Logger and mounting method

Abstract

To provide a logger or similar device that enables the recording of liquid wetting log information with a simple configuration. [Solution] The logger 40 includes a timing circuit 120 that generates time information TMD, a first electrode 41, a second electrode 42 to which a reference voltage VRF is supplied, an event detection circuit 170 that detects events based on voltage changes of an input signal EVI input from the first electrode 41, a storage circuit 150, and a processing circuit 130. When an event is detected by the event detection circuit 170, the processing circuit 130 determines that the resistance value of the measurement target 5 has changed due to wetting of the measurement target 5 between the first electrode 41 and the second electrode 42 with liquid, and records the time information TMD at the time the event was detected as log information LGD in the storage circuit 150.

Description

Technical Field

[0006] ,

[0001] The present invention relates to a logger and an attachment method, etc.

Background Art

[0002] Patent Document 1 discloses a dew point sensor that calculates the dew point value of a flow when exposed to the flow between an inlet and an outlet. A quartz crystal resonator is housed in a pressure vessel, a circuit controls the temperature of the quartz crystal resonator, and a temperature sensor generates a signal indicating the temperature of the quartz crystal resonator. The circuit monitors the temperature signal and the frequency of the quartz crystal resonator and calculates the dew point value.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] The dew point sensor of Patent Document 1 is very large-scale and difficult to miniaturize. The dew point sensor of Patent Document 1 calculates the dew point value and is not a logger that associates and records time and measurement values.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0005] One aspect of the present disclosure relates to a logger including a timekeeping circuit that generates time information, a first electrode, a second electrode to which a reference voltage is supplied, an event detection circuit that detects an event based on a voltage change of an input signal input from the first electrode, a storage circuit, and a processing circuit that determines that the resistance value of the measurement object has changed due to the measurement object between the first electrode and the second electrode being wetted by a liquid, based on the event being detected by the event detection circuit, and records the time information at the time when the event is detected as log information in the storage circuit.

[0006] Another aspect of the present disclosure relates to a method for attaching a logger to a measurement target, comprising: a timing circuit for generating time information; a first electrode; a second electrode to which a reference voltage is supplied; an event detection circuit for detecting events based on an input signal input from the first electrode; a storage circuit; and a processing circuit for recording the time information in the storage circuit when the event detection circuit detects the event, wherein the logger is attached to the measurement target such that the first electrode and the second electrode of the logger are in contact with the measurement target. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0007] [Figure 1] Example of a logger block configuration. [Figure 2] A diagram illustrating the operation of the data logger. [Figure 3] External perspective view of a real-time clock device. [Figure 4] A first example of a logger structure. [Figure 5] An example of the first circuit block configuration of a real-time clock device. [Figure 6] Detailed configuration example of an event detection circuit. [Figure 7] Detailed example of the processing circuit configuration. [Figure 8] A first structural example of a real-time clock device. [Figure 9] A second example of a logger structure. [Figure 10] A third example of a logger structure. [Figure 11] Fourth example of a logger structure. [Figure 12] Fifth example of a logger configuration. [Figure 13] Second example of the shapes of the first and second electrodes. [Figure 14] A third example of the shape of the first and second electrodes. [Figure 15] An example of the second circuit block configuration for a real-time clock device. [Figure 16] Detailed configuration example of sensor and detection circuit. [Figure 17]A second structural example of a real-time clock device. [Figure 18] A second structural example of a real-time clock device. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0008] Preferred embodiments of this disclosure will be described in detail below. Note that these embodiments are not intended to unduly limit the scope of the claims, and not all configurations described in these embodiments are necessarily essential.

[0009] 1. Example Configuration Figure 1 shows an example of the block configuration of the logger 40 in this embodiment. The logger 40 includes a real-time clock device 600, a first electrode 41, and a second electrode 42. The real-time clock device 600 includes a timing circuit 120, an event detection circuit 170, a storage circuit 150, and a processing circuit 130.

[0010] The following describes an example in which the real-time clock device 600 is used as the sensor module for the logger 40. In other words, in this example, the event timestamp function of the RTC is used as the logging function. However, the sensor module for the logger 40 is not limited to this; any module including the timing circuit 120, event detection circuit 170, storage circuit 150, and processing circuit 130 described below is acceptable.

[0011] When the logger 40 is in use, the logger 40 is attached to the measurement target 5. At this time, the first electrode 41 and the second electrode 42 are in contact with the measurement target 5. An example of the measurement target 5 in this case is the cardboard 5a described in FIG. 4. Alternatively, the logger 40 may previously include the measurement target 5 in contact with the first electrode 41 and the second electrode 42. An example of the measurement target 5 in this case is the piece of paper 56 described in FIG. 9. Alternatively, the first electrode 41 and the second electrode 42 may be provided on the measurement target 5, and the logger 40 may include the measurement target 5. An example of the measurement target 5 in this case is the substrate 45 in FIG. 4, the substrate 46 in FIG. 11, or the substrate 46 in FIG. 12. The first electrode 41 and the second electrode 42 may be used with their surfaces exposed in the air instead of contacting the cardboard 5a or the like.

[0012] The measurement target 5 is not limited to the above, and any substance may be used as long as the resistance value between the first electrode 41 and the second electrode 42 changes when the substance is wetted by a liquid. For example, the measurement target 5 gets wet when a liquid penetrates into it, when the measurement target 5 absorbs the liquid, or when a liquid adheres to the surface of the measurement target 5. The measurement target 5 may be any substance, for example, paper, wood, resin, metal with an insulating film, pottery, or glass. The liquid may be any liquid as long as it can change the resistance value of the measurement target 5. As an example, the liquid is water. An example of the situation where the measurement target 5 gets wet is when moisture in the air condenses, when it gets wet by rain, when it is submerged, or when there is a liquid leak from a container or the like. Hereinafter, wetting due to condensation will be described as an example, but "condensation" can be rephrased into various wetting situations as described above.

[0013] A reference voltage VRF is supplied to the second electrode 42. The reference voltage VRF may be a constant voltage. As an example, it is the power supply voltage or the ground voltage of the real-time clock device 600. For example, when the logger 40 includes a power supply such as a battery, the power supply voltage or the ground voltage generated by the power supply is used as the reference voltage VRF. The power supply may be provided either outside or inside the real-time clock device 600.

[0014] The first electrode 41 is connected to the second electrode 42 of the reference voltage VRF via the resistance of the object being measured 5. The event detection circuit 170 monitors the input signal EVI from the first electrode 41 and detects the resistance value of the object being measured 5, i.e., the condensation state, as an event. The condensation state may be represented by a binary value indicating the presence or absence of condensation, or by a multi-value indicating the degree of condensation in multiple stages. The state of no condensation may include not only a state where no condensation has occurred at all, but also a state where condensation has occurred and then dried. Below, as an example of a method for changing the input signal EVI according to the resistance value of the object being measured 5, a method using a resistive voltage divider will be described.

