PATENT DOCUMENT

Publication Number: US-11422104-B2
Application Number: US-202016854688-A
Country: US
Kind Code: B2

Title: Exposed wire-bonding for sensing liquid and water in electronic devices

Abstract:
An electronic device can include a housing defining an internal volume and a pressure sensor assembly disposed in the internal volume and in communication with an ambient environment. The pressure sensor assembly can include a structure at least partially enclosing a sensor volume, a pressure sensor affixed to a die disposed in the sensor volume, and an exposed moisture detection conductor positioned in the sensor volume.

Claims:
What is claimed is: 
     
       1. An electronic device, comprising:
 a housing defining an internal volume; 
 a pressure sensor assembly disposed in the internal volume and in communication with an ambient environment, the pressure sensor assembly comprising:
 a structure at least partially enclosing a sensor volume; 
 a pressure sensor affixed to a die disposed in the sensor volume; and 
 an exposed moisture detection conductor positioned inside the sensor volume and exposed to the ambient environment. 
 
 
     
     
       2. The electronic device of  claim 1 , further comprising a processor connected to the exposed moisture detection conductor, the processor detecting a change in at least one of a resistance, a capacitance, or an inductance of a circuit including the exposed moisture detection conductor. 
     
     
       3. The electronic device of  claim 1 , further comprising an array of exposed moisture detection conductors positioned in the sensor volume. 
     
     
       4. The electronic device of  claim 1 , wherein the exposed moisture detection conductor comprises a wire loop. 
     
     
       5. The electronic device of  claim 1 , wherein the exposed moisture detection conductor is bonded to a pad of the die. 
     
     
       6. A pressure sensor assembly, comprising:
 a structure at least partially enclosing a sensor volume; 
 a pressure sensor affixed to a die disposed in the sensor volume; and 
 an exposed moisture detection conductor positioned inside the sensor volume and exposed to an environment outside the sensor volume. 
 
     
     
       7. The pressure sensor assembly of  claim 6 , wherein the pressure sensor assembly detects the presence of a liquid in the sensor volume by detecting a change in a resistance of a circuit including the exposed moisture detection conductor. 
     
     
       8. The pressure sensor assembly of  claim 6 , wherein pressure sensor assembly detects the presence of the liquid by detecting a change in at least one of a capacitance or an inductance of a circuit including the exposed moisture detection conductor. 
     
     
       9. The pressure sensor assembly of  claim 6 , further comprising an array of exposed moisture detection conductors positioned in the sensor volume. 
     
     
       10. The pressure sensor assembly of  claim 6 , wherein the exposed moisture detection conductor comprises a wire loop. 
     
     
       11. The pressure sensor assembly of  claim 6 , further comprising a gel at least partially occupying the sensor volume. 
     
     
       12. The pressure sensor assembly of  claim 11 , wherein the exposed moisture detection conductor is at least partially disposed in the gel and protrudes from the gel by at least 100 microns. 
     
     
       13. The pressure sensor assembly of  claim 6 , wherein:
 the structure comprises a wall of conductive material at least partially surrounding the sensor volume; and 
 the exposed electrical conductor and the wall are electrically connected. 
 
     
     
       14. The pressure sensor assembly of  claim 6 , wherein the structure comprises:
 a ceramic material at least partially surrounding the sensor volume; and 
 a conductive contact electrically connected to the exposed electrical conductor. 
 
     
     
       15. The pressure sensor assembly of  claim 6 , wherein the exposed electrical conductor comprises a metallic wire coated with a corrosion resistant material.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION(S) 
     This claims priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 62/897,125, filed 6 Sep. 2019, and entitled “EXPOSED WIRE-BONDING FOR SENSING LIQUID AND WATER IN ELECTRONIC DEVICES,” the entire disclosure of which is hereby incorporated by reference. 
    
