Measuring humidity or moisture

Abstract

An apparatus for measuring humidity or moisture, such as in concrete, is described comprising a sensor module comprising a humidity or moisture sensor in electrical communication with a first set of terminals and a hand-held reader module comprising a controller in electrical communication with a second set of terminals that are mateable with the first set of terminals such that the hand-held reader module is electrically connectable to and electrically disconnectable from the sensor module. The hand-held reader module is configured to read data from the sensor in response to making electrical connection with the sensor module. One set of terminals can comprise plural connector pins and the other set of terminals can comprise plural landing pads, such that the plural connector pins and the plural landing pads make a same electrical connection regardless of the rotational orientation of the hand-held reader module relative to the sensor module.

1 . A method of measuring humidity or moisture in a material, comprising:
 receiving an electrical signal indicating that a reader module has been electrically coupled to a sensor module, the sensor module being configured to measure humidity or moisture in a material;   in response to the electrical signal, automatically sending a read signal from the reader module to the sensor module; and   in response to the read signal, receiving a humidity or moisture reading from the sensor module.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 displaying a humidity or moisture value corresponding to the humidity or moisture reading; and   maintaining the display of the humidity or moisture value for a predetermined period of time after the reader module is electrically decoupled from the sensor module or until the reader module is recoupled to the sensor module.   
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the electrical coupling of the reader module and the sensor module is independent of the rotational orientation of the reader module relative to the sensor module. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein receiving a humidity or moisture reading from the sensor module comprises receiving humidity data and temperature data from the sensor module, the method further comprising:
 determining a relative humidity value from the humidity data and the temperature data; and   displaying the relative humidity value or wirelessly sending the relative humidity value to an external storage device.   
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 in response to the electrical signal, automatically switching the reader module from a low-power mode to an active mode.   
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 in response to receiving the humidity or moisture reading from the sensor module, transmitting information based on the humidity or moisture reading to an external storage device.   
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 in response to the electrical signal, supplying power from the reader module to the sensor module to activate the sensor module.   
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein automatically sending a read signal from the reader module to the sensor module comprises receiving an interrupt signal that causes the reader module to send the read signal to the sensor module. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the received electrical signal originates in the sensor module, passes through one of a plurality of concentric landing pads of the sensor module, passes through at least one of a plurality of connector pins of the reader module, and is received by a controller of the reader module. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the plurality of concentric landing pads comprise a plurality of concentric conductive rings that are spaced radially apart by insulating material. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the electrical signal passes from one of the plurality of concentric landing pads of the sensor module to two of the plurality of pins of the reader module, and the two pins are redundant. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 automatically switching the reader module from an active mode to a lower-power mode a predetermined period of time after the reader module is electrically decoupled from the sensor module.   
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 receiving a key change; and   in response to receiving the key change, disabling interrupts of a controller of the reader module, clearing memory of the controller, and causing a display of the reader module to display an indication that humidity or moisture measurement is about to begin or is occurring.   
     
     
         14 . An apparatus for measuring humidity or moisture in a material, comprising:
 a sensor module comprising a humidity or moisture sensor electrically connected a first electrical connector; and   a reader module comprising a second electrical connector that is mateable with the first electrical connector to establish an electrical connection between the sensor module and the reader module, the reader module being electrically connectable to and electrically disconnectable from the sensor module, the second electrical connector being electrically connectable to the first electrical connector regardless of a rotational orientation of the reader module relative to the sensor module.   
     
     
         15 . The apparatus of  claim 14 , wherein the reader module further comprises a controller electrically coupled to the first electrical connector, the controller being configured to read humidity or moisture data from the sensor in response to the first electrical connector making electrical connection with the second electrical connector. 
     
     
         16 . The apparatus of  claim 14 , wherein the controller, in response to making electrical connection with the sensor module, is configured to receive humidity or moisture data from the sensor and display a corresponding humidity or moisture reading on a display for a predetermined period of time after the reader module is electrically disconnected from the sensor module. 
     
     
         17 . The apparatus of  claim 14 , further including a sleeve into which the sensor module is mountable, wherein the reader module further comprises an elongated, cylindrical outer casing with the first electrical connector at a first end thereof and a display at an opposite second end thereof, the sleeve being configured to receive the first end of the reader module and guide the first electrical connector into alignment with the second electrical connector. 
     
     
         18 . The apparatus of  claim 14 , wherein the first electrical connector comprises plural connector pins and the second electrical connector comprises plural landing pads, and wherein the plural landing pads include a central pad and plural concentric rings, and the plural connector pins include a center pin and plural redundant pin pairs, such that each redundant pin pair makes electrical contact with a different one of the plural concentric rings or the central pad. 
     
     
         19 . The apparatus of  claim 18 , wherein each redundant pin pair comprises two pins that electrically connected together. 
     
     
         20 . The apparatus of  claim 18 , wherein the center pin and an inner redundant pin pair are configured to make electrical contact with the central pad, thereby electrically connecting the central pin with the inner redundant pin pair and causing an interrupt signal to a controller, the interrupt signal causing the controller to read humidity or moisture data from the sensor.