Apparatuses, systems, and methods for detecting and reacting to exposure of an electronic device to moisture

• US 8,773,271 B1
• Filed: 01/08/2014
• Issued: 07/08/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 01/08/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: HzO, Inc.
• Original Assignee: HzO, Inc.
• Inventors: Stevens, Blake, Sorenson, Max
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Phung
• Application Number:
  US14/150,534
• Publication Number:
  US 20140191874A1
• Time in Patent Office: 181 Days
• Field of Search: 340/604, 340/605, 340/620, 340/618, 340/815.4, 361/1, 361/71
• US Class Current: 340/604
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 27/048 for determining moisture content of the material
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/20 responsive to moisture
• CPC Class Codes: H02H 5/083 responsive to the entry or leakage of a liquid into an electrical appliance moisture alarm G08B21/20
• CPC Class Codes: H03K 17/94 characterised by the way in which the control signals are generated

Abstract

An electronic device includes a port for connecting the electronic device to other electronic devices and a moisture detector configured to detect an electrically conductive liquid in the first port. The moisture detector is configured to maintain a voltage on a first electrical contact of the port and to detect a short circuit between the first electrical contact and a second electrical contact of the port. The moisture detector determines that the electronic device has been exposed to an electrically conductive liquid if the monitor module detects the short circuit. The moisture detector may also put the electronic device into safe mode if it is exposed to an electrically conductive liquid.

Claims

1. An electronic device comprising:

a plurality of electronic components;

a port for enabling communication between the electronic device and another device, the port comprising a first electrical contact and a second electrical contact; and

a moisture detector configured to detect exposure of the port to an electrically conductive liquid, the moisture detector including;

a monitor module configured to maintain a voltage on the first electrical contact and to detect a short circuit between the first electrical contact and the second electrical contact; and

a sensor module configured to determine that the port of the electronic device is exposed to an electrically conductive liquid in response to the monitor module detecting the short circuit.

2. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein:

the monitor module is further configured to determine a connection state of the port; and

the sensor module is further configured to determine that the port of the electronic device is exposed to the electrically conductive liquid in response to the monitor module;

detecting that the port is in an unconnected state; and

detecting the short circuit.

3. The electronic device of claim 1, further comprising:

a protection module configured to cause the electronic device to enter a safe mode in response to the sensor module determining that the port of the electronic device is exposed to the electrically conductive liquid.

4. The electronic device of claim 1, further comprising:

a protection module configured to terminate communication between a power supply and at least some electronic components of the plurality of electronic components.

5. The electronic device of claim 4, wherein the protection module is configured to terminate communication between the power supply and all electronic components other than electronic components of the moisture detector.

6. The electronic device of claim 1, further comprising:

an alert module configured to generate an alert that the port of the electronic device has been exposed to an electrically conductive liquid.

7. The electronic device of claim 6, wherein the alert module is configured to:

generate an alarm perceivable by a user of the electronic device;

or

cause a display to visually indicate to the user that the port of the electronic device has been exposed to an electrically conductive liquid.

8. The electronic device of claim 6, wherein the alert module is configured to generate and transmit a message to a remote monitoring service.

9. The electronic device of claim 1, further comprising:

a log module configured to log instances of the sensor module determining that the port of the electronic device is exposed to the electrically conductive liquid.

10. The electronic device of claim 1, further comprising:

an instruction module configured to provide a user with one or more instructions for treating the electronic device following exposure of the port to the electrically conductive liquid.

11. The electronic device of claim 1, further comprising:

a confirmation module configured to request user confirmation that the port of the electronic device was exposed to the electrically conductive liquid.

12. The electronic device of claim 1, further comprising:

a moisture-resistant coating on at least one electronic component within an interior of the electronic device.

13. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the port is a USB port, a proprietary port or a receptacle for an audio jack.

14. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the moisture detector is implemented in a controller for the port.

15. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the first electrical contact is a power electrical contact and the second electrical contact is a ground electrical contact.

26. The method of claim 5, further comprising:

powering down one or more components of the electronic device in response to determining exposure of the one or more electrical contacts to the electrically conductive liquid.