[0015] The first electrode 41 is pulled up or pulled down to a voltage different from the reference voltage VRF. For example, if the reference voltage VRF is the ground voltage, the first electrode 41 is pulled up to the power supply voltage. The pull-up resistor or pull-down resistor may be built into the event detection circuit 170 or provided outside the real-time clock device 600. The voltage of the input signal EVI changes according to the resistance ratio between the pull-up resistor or pull-down resistor connected to the first electrode 41 and the resistance of the device under measurement 5. The event detection circuit 170 detects a condensation event based on this voltage change.

[0016] The timing circuit 120 generates time information TMD representing the current time. An example of time information TMD is so-called calendar data. Calendar data is data that represents all or part of the year, month, day, hour, minute, and second.

[0017] When the event detection circuit 170 detects a condensation event, the processing circuit 130 acquires time information TMD from the timing circuit 120 and records condensation log information in the storage circuit 150 based on that time information TMD. The log information is information that associates information indicating that a condensation event has occurred with the time information TMD at the time the event occurred. In this way, the logger 40 can record condensation log information by monitoring the change in resistance value of the measurement target 5 due to condensation. This enables a logger 40 with a simple configuration, and for example, enables miniaturization, low power consumption, or cost reduction of the logger 40.

[0018] Although Figure 1 shows an example where the first electrode 41 is provided separately from the real-time clock device 600, the terminals of the real-time clock device 600 may be used as the first electrode 41, as will be described later. The same applies to the second electrode 42. When the first electrode 41 and the second electrode 42 are terminals of the real-time clock device 600, the real-time clock device 600 itself becomes the logger 40.

[0019] Figure 2 illustrates the operation of the logger 40. Here, a ground voltage is supplied to the second electrode 42, and the first electrode 41 is pulled up to the power supply voltage, showing an example where the presence or absence of condensation is detected.

[0020] At time ta, the real-time clock device 600 is started and initialized. Initialization includes initial settings for the time information TMD and setting the operation of the timestamp. At time ta, it is assumed that there is no condensation and the object to be measured 5 is not wet. Since the resistance value of the object to be measured 5 between the first electrode 41 and the second electrode 42 is high, the input signal EVI is close to the power supply voltage due to the pull-up.

[0021] At time tb, condensation occurs and the object being measured 5 becomes wet. As the resistance of the object being measured 5 between the first electrode 41 and the second electrode 42 decreases, the input signal EVI becomes close to the ground voltage due to the ground voltage of the second electrode 42. The event detection circuit 170 generates an event detection signal SEV by comparing the voltage of the input signal EVI with the threshold voltage Vth. The threshold voltage Vth is a constant voltage between the power supply voltage and the ground voltage. If the resistance value corresponding to the threshold voltage Vth is the threshold Rth, then it can also be said that the resistance value of the object being measured 5 between the first electrode 41 and the second electrode 42 is being compared with the threshold resistance value Rth. The event detection signal SEV is at the first logic level when the input signal EVI is greater than or equal to the threshold voltage Vth, and at the second logic level when the input signal EVI is lower than the threshold voltage Vth. Figure 2 shows an example where the first logic level is high and the second logic level is low. At time tb, the event detection signal SEV changes from high to low.

[0022] Once condensation stops occurring, the object being measured 5 dries out. Assume that at time tc, the resistance value of the object being measured 5 between the first electrode 41 and the second electrode 42 becomes greater than or equal to the threshold Rth. At time tc, the input signal EVI becomes greater than or equal to the threshold voltage Vth, so the event detection signal SEV changes from a low level to a high level.

[0023] The event detection circuit 170 outputs an event trigger signal EVTRG to trigger the recording of a timestamp at the time of an event, based on the event detection signal SEV. Specifically, the event detection circuit 170 generates a pulse of the event trigger signal EVTRG when the logic level of the event detection signal SEV changes. In the example in Figure 2, the event detection circuit 170 generates pulses of the event trigger signal EVTRG at times tb and tc.

[0024] The processing circuit 130 records the event detection signal SEV and time information TMD as condensation log information in the storage circuit 150 when the pulse of the event trigger signal EVTRG is generated. The logic level of the recorded event detection signal SEV indicates whether condensation occurred or dried at that time. In the example in Figure 2, the processing circuit 130 records the low-level event detection signal SEV in association with the time information TMD at time tb, and records the high-level event detection signal SEV in association with the time information TMD at time tc.

[0025] Figure 3 is an external perspective view of the real-time clock device 600. The three mutually orthogonal directions are defined as the x, y, and z directions. The z direction can also be called the height direction.

[0026] The real-time clock device 600 includes a package 500, and the package 500 houses an oscillator and an integrated circuit device. The integrated circuit device includes the timing circuit 120, event detection circuit 170, memory circuit 150, and processing circuit 130 described in Figure 1. The package 500 is roughly rectangular in shape, with each side of the rectangular parallelepiped aligning with the x, y, or z axis. The bottom surface of the package 500 is provided with a number of terminals TM for connecting the integrated circuit device housed in the package 500 to the outside of the package 500. Figure 3 shows terminals TM that wrap around from the side to the bottom surface of the package 500, but the shape of the terminals TM is not limited to this. The terminals TM may be, for example, bump terminals provided on the bottom surface of the package 500, or lead terminals extending outward from the outer circumference of the bottom surface of the package 500.

[0027] Package 500 is envisioned to be, for example, a ceramic package used in oscillators or sensors that use crystal oscillators. Such a ceramic package can be considered as a single component mounted on a printed circuit board, and is extremely small compared to typical electronic devices that combine multiple components and house them in a casing. For example, the maximum side length WD of package 500 is 20 mm or less. Figure 3 shows an example where the side length in the x direction is the maximum, but the side length in the y direction or z direction may also be the maximum. In this way, by using a real-time clock device 600 composed of a small package 500, a condensation logger that is extremely small can be realized compared to a large dew point sensor such as the one in Patent Document 1. Note that package 500 is not limited to ceramic packages, but may be various packages such as resin packages. Also, although the real-time clock device 600 has terminals TM, it does not necessarily have to be mounted on a circuit board as long as power is supplied.

[0028] Figure 4 shows a first structural example of a logger 40 using the real-time clock device 600 shown in Figure 3. The logger 40 includes the real-time clock device 600, a battery 50, and a circuit board 45. Various structural examples of the logger 40 are possible, and these structural examples will be described later.

[0029] The substrate 45 may be a rigid substrate such as a PCB substrate or a ceramic substrate, or it may be a flexible substrate. The substrate 45 has holes HL1 and HL2 that penetrate between the first and second surfaces. The real-time clock device 600 and the battery 50 are mounted on the first surface of the substrate 45. The battery 50 is assumed to be a small battery such as a button cell battery. The second surface of the substrate 45 is provided with a first electrode 41 and a second electrode 42. The real-time clock device 600 has terminals TM including a power terminal, a ground terminal, and an event input terminal. The event input terminal is connected to the event detection circuit 170. The event input terminal and the first electrode 41 are connected by wiring LN1 via hole HL1. The ground terminal, the negative terminal of the battery 50, and the second electrode 42 are connected by wiring LN2 via hole HL2. The power terminal and the positive terminal of the battery 50 are connected by wiring LN3. The battery 50 may be built into the real-time clock device 600.

