# US 11,441,801 B2 · Access door detection using a humidity sensor > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 11,441,801 B2 - Document ID: US11441801B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 16/842,585 - Filed: 2020-04-07 - Published: 2021-10-07 - Granted: 2022-09-13 - Earliest claimed: 2020-04-07 - Assignees: Ademco Inc. - Applicants: Ademco Inc. - Inventors: Tarik Khoury; Michal Sicner; Pavel Marak - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11441801B2 ## CPC - F24F 6/12: by forming water dispersions in the air - F24F 11/30: for purposes related to the operation of the system, e.g. for safety or monitoring - F24F 3/14: by humidification; by dehumidification - F24F 11/0008: {for air-humidification (F24F11/30 takes precedence)} - F24F 11/52: Indication arrangements, e.g. displays - F24F 11/526: giving audible indications - G05D 22/02: characterised by the use of electric means - F24F 2110/20: Humidity - F25B 2700/02: Humidity - F25D 2700/02: Sensors detecting door opening - F24F: AIR-CONDITIONING; AIR-HUMIDIFICATION; VENTILATION; USE OF AIR CURRENTS FOR SCREENING (removing dirt or fumes from areas where they are produced B08B15/00; vertical ducts for carrying away waste gases from buildings E04F17/02; tops for chimneys or ventilating shafts, terminals for flues F23L17/02) - G05D: SYSTEMS FOR CONTROLLING OR REGULATING NON-ELECTRIC VARIABLES - F25B: REFRIGERATION MACHINES, PLANTS OR SYSTEMS; COMBINED HEATING AND REFRIGERATION SYSTEMS; HEAT PUMP SYSTEMS - F25D: REFRIGERATORS; COLD ROOMS; ICE-BOXES; COOLING OR FREEZING APPARATUS NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR (refrigerated showcases A47F3/04; thermally-insulated vessels for domestic use A47J41/00; refrigerated vehicles, see the appropriate subclasses of classes B60 - B64; containers with thermal insulation in general B65D81/38; heat-transfer, heat-exchange or heat-storage materials, e.g. refrigerants, or materials for the production of heat or cold by chemical reactions other than by combustion C09K5/00; thermally-insulated vessels for liquefied or solidified gases F17C; air-conditioning or air-humidification F24F; refrigeration machines, plants, or systems F25B; cooling of instruments or comparable apparatus without refrigeration G12B) ## Abstract A humidifier device includes an output device, an atomizer enclosure having a first opening that is operable to be open and closed and a second opening, an atomizer within the atomizer enclosure configured to produce moisture and to output the moisture through the second opening of the atomizer enclosure, a humidity sensor configured to sense humidity levels, and control circuitry configured to control the atomizer and to determine whether the humidity levels sensed by the humidity sensor are indicative of the first opening of the atomizer enclosure being open. The output device is configured to, in response to determining that the humidity levels sensed by the humidity sensor are indicative of the first opening of the atomizer enclosure is open, output an alert indicative of the first opening of the atomizer enclosure being open. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A humidifier device comprising: an atomizer enclosure having a first opening that is operable to be open and closed and a second opening; an atomizer within the atomizer enclosure configured to produce moisture and to output the moisture through the second opening of the atomizer enclosure; a humidity sensor configured to sense humidity levels; and control circuitry configured to: control the atomizer; and determine whether the humidity levels sensed by the humidity sensor are indicative of the first opening of the atomizer enclosure being open; and an output device configured to, in response to determining that the humidity levels sensed by the humidity sensor are indicative of the first opening of the atomizer enclosure being open, output an alert indicative of the first opening of the atomizer enclosure being open. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The humidifier device of claim 1, wherein: the humidifier further comprises an electronics enclosure that encloses the control circuitry and the humidity sensor, wherein the humidity sensor is configured to sense the humidity levels within the electronics enclosure. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The humidifier device of claim 2, further comprising: an electronic control board within the electronics enclosure, wherein the control circuitry and the humidity sensor are disposed on the electronic control board. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The humidifier device of claim 1, further comprising: an access door configured to cover the first opening of the atomizer enclosure, wherein to determine whether the humidity levels sensed by the humidity sensor are indicative of the first opening of the atomizer enclosure being open, the control circuitry is further configured to determine whether the humidity levels sensed by the humidity sensor are indicative of the access door of the first opening of the atomizer enclosure being open, and wherein to output the alert indicative of the first opening of the atomizer enclosure being open, the output device is further configured to, in response to determining that the humidity levels sensed by the humidity sensor are indicative of the access door for the first opening of the atomizer enclosure being open, output the alert indicative of the access door being open. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The humidifier device of claim 1, further comprising: a removable cover configured to cover the first opening of the atomizer enclosure, wherein to determine whether the humidity levels sensed by the humidity sensor are indicative of the first opening of the atomizer enclosure being open, the control circuitry is further configured to determine whether the humidity levels sensed by the humidity sensor are indicative of the removable cover for the first opening of the atomizer enclosure being removed from the first opening of the atomizer enclosure, and wherein to output the alert indicative of the first opening of the atomizer enclosure being open, the output device is further configured to, in response to determining that the humidity levels sensed by the humidity sensor are indicative of the removable cover being removed from the first opening of the atomizer enclosure, output the alert indicative of the removable cover being removed from the first opening of the atomizer enclosure. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The humidifier device of claim 1, wherein to determine whether the humidity levels sensed by the humidity sensor are indicative of the first opening of the atomizer enclosure being open, the control circuitry is further configured to: determine whether a humidity level sensed by the humidity sensor exceeds a threshold; and in response to determining that the humidity level sensed by the humidity sensor exceeds the threshold, determine that the humidity level sensed by the humidity sensor is indicative of the first opening of the atomizer enclosure of the humidifier device being open. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The humidifier device of claim 1, wherein to determine whether the humidity levels sensed by the humidity sensor are indicative of the first opening of the atomizer enclosure of the humidifier device being open, the control circuitry is further configured to: determine whether a rate of increase in the humidity levels sensed by the humidity sensor exceeds a threshold; and in response to determining that the rate of increase in the humidity levels sensed by the humidity sensor exceeds the threshold, determine that the humidity levels sensed by the humidity sensor are indicative of the first opening of the atomizer enclosure of the humidifier device being open. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The humidifier device of claim 1, wherein the control circuitry is further configured to: determine whether a humidity level sensed by the humidity sensor exceeds a threshold; and in response to determining that the humidity level sensed by the humidity sensor exceeds the threshold, shut down the humidifier device. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The humidifier device of claim 1, wherein: the output device comprises a display; and to output the alert indicative of the first opening of the atomizer enclosure being open, the display is configured to display information indicative of the first opening of the atomizer enclosure of the humidifier device being open. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The humidifier device of claim 1, wherein: the output device comprises a speaker; and to output the alert indicative of the first opening of the atomizer enclosure of the humidifier device being open, the speaker is configured to output audio indicative of the first opening of the atomizer enclosure of the humidifier device being open. ### Claim 11 A method comprising: producing, by an atomizer within an atomizer enclosure of a humidifier device, the atomizer enclosure having a first opening that is operable to be open and closed and a second opening, moisture that flow out of the second opening of the atomizer enclosure; sensing, by a humidity sensor of the humidifier device, humidity levels: determining, by control circuitry of the humidifier device, whether the humidity levels sensed by the humidity sensor are indicative of the first opening of the atomizer enclosure being open; and in response to the control circuitry determining that the humidity levels sensed by the humidity sensor are indicative of the first opening of the atomizer enclosure being open, outputting, by an output device of the humidifier device, an alert indicative of the first opening of the atomizer enclosure being open. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The method of claim 11, wherein: the humidifier device further comprises an electronics enclosure that encloses the control circuitry and the humidity sensor; and the humidity levels sensed by the humidity sensor comprises the humidity levels within the electronics enclosure. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The method of claim 12, wherein: the control circuitry and the humidity sensor are disposed on an electronic control board within the electronics enclosure. ### Claim 14 (depends on 11) The method of claim 11, wherein: determining, by the control circuitry, whether the humidity levels sensed by the humidity sensor are indicative the first opening of the atomizer enclosure being open comprises determining, by the control circuitry, whether the humidity levels sensed by the humidity sensor are indicative of an access door for the first opening of the atomizer enclosure being open; and in response to the control circuitry determining that the humidity levels sensed by the humidity sensor are indicative of the first opening of the atomizer enclosure being open, outputting, by the output device, the alert indicative of the first opening of the atomizer enclosure being open comprises in response to the control circuitry determining that the humidity levels sensed by the humidity sensor are indicative of the access door for the first opening of the atomizer enclosure being open, outputting, by the output device, the alert indicative of the access door of the atomizer enclosure being open. ### Claim 15 (depends on 11) The method of claim 11, wherein: determining, by the control circuitry, whether the humidity levels sensed by the humidity sensor are indicative of the first opening of the atomizer enclosure being open comprises determining, by the control circuitry, whether the humidity levels sensed by the humidity sensor are indicative of a removable cover for the first opening of the atomizer enclosure being removed from the first opening of the atomizer enclosure; and in response to the control circuitry determining that the humidity levels sensed by the humidity sensor are indicative of the first opening of the atomizer enclosure being open, outputting, by the output device, the alert indicative of the first opening of the atomizer enclosure being open comprises in response to the control circuitry determining that the humidity levels sensed by the humidity sensor are indicative of the removable cover being removed from the first opening of the atomizer enclosure, outputting, by the output device, the alert indicative of the removable cover being removed from the first opening of the atomizer enclosure. ### Claim 16 (depends on 11) The method of claim 11, wherein determining, by the control circuitry, whether the humidity levels sensed by the humidity sensor are indicative of the first opening of the atomizer enclosure being open comprises: determining, by the control circuitry, whether a humidity level sensed by the humidity sensor exceeds a threshold; and in response to determining that the humidity level sensed by the humidity sensor exceeds the threshold, determining, by the control circuitry, that the humidity level sensed by the humidity sensor is indicative of the first opening of the atomizer enclosure of the humidifier device being open. ### Claim 17 (depends on 11) The method of claim 11, wherein determining, by the control circuitry, whether the humidity levels sensed by the humidity sensor are indicative of the first opening of the atomizer enclosure being open comprises: determining, by the control circuitry, whether a rate of increase in the humidity levels sensed by the humidity sensor exceeds a threshold; and in response to determining that the rate of increase in the humidity levels sensed by the humidity sensor exceeds the threshold, determining, by the control circuitry, that the humidity levels sensed by the humidity sensor are indicative of the first opening of the atomizer enclosure of the humidifier device being open. ### Claim 18 (depends on 11) The method of claim 11, further comprising: determining, by the control circuitry, whether a humidity level sensed by the humidity sensor exceeds a threshold; and in response to determining that the humidity level sensed by the humidity sensor exceeds the threshold, shutting down, by the control circuitry, the humidifier device. ### Claim 19 (depends on 11) The method of claim 11, wherein: the output device comprises a display; and outputting, by the output device, the alert indicative of the first opening of the atomizer enclosure being open comprises displaying, by the display, information indicative of the first opening of the atomizer enclosure being open. ### Claim 20 (depends on 11) The method of claim 11, wherein: the output device comprises a speaker; and outputting, by the output device, the alert indicative of the first opening of the atomizer enclosure being open comprises outputting, by the speaker, audio indicative of the first opening of the atomizer enclosure of the humidifier device being open.