    
     FIELD 
     The present disclosure relates generally to electronic devices. More particularly, the present disclosure relates to electronic devices including environmental sensors. 
     BACKGROUND 
     Electronic devices can include a variety of features and components to enhance the user experience. For example, an electronic device can include one or more sensing components designed to monitor the user or the ambient environment around the device. In particular, a wearable electronic device can include sensors used to provide a user with environmental information, such as geographic location and altitude. 
     For a number of applications, it is desirable to provide the user with information from these sensors that is as accurate as possible. During operation, a number of these sensors require direct communication with the ambient environment. This direct communication, however, can lead to conditions under which the sensors often provide less than desirable accuracy. Accordingly, there is a need for components and methods that allow for the detection of the environmental conditions of one or more sensors of an electronic device. 
     SUMMARY 
     According to some aspects of the present disclosure, an electronic device can include a housing defining an internal volume, a pressure sensor assembly disposed in the internal volume and in communication with an ambient environment, the pressure sensor assembly including a structure at least partially enclosing a sensor volume, a pressure sensor affixed to a die disposed in the sensor volume, and an exposed moisture detection conductor positioned in the sensor volume. 
     In some examples, detecting the presence of liquid in the sensor volume can include detecting a change in at least one of a resistance, a capacitance, or an inductance of a circuit including the exposed moisture detection conductor. The electronic device can further include an array of exposed moisture detection conductors positioned in the sensor volume to detect the presence of the liquid. The exposed moisture detection conductor can include a wire loop, or single ended vertical wire, or pin. The exposed moisture detection conductor can be bonded to a pad of the die, or pads on a base substrate. 
     According to some aspects, a pressure sensor assembly can include a structure at least partially enclosing a sensor volume, a pressure sensor affixed to a die disposed in the sensor volume, and an exposed moisture detection conductor positioned in the sensor volume to detect a presence of a liquid in the sensor volume. 
     In some examples, the pressure sensor assembly can detect the presence of the liquid by detecting a change in a resistance of a circuit including the exposed moisture detection conductor. The pressure sensor assembly can detect the presence of the liquid by detecting a change in at least one of a capacitance or an inductance of a circuit including the exposed moisture detection conductor. The pressure sensor assembly can further include an array of exposed moisture detection conductors positioned in the sensor volume to detect the presence of the liquid. The exposed moisture detection conductor can include a wire loop. The pressure sensor assembly can further include a gel at least partially occupying the sensor volume. The exposed moisture detection conductor can be positioned at least partially disposed in the gel, and can protrude from the gel by at least 100 microns. The structure can include a wall of conductive material at least partially surrounding the sensor volume, and the exposed moisture detection conductor and the wall can be electrically connected. The structure can include a ceramic material at least partially surrounding the sensor volume, and a conductive contact electrically connected to the exposed moisture detection conductor. The exposed moisture detection conductor can include a wire coated with a corrosion resistant material. 
     According to some aspects, a method of sensing a liquid at a pressure sensor assembly can include monitoring an environment directly overlying a pressure sensor for a presence of a liquid, detecting the presence of the liquid in the environment, and initiating a remedial action in response to detecting the presence of the liquid in the environment. In some examples, the remedial action can include at least one of turning on a heating element, modifying a signal produced by the pressure sensor assembly, or disregarding a signal produced by the pressure sensor assembly. Detecting the presence of the liquid in the environment can include detecting a change in an electrical property of a circuit including a structure at least partially enclosing a volume around the pressure sensor and an exposed moisture detection conductor positioned in the environment. The moisture detection property can be at least one of a resistance, an inductance, or a capacitance of the circuit. The method can further include bonding a moisture detection conductor to a die of the pressure sensor prior to the monitoring. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The disclosure will be readily understood by the following detailed description in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein like reference numerals designate like structural elements, and in which: 
         FIG. 1  shows a perspective view of an electronic device. 
         FIG. 2  shows an exploded perspective view of the electronic device of  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 3  shows a side cross-sectional view of the electronic device of  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 4  shows a top view of a component of an electronic device. 
         FIG. 5  shows a perspective view of a component of an electronic device. 
         FIG. 6  shows a cross-sectional view of a component of an electronic device. 
         FIG. 7  shows a top view of the component of  FIG. 6 . 
         FIG. 8A  shows a schematic diagram of components of an electronic device. 
         FIG. 8B  shows a schematic diagram of components of an electronic device and a liquid. 
         FIG. 9  shows a top view of a component of an electronic device. 
         FIG. 10  shows a cross-sectional side view of a component of an electronic device and a liquid. 
         FIG. 11  shows a cross-sectional side view of a component of an electronic device. 
         FIG. 12  shows a top view of a component of the electronic device of  FIG. 11 . 
         FIG. 13  shows a cross-sectional side view of a component of an electronic device. 
         FIG. 14  shows a top view of a component of the electronic device of  FIG. 13 . 
         FIG. 15  shows a cross-sectional side view of a component of an electronic device. 
         FIG. 16  shows a top view of a component of the electronic device of  FIG. 15 . 
         FIG. 17  shows a cross-sectional view of a component of an electronic device. 
         FIG. 18  shows a cross-sectional view of a component of an electronic device. 
         FIG. 19  shows a cross-sectional side view of a component of an electronic device. 
         FIG. 20  shows a cross-sectional side view of a component of an electronic device. 
         FIG. 21  shows a top view of the electronic component of  FIG. 20 . 
         FIG. 22  shows a cross-sectional side view of a component of an electronic device. 
         FIG. 23  shows a cross-sectional side view of a component of an electronic device. 
         FIG. 24  shows a cross-sectional side view of a component of an electronic device. 
         FIG. 25  shows a process flow diagram for a method of sensing a liquid at a pressure sensor assembly. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     Reference will now be made in detail to representative embodiments illustrated in the accompanying drawings. It should be understood that the following descriptions are not intended to limit the embodiments to one preferred embodiment. To the contrary, it is intended to cover alternatives, modifications, and equivalents as can be included within the spirit and scope of the described embodiments as defined by the appended claims. 