[0030] As shown in the side view of Figure 4, the object to be measured 5 is assumed to be, for example, corrugated cardboard 5a. Corrugated cardboard 5a is what makes up a cardboard box used to pack goods during transportation. When using the logger 40, the logger 40 is attached to the corrugated cardboard 5a such that the second surface of the circuit board 45 is in contact with the inner wall surface of the cardboard box. The second surface of the circuit board 45 is attached to the corrugated cardboard 5a with adhesive tape or glue, so that the first electrode 41 and the second electrode 42 are in contact with the corrugated cardboard 5a. When the corrugated cardboard 5a gets wet due to condensation, the real-time clock device 600 records a condensation event. Note that the object to be measured 5 is not limited to corrugated cardboard 5a, but can be various as described above.

[0031] Logger 40 can be used for various purposes to detect wetting by liquids, but one example of its use is in logistics. In this case, Logger 40 is installed on or around the goods being transported and used to sense and record condensation during the logistics process. The logistics process here may include not only transportation but also packaging, unpacking, or setting up the goods before and after transportation. Logger 40 may also be used in some of the packaging, transportation, unpacking, and setting up stages.

[0032] There are various possible mounting locations for the logger 40 in logistics. For example, as explained in Figure 4, the logger 40 can be attached to the inner wall of a cardboard box used as packaging material. Alternatively, the logger 40 may be attached to the surface of the goods being packaged. Alternatively, the logger 40 may be pre-integrated into the goods being transported, such as by being pre-mounted on the circuit board of electronic equipment being transported. Alternatively, the logger 40 may be installed inside the cargo compartment of a vehicle, train, ship, or aircraft transporting the goods, or inside a container that stores the goods during transport.

[0033] By using Logger 40 in logistics, it is possible to know when condensation occurred or dried during the logistics process. By comparing this log information with information on when each stage of logistics took place, it becomes possible to infer at which stage of logistics the condensation event occurred. This enables the investigation, assurance, or certification of transportation quality.

[0034] For example, in recent years, the use of paper as a packaging material has increased due to environmental concerns. While paper is a useful packaging material that can replace resin, it has the disadvantage of losing strength when wet due to condensation, thus reducing its protective ability as packaging material. Therefore, packaging designs that have a margin against strength reduction due to condensation are necessary, which may lead to increased transportation costs. The logger 40 of this embodiment is small and low-cost, so it can be easily used for transporting various goods. This has the potential to guarantee transportation quality, save on packaging materials, and reduce transportation costs. In addition, transportation quality can be guaranteed by investigating the transportation quality of the transportation route using the logger 40 and improving that quality. Such improvements in transportation quality also have the potential to save on packaging materials.

[0035] Furthermore, condensation can occur not only on the packaging material but also on the goods themselves during the logistics process. For example, suppose goods are placed in a cardboard box. At night, the cardboard box and the goods cool down, and then during the day, the cardboard box is warmed from the outside. During this process, the goods are cold and the surrounding air is warm, so condensation forms on the goods, causing them to get wet. The logger 40 of this embodiment can record whether or not such condensation has occurred on the goods. For example, when transporting goods that are sensitive to water, such as electronic equipment, the logger 40 can be used to record whether or not condensation occurred, thus proving that no condensation occurred.

[0036] In this embodiment, the logger 40 includes a timing circuit 120 that generates time information TMD, a first electrode 41, a second electrode 42 to which a reference voltage VRF is supplied, an event detection circuit 170 that detects events based on voltage changes of an input signal EVI input from the first electrode 41, a storage circuit 150, and a processing circuit 130. The processing circuit 130 determines that the resistance value of the measurement target 5 has changed due to wetting of the measurement target 5 between the first electrode 41 and the second electrode 42 with liquid, and the event detection circuit 170 detects an event, and records the time information TMD at the time the event was detected as log information LGD in the storage circuit 150.

[0037] According to this embodiment, the logger 40 can monitor changes in the resistance value of the object to be measured 5 due to wetting with liquid, detect wetting events based on the change in resistance value, and record log information of the wetting event. This makes it possible to detect the wetting state due to liquid, rather than relying on dew point detection as in Patent Document 1. Furthermore, by using event detection based on changes in resistance value, a logger 40 with a simple configuration can be realized. For example, the logger 40 can be made smaller, consume less power, or be made less expensive.

[0038] In this embodiment, the first electrode 41 and the second electrode 42 are used in contact with the object to be measured 5, or are provided on the object to be measured 5.

[0039] According to this embodiment, when the object to be measured 5 between the first electrode 41 and the second electrode 42 is wet with liquid, the resistance value between the first electrode 41 and the second electrode 42 changes. The event detection circuit 170 can detect an event based on the voltage change of the input signal EVI due to this change in resistance value.

[0040] In this embodiment, the event detection circuit 170 includes a pull-up resistor to pull up the first electrode 41, or a pull-down resistor to pull down the first electrode 41.

[0041] According to this embodiment, the voltage of the input signal EVI is determined by the resistance ratio between the resistance value of the pull-up resistor or pull-down resistor and the resistance value of the object to be measured 5. When the object to be measured 5 gets wet and its resistance value changes, the resistance ratio changes, and therefore the voltage of the input signal EVI changes. The event detection circuit 170 can detect an event based on this change in the voltage of the input signal EVI.

[0042] In this embodiment, the logger 40 also includes a real-time clock device 600 having a package 500. The package 500 houses a timing circuit 120, an event detection circuit 170, a storage circuit 150, and a processing circuit 130.

[0043] According to this embodiment, by configuring the logger 40 using the real-time clock device 600, the timestamp function of the real-time clock device 600 can be used to record wetting events.

[0044] In this embodiment, the logger 40 includes a substrate 45 on which a first electrode 41 and a second electrode 42 are provided. The first electrode 41 is connected to the event input terminal of the real-time clock device 600. The second electrode 42 is connected to the reference voltage VRF terminal of the real-time clock device 600. The reference voltage VRF terminal is, for example, a power terminal or a ground terminal, but it may also be a terminal of any constant voltage.

[0045] In this embodiment, by attaching the substrate 45 to the object to be measured 5, or by using the substrate 45 as the object to be measured 5, event detection based on the resistance value of the object to be measured 5 becomes possible. In this embodiment, the input signal EVI from the first electrode 41 is input to the event input terminal of the real-time clock device 600. As a result, the wetting event is recorded by the timestamp function of the real-time clock device 600.

[0046] In this embodiment, the real-time clock device 600 is provided on the first surface of the substrate 45. The first electrode 41 and the second electrode 42 are provided on the second surface of the substrate 45.

[0047] According to this embodiment, since the second surface is in contact with the object to be measured 5, the first surface on which the real-time clock device 600 is provided does not come into contact with the object to be measured 5, which may get wet. This protects the real-time clock device 600 from liquid.