16. A moisture detector, comprising:

a monitor module configured to monitor one or more properties of a moisture detection circuit, the moisture detection circuit comprising a first node having a first voltage and a second node having a second voltage, the second voltage being different from the first voltage;

a sensor module configured, in response to a predetermined variation in the one or more properties of the moisture detection circuit from reference properties characteristic of exposure of at least one of the first node and the second node of the moisture detection circuit to an electrically conductive liquid, to determine that at least one of the first node and the second node of the moisture detection circuit is exposed to the electrically conductive liquid; and

a log module configured to create a log entry comprising the properties of the moisture detection circuit causing the sensor module to determine that at least one of the first node and the second node of the moisture detection circuit was exposed to the electrically conductive liquid.

17. The moisture detector of claim 16, wherein a port of an electronic device comprises the moisture detection circuit.

18. The moisture detector of claim 16, wherein the one or more properties of the moisture detection circuit comprise:

a current in the moisture detection circuit;

a voltage in the moisture detection circuit;

a resistance in the moisture detection circuit;

or

a frequency in the moisture detection circuit.

19. The moisture detector of claim 16, wherein the sensor module determines that at least one of the first node and the second node of the moisture detection circuit of the electronic device is exposed to the electrically conductive liquid in response to the one or more properties of the moisture detection circuit corresponding to the reference properties characteristic of a short circuit.

20. The moisture detector of claim 16, wherein the reference properties characteristic of exposure to the electrically conductive liquid are generated using a learning algorithm or system.

21. The moisture detector of claim 16, further comprising:

the moisture detection circuit, with the first node and the second node being at least partially exposed to an exterior of an electronic device of which the moisture detector is a part.

22. The moisture detector of claim 16, further comprising:

a protection module configured to terminate power to an electronic device in response to the sensor module determining that at least one of the first node and the second node of the moisture detection circuit is exposed to the electrically conductive liquid.

23. The moisture detector of claim 22, wherein the protection module is further configured to cause an electronic device to power on in a safe mode in response to a user powering on the electronic device after the sensor module determines that the at least one of the first node and the second node of the moisture detection circuit is exposed to the electrically conductive liquid.

24. The moisture detector of claim 16, further comprising:

a confirmation module configured to receive user confirmation that at least one of the first node and the second node of the moisture detection circuit was exposed to the electrically conductive liquid.

25. A method for detecting exposure of a group of electrical contacts of an electronic device to moisture, comprising:

providing a first voltage to a first electrical contact of a plurality of electrical contacts in a port of an electronic device while the port is in an unconnected state;

monitoring electrical activity at one or more electrical contacts of the plurality of electrical contacts while the port is in the unconnected state;

sensing an electrical activity pattern at the one or more electrical contacts that is characteristic of a short circuit caused by an electrically conductive liquid; and

determining exposure of one or more of the plurality of electrical contacts to the electrically conductive liquid in response to sensing the electrical activity pattern that is characteristic of the short circuit caused by the electrically conductive liquid.

27. The method of claim 25, further comprising:

creating an exposure model from electrical activity patterns of test electronic devices with one or more electrical contacts exposed to the electrically conductive liquid.

28. The method of claim 27, wherein determining exposure of the one or more of the plurality of electrical contacts to the electrically conductive liquid comprises determining that the electrical activity pattern matches the exposure model.

29. The method of claim 27, further comprising:

creating the exposure model with a learning algorithm or system.

30. A moisture detector, comprising:

a monitor module configured to monitor one or more properties of a moisture detection circuit, the moisture detection circuit comprising a first node having a first voltage and a second node having a second voltage, the second voltage being different from the first voltage;

a sensor module configured, in response to a predetermined variation in the one or more properties of the moisture detection circuit from reference properties characteristic of exposure of at least one of the first node and the second node of the moisture detection circuit to an electrically conductive liquid, to determine that at least one of the first node and the second node of the moisture detection circuit is exposed to the electrically conductive liquid; and

a confirmation module configured to receive user confirmation that at least one of the first node and the second node of the moisture detection circuit was exposed to the electrically conductive liquid.