     According to some embodiments, an electronic device can include a housing defining an internal volume, and an aperture that can allow communication between a portion of the internal volume and the ambient environment external to the housing. A pressure sensor assembly can be disposed in the portion of the internal volume in communication with the ambient environment. The pressure sensor assembly can include a structure at least partially enclosing a sensor volume and a pressure sensing component disposed in the sensor volume. The structure at least partially enclosing the sensor volume can include or be formed from a conductive material. The pressure sensor assembly can further include an exposed electrical conductor, such as a wire or a wire loop that is positioned at least partially within the sensor volume. The structure and the exposed electrical conductor (also referred to as a moisture detection conductor) can form a circuit having electrical properties that can detectably change when a liquid is present in or near the sensor volume. In some examples, by monitoring one or more of these properties and detecting a change therein, the presence of a liquid in the sensor volume can be detected. 
     Electronic devices increasingly include various sensors that are designed to interact with, and provide a user with information about, the ambient environment outside the electronic device. One example of such a sensor is an air pressure sensor that can measure and monitor the ambient air pressure around the device. The data provided by such an air pressure sensor can have a variety of uses, for example, it can assist monitoring or predicting weather events, and/or it can be used to determine an altitude of the device. Even very small variations in altitude, such as on the order of meters or even centimeters, can be detected by an air pressure sensor. This information can be used to determine, for example, if a user has climbed a flight of stairs, or even if a user has moved from a prone position to a standing position. In order to achieve such precise measurements, it can be important to know whether the air pressure sensor is providing accurate pressure readings. 
     In some examples, such as when the electronic device including an air pressure sensor is a wearable device like a smart watch, it can be desirable for the device to be able to withstand numerous types of ambient environments. For example, a wearable device including an air pressure sensor can be designed to be waterproof or operationally submersible in water for a desired duration. As the air pressure sensor must be in communication with the ambient environment to function, when the electronic device is exposed to an environment including liquids such as water, this liquid can enter the portion of the internal volume containing the pressure sensor assembly. 
     Conventional pressure sensors can be waterproof and can include a material, such as a gel, around the pressure sensing component to prevent liquid from contacting the sensing component or other components of the assembly, preventing the liquid from shorting out, corroding, or otherwise damaging the sensing component. The gel can be a viscous gel, for example, a polymeric gel, and is such that the sensing component can still detect the ambient air pressure when surrounded by the gel. Problems can arise, however, if a liquid remains at or near the pressure sensor once the device is no longer in a liquid environment. For example, water can enter the portion of the internal volume including the sensor and can remain there after the device has been removed from the water. This remaining liquid can have an impact on the air pressure readings produced by the pressure sensor, resulting in inaccurate air pressure readings. 
     Further, in some embodiments the concepts and structures described herein can apply to other forms of sensors and components, not only to pressure sensors. For example, any form of sensor that can communicate or interact with the ambient environment can be used with the structure and concepts described herein, such as a chemical sensor, optical sensor, or any other sensor as desired. In some examples, although described generally as a pressure sensor or sensor, the concepts and structures described herein can be applied to other components of an electronic device that may not include a sensing function, but which can be in communication with the ambient environment and on which the presence of liquid may be undesirable or may impede or inhibit a desired level of performance in some way. 
     Accordingly, it can be desirable to be able to detect when there is liquid at or near a component such as a pressure sensor, for example, to initiate one or more remedial actions based on such a detection. These remedial actions can include turning on a heater or a vibrational component to remove the liquid from the pressure sensor, modifying a signal produced by the pressure sensor assembly, and/or disregarding or discounting a signal produced by the pressure sensor assembly. In some examples, the remedial action can include disregarding the signal produced by the pressure sensor assembly and utilizing other components of the device to provide information, such as air pressure or altitude information previously determined by the air pressure sensor. Further, these remedial actions can be carried out for components that may not be a sensor and can be, for example, a speaker or other component. 
     Any of these remedial actions can be carried out until the presence of the liquid at or near the component or pressure sensor is no longer detected, or until a desired detection threshold, desired time, or other condition has been satisfied. In some examples a remedial action can be carried out based on other conditions or inputs of the device. For example, where the electronic device is a watch and the component is a speaker, the device may be able to detect when it is submerged, such as when a user wearing the device is swimming. When the device is no longer submerged, some liquid may still be undesirably present at the speaker and can, for example, disrupt the sound produced by the speaker. Upon recognizing that the device is no longer submerged, the component can automatically monitor the speaker for the presence of a liquid and initiate a remedial action such as activating the speaker to remove the liquid without the need for any input from the user. 
     Importantly, liquid can affect the effectiveness of the pressure sensor if present at very specific locations of the pressure sensor, such as directly overlying the sensor volume defined by the structure of the pressure sensor assembly. The detection of liquid at other locations can be less useful because liquid at these locations will not affect sensor readings to the same degree, and can cause the unnecessary initiation of remedial actions. Thus, the detection of liquid at specific locations at, or adjacent to, the pressure sensor should be achieved with components that do not interfere with the operation of the pressure sensor, such as by blocking communication with the ambient environment, and further that do not undesirably increase the size or complexity of the pressure sensor assembly, thereby increasing the size of the device containing the sensor and/or the cost. 
     In some embodiments, the detection of liquid at such a specific location can be achieved by bonding an exposed electrical conductor to a component of the pressure sensor assembly, such as the sensor die or a circuit board carrying the sensor. The exposed electrical conductor can be a wire or a wire loop and can be bonded by a conventional bonding process, such as a wire bonding process. Accordingly, the inclusion of such an exposed electrical conductor in a pressure sensor assembly can result in a negligible increase in sensor size and/or production costs. The exposed electrical conductor can be part of a circuit having electrical properties that can detectably change when a liquid is present in or near the sensor volume. 