[0048] In this embodiment, the object to be measured 5 may also be paper.

[0049] When paper comes into contact with a liquid, it absorbs it. Since dry paper and wet paper have different resistance values, this difference can be used to detect wetting events. Furthermore, paper is readily available and widely used in transportation and other applications. Therefore, using paper allows for the creation of a highly convenient data logger.

[0050] In this embodiment, the object to be measured 5 may also be packaging material.

[0051] According to this embodiment, the logger 40 can record whether or not the packaging material became wet with liquid during the logistics process. Furthermore, if it did become wet, the logger 40 can record the duration of the wetness, the duration of drying, etc. This makes it possible to investigate, guarantee, or prove the quality of transportation, and for example, to improve packaging design.

[0052] In this embodiment, the object to be measured 5 may also be the surface of the transported object.

[0053] According to this embodiment, the logger 40 can record whether or not the surface of the transported goods became wet with liquid during the logistics process. Furthermore, if the goods did become wet, the logger 40 can record the duration of the wetness, the duration of the dryness, etc. For example, transported goods that should not be wet may become wet due to condensation or liquid leakage. According to this embodiment, it is possible to record whether or not such transported goods did not become wet.

[0054] This embodiment may also be implemented as a method for attaching the logger 40 to the measurement target 5. The logger 40 includes a timing circuit 120 that generates time information TMD, a first electrode 41, a second electrode 42 to which a reference voltage VRF is supplied, an event detection circuit 170 that detects events based on an input signal EVI input from the first electrode 41, a storage circuit 150, and a processing circuit 130. The processing circuit 130 records the time information TMD in the storage circuit 150 when the event detection circuit 170 detects an event. In this case, the attachment method is to attach the logger 40 to the measurement target 5 such that the first electrode 41 and the second electrode 42 of the logger 40 are in contact with the measurement target 5.

[0055] Figure 5 shows an example of the first circuit block configuration of the real-time clock device 600. The package 500 is not shown here. The real-time clock device 600 includes an integrated circuit device 100, an oscillator 300, an interface terminal TMIF, and event input terminals TMEVI1 to TMEVI3. The interface terminal TMIF and event input terminals TMEVI1 to TMEVI3 correspond to terminal TM in Figure 3.

[0056] The oscillator 300 is an element that generates mechanical vibrations in response to an electrical signal. The oscillator 300 can be realized using a vibrating element such as a quartz crystal vibrator. For example, the oscillator 300 is a tuning fork type quartz crystal vibrator. Alternatively, the oscillator 300 may be a quartz crystal vibrator that vibrates with a thickness shear, such as an AT cut or SC cut. Alternatively, the oscillator 300 may be any vibrating element other than a tuning fork type or a thickness shear vibrator, or a piezoelectric vibrator made of a material other than quartz. For example, the oscillator 300 may be a SAW resonator, or a MEMS oscillator as a silicon oscillator formed using a silicon substrate. SAW stands for Surface Acoustic Wave, and MEMS stands for Micro Electro Mechanical Systems.

[0057] The integrated circuit device 100 includes an oscillator circuit 110, a timing circuit 120, a processing circuit 130, a memory circuit 150, an interface circuit 160, and an event detection circuit 170. The integrated circuit device 100 is, for example, a semiconductor substrate on which multiple circuit elements are integrated.

[0058] The oscillator circuit 110 drives the resonator 300 to cause it to oscillate, and generates a clock signal CK based on the oscillation signal. An example of the oscillator circuit 110 is a Colpitts oscillator, but it is not limited to this.

[0059] The timing circuit 120 is a circuit that has a clock function and generates time information TMD representing the current time by counting operation based on a clock signal CK. The timing circuit 120 includes, for example, a frequency divider circuit that divides the clock signal CK and a timing counter that counts the current time using the divided clock signal. The time information TMD may be, for example, the count value data of the timing counter itself, or it may be the calendar data described above.

[0060] One of the event input terminals TMEVI1 to TMEVI3 is connected to the first electrode 41 as shown in Figure 1. The event detection circuit 170 outputs an event trigger signal EVTRG based on the input signal EVI1 from event input terminal TMEVI1, the input signal EVI2 from event input terminal TMEVI2, and the input signal EVI3 from event input terminal TMEVI3. Specifically, the event detection circuit 170 generates an event detection signal from each of the input signals EVI1 to EVI3, and outputs a pulse of the event trigger signal EVTRG when the logic level of any of the three event detection signals transitions.

[0061] When the processing circuit 130 receives a pulse of the event trigger signal EVTRG, it associates the event occurrence information with the time information TMD and records it in the storage circuit 150 as log information LGD. The event occurrence information may be information only of the event detection signal whose logic level has transitioned, or it may be information of all event detection signals SEV1 to SEV3. The processing circuit 130 may also include a control circuit. The control circuit may control some or all of the timing circuit 120, the oscillation circuit 110, the storage circuit 150, the interface circuit 160, and the event detection circuit 170. The arrow lines related to this control are not shown in the illustration. The processing circuit 130 and the timing circuit 120 are logic circuits, and some or all of them may be configured as a single logic circuit by automatic placement and routing or the like.

[0062] The memory circuit 150 stores the log information LGD from the processing circuit 130. The memory circuit 150 is a semiconductor memory, and is either RAM or non-volatile memory. RAM is, for example, SRAM or DRAM. SRAM stands for Static Random Access Memory, and DRAM stands for Dynamic Random Access Memory. Non-volatile memory can be any electrically writable ROM, for example, EEPROM. EEPROM stands for Electrically Erasable Programmable Read Only Memory.

[0063] The interface circuit 160 is a circuit that communicates with the outside of the real-time clock device 600 via the interface terminal TMIF. The interface circuit 160 outputs the log information LGD stored in the memory circuit 150 to the outside. For example, the interface circuit 160 reads the log information LGD from the memory circuit 150 and outputs it to the outside in response to a read command from the outside. Alternatively, the interface circuit 160 may output the log information LGD output by the processing circuit 130 to the outside without going through the memory circuit 150. The interface circuit 160 may be an inter-circuit communication interface circuit of various standards. For example, the interface circuit 160 is an SPI or I2C serial communication interface circuit. SPI stands for Serial Peripheral Interface, and I2C stands for Inter-Integrated Circuit.

[0064] Figure 6 shows a detailed configuration example of the event detection circuit 170. The event detection circuit 170 includes a pull-up / pull-down circuit 171, a noise filter 175, and an event trigger circuit 176.

