Water detection assembly

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10119884-B1
Application number	US-201715636270-A
Country	US
Kind code	B1
Filing date	Jun 28, 2017
Priority date	Jun 28, 2016
Publication date	Nov 6, 2018
Grant date	Nov 6, 2018

Abstract

The present disclosure relates to a water detection device that includes a water-activated battery configured to switch from a dormant condition to an active condition upon contact with water, such that the water-activated battery supplies an electrical voltage upon contact with the water, an electronic circuit configured to receive the electrical voltage from the water-activated battery, where the electronic circuit is configured to communicate with an external, electronic device via one or more wireless communication techniques when the electronic circuit is powered by the electrical voltage, and where communication between the electronic circuit and the external, electronic device is an uninterrupted communication when the electronic circuit is receiving the electrical voltage from the water-activated battery, and a housing configured to receive the water-activated battery and the electronic circuit, where the housing has passageways configured to facilitate movement of the water into the housing and toward the battery.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A water detection device, comprising:
a water-activated battery configured to switch from a dormant condition to an active condition upon contact with water, such that the water-activated battery supplies an electrical voltage upon contact with the water;
an electronic circuit configured to receive the electrical voltage from the water-activated battery, wherein the electronic circuit is configured to communicate with an external, electronic device via one or more wireless communication techniques when the electronic circuit is powered by the electrical voltage, and wherein communication between the electronic circuit and the external, electronic device is an uninterrupted communication when the electronic circuit is receiving the electrical voltage from the water-activated battery;
an additional battery configured to periodically supply an additional electrical voltage to the electronic circuit, such that communication between the electronic circuit and the external electronic device is intermittent when the water-activated battery is in the dormant condition; and
a housing configured to receive the water-activated battery and the electronic circuit, wherein the housing comprises passageways configured to facilitate movement of the water into the housing and toward the battery.

2. The water detection device of claim 1 , comprising a hub, wherein the electronic circuit is configured to communicate with the external, electronic device via the hub.

3. The water detection device of claim 2 , wherein the hub comprises a display configured to indicate a status of the hub.

4. The water detection device of claim 2 , wherein the hub comprises a visual indicator configured to indicate that the water-activated battery is in the active condition and that a detection event occurred.

5. The water detection device of claim 4 , wherein the hub is configured to send an alert to the external, electronic device when the detection event occurs.

6. The water detection device of claim 2 , comprising a local monitoring entity coupled to the hub via a network, wherein the local monitoring entity is configured to store detection event reports sent from the electronic circuit to the hub.

7. The water detection device of claim 6 , wherein the local monitoring entity comprises a firewall, a server, a database, or a combination thereof.

8. The water detection device of claim 6 , wherein the local monitoring entity is an interrogator configured to supply an interrogation electrical voltage to the electronic circuit, such that the electronic circuit communicates with the local monitoring entity upon supply of the interrogation electrical voltage.

9. The water detection device of claim 8 , wherein the local monitoring entity supplies the interrogation electrical voltage to the electronic circuit to determine a status of the water detection device.

10. A water detection device, comprising:
a water-activated battery to switch from a dormant condition to an active condition upon contact with water, such that the water-activated battery supplies an electrical voltage upon contact with the water;
an electronic circuit configured to receive the electrical voltage from the water-activated battery, wherein the electronic circuit is configured to communicate with an external, electronic device via one or more wireless communication techniques when the electronic circuit is powered by the electrical voltage, and wherein communication between the electronic circuit and the external, electronic device is an uninterrupted communication when the electronic circuit is receiving the electrical voltage from the water-activated battery;
an additional battery configured to periodically supply an additional electrical voltage to the electronic circuit, such that communication between the electronic circuit and the external electronic device is intermittent when the water-activated battery is in the dormant condition; and
a housing configured to receive the water-activated battery, the electronic circuit, and the additional battery, wherein the housing comprises passageways configured to facilitate movement of the water into the housing and toward the battery.

11. The water detection device of claim 10 , wherein the electronic circuit is configured to transmit a signal to an IP address, a URL, an email address, a telephone number, a monitoring station, or any combination thereof.

12. The water detection device of claim 10 , wherein the electronic circuit is configured to communicate with the external, electronic device via Bluetooth.

13. The water detection device of claim 10 , wherein the electronic circuit is configured to communicate with the external, electronic device via radio-frequency identification technology.

14. A method, comprising:
sending intermittent communications between an electronic circuit of a detection device and an external, electronic device when a water-activated battery electrically coupled to the electronic circuit is in a dormant condition;
activating the water-activated battery to switch from the dormant condition to an active condition upon exposure of the water-activated battery to water;
supplying an electrical voltage from the water-activated battery to the electronic circuit when the water-activated battery is in the active condition; and
sending uninterrupted communications between the electronic circuit and the external, electronic device when the water-activated battery is in the active condition.

15. The method of claim 14 , wherein sending the intermittent communications between the electronic circuit and the external, electronic device when the water-activated battery is in the dormant condition comprises intermittently supplying additional electrical voltage to the electronic circuit from an additional power source of the detection device.

16. The method of claim 14 , wherein sending the intermittent communications between the electronic circuit and the external, electronic device when the water-activated battery is in the dormant condition comprises intermittently supplying additional electrical voltage to the electronic circuit from an additional power source external to the detection device.

17. The method of claim 16 , wherein the additional power source external to the detection device comprises an interrogator.

18. A water detection device, comprising:
a water-activated battery configured to switch from a dormant condition to an active condition upon contact with water, such that the water-activated battery supplies an electrical voltage upon contact with the water;
an electronic circuit configured to receive the electrical voltage from the water-activated battery, wherein the electronic circuit is configured to communicate with an external, electronic device via one or more wireless communication techniques when the electronic circuit is powered by the electrical voltage, and wherein communication between the electronic circuit and the external, electronic device is an uninterrupted communication when the electronic circuit is receiving the electrical voltage from the water-activated battery;
an additional battery configured to continuously supply an additional electrical voltage to the electronic circuit, such that communication between the electronic circuit and the external electronic device is uninterrupted when the water-activated battery is in the dormant condition; and
a housing configured to receive the water-activated battery and the electronic circuit, wherein the housing comprises passageways configured to facilitate m

Assignees

• United Services Automoblie Ass Usaa
• Usaa

Inventors

• Billman Bradly Jay
• Scott Kade
• Flachsbart Matthew T
• Matheson Cory
• Ethington Benjamin D

Classifications

• G06K19/06037

  multi-dimensional coding · CPC title

• H04W4/80

  Services using short range communication, e.g. near-field communication [NFC], radio-frequency identification [RFID] or low energy communication · CPC title

• G06K19/0723

  the record carrier comprising an arrangement for non-contact communication, e.g. wireless communication circuits on transponder cards, non-contact smart cards or RFIDs · CPC title

• H01M6/32

  activated through external addition of electrolyte or of electrolyte components · CPC title

• G08B21/20

  responsive to moisture · CPC title