     These and other embodiments are discussed below with reference to  FIGS. 1-25 . However, those skilled in the art will readily appreciate that the detailed description given herein with respect to these Figures is for explanatory purposes only, and should not be construed as limiting. 
       FIG. 1  shows an embodiment of an electronic device  100 . The electronic device shown in  FIG. 1  is a watch, such as a smartwatch. The smartwatch  100  of  FIG. 1  is merely one representative example of a device that can be used in conjunction with the components and methods disclosed herein. The electronic device  100  can correspond to any form of wearable electronic device, portable media player, media storage device, portable digital assistant (“PDA”), tablet computer, computer, mobile communication device, GPS unit, remote control device, or other device. The electronic device  100  can be referred to as an electronic device, or a consumer device. Further details of the watch  100  are provided below with reference to  FIG. 2 . 
     Referring now to  FIG. 2 , the electronic device  100  can include a housing  102 , and a cover  116  attached to the housing. The housing  102  can substantially define at least a portion of an exterior surface of the device  100 . The cover  116  can include glass, plastic, or any other substantially transparent material, component, or assembly. The cover  116  can cover or otherwise overlay a display, a camera, a touch sensitive surface such as a touchscreen, or other component of the electronic device  100 . The cover  116  can define a front exterior surface of the device  100 . A back cover  130  can also be attached to the housing  102 , for example, opposite the cover  116 . The back cover  130  can include ceramic, plastic, metal, or combinations thereof. In some examples, the back cover  130  can include an electromagnetically transparent portion  132 . The electromagnetically transparent portion  132  can be transparent to any wavelength of electromagnetic radiation, such as visual light, infrared light, radio waves, or combinations thereof. The device, such as at the back cover  130 , can also include any number or type of sealing components  134  that can serve to prevent the ingress of water or liquid into portions of the internal volume. Together, the housing  102 , cover  116 , and back cover  130  can substantially define an interior volume and exterior surface of the device  100 . 
     The housing  102  can be a substantially continuous or unitary component, and can include one or more openings  104 ,  106  to receive components of the electronic device  100  and/or provide access to an internal portion of the electronic device  100 . Additionally, other components of the electronic device  100 , can be formed from or can include a metallic material. In some embodiments, the device  100  can include input components such as one or more buttons  142  and/or a crown  144 . 
     The electronic device  100  can further include a strap  150 , or another component designed to attach the device  100  to a user, or to provide wearable functionality. In some examples, the strap  150  can be a flexible material that can comfortably allow the device  100  to be retained on a user&#39;s body at a desired location. Further, the housing  102  can include a feature or features that can provide attachment locations for the strap  150 . In some embodiments, the strap  150  can be retained on the housing  102  by any desired techniques. For example, the strap  150  can include any combination of magnets that are attracted with magnets disposed within the housing  102 , or retention components that mechanically retain the strap  150  against the housing  102 . 
     The device  100  can also include internal components, such as a haptic engine  124 , a battery  122 , and a system in package (SiP), including one or more integrated circuits  126 , such as processors, sensors, and memory. The SiP can also include a package. All or a portion of one or more internal components, for example, the package of the SiP, can be formed from, or can include, a metallic material. 
     The internal components, such as one or more of components  122 ,  124 ,  126 , can be disposed within an internal volume defined at least partially by the housing  102 , and can be affixed to the housing  102  via internal surfaces, attachment features, threaded connectors, studs, posts, or other features, that are formed into, defined by, or otherwise part of the housing  102  and/or the cover  116  or back cover  130 . In some embodiments, the attachment features can be formed relatively easily on interior surfaces of the housing  102 , for example, by machining. 
     In some examples, the device  100  can include components that are disposed within the internal volume at least partially defined by the housing  102 , but that can be in communication with an ambient environment external to the housing  102 . For example, the device  100  can include a sensor assembly  128  that can be disposed in the internal volume defined by the housing  102 , but that can be in communication with the ambient environment through an aperture or port  103  defined by the housing  102 . In some examples, the aperture can be any desired size and can allow for exposure of at least a portion of the sensor assembly  128 , for example, a pressure sensor, to the ambient environment. In some examples, the aperture can allow for direct communication between the sensor assembly  128  and the ambient environment. In some examples, however, the aperture can provide for indirect communication between the sensor assembly  128  and the ambient environment, for example, along a tortuous path or through a membrane or other component. Thus, in some embodiments, the aperture can allow for a level of communication between the sensor assembly  128  and the ambient environment that enables one or more sensors of the sensor assembly to function as desired. 
     Turning now to  FIG. 3 , a side cross-sectional view of certain components of the device  100  is illustrated. As can be seen, the housing  102  can define an internal volume of the device  100  that can have numerous components disposed therein, such as a battery  122 . A back cover  130  can be attached to the housing  102  and can include an electromagnetically transparent portion  132 . A sensor assembly  128 , for example, including a pressure sensor  129  can be disposed in the internal volume. 
     As described above, the housing  102  can define an aperture  103  that can provide communication between the pressure sensor  129  of the sensor assembly  128  and the ambient environment, for example, fluid communication. In the present example, the aperture  103  can provide exposure or direct access to ambient air, and can provide communication between the sensor assembly  128  and the ambient environment. Further, the sensor assembly  128  can be disposed in a chamber, region, or portion of the internal volume that is environmentally isolated from the other components in the internal volume, such as the battery  122 . That is, while the ambient environment can communicate with the portion of the internal volume in which the sensor assembly  128  is disposed, for example, through the aperture  103 , other portions of the internal volume can be isolated from the ambient environment. This isolation can ensure that components in the internal volume, such as the battery  122 , are not exposed to undesirable environmental conditions, such as undesirable levels of moisture or heat. Further, this isolation can be achieved by structures of the housing  102 , by isolation components, such as seals, gaskets, or walls, and/or by the sensor assembly  128  itself. 
     Any number or variety of electronic devices can include a component or components including a liquid sensor, as described herein. The process for using such a liquid sensing component to detect the presence of a liquid, for example, at or near one or more sensors or other components, can include detecting a change in an electrical property of a circuit including the liquid sensing component. The liquid sensing component can include an exposed electrical conductor that can contact a liquid disposed at or near the one or more sensors or other components. Various examples of components, assemblies, and devices including liquid sensing components as described herein, and processes for using and forming the same are described below with reference to  FIGS. 4-5 . 