[0065] The pull-up / pull-down circuit 171 includes a pull-down resistor RD, pull-up resistors RU1-RU3, and a switch circuit 172. One end of the pull-down resistor RD is connected to the node of the ground voltage GND. One end of the pull-up resistors RU1-RU3 is connected to the node of the power supply voltage VDD. The switch circuit 172 connects the other end of either the pull-down resistor RD or any one of the pull-up resistors RU1-RU3 to the event input terminals TMEVI1-TMEVI3 in common. Alternatively, the switch circuit 172 may connect each of the event input terminals TMEVI1-TMEVI3 independently to the other end of either the pull-down resistor RD or any one of the pull-up resistors RU1-RU3. The switch circuit 172 is, for example, an analog switch using a MOS transistor. The connection state of the switch circuit 172 may be set, for example, by register settings. The resistance values ​​of the pull-down resistor and the pull-up resistor should be appropriately selected in response to the resistance change of the measurement target 5 due to condensation. The number of pull-down resistors should be one or more, and the number of pull-up resistors should be one or more. Furthermore, the pull-up resistors or pull-down resistors may be provided outside the real-time clock device 600. In that case, the pull-up / pull-down circuit 171 may be omitted.

[0066] The noise filter 175 compares the input signal EVI1 with a threshold voltage to binarize it and performs filtering, outputting the result as an event detection signal SEV1. Specifically, the noise filter 175 binarizes the input signal EVI1 to a low level or a high level using a comparator or buffer circuit. The noise filter 175 samples the binarized signal, and when the same logic level continues for a predetermined number of samplings, it outputs an event detection signal SEV1 at that logic level. Similarly, the noise filter 175 compares the input signals EVI2 and EVI3 with threshold voltages to binarize them and performs filtering, outputting the results as event detection signals SEV2 and SEV3.

[0067] The event trigger circuit 176 outputs a pulse of the event trigger signal EVTRG when the logic level of any of the event detection signals SEV1 to SEV3 transitions. The event trigger circuit 176 may also output a pulse of the event trigger signal EVTRG when an event is detected based on other event inputs SA1 to San. n is an integer of 1 or more. Other event inputs SA1 to San may include, for example, signals indicating the operating status of the real-time clock device 600. The event trigger circuit 176 may output a pulse of the event trigger signal EVTRG when the signal indicating the operating status changes or becomes a specific signal. Alternatively, other event inputs SA1 to San may be commands input to the real-time clock device 600 from an external SoC or the like. The event trigger circuit 176 may output a pulse of the event trigger signal EVTRG when any or specific command is input.

[0068] Figure 7 shows a detailed configuration example of the processing circuit 130. The processing circuit 130 includes a data capture circuit 132 and a buffer control circuit 133.

[0069] When the data capture circuit 132 receives a pulse of the event trigger signal EVTRG, it outputs log information LGD by associating event information with time information TMD. The event information includes event detection signals SEV1 to SEV3. The event information may also include other event inputs SA1 to SAn. The log information LGD is the RTC timestamp information and may include timestamps for various events, not just condensation events. For example, suppose the event input terminal TMEVI1 is connected to the first electrode 41. In this case, the timestamp information output in response to the transition of the event detection signal SEV1 becomes the log information for the condensation event.

[0070] The buffer control circuit 133 records the log information LGD from the data capture circuit 132 in the storage circuit 150. When a read request is received from an external SoC or the like from the real-time clock device 600 to the interface circuit 160, the buffer control circuit 133 reads the log information LGD from the storage circuit 150. The interface circuit 160 transmits the read log information LGD to the external SoC or the like.

[0071] Figure 8 shows a first structural example of the real-time clock device 600. Figure 8 is a cross-sectional view taken in the +y direction of a cross section parallel to the xz plane. In the following, the terminals TM and internal wiring of the package are omitted from the illustration. The +z direction may be referred to as up, and the -z direction as down. Although Figure 8 shows an example in which the real-time clock device 600 has a built-in battery 50, the battery 50 may be provided outside the real-time clock device 600.

[0072] The package 500 includes a base 510 having a recess and a lid 520 which is a cover for the base 510. The bottom surface SFa of the base 510 is parallel to the xy plane, and the recess of the base 510 opens upward. The lid 520 covers the recess so that its edge joins the edge of the recess of the base 510, thereby sealing the integrated circuit device 100, the resonator 300, and the battery 50 within the package 500. The recess of the base 510 has a bottom surface SFf and a stepped surface SFe provided above the bottom surface SFf. The integrated circuit device 100 and the battery 50 are arranged side by side in the x direction on the bottom surface SFf, and the resonator 300 is arranged on the stepped surface SFe. The integrated circuit device 100 is, for example, a bare chip and is arranged so that its thickness direction is in the z direction.

[0073] The integrated circuit device 100 and the resonator 300 are connected by internal package wiring. This internal package wiring includes bonding wires or wiring provided inside or on the inner surface of the base 510 structure. For example, the integrated circuit device 100 has a pad made of an uppermost metal layer, and the resonator 300 has terminals for wiring connections. The pad of the integrated circuit device 100 and the terminals of the resonator 300 may be connected by bonding wires, or they may be connected via wiring in the base 510. In the latter case, the pad of the integrated circuit device 100 and the terminals of the resonator 300 may be connected to the wiring in the base 510 by bonding wires or bumps. Similarly, the integrated circuit device 100 and the battery 50 are connected by internal package wiring.

[0074] The battery 50 may be placed on top of the integrated circuit device 100. Alternatively, as will be described later in Figure 17, the vibrator 300 may be placed on a relay board or the like. In this case, the vibrator 300 and the integrated circuit device 100 may be arranged to overlap in a plan view in the z-direction.

[0075] In this embodiment, the event detection circuit 170 includes an event trigger circuit 176. For example, let's assume that the event input terminal TMEVI1 is connected to the first electrode 41. The event trigger circuit 176 receives the input signal EVI1 from the event input terminal TMEVI1 and other event inputs SA1 to SAn, and outputs an event trigger signal EVTRG. The processing circuit 130 records timestamp information based on the event trigger signal EVTRG as log information LGD.

[0076] The real-time clock device 600 has a function to record timestamp information when various events occur. In this embodiment, one of these events is detected to be wetting by liquid. By using the timestamp function of the real-time clock device 600 to detect the wetting by liquid, the configuration of the logger 40 can be simplified.

[0077] 2. Other Configuration Examples Figure 9 shows a second structural example of the logger 40. This example is basically the same as the first and second views in Figure 4, but the logger 40 further includes a piece of paper 56, which becomes the object to be measured 5. The piece of paper 56 is attached to the substrate 45 so as to be in contact with the first electrode 41 and the second electrode 42. The piece of paper 56 is attached to the substrate 45, for example, with adhesive tape or glue. In this example, the logger 40 can be used without being attached to a cardboard box or the like.

[0078] Figure 10 shows a third structural example of the logger 40. In this example, the real-time clock device 600 itself is the logger 40. The battery 50 is built into the real-time clock device 600. As explained in Figure 3, multiple terminals TM are provided on the back surface of the real-time clock device 600. Of these, the event input terminal TMEVI is used as the first electrode 41, and the ground terminal TMGND is used as the second electrode 42. As shown in the side view of Figure 10, the real-time clock device 600 is attached to the cardboard 5a so that its back surface is in contact with the cardboard 5a. As a result, the event input terminal TMEVI, which is the first electrode 41, and the ground terminal TMGND, which is the second electrode 42, are in contact with the cardboard 5a. Attachment is done, for example, by adhesive tape or glue. Note that the measurement target 5 is not limited to cardboard 5a.

