# US 2014/0191874 A1 · Apparatuses, systems, and methods for detecting and reacting to exposure of an electronic device to moisture > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2014/0191874 A1 - Document ID: US20140191874A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 14/150,534 - Filed: 2014-01-08 - Published: 2014-07-10 - Earliest claimed: 2013-01-08 - Assignees: HZO, Inc. - Applicants: HzO, Inc. - Inventors: Blake Stevens; Max Sorenson - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20140191874A1 ## CPC - G08B 21/20: responsive to moisture - G01N 27/048: {for determining moisture content of the material} - H02H 5/083: {responsive to the entry or leakage of a liquid into an electrical appliance (moisture alarm G08B21/20)} - H03K 17/94: characterised by the way in which the control signals are generated - G08B: SIGNALLING SYSTEMS, e.g. PERSONAL CALLING SYSTEMS; ORDER TELEGRAPHS; ALARM SYSTEMS - G01N: INVESTIGATING OR ANALYSING MATERIALS BY DETERMINING THEIR CHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL PROPERTIES (measuring or testing apparatus or processes other than immunoassay, involving enzymes or microorganisms C12M, C12Q) - H02H: EMERGENCY PROTECTIVE CIRCUIT ARRANGEMENTS (indicating or signalling undesired working conditions G01R, e.g. G01R31/00, G08B; locating faults along lines G01R31/08; emergency protective devices H01H) - H03K: PULSE TECHNIQUE (measuring pulse characteristics G01R; modulating sinusoidal oscillations with pulses H03C; transmission of digital information H04L; discriminator circuits detecting phase difference between two signals by counting or integrating cycles of oscillation H03D3/04; automatic control, starting, synchronisation or stabilisation of generators of electronic oscillations or pulses where the type of generator is irrelevant or unspecified H03L; coding, decoding or code conversion, in general H03M) ## 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 ### Claim 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. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) 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. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) 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. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) 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. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) 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. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) 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. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) 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. ### Claim 8 (depends on 6) The electronic device of claim 6, wherein the alert module is configured to generate and transmit a message to a remote monitoring service. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) 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. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) 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. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) 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. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) 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. ### Claim 13 (depends on 1) The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the port is a USB port, a proprietary port or a receptacle for an audio jack. ### Claim 14 (depends on 1) The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the moisture detector is implemented in a controller for the port. ### Claim 15 (depends on 1) 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. ### Claim 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 an 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 of the electronic device was exposed to an electrically conductive liquid. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The moisture detector of claim 16, wherein a port of an electronic device comprises the moisture detection circuit. ### Claim 18 (depends on 16) 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. ### Claim 19 (depends on 16) 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 an 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. ### Claim 20 (depends on 16) The moisture detector of claim 16, wherein the reference properties characteristic of exposure to an electrically conductive liquid are generated using a learning algorithm or system. ### Claim 21 (depends on 16) 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 the electronic device of which the moisture detector is a part. ### Claim 22 (depends on 16) 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 an electrically conductive liquid. ### Claim 23 (depends on 22) 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 an electrically conductive liquid. ### Claim 24 (canceled) ### Claim 25 (depends on 16) 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. ### Claim 26 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 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 an electrically conductive liquid in response to sensing the electrical activity pattern that is characteristic of the short circuit caused by the electrically conductive liquid. ### Claim 27 (depends on 26) The method of claim 26, further comprising: powering down one or more components of the electronic device in response to determining exposure of one or more of the plurality of electrical contacts to the electrically conductive liquid. ### Claim 28 (depends on 26) The method of claim 26, further comprising: creating an exposure model from electrical activity patterns of test electronic devices with one or more electrical contacts exposed to an electrically conductive liquid. ### Claim 29 (depends on 28) The method of claim 28, wherein determining exposure of 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. ### Claim 30 (depends on 28) The method of claim 28, further comprising: creating the exposure model with a learning algorithm or system. ### Claim 31 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 an 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.