       FIG. 4  shows a top view of a pressure sensor assembly  200  that can be included in an electronic device, as described herein. The pressure sensor assembly  200  can include some or all of the features of sensor assembly  128  described with respect to  FIGS. 1-3 . In the present example, the pressure sensor assembly  200  can include a pressure sensor  220  that is electrically coupled to a connector  240  and a processor  230 . In some examples, the connector  240  can include one or more contact portions or pads  242 ,  244 ,  246  that can electrically connect the assembly  200  to other components of the device, such as a battery, to provide electrical power to the sensor assembly  200 . The connector  240  can also allow the sensor assembly  200  to send and receive signals with other components of the device, as described herein. 
     A processor  230  can be electrically coupled with the pressure sensor  220  and can send or receive signals from the pressure sensor  220 . In some examples, the processor  230  can facilitate not only the detection or measurement of the air pressure of the ambient environment via the pressure sensor  220 , but can also detect a change in one or more electrical properties of a liquid sensing component, as described herein. The processor  230  can also provide additional functions, for example, the processor  230  can initiate a remedial action based on the detection of a liquid at the pressure sensor  220 , as described herein. While the present example shows that the sensor assembly  220  includes a processor  230 , in some examples, the assembly  200  does not include a processor  230  and the pressure sensor  220  can be in communication with one or more other processors of the electronic device. 
     As illustrated in  FIGS. 4 and 5 , the pressure sensor  220  can include a structure  222  that can at least partially enclose or define a sensor volume. In some examples, the structure  222  can have a hollow tube or cylinder shape. In some other examples, any desired shape can be used. The structure  222  can be situated on a base or plate  221  that can further define or enclose the sensor volume. Accordingly, in some examples, the base  221  and the structure  222  can at least partially enclose a sensor volume that is open to, or in communication with, the internal volume and the ambient environment, at least at one location or side. 
     In some examples, the base  221  can be substantially any desired material, such as a polymeric material, ceramic material, metallic material, or combinations thereof. In some examples, the base  221  can be a printed circuit board or a ceramic substrate, and can include one or more electrical components thereon, in addition to the structure  222 , as described herein. In some embodiments, the structure  222  can include a conductive material, such as a metallic material, a conductive polymer material, and/or a conductive ceramic material. In some examples, all or a portion of the structure  222  can be a conductive material. For instance, as illustrated in  FIGS. 4 and 5 , substantially the entire structure  222  can be a metallic material. In some other examples, however, the structure  222  can include a non-conductive material, such as a non-conductive ceramic or polymer, and can further include one or more conductive portions, as described herein. 
     The pressure sensor  220  can include an exposed electrical conductor  224  that is at least partially disposed in the sensor volume. As described further herein, in some examples, the exposed electrical conductor  224  can be disposed on the base  221 , on a component on the base  221 , or at any location in, near, or adjacent to the sensor volume. In this particular example, the exposed electrical conductor  224  is a wire that is disposed on the base  221 , and the exposed electrical conductor can be joined to the base  221  by a conventional wire bonding process. In some examples, the exposed electrical conductor  224  can be positioned entirely within the sensor volume. In some examples, the exposed electrical conductor  224  can protrude from the sensor volume a desired amount. For example, the exposed electrical conductor  224  can protrude at least about 100 microns, at least about 200 microns, at least about 300 microns, at least about 400 microns, or at least about 500 microns or more above a top surface of the structure  222 . 
     A pressure sensing component  225  can be disposed within the sensor volume, for example, on a die that is disposed on the base  221 . The pressure sensing component  225  can be any type or form of desired sensing component as known in the art or as discovered in the future, such as a microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) pressure sensor. In some examples, the component  225  can be a different type of sensor, such as a chemical sensor, or any other environmental sensor as is known in the art or developed in the future. Further, a protective gel  223  can be disposed in the sensor volume and can protect the pressure sensing component  225  from any liquid, such as water, that might enter the sensor volume or otherwise contact the pressure sensing component  225  were the gel  223  not present. The gel  223  can still allow the pressure sensing component  225  to detect or measure the pressure of the ambient environment without undesirably impacting the function of the pressure sensing component  225 . In some examples, the gel  223  does not fill the entire sensor volume. Further, in some embodiments, the exposed electrical conductor  224  can be at least partially disposed in or surrounded by the gel  223 . That is, the exposed electrical conductor  224  can protrude from the gel  223  a desired distance or amount, for example, at least about 100 microns, at least about 200 microns, at least about 300 microns, at least about 400 microns, or at least about 500 microns. 
     Any number or variety of electronic devices can include a component or components including a liquid sensor, as described herein. The process for using such a liquid sensing component to detect the presence of a liquid, for example, at or near one or more sensors or other components, can include detecting a change in an electrical property of a circuit including the liquid sensing component, as described herein. The liquid sensing component can include an exposed electrical conductor that can contact a liquid disposed at or near the one or more sensors or other components. Various examples of components, assemblies, and devices including liquid sensing components as described herein, and processes for using and forming the same are described below, with reference to  FIGS. 6-9 . 
       FIG. 6  illustrates a cross-sectional view of a pressure sensor  320 . The pressure sensor  320  can be substantially similar to, and can include some or all of the features of, pressure sensors  129 ,  220  described herein. In this example, the pressure sensor  320  can include a structure  322  that is disposed on, and affixed to, a base  321 . The structure  322  can include any form of conductive material, such as a metallic material, as described herein. The base  321  can include a printed circuit board or a ceramic substrate. The structure  322  and the base  321  can at least partially enclose a sensor volume that is in communication with the ambient environment. In this example, the structure  322  can have a substantially cylindrical shape, but can also include one or more non-planar sidewalls. While the interior sidewalls of the structure  322  are illustrated as being planar in this example, the outer sidewalls can include a groove or recess that can extend partially or entirely around the structure  322 . Thus, the structure  322  can include a lip that extends outwardly therefrom, as shown. 
