Electronic device for detecting moisture

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12399537-B2
Application number	US-202217884990-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 10, 2022
Priority date	Nov 22, 2021
Publication date	Aug 26, 2025
Grant date	Aug 26, 2025

Abstract

An electronic device is provided. The electronic device includes a housing including a first surface, a second surface and a conductive frame disposed between the first surface and the second surface and including a through-hole, a first electrode is movable within the through-hole, a part of the first electrode protruding to outside of the conductive frame, a second electrode disposed on the second surface, and at least one processor. The at least one processor is configured to identify whether the first electrode is electrically disconnected to the conductive frame, obtain an information about the user' body through the first electrode and the second electrode, and refrain from obtaining the information based on identifying the first electrode is electrically connected to the conductive frame.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An electronic device comprising:
a housing including:
a front surface,
a rear surface, and
a side surface including a conductive frame, the side surface positioned between the front surface and the rear surface;

a first electrode spaced apart from the conductive frame and protruding to outside of the side surface;
a second electrode disposed on the rear surface, and in contact with a part of a body of a user when the electronic device is worn on the user;
impedance measurement circuitry;
memory, in the housing, comprising one or more storage media storing instructions; and
at least one processor in the housing, the at least one processor comprising processing circuitry,
wherein the instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor individually or collectively, cause the electronic device to:
obtain, through the first electrode, an electric signal,
identify, using the impedance measurement circuitry, whether the first electrode is electrically disconnected from the conductive frame based on the electric signal,
in response to identifying that the first electrode is electrically disconnected from the conductive frame, obtain biometric data about the body through the first electrode and the second electrode, and
in response to identifying that the first electrode is electrically connected to the conductive frame, refrain from obtaining the biometric data about the body.

2. The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor individually or collectively, further cause the electronic device to:
identify an impedance value using the impedance measurement circuitry,
identify that the first electrode is electrically connected to the conductive frame, based on identifying that the impedance value between the first electrode and the conductive frame is less than a reference value, and
identify that the first electrode is electrically disconnected from the conductive frame, based on identifying that the impedance value exceeds the reference value.

3. The electronic device of claim 1 , further comprising:
at least one switch within the housing,
wherein the impedance measurement circuitry is disposed in the housing; and
wherein the instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor individually or collectively, further cause the electronic device to:
identify whether the first electrode is electrically disconnected from the conductive frame based on an impedance value between the first electrode and the conductive frame, by electrically connecting the impedance measurement circuitry with the first electrode and the conductive frame via the at least one switch, and
based on identifying the first electrode is electrically disconnected from the conductive frame, disconnect the conductive frame from the impedance measurement circuitry via the at least one switch, and connect the impedance measurement circuitry with the first electrode and the second electrode via the at least one switch.

4. The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor individually or collectively, further cause the electronic device to obtain the biometric data through the first electrode in contact with another part of the body and the second electrode in contact with the part of the body, based on identifying that the first electrode is electrically connected to the conductive frame.

5. The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor individually or collectively, further cause the electronic device to:
identify an input requesting for obtaining the biometric data, and
in response to identifying the input:
in case of identifying that the first electrode is electrically connected to the conductive frame, refrain from obtaining the biometric data, and
in case of identifying that the first electrode is electrically disconnected from the conductive frame, obtain the biometric data.

6. The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor individually or collectively, further cause the electronic device to:
provide a notification indicating that the electronic device has submerged, based on identifying that the first electrode is electrically connected to the conductive frame.

7. The electronic device of claim 1 , further comprising:
an actuator disposed within the housing,
wherein the instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor individually or collectively, further cause the electronic device to:
vibrate the electronic device through the actuator based on identifying that the first electrode is electrically connected to the conductive frame.

8. The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the first electrode is protruded from an inside of the housing through a through-hole within the conductive frame.

9. The electronic device of claim 1 , further comprising a first non-conductive member and a second non-conductive member spaced apart from each other and coupled to the conductive frame to be in contact with an inner surface of a through-hole and the first electrode.

10. The electronic device of claim 1 , further comprising:
a third electrode, the third electrode electrically spaced apart from both the conductive frame and the first electrode; and
a fourth electrode disposed on the rear surface to be contacted with another portion of the body when the electronic device is worn by the user, the fourth electrode electrically spaced apart from the conductive frame,
wherein the instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor individually or collectively, cause the electronic device to:
in response to identifying a designated event, identify whether the first electrode or the third electrode is electrically disconnected from the conductive frame,
in response to identifying that the first electrode is electrically disconnected from the conductive frame and identifying that the third electrode is electrically disconnected from the conductive frame, obtain biometric data about the user through the first electrode, the second electrode, the third electrode, and the fourth electrode, and
in response to identifying that the first electrode is electrically connected to the conductive frame or the third electrode is electrically connected to the conductive frame, refrain from obtaining the biometric data about the user.

11. The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the conductive frame is configured to function as an antenna radiator.

12. The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor individually or collectively, cause the electronic device to:
identify an impedance value using another electric signal obtained through the second electrode and the first electrode,
identify whether the body is in contact with both the second electrode and the first electrode based on the impedance value, and
obtain biometric data about the user, using the another electric signal, based on identifying that the body is in contact with both the second electrode and the first electrode.

13. The electronic device of claim 5 , wherein the instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor individually or collectively, further cause the electronic device to:
in response to identifying the input:
obtain, through the first electrode, the electric signal.

14. The electronic device of claim 5 , wherein the instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor individua

Assignees

• Samsung Electronics Co Ltd

Inventors

• Jeong Daeung
• Lee Suho
• Cho Shinhee

Classifications

• G06F1/163

  Wearable computers, e.g. on a belt · CPC title

• G06F3/04164 Primary

  Connections between sensors and controllers, e.g. routing lines between electrodes and connection pads · CPC title

• G06F3/016

  Input arrangements with force or tactile feedback as computer generated output to the user · CPC title

• G08B21/18

  Status alarms (G08B21/02 takes precedence) · CPC title

• G01N27/07

  Construction of measuring vessels; Electrodes therefor · CPC title