stripes, with the interstitial spaces to be filled by the solid material.

35. The device according to claim 33, wherein the solid material comprises concrete and the metal structures comprise metal rods within the concrete.

36. The device according to claim 25, further comprising an absorbing material on said electrode assembly exposed to the surrounding environment, the absorbing material comprising at least one of a dielectric and polymeric absorbing material to absorb humidity and/or water from the surrounding environment.

37. The device according to claim 36, wherein said electrode assembly comprises a third conductive member comprising at least one stripe comprising an electrically conductive material arranged on said separation layer so as to form a stripe geometric pattern comprising a plurality of stripes and a plurality of interstitial spaces between the plurality of stripes, with the absorbing material contacting both said separation layer and the third conductive member so as to fill interstitial spaces.

38. The device according to claim 37, wherein the impedance of the electromagnetic circuit is based on the humidity, presence of water, and acidity/basicity of the absorbing material in the interstitial spaces.

39. The device according to claim 25, wherein said first and the second conductive members comprise conductive segments arranged in a shape of a double comb.

40. The device according to claim 25, wherein said first and the second conductive members are separated by an internal insulating material that is not exposed to the surrounding environment.

41. The device according to claim 25, wherein said measurement module is configured to generate a alternating voltage with a preset frequency.

42. The device according to claim 25, wherein said measurement module comprises a processor configured to store initial calibration data, perform measurements relative to the at least one parameter to be detected, store the measurements, and estimate the at least one parameter to be detected based on the stored initial calibration data and the measurements.

43. The device according to claim 25, further comprising:

an integrated antenna separated from the surrounding environment by said separation layer and operatively coupled with said measurement module for wirelessly transmitting measurements and detections;

a support on said separation layer and exposed to the surrounding environment; and

an electromagnetic circuit carried by said support for wirelessly receiving the measurements and detections from said integrated antenna and for retransmitting the received measurements and detections.

44. A monitoring system of at least one parameter related to humidity, presence of water and acidity/basicity at a plurality of points inside a solid structure, and comprising:

an internal monitoring subsystem located within the solid structure and comprising a support structure passing through the points to be monitored inside the solid structure, and a plurality of detection devices carried by said support structure, each detection device comprising

first and second conductive members,

a measurement module comprising first and second measurement terminals respectively coupled to said first and the second conductive members, and configured to provide an electrical potential difference between said first and second conductive members,

a separation layer comprising an insulating material and configured to enclose said first and second conductive members and said measurement module so as to be separated from the surrounding environment,

an electrode assembly on said separation layer and exposed to the surrounding environment and adjacent said first and the second conductive members, said electrode assembly forming with said first and second conductive members an electromagnetic circuit having an impedance that varies based upon exposure to the surrounding environment,

said measurement module configured to measure the impedance between the first and second measurement terminals to detect at least one parameter related to the humidity, presence of water, and acidity/basicity of the environment surrounding the device based on the measured impedance,

an integrated antenna separate from the surrounding environment by said separation layer and operatively coupled with said measurement module for wirelessly transmitting measurements and detections,

a support on said separation layer and exposed to the surrounding environment, and

an electromagnetic circuit carried by said support for wirelessly receiving the measurements and detections from said integrated antenna and for retransmitting the received measurements and detections representative of the at least one parameter to be monitored; and

an external control and data collection subsystem remotely located outside the solid structure and comprising

an external antenna communicating with said electromagnetic circuits of said plurality of detection devices for receiving the measurements and detections therefrom, and

a processor to process the received measurements and detections.

45. The monitoring system according to claim 44, wherein said external control and data collection subsystem further comprises a plurality of external sensors for at least one of humidity and pH detection, with said plurality of external sensors coupled to said processor to communicate data relating to the detected humidity and pH detection, with said processor further processing the data related to said plurality of external sensors.

46. A method for detecting at least one parameter related to humidity, presence of water, and acidity/basicity of an environment, comprising:

a) providing a device comprising

a measurement module comprising first and second measurement terminals respectively coupled to the first and the second conductive members, and configured to provide an electrical potential difference between the first and second conductive members,

a separation layer comprising an insulating material and configured to enclose the first and second conductive members and the measurement module so as to be separated from the surrounding environment, and

an electrode assembly on the separation layer and exposed to the surrounding environment and adjacent the first and the second conductive members, the electrode assembly forming with the first and second conductive members an electromagnetic circuit having an impedance that varies based upon exposure to the surrounding environment,

b) operating the device so that the measurement module measures a reference impedance between the first and second measurement terminals;

c) positioning the device within the environment to be monitored;

d) operating the device so that the measurement module measures an overall impedance between the first and second measurement terminals; and

e) determining the at least one parameter related to humidity, presence of water, and acidity/basicity of the environment based on the measured overall impedance and the measured reference impedance.