     A component, such as sensor die  325 , can be disposed on or affixed to the base  321 , and can further be in electrical communication with one or more other components of the device, for example, through vias or wires embedded in or part of the base  321 . The sensor die  325  can include a number of pads or electrical contacts, and can include a pressure sensing component  326  disposed thereon or affixed thereto, for example, by soldering or another bonding method. A gel  323  is disposed in the sensor volume such that it surrounds the pressure sensing component  326 . 
     In this example, the exposed electrical conductor  324  is a metallic wire that is affixed or bonded to the sensor die  325  at a location adjacent or near to the pressure sensing component  326 . In some examples, the exposed electrical conductor  324  can be bonded to the die by a conventional wire bonding process. Such a process can already be used to bond, for example, the pressure sensing component  326  or other components to the die  325 , thus the bonding of the exposed electrical conductor  324  to the die by this method can add a small or negligible amount of cost or processing time to the assembly of the pressure sensor  320 . As can be seen, the exposed electrical conductor  324  is disposed entirely within the sensor volume, but can protrude above the gel  323  by a desired amount, such as by at least about 100 microns, at least about 200 microns, at least about 300 microns, at least about 400 microns, or at least about 500 microns. As described herein, the exposed electrical conductor  324  can be in electrical communication with and form an electrical circuit with the structure  322 , for example, through the die  325  and/or the base  321 . Additional sensor structures and configurations are described below with reference to  FIG. 7 . 
       FIG. 7  illustrates a top view of an embodiment of a pressure sensor  320 . The pressure sensor  320  can be substantially similar to, and can include some or all of the features of, pressure sensors  129  and  220  described herein. In this example, the pressure sensor  320  can include a structure  322  that includes a conductive material and is disposed on and affixed to a base  321 . The structure  322  can have a substantially cylindrical or tubular shape, as shown, and can at least partially enclose a sensor volume. As can be seen, the sensor die  325 , including a pressure sensing component thereon, is disposed on the base  321  and can be electrically connected thereto through one or more pads or vias. A gel  323  can be disposed in the sensor volume and can surround the die  325 . The die  325  can also include a sensing component  326 , in addition to one or more other components, such as processors, to form a circuit therewith. An exposed electrical conductor  324  can be bonded to sensor die pad  325 , for example, by a conventional wire bonding process. The bonding of the exposed electrical conductor  324  to the die  325  can occur at the same time as, before, or after wire bonding processes that can be used to connect the sensing component  326  to the die  325  to form the pressure sensor  320 .  FIGS. 8A and 8B  illustrates schematic views of an embodiment of a pressure sensor  420 . 
     The pressure sensor  420  of  FIGS. 8A and 8B  can be substantially similar to, and can include some or all of the features of, pressure sensors  129 ,  220 ,  320  described herein. As described with respect to  FIGS. 4-7 , the pressure sensor  420  can include an exposed electrical conductor  424  and a housing  422  including a conductive material. As described herein, the exposed electrical conductor  424  and the structure  422  are in electrical communication with one another and together form an electrical circuit. In some examples, this circuit can be an open circuit. The circuit can have electrical properties, such as a resistance, a conductance, an inductance, and other electrical properties that can be measured, for example, by a processor  426  or other component  430  that is connected to or a part of the circuit. 
     In the present example and as shown in  FIG. 8A , the exposed electrical conductor  424  and the structure  422  form a circuit that is open when no liquid is present to complete the circuit. As shown in  FIG. 8B , however, the liquid droplet  440  can contact both the exposed electrical conductor  424  and the structure  422 , thus completing the circuit. The completed circuit will now have a measurable resistance, a conductance, an inductance, and/or other properties that differ from the values associated with the circuit when no liquid  440  is present, accordingly, by measuring one or more of these values or detecting a change in one or more of these values, such as with the processor  430 , the presence of liquid at or near the pressure sensor  420  can be detected, as described herein. 
     While the liquid droplet  440  is shown as contacting both the conductive structure  422  and the exposed electrical conductor  424 , it should be understood that a liquid droplet  440  only needs to contact one or the other of the exposed electrical conductor  424  and the structure to produce a detectable change in the resistance, capacitance, inductance, and/or other electrical properties of the circuit defined by the structure  422  and the exposed electrical conductor  424 . In some examples, a liquid need not contact either of the structure  422  and the exposed electrical conductor  424 , and can be within a desired distance of either to produce a detectable change in the resistance, capacitance, inductance, and/or other electrical properties of the circuit defined by the structure  422  and the exposed electrical conductor  424 . Further, in some examples, the circuit including the structure  422  and the exposed electrical conductor  424  can be either an open circuit or a closed circuit and can produce a detectable change in the resistance, capacitance, inductance, and/or other electrical properties of the circuit in the presence of a liquid  440  that contacts or is sufficiently near to one or both of the structure  422  and the exposed electrical conductor  424 .  FIGS. 9 and 10  illustrate cross-sectional views of another embodiment of a pressure sensor  520 . 
     The pressure sensor  520  of  FIG. 9  can be substantially similar to, and can include some or all of the features of, pressure sensors  129 ,  220 ,  320 ,  420  described herein. In this example, the pressure sensor  520  can include a structure  522  that includes a conductive material and is disposed on and affixed to a base  521 . The structure  522  and the base  521  at least partially enclose a sensor volume, and a protective gel  523  is disposed therein. A pressure sensing component  525  is also disposed in the sensor volume, is surrounded by the gel  523 , and is affixed to the base  521 . Whereas the pressure sensor  320  illustrated in  FIG. 6  included an exposed electrical conductor  324  disposed on a die  325  to which a pressure sensing component  326  was also affixed, in the present example, the exposed electrical conductor  524  can be disposed directly on the pressure sensing component  526  that is bonded to the die  525 . In some examples, the exposed electrical conductor  524  can be bonded to the pressure sensing component  526  by a wire bonding process and can be in electrical communication with the structure  522 , as described herein. As can be seen, the exposed electrical conductor  524  is disposed entirely within the sensor volume but can protrude above the gel  523  by a desired amount, such as by at least about 100 microns, at least about 200 microns, at least about 300 microns, at least about 400 microns, or at least about 500 microns. Additional features of the pressure sensor  520  are provided below with reference to  FIG. 10 . 