[0079] Figure 11 shows a fourth structural example of the logger 40. The logger 40 includes a real-time clock device 600, a circuit board 46, a first wire 47, and a second wire 48. The real-time clock device 600 has a built-in battery and is not mounted on the circuit board. Alternatively, the battery may be provided outside the real-time clock device 600, and the real-time clock device 600 and the battery may be mounted on the circuit board. The circuit board 46 has a first surface and a second surface, and the circuit board 46 is attached to the cardboard 5a such that the second surface is in contact with the cardboard 5a. The second surface is provided with a first electrode 41 and a second electrode 42, similar to the second surface of the circuit board 45 in Figure 4. One end of the first wire 47 is connected to the event input terminal of the real-time clock device 600, and the other end is connected to the first electrode 41 of the circuit board 46. One end of the second wire 48 is connected to the ground terminal TMGND of the real-time clock device 600, and the other end is connected to the second electrode 42 of the circuit board 46. Note that the measurement target 5 is not limited to corrugated cardboard 5a.

[0080] Figure 12 shows a fifth configuration example of the logger 40. This example is basically the same as the fourth structural example in Figure 11, but the real-time clock device 600 is mounted on the circuit board 11 inside the electronic device 10. Also, the second surface of the circuit board 46 is attached to the inner surface of the housing 5c ​​of the electronic device 10. The object to be measured 5 is the housing 5c, which is made of, for example, resin or insulated metal. Various components such as ICs, resistors, capacitors or connectors for realizing the functions of the electronic device 10 may be mounted on the circuit board 11. The electronic device 10 can be various, but examples include printers, projectors, television equipment, cameras, personal computers, displays, game consoles, smartphones, smartwatches, head-mounted displays, or audio equipment.

[0081] Figure 13 shows a second example of the shape of the first electrode 41 and the second electrode 42. The first example of the shape is two parallel linear electrodes, as shown in Figure 4, etc. In Figure 13, any two mutually orthogonal directions are designated as the first direction DR1 and the second direction DR2. The direction opposite to the second direction DR2 is designated as the third direction DR3. In the second example of the shape, the first electrode 41 includes a linear portion along the first direction DR1 and a comb-tooth portion projecting from the linear portion in the second direction DR2. The second electrode 42 includes a linear portion along the first direction DR1 and a comb-tooth portion projecting from the linear portion in the third direction DR3. The comb-tooth portions of the first electrode 41 and the second electrode 42 are arranged to interlock with each other. That is, each tooth of the comb-tooth portion of the first electrode 41 and each tooth of the comb-tooth portion of the second electrode 42 are arranged alternately along the first direction.

[0082] Figure 14 shows a third example of the shapes of the first electrode 41 and the second electrode 42. The first electrode 41 and the second electrode 42 are each spiral-shaped. The spirals of the first electrode 41 and the second electrode 42 are arranged such that they alternately appear on a straight line connecting the center of the spiral to any point on the outside.

[0083] Figure 15 shows an example of the second circuit block configuration of the real-time clock device 600. Parts similar to those in the first circuit block configuration example in Figure 5 are omitted from the explanation. The real-time clock device 600 further includes a sensor 200. The integrated circuit device 100 further includes a detection circuit 140.

[0084] Sensor 200 detects environmental information and outputs the resulting output signal SQ. A specific example of sensor 200 will be described later. Figure 15 shows an example in which the real-time clock device 600 has one sensor, but the real-time clock device 600 may have multiple sensors.

[0085] The detection circuit 140 performs detection processing on the output signal SQ of the sensor 200 and outputs sensor detection information SSD as a result. The output signal SQ is, for example, an analog signal such as charge, current, or voltage. The sensor detection information SSD is, for example, digital data that can be handled by a subsequent logic circuit. The digital data is not limited to multi-bit data, but may also include a 1-bit binary signal. The detection circuit 140 includes, for example, an A / D conversion circuit that performs A / D conversion on the output signal SQ and outputs sensor detection information SSD. Alternatively, the detection circuit 140 may include an amplifier circuit that amplifies the output signal SQ and an A / D conversion circuit that performs A / D conversion on the output signal of the amplifier circuit and outputs sensor detection information SSD. Alternatively, if the output signal SQ includes a carrier signal and a detection signal, the detection circuit 140 may include a detection circuit that detects the detection signal from the output signal SQ and an A / D conversion circuit that performs A / D conversion on the detected detection signal and outputs sensor detection information SSD. Alternatively, if the sensor detection information SSD is a binary output, the detection circuit 140 may include a comparator that compares the output signal SQ with a reference voltage corresponding to a threshold.

[0086] The processing circuit 130 associates the output environment information based on the sensor detection information SSD with the time information TMD and outputs it as log information LGD. The output environment information may be the sensor detection information SSD itself, or it may be information obtained by performing calculations on the sensor detection information SSD. The calculations may include various operations such as addition, subtraction, multiplication, division, differentiation, integration, or statistical operations. The processing circuit 130 may output log information LGD at all times, or it may output the output environment information and time information TMD as log information LGD when an environmental information event is detected. Alternatively, the processing circuit 130 may output the condensation event information, output environment information, and time information TMD as log information LGD when a condensation event is detected.

[0087] The following describes a detailed configuration and operation example, using the case where sensor 200 is a MEMS acceleration sensor as an example. In this example, environmental information such as impact or acceleration applied to the transported object is detected. That is, in this example, logger 40 is both a condensation logger and an impact logger. Examples where sensor 200 is a different sensor will be described later. Figure 16 shows a detailed configuration example of sensor 200 and detection circuit 140.

[0088] The sensor 200 includes an x-axis accelerometer element 211, a y-axis accelerometer element 212, and a z-axis accelerometer element 213. While this example shows the sensor 200 as a 3-axis accelerometer, the sensor 200 may also be a 1-axis or 2-axis accelerometer. The sensor 200 has a roughly plate-like shape parallel to the xy-plane. In a specific example, the sensor 200 includes a support substrate having a bottom surface parallel to the xy-plane and a lid joined to the support substrate. The x-axis accelerometer element 211, the y-axis accelerometer element 212, and the z-axis accelerometer element 213 are configured on the support substrate and covered by the lid.

[0089] The x-axis acceleration sensor element 211 includes a comb-shaped fixed electrode fixed to a support substrate, a movable part configured to move relative to the support substrate, and a comb-shaped movable electrode fixed to the movable part. Each tooth of the fixed electrode and each tooth of the movable electrode are arranged to face each other in the x-direction. When acceleration in the x-direction is applied to the x-axis acceleration sensor element 211, the movable part moves in the x-direction, changing the distance between the comb teeth, and thus changing the capacitance between the comb teeth. The detection circuit 140 detects the acceleration in the x-direction as sensor detection information SSD by detecting this change in capacitance. The y-axis acceleration sensor element 212 has a similar configuration.

[0090] The z-axis acceleration sensor element 213 includes a comb-shaped fixed electrode fixed to a support substrate, a movable part that can swing on a rotation axis parallel to the xy plane, and a comb-shaped movable electrode fixed to the movable part. Each comb tooth of the fixed electrode and each comb tooth of the movable electrode are arranged to face each other in the x or y direction. When acceleration in the z direction is applied, the movable part swings, changing the overlapping area between the comb teeth, and thus changing the capacitance between the comb teeth. The detection circuit 140 detects the acceleration in the z direction as sensor detection information SSD by detecting this change in capacitance.

[0091] The detection circuit 140 includes an amplification circuit 141 and an A / D conversion circuit 142. Alternatively, the amplification circuit 141 and the A / D conversion circuit 142 may be provided for each of the x-axis acceleration sensor element 211, the y-axis acceleration sensor element 212, and the z-axis acceleration sensor element 213. Alternatively, the detection circuit 140 may include a selector, which time-divisionally selects the output signals of the x-axis acceleration sensor element 211, the y-axis acceleration sensor element 212, and the z-axis acceleration sensor element 213 and outputs them to the amplification circuit 141.

[0092] The detection circuit 140 includes an amplification circuit 141 and an A / D conversion circuit 142. Here, SQ is assumed to be the output signal of the x-axis accelerometer element 211, but the same applies to the output signals of the y-axis accelerometer element 212 and the z-axis accelerometer element 213.

[0093] The amplification circuit 141 converts the output signal SQ of the x-axis acceleration sensor element 211 into a charge-to-voltage (Q / V) conversion and also amplifies it. The A / D conversion circuit 142 converts the output signal of the amplification circuit 141 into a digital signal and outputs the resulting x-axis acceleration data as sensor detection information SSD.

[0094] Figures 17 and 18 show a second structural example of the real-time clock device 600. Figure 17 is a plan view of the real-time clock device 600 as seen in the -z direction, and Figure 18 is a cross-sectional view of the AA cross section in the plan view as seen in the -x direction. In the following, the terminals TM and the internal wiring of the package are omitted from the illustration. Also, in the plan view, the lid 520 of the package 500 is omitted from the illustration. Furthermore, the +z direction may be referred to as up, and the -z direction as down.

[0095] The recess of the base 510 has a bottom surface SFb and a stepped surface SFc provided above the bottom surface SFb. The integrated circuit device 100 is placed on the bottom surface SFb, and the sensor 200 is placed on top of it. The sensor 200 is, for example, a roughly rectangular parallelepiped. The integrated circuit device 100 and the sensor 200 are arranged so that their thickness direction is the z direction. The resonator 300 is, for example, a quartz resonator and is configured on a quartz relay substrate 310. The resonator 300 is housed in the base 510 by joining the edge of the relay substrate 310 to the stepped surface SFc. The integrated circuit device 100, the sensor 200 and the resonator 300 are then sealed inside the package 500 by covering the recess with the lid 520 so that the edge of the lid 520 joins to the edge of the recess of the base 510. Figures 17 and 18 show an example in which the relay substrate 310 is positioned on the -x side of the center of the base 510, and three sides of the relay substrate 310 are joined to the stepped surface SFc. In a plan view, the vibrator 300 may overlap the integrated circuit device 100 and the sensor 200, or it may overlap only the integrated circuit device 100.

[0096] The integrated circuit device 100 and the sensor 200 are connected by internal wiring within the package. The integrated circuit device 100 and the oscillator 300 are connected by internal wiring within the package. The internal wiring within the package is as described in Figure 8.

[0097] Note that the sensor 200 for detecting environmental information is not limited to the MEMS acceleration sensor described above. Environmental information may include, for example, shock, acceleration, angular velocity, temperature, dew point, humidity, odor, gas, force, or pressure. The real-time clock device 600 detects one or more of these. An example of the sensor 200 is as follows.

[0098] (1) Accelerometer: Sensor 200 is, for example, a capacitive accelerometer made of silicon MEMS as described above. Alternatively, sensor 200 may be an accelerometer using a quartz crystal oscillator, or an accelerometer using a piezoelectric element, etc. A logger 40 equipped with an accelerometer can be used, for example, as an impact logger. That is, the logger 40 detects and records the impact applied to the mounted object as environmental information using the accelerometer.

[0099] (2) Temperature sensor: The sensor 200 is, for example, a thermistor, thermocouple, or resistance thermometer. Alternatively, the sensor 200 may be a temperature sensor that measures temperature using the temperature characteristics of the forward voltage of a PN junction. Such a temperature sensor may be built into the integrated circuit device 100. The integrated circuit device 100 may include, for example, a temperature sensor and a temperature compensation circuit that uses the detection signal of the temperature sensor to temperature-compensate the oscillation frequency of the oscillation circuit 110. The temperature sensor used for this temperature compensation may also be used as the sensor 200.

[0100] (3) Odor sensor: Sensor 200 is, for example, a gas sensor, which detects odors by detecting gases in the air.

[0101] (4) Force sensor: Sensor 200 is, for example, a load sensor using a quartz crystal oscillator. Sensor 200 includes a double tuning fork type quartz crystal oscillator and a cantilever, and is configured such that the tension of the double tuning fork type quartz crystal oscillator changes when a force is applied to the cantilever. The change in tension changes the vibration frequency of the double tuning fork type quartz crystal oscillator, and by detecting this change, force can be detected. Alternatively, sensor 200 may be a force sensor or pressure sensor using silicon MEMS.

[0102] (5) Angular velocity sensor: Sensor 200 is a gyro sensor using a quartz crystal oscillator or a MEMS oscillator. For example, a quartz crystal oscillator has a drive arm and a detection arm, and a drive circuit drives the drive arm to vibrate it. When a Coriolis force is generated by the angular velocity, the vibration state of the detection arm changes, and the angular velocity can be detected by detecting this change. This quartz crystal oscillator may also be used as an oscillator 300 for generating a clock signal CK. In that case, the drive circuit that drives the drive arm corresponds to the oscillation circuit 110.

[0103] By using the sensor 200 described above to detect environmental information and recording it together with time information TMD from the timing circuit 120, an environmental logger for the logistics process can be constructed. The recording of time information TMD makes it possible to retrospectively determine, for example, the time at which a particular event occurred. By comparing this log information with information on the timing of each stage of logistics, it becomes possible to infer at which stage of logistics a particular event occurred.

[0104] As explained in Figure 10, the first electrode 41 may be the event input terminal TMEVI of the real-time clock device 600. The second electrode 42 may be the reference voltage terminal of the real-time clock device 600. In the example in Figure 10, the reference voltage terminal is the ground terminal TMGND.

[0105] According to this embodiment, the real-time clock device 600 itself can be used as the logger 40 to detect wetting events by liquid. The real-time clock device 600 is a very small device sealed in a ceramic package or the like. According to this embodiment, by using such a real-time clock device 600, a very small logger 40 can be realized.

[0106] Furthermore, as explained in Figures 10 and 8, the logger 40 may include a battery 50 housed in the package 500 of the real-time clock device 600.

[0107] According to this embodiment, the real-time clock device 600 can be operated by the built-in battery 50, so the real-time clock device 600 itself can be used as the logger 40.

[0108] As explained in Figures 11 and 12, the logger 40 may also include a circuit board 46, a first wire 47, and a second wire 48. The circuit board 46 may be provided with a first electrode 41 and a second electrode 42. The first wire 47 may connect the first electrode 41 to the event input terminal of the real-time clock device 600. The second wire 48 may connect the second electrode to the reference voltage terminal of the real-time clock device 600. The reference voltage terminal is, for example, the ground terminal.

[0109] According to this embodiment, the real-time clock device 600 and the first electrode 41 and second electrode 42, which come into contact with the object to be measured 5 that may get wet, can be installed separately. This allows the real-time clock device 600 to be kept away from liquid and protected.

[0110] Furthermore, as explained in Figure 9, the logger 40 may include the measurement target 5.

[0111] According to this embodiment, since the logger 40 already includes the measurement target 5, the logger 40 can be used without attaching the logger 40 to the measurement target 5.

[0112] As explained in Figures 15 to 18, the logger 40 may also include an acceleration sensor. The processing circuit 130 may record impact log information based on acceleration data from the acceleration sensor in the storage circuit 150.

[0113] According to this embodiment, in addition to wetting events caused by liquid, impact information can be recorded as log information LGD in association with time information TMD. By referring to the log information LGD, it becomes possible to know when an impact occurred on the object on which the logger 40 is mounted, or when and what kind of impact occurred on the object.

[0114] In this embodiment, the logger 40 may also include a temperature sensor. The processing circuit 130 may record temperature log information based on temperature detection data from the temperature sensor in the storage circuit 150.

[0115] According to this embodiment, in addition to wetting events by liquid, temperature information can be recorded as log information LGD in association with time information TMD. By referring to the log information LGD, it becomes possible to know the ambient temperature at each time point, or when changes in ambient temperature occurred.

[0116] Although this embodiment has been described in detail above, it will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art that many modifications are possible without substantially departing from the novelty and effects of this disclosure. Therefore, all such modifications are included within the scope of this disclosure. For example, any term that appears at least once in the specification or drawings together with a broader or synonymous term may be replaced with that different term anywhere in the specification or drawings. Furthermore, all combinations of this embodiment and its modifications are also included within the scope of this disclosure. In addition, the configuration and operation of the timing circuit, event detection circuit, memory circuit, processing circuit, oscillator circuit, interface circuit, detection circuit, integrated circuit device, oscillator, sensor, package, real-time clock device, first electrode, second electrode, substrate, logger, and measurement target are not limited to those described in this embodiment, and various modifications are possible. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0117] 5…Measurement target, 10…Electronic device, 40…Logger, 41…First electrode, 42…Second electrode, 45,46…Circuit board, 47…First wire, 48…Second wire, 50…Battery, 100…Integrated circuit device, 110…Oscillator circuit, 120…Timekeeping circuit, 130…Processing circuit, 140…Detection circuit, 150…Memory circuit, 160…Interface circuit, 170…Event detection circuit, 176…Event trigger circuit, 200…Sensor, 300…Oscillator, 500…Package, 600…Real-time clock device, EVI, EVTRG…Event trigger signal, GND…Ground voltage, LGD…Log information, RD…Pull-down resistor, RU1,RU2,RU3…Pull-up resistor, SEV…Event detection signal, TMD…Time information, TMEVI…Event input terminal, TMGND…Ground terminal, VRF…Reference voltage

Claims

1. A timing circuit that generates time information, First electrode and A second electrode to which a reference voltage is supplied, An event detection circuit that detects an event based on the voltage change of the input signal input from the first electrode, Memory circuits and, A processing circuit that determines that the resistance value of the object to be measured has changed due to wetting of the object between the first electrode and the second electrode with a liquid, when the event is detected by the event detection circuit, and records the time information of when the event was detected as log information in the storage circuit, A logger characterized by including [this feature].

2. In the logger described in claim 1, A logger characterized in that the first electrode and the second electrode are used in contact with the object to be measured, or are provided on the object to be measured.

3. In the logger described in claim 1, The event detection circuit is characterized by including a pull-up resistor for pulling up the first electrode, or a pull-down resistor for pulling down the first electrode.

4. In the logger described in claim 1, A logger characterized by including a real-time clock device having a package that houses the timing circuit, the event detection circuit, the storage circuit, and the processing circuit.

5. In the logger described in claim 4, The event detection circuit includes an event trigger circuit that receives the input signal and other event inputs and outputs an event trigger signal. The processing circuit is a logger characterized by recording timestamp information based on the event trigger signal as log information.

6. In the logger described in claim 4, The substrate includes the first electrode and the second electrode provided on it, The first electrode is connected to the event input terminal of the real-time clock device. A logger characterized in that the second electrode is connected to the reference voltage terminal of the real-time clock device.

7. In the logger described in claim 6, The real-time clock device is provided on the first surface of the substrate, A data logger characterized in that the first electrode and the second electrode are provided on the second surface of the substrate.

8. In the logger described in claim 4, The first electrode is an event input terminal of the real-time clock device, A logger characterized in that the second electrode is the terminal for the reference voltage of the real-time clock device.

9. In the logger described in claim 8, A logger characterized by including a battery housed in the package of the real-time clock device.

10. In the logger described in claim 4, A substrate on which the first electrode and the second electrode are provided, A first wire connecting the first electrode and the event input terminal of the real-time clock device, A second wire connecting the second electrode and the reference voltage terminal of the real-time clock device, A logger characterized by including [this feature].

11. In a logger according to any one of claims 1 to 7, A logger characterized by including the aforementioned measurement target.

12. In a logger according to any one of claims 1 to 10, The logger is characterized in that the object to be measured is paper.

13. In a logger according to any one of claims 1 to 10, The logger is characterized in that the object to be measured is packaging material.

14. In a logger according to any one of claims 1 to 10, The logger is characterized in that the object to be measured is the surface of the transported object.

15. In a logger according to any one of claims 1 to 10, Includes acceleration sensor, The logger is characterized in that the processing circuit records impact log information based on acceleration data from the acceleration sensor in the storage circuit.

16. In a logger according to any one of claims 1 to 10, Includes a temperature sensor, The logger is characterized in that the processing circuit records temperature log information based on temperature detection data from the temperature sensor in the storage circuit.

17. A method for attaching a logger to a measurement target, A timing circuit that generates time information, First electrode and A second electrode to which a reference voltage is supplied, An event detection circuit that detects an event based on an input signal received from the first electrode, Memory circuits and, When the event detection circuit detects the event, a processing circuit records the time information in the storage circuit. Includes, A mounting method characterized by attaching the logger to the object to be measured such that the first electrode and the second electrode of the logger are in contact with the object to be measured.

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