Moisture detection system for external electrical connector and methods therefor

• US 9,823,286 B2
• Filed: 04/27/2015
• Issued: 11/21/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 04/27/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Motorola Mobility LLC (Lenovo Group Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Motorola Mobility LLC (Lenovo Group Ltd.)
• Inventors: Connell, Nathan M, Bender, James, Sirois, Ernest
• Primary Examiner(s): Koval, Melissa
• Assistant Examiner(s): Monsur, Nasima
• Application Number:
  US14/696,626
• Publication Number:
  US 20160313270A1
• Time in Patent Office: 939 Days
• Field of Search: 324694, 324693, 324691, 324649, 324600, 324538, 324664, 324601, 340604, 340517, 43962021, 307118, 307125, 7386141
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/00 Arrangements for testing electric properties; Arrangements for locating electric faults; Arrangements for electrical testing characterised by what is being tested not provided for elsewhere measuring superconductive properties G01R33/1238; testing or measuring semiconductors or solid state devices during manufacture H01L22/00; testing line transmission systems H04B3/46
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/003 Environmental or reliability tests of individual semiconductors G01R31/2642; of PCB's G01R31/2817; of IC's G01R31/2855; of other circuits G01R31/2849
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/69 of terminals at the end of a cable or a wire harness; of plugs; of sockets, e.g. wall sockets or power sockets in appliances

Abstract

An electronic device includes a housing and an electrical connector disposed along the housing. The electrical connector includes one or a plurality of electrical contacts having at least a portion thereof exposed to an exterior of the housing. An interface circuit is operable with the electrical connector and coupled to one or more electrical contacts of the electrical connector to interact with a complementary connector when connected to the electrical connector. A moisture detection circuit is to detect moisture contacting the electrical connector.

Claims

1. An electronic device, comprising:

a housing;

an electrical connector disposed along the housing and comprising one or a plurality of electrical contacts having at least a portion thereof exposed to an exterior of the housing;

an interface circuit operable with the electrical connector and coupled to one or more electrical contacts of the electrical connector, the interface circuit interacting with a complementary connector when connected to the electrical connector; and

a moisture detection circuit detecting moisture contacting the electrical connector, the moisture detection circuit coupled to at least one electrical contact of the electrical connector;

the electrical connector further comprising a shroud disposed about the one or the plurality of electrical contacts, the moisture detection circuit and the shroud coupled to a common node, the moisture detection circuit detecting a current flowing between the at least one electrical contact and the shroud when the moisture contacts the electrical connector.

2. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the at least one electrical contact and the electrical connector are a common contact to which both the interface circuit and the moisture detection circuit are coupled.

3. The electronic device of claim 2, the moisture detection circuit comprising a detector coupled to the common contact via a resistor divider.

4. The electronic device of claim 1, the moisture detection circuit comprising a driver to selectively apply a voltage to the at least one electrical contact.

5. The electronic device of claim 4, the driver to periodically apply the voltage to the at least one electrical contact.

6. The electronic device of claim 4, the moisture detection circuit further comprising a detector coupled to the at least one electrical contact, the detector to sense a detected voltage in response to the driver applying the voltage at least when the moisture contacts the electrical connector.

7. The electronic device of claim 6, further comprising an impedance circuit coupled between the driver and the detector.

8. The electronic device of claim 7, the detector further to sense another detected voltage when the moisture is not in contact with the electrical connector, the another detected voltage greater than the detected voltage.

9. The electronic device of claim 7, the detected voltage comprising a first voltage when the moisture comprises salt water and a second voltage when the moisture comprises fresh water, the first voltage less than the second voltage.

10. The electronic device of claim 7, the impedance circuit defining an open circuit when the moisture is not in contact with the electrical connector.

11. The electronic device of claim 1, further comprising one or more processors operable with the moisture detection circuit, the one or more processors to execute at least one operation when the moisture detector detects the moisture contacting the electrical connector.

12. The electronic device of claim 11, the at least one operation comprising delivering a moisture detection notification to a user interface of the electronic device.

13. The electronic device of claim 11, the at least one operation comprising suspending interface circuit interaction with the complementary connector.

14. The electronic device of claim 11, the at least one operation comprising recording an occurrence of moisture detection in a memory device of the electronic device.

15. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the at least one electrical contact and the one or more electrical contacts comprise a common contact, further comprising a driver to selectively apply a voltage to the at least one electrical contact while the interface circuit is operational at the common contact.

16. The electronic device of claim 15, wherein the common contact comprises a single contact, wherein the single contact comprises a D-pin of a USB connector, wherein the voltage is less than one volt.

17. The electronic device of claim 1, the electrical connector comprising one of an audio connector, a data card connector, a secure digital (SD) memory card connector, a universal serial bus (USB) connector, a mini-USB connector, or a micro-USB connector.

18. A method in an electronic device, comprising:

selectively applying, with a moisture detection circuit, a voltage to one or more electrical contacts of a connector operable with, and coupled to, an interface circuit, wherein at least a portion of the one or more electrical contacts is exposed to an exterior of the electronic device, wherein the connector comprises a shroud disposed about the one or more electrical contacts with the moisture detection circuit and the shroud coupled to a common node;

detecting, with the moisture detection circuit, a current flowing between the one or more electrical contacts and the shroud in response to the selectively applying when moisture contacts the electrical connector; and

determining, with the moisture detection circuit from the current that moisture is contacting the one or more electrical contacts.

19. The method of claim 18, the determining further comprising also determining, where the moisture is contacting the one or more electrical contacts, whether the moisture comprises salt water or fresh water.

20. The method of claim 19, further comprising performing, with one or more processors of the electronic device, an operation in response to determining the moisture is contacting the one or more electrical contacts.