       FIG. 10  illustrates a cross-sectional view of the pressure sensor  520  including a liquid droplet  540  disposed over the pressure sensor  520  and partially within the sensor volume. In some examples, the liquid droplet  540  can be a water droplet. As can be see, the liquid droplet  540  is prevented from directly contacting the sensing component  525  by the protective gel  523 . The liquid droplet  540  has, however, at least partially occluded the open portion defined by the structure  522  that allowed for communication between the sensing component  525  and the environment through the gel  523 . Accordingly, in the present condition, the liquid droplet  540  can disrupt, interfere with, or otherwise undesirably influence the air pressure readings detected by the pressure sensing component  525 . 
     As can be seen, however, the exposed electrical conductor  524  disposed in the sensor volume and protruding from the gel  523  is contacting, and at least partially surrounded by, the liquid droplet  540 . Further, the liquid droplet  540  is also contacting a conductive portion of the structure  522 . As described herein, the exposed electrical conductor  524  and the structure  522  are in electrical communication with one another and together form an electrical circuit. In some examples, this circuit can be an open circuit. The circuit can have electrical properties, such as a resistance, a conductance, an inductance, and other electrical properties that can be measured, for example, by a processor or other component connected to the circuit. 
     In the present example, the exposed electrical conductor  524  and the structure  522  form a circuit that is open when no liquid is present to complete the circuit. As shown, however, the liquid droplet  540  can contact both the exposed electrical conductor  524  and the structure  522 , thus completing the circuit. The completed circuit will now have a measurable resistance, a conductance, an inductance, and/or other properties that differ from the values associated with the circuit when no liquid  540  is present. Accordingly, by measuring one or more of these values or detecting a change in one or more of these values, the presence of liquid at the pressure sensor  520  can be detected, as described herein. 
     While the liquid droplet  540  is shown as contacting both the conductive structure  522  and the exposed electrical conductor  524 , it should be understood that a liquid droplet  540  only needs to contact one or the other of the exposed electrical conductor  524  and the structure to produce a detectable change in the resistance, capacitance, inductance, and/or other electrical properties of the circuit defined by the structure  522  and the exposed electrical conductor  524 . In some examples, a liquid need not contact either of the structure  522  and the exposed electrical conductor  524 , and can be within a desired distance of either to produce a detectable change in the resistance, capacitance, inductance, and/or other electrical properties of the circuit defined by the structure  522  and the exposed electrical conductor  524 . Further, in some examples, the circuit including the structure  522  and the exposed electrical conductor  524  can be either an open circuit or a closed circuit and can produce a detectable change in the resistance, capacitance, inductance, and/or other electrical properties of the circuit in the presence of a liquid  540  that contacts or is sufficiently near to one or both of the structure  522  and the exposed electrical conductor  524 . Various examples of components, assemblies, and devices including liquid sensing components as described herein, and processes for using and forming the same are described below with reference to  FIGS. 11-16 . 
       FIGS. 11 and 12  illustrate cross-sectional and top views, respectively, of a pressure sensor  620 . The pressure sensor  620  can be substantially similar to, and can include some or all of the features of, pressure sensors  129 ,  220 ,  320 ,  420 ,  520  described herein. In this example, the pressure sensor  620  can include a conductive structure  622  that is disposed on and affixed to a base  621 . The structure  622  and the base  621  can at least partially enclose a sensor volume that is in communication with the ambient environment. In this example, the structure  622  can have a substantially cylindrical shape, but can also include one or more non-planar sidewalls. A sensor die  625  can be disposed on, or can be affixed to, the base  621 , and can further be in electrical communication with one or more other components of the device, for example, through vias or wires embedded in or on part of the base  621 . 
     The sensor die  625  can include a number of pads or electrical contacts, and can include a pressure sensing component  626  disposed thereon or affixed thereto, for example, by soldering or another bonding method. A gel  623  is disposed in the sensor volume such that it surrounds the pressure sensing component  626 . In this example, the exposed electrical conductor  624  can be a wire loop that includes a first end bonded or affixed to a first contact pad  627  on the die  625 , and a second end bonded or affixed to a second contact pad  628  on the die  625 . The pads  627 ,  628  can be disposed at any desired location on the die  625 , and in some examples, can be near or adjacent to the sensing component  626  or substrate  621 . 
     One or both of the ends of the wire loop  624  can be bonded to their respective contact pads  627 ,  628  by a conventional wire bonding process, as described herein. As can be seen, the exposed electrical conductor  524  is disposed entirely within the sensor volume, but can protrude above the gel  523  by a desired amount, such as by at least about 100 microns, at least about 200 microns, at least about 300 microns, at least about 400 microns, or at least about 500 microns. As with other examples described herein, the exposed electrical conductor  624  can be electrically connected to, and can form a circuit with, the structure  622  and can be used to detect the presence of a liquid at the pressure sensor  620 , for example, as described with respect to  FIG. 10 . Additional exemplary structures are detailed below with reference to  FIGS. 13 and 14 . 
       FIGS. 13 and 14  illustrate a cross-sectional and a top view of a pressure sensor  720 , respectively. The pressure sensor  720  can be substantially similar to, and can include some or all of the features of, pressure sensors  129 ,  220 ,  320 ,  420 ,  520 ,  620  described herein. In this example, the pressure sensor  720  can include a conductive structure  722  that is disposed on and affixed to a base  721 . The structure  722  and the base  721  can at least partially enclose a sensor volume that is in communication with the ambient environment. In this example, the structure  722  can have a substantially cylindrical shape, but can also include one or more non-planar sidewalls. A sensor die  725  can be disposed on or affixed to the base  721 , and can further be in electrical communication with one or more other components of the device, for example, through vias or wires embedded in or on part of the base  721 . 
     The sensor die  725  can include a number of pads or electrical contacts, and can include a pressure sensing component  726  disposed thereon or affixed thereto, for example, by soldering or another bonding method. A gel  723  is disposed in the sensor volume such that it surrounds the pressure sensing component  726 . In this example, the pressure sensor  720  can include multiple exposed electrical conductors  731 ,  732 ,  733 ,  734  that can take any of the forms described herein. In the present example, the multiple exposed electrical conductors  731 ,  732 ,  733 ,  734  are shown as conductive wires. Each of the exposed electrical conductors  731 ,  732 ,  733 ,  734  can be bonded to a separate pad or electrical contact, and can be in electrical communication and form a circuit with the structure  722 , as described herein. The contact pads  727 ,  728 ,  729 ,  730  can be disposed at any number of desired locations within the sensor volume. For example, one or more pads  727 ,  728 ,  729 ,  730  can be disposed on the sensor die  725 . In some examples, one or more pads  727 ,  728 ,  729 ,  730  can be disposed on the base  721 . In some examples, one or more pads  727 ,  728 ,  729 ,  730  can be disposed on the base  721 , while one or more pads  727 ,  728 ,  729 ,  730  can be disposed on the sensor die  725 . 
     In the illustrated example, two pads  727  and  729  can be disposed on the sensor die  725 , while two pads  728 ,  730  can be disposed on the base  721 . An end of each of the exposed electrical conductors  731 ,  732 ,  733 ,  734  can be bonded to the pads  727 ,  728 ,  729 ,  730 , such as by a conventional wire bonding process, as described herein. Although illustrated as being arranged in an approximately cross-shaped pattern, the pads  727 ,  728 ,  729 ,  730  and exposed electrical conductors  731 ,  732 ,  733 ,  734  can be disposed at any desired location on the die  725  and/or base  721 , and in some examples, can be near or adjacent to the sensing component  726 . As can be seen, the exposed electrical conductors  731 ,  732 ,  733 ,  734  are disposed entirely within the sensor volume, but can protrude above the gel  723  by any desired amount, such as by at least about 100 microns, at least about 200 microns, at least about 300 microns, at least about 400 microns, or at least about 500 microns. In some examples, the exposed electrical conductors  731 ,  732 ,  733 ,  734  can all protrude the same amount above the gel  723 , or by different amounts. As with other examples described herein, the exposed electrical conductors  731 ,  732 ,  733 ,  734  can be electrically connected to, and can form a circuit with, the structure  722 , for example, in series, parallel, or combinations thereof, and can be used to detect the presence of a liquid at the pressure sensor  720 , for example, as described with respect to  FIG. 10 . Additional sensor configurations are provided below with reference to  FIGS. 15 and 16 . 
       FIGS. 15 and 16  illustrate cross-sectional and top views of a pressure sensor  820 . The pressure sensor  820  can be substantially similar to, and can include some or all of the features of, pressure sensors  129 ,  220 ,  320 ,  420 ,  520 ,  620 ,  720  described herein. In this example, the pressure sensor  820  can include a conductive structure  822  that is disposed on and affixed to a base  821 . The structure  822  and the base  821  can at least partially enclose a sensor volume that is in communication with the ambient environment. In this example, the structure  822  can have a substantially cylindrical shape, but can also include one or more non-planar sidewalls. A sensor die  825  can be disposed on, or can be affixed to, the base  821  and can further be in electrical communication with one or more other components of the device, for example, through vias or wires embedded in or on part of the base  821 . 
     The sensor die  825  can include a number of pads or electrical contacts and can include a pressure sensing component  826  disposed thereon or affixed thereto, for example, by soldering or another bonding method. A gel  823  is disposed in the sensor volume such that it surrounds the pressure sensing component  826 . In this example, the pressure sensor  820  can include multiple exposed electrical conductors  831 ,  832 ,  833 ,  834  that can take any of the forms described herein, but in this example are shown as loops of conductive wire. Each of the exposed electrical conductors  831 ,  832 ,  833 ,  834  can be bonded to one or a pair of separate pads or electrical contacts  827 ,  828 ,  829 ,  830  and can thus be in electrical communication and form a circuit with the structure  822  as described herein. 
     For example, the exposed electrical conductor  834  can be a wire loop that includes a first ended bonded or affixed to a first contact pad  829  of a pair of pads on the die  825 , and a second end bonded or affixed to a second contact pad  829  of the pair of pads on the die  825 . The pairs of contact pads  827 ,  828 ,  829 ,  830  can be disposed at any number of desired locations within the sensor volume. For example, one or more pairs of pads  827 ,  828 ,  829 ,  830  can be disposed on the sensor die  825 . In some examples, one or more pairs of pads  827 ,  828 ,  829 ,  830  can be disposed on the base  821 . In some examples, one or more pairs of pads  827 ,  828 ,  829 ,  830  can be disposed on the base  821 , while one or more other pairs of pads  827 ,  828 ,  829 ,  830  can be disposed on the sensor die  825 . 
     In the illustrated example, two pairs of pads  827  and  829  can be disposed on the sensor die  825 , while two other pairs of pads  828 ,  830  can be disposed on the base  821 . The exposed electrical conductors  831 ,  832 ,  833 ,  834  can be bonded to the pairs of pads  827 ,  828 ,  829 ,  830  by any conventional wire bonding process, as described herein. Although illustrated as being arranged in an approximately rectangular pattern, the pairs of pads  827 ,  828 ,  829 ,  830  and exposed electrical conductors  831 ,  832 ,  833 ,  834  can be disposed at any desired location on the base  821 , and in some examples, can be near or adjacent to the sensing component  826 . As can be seen, the exposed electrical conductors  831 ,  832 ,  833 ,  834  are disposed entirely within the sensor volume, but can protrude above the gel  823  by any desired amount, such as by at least about 100 microns, at least about 200 microns, at least about 300 microns, at least about 400 microns, or at least about 500 microns. In some examples, the exposed electrical conductors  831 ,  832 ,  833 ,  834  can all protrude the same amount above the gel  823 , or by different amounts. As with other examples described herein, the exposed electrical conductors  831 ,  832 ,  833 ,  834  can be electrically connected to, and can form a circuit with, the structure  822 , for example, in series, in parallel, or combinations thereof, and can be used to detect the presence of a liquid at the pressure sensor  820 , for example, as described with respect to  FIG. 10 . 
     In some embodiments, a pressure sensor can include any combination of any number of exposed electrical conductors, as described herein. In some examples, the one or more exposed electrical conductors can be disposed at any combination of the locations described herein, and/or can be disposed at any other desired location, as long as a circuit including the one or more exposed electrical conductors and a conductive portion of the structure has at least one electrical property that will detectably change when a liquid is present at or sufficiently near the pressure sensor to disrupt, impact, or influence the pressure value detected by the sensor. Various examples of components, assemblies, and devices including liquid sensing components as described herein, and processes for using and forming the same are described below with reference to  FIGS. 17-18 . 
       FIG. 17  shows a cross-sectional view of an embodiment of an exposed electrical conductor  930  of a pressure sensor, as described herein. The exposed electrical conductor  930  can include some or all of the features of any of the exposed electrical conductors described herein, and can further include any desired shape or configuration, including but not limited to a wire or loop, as described herein. In the present example, the exposed electrical conductor  930  includes, or is formed from, a metallic material, such as copper, gold, aluminum, and/or alloys thereof. In some examples, and as shown, the exposed electrical conductor  930  can be a substantially continuous or unitary component, and can be a wire or rod of the conductive material. Although shown as having a circular cross section, the exposed electrical conductor  930  can have any desired cross-sectional shape or combinations of shapes. In some examples, the diameter or width of exposed electrical conductor  930  can be relatively constant over its length. In other examples, however, the diameter or width of the exposed electrical conductor  930  can vary. An additional embodiment of the exposed electrical conductor  1030  is described below with reference to  FIG. 18 . 
       FIG. 18  shows a cross-sectional view of another embodiment of a coated electