Terminal Switching Circuit for Wearable Moisture Detection
Solution Overview
Problem
Wearable electronic devices face challenges in detecting moisture introduction without disassembly, which can lead to damage to printed board assemblies during charging, especially when moisture is present.
Innovation Solution
An electronic device with a detection circuit that outputs a signal indicating a flooding state, allowing the processor to switch the electrical characteristics between terminals and provide a notification to the user without disassembly, including a housing with exposed terminals and a switching circuit that changes states based on the detection signal.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Weight of moving object
If the electronic device is made compact and lightweight for wearable use, then portability is enhanced, but the device becomes more susceptible to submergence and moisture damage
Solution Approach 1:
The detection circuit proactively monitors moisture conditions before damage occurs. When moisture is detected at the terminals, the system switches electrical characteristics in advance to prevent charging damage, resolving the contradiction by enabling lightweight design while maintaining reliability through preventive detection and response mechanisms
2Loss of information
If the electronic device includes a display for user notification, then user awareness of moisture detection is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The display serves multiple functions: it displays charging status, battery level, and moisture detection warnings. By making the display multi-functional, the invention provides comprehensive user notification without proportionally increasing device complexity, as the same hardware component handles multiple information delivery tasks
3Reliability
If the electronic device blocks charging when moisture is detected on micro USB pins, then charging safety is improved, but the device cannot detect moisture introduction into the internal structure
Solution Approach 1:
The moisture detection function is segmented into two independent systems: (1) detection of moisture on external terminals (micro USB pins) that blocks charging, and (2) detection of moisture introduction into internal structure through changes in electrical characteristics between terminals. This segmentation allows the device to address both charging safety and internal moisture detection without requiring a single complex system
Solution Approach 2:
The switching circuit acts as an intermediary that changes electrical characteristics between terminals based on moisture detection signals. This intermediary mechanism enables indirect detection of internal moisture introduction by monitoring how moisture affects electrical properties, resolving the difficulty of direct internal moisture measurement while maintaining charging safety
4Measurement precision
If the detection circuit monitors electrical characteristics between terminals to detect moisture, then detection accuracy is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The detection circuit utilizes the device's own existing terminals and electrical pathways to detect moisture. By monitoring changes in electrical characteristics between terminals that are already part of the device structure, the system achieves accurate moisture detection without adding separate dedicated sensing elements, thereby minimizing the increase in device complexity while maintaining high detection precision
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Enables the detection of moisture introduction and prevention of damage to internal components by providing a notification to the user, ensuring the electronic device's integrity even when submerged or exposed to moisture.
Implementation Method 1
detecting moisture introduction... change electrical characteristics between terminals based on detection of submergence
Implementation Method 2
output, to the switching circuit, a control signal for switching the state of the switching circuit from the first state to a second state... the electrical characteristic between the plurality of terminals is a first characteristic while the state of the switching circuit is the first state, and the electrical characteristic between the plurality of terminals is a second characteristic while the state of the switching circuit is the second state
Data Source
AI summary
According to various embodiments, an electronic device including a housing and a detection circuit configured to output a signal indicating a submerged state on the basis of a condition associated with submergence being satisfied is provided. The electronic device also includes a plurality of terminals, a switching circuit electrically connected to the plurality of terminals, and a processor. The processor is configured to: receive the signal output from the detection circuit while the switching circuit is in a first state and output a control signal, for switching the state of the switching circuit from the first state to a second state, to the switching circuit on the basis of the received signal. The switching circuit can be configured to switch from the first state to the second state on the basis of the reception of the control signal.