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

• US 9,157,880 B2
• Filed: 07/01/2014
• Issued: 10/13/2015
• 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:
  US14/320,799
• Publication Number:
  US 20140313039A1
• Time in Patent Office: 469 Days
• Field of Search: 340/604, 340/605, 340/620, 340/618, 340/815.4, 361/1, 361/71
• US Class Current: 1/1
• 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 including 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 configured to;

maintain a voltage on the first electrical contact of the port;

detect a short circuit between the first electrical contact of the port and the second electrical contact of the port; and

in response to detecting the short circuit, determine that the port has been exposed to an electrically conductive liquid.

2. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the moisture detector is further configured to:

determine a connection state of the port; and

determine whether the port has been exposed to the electrically conductive liquid based on a determination that the port is in an unconnected state.

3. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the moisture detector is further configured to:

cause the electronic device to enter a safe mode in response to determining that the port has been exposed to the electrically conductive liquid.

4. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the moisture detector is further configured to:

terminate communication between a power supply and at least some electronic components of the plurality of electronic components in response to determining that the port has been exposed to the electrically conductive liquid.

5. The electronic device of claim 4, wherein the moisture detector is further 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, wherein the moisture detector is further configured to:

generate an alert that the port has been exposed to the electrically conductive liquid.

7. The electronic device of claim 6, wherein the moisture detector is further configured to:

generate the alarm in a manner perceivable by a user of the electronic device;

or

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

8. The electronic device of claim 6, wherein the moisture detector is further configured to:

generate and transmit a message to a remote monitoring service.

9. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the moisture detector is further configured to:

maintain a log module configured to log instances of the moisture detector determining that the port has been exposed to the electrically conductive liquid.

10. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the moisture detector is further 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, wherein the moisture detector is further configured to:

request user confirmation that the port has been exposed to the electrically conductive liquid.

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

a protective coating on at least one electronic component within an interior of the electronic device.

13. The electronic device of claim 12, wherein the protective coating comprises a moisture-resistant coating.

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

15. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the moisture detector is implemented by a port controller, a microcontroller and/or a processor of the electronic device.

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

17. A port for an electronic device, comprising:

a port for receiving a connector and including a first electrical contact and a second electrical contact;

a moisture detector configured to;

monitor one or more properties of a moisture detection circuit, the moisture detection circuit including a first node comprising or in communication with the first electrical contact, the first node having a first voltage, and a second node comprising or in communication with the second electrical contact, the second node having a second voltage, the second voltage being different from the first voltage; and

identify a predetermined variation in at least one property of one or more properties of the moisture detection circuit from a corresponding reference property to an extent characteristic of exposure of at least one of the first electrical contact and the second electrical contact to an electrically conductive liquid.

18. The port of claim 17, 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 port of claim 17, wherein the moisture detector determines that at least one of the first electrical connector and the second electrical connector of the port has been exposed to the electrically conductive liquid in response to a short circuit involving at least one of the first electrical contact and the second electrical contact.

20. The port of claim 17, wherein the predetermined variation is generated using a learning algorithm or system.

21. The port of claim 17, further comprising:

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

22. 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; and

determining that the electronic device has been exposed to an electrically conductive liquid upon sensing a short circuit at one or more electrical contacts of the plurality of electrical contacts.

23. The method of claim 22, wherein determining that the electronic device has been exposed to the electrically conductive liquid comprises determining that the port has been exposed to the electrically conductive liquid.

24. The method of claim 22, further comprising:

powering down one or more components of the electronic device in response to determining that the electronic device has been exposed to the electrically conductive liquid.

25. The method of claim 22, 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.

26. The method of claim 25, wherein determining that the electronic device has been exposed to the electrically conductive liquid comprises determining that the electrical activity at the one or more electrical contacts matches the exposure model.

27. The method of claim 25, further comprising:

creating the exposure model with a learning algorithm or system.

28. An electronic device, comprising:

a port for receiving a connector, the port including a first electrical contact and a second electrical contact;

a moisture detector configured to;

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

identify a predetermined variation in at least one property of one or more properties of the moisture detection circuit from a corresponding reference property to an extent 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; and

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.

29. The electronic device of claim 28, 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.

30. The electronic device of claim 28, wherein the moisture detector determines that at least one of the first node and the second node of the moisture detection circuit has been exposed to the electrically conductive liquid in response to a short circuit involving at least one of the first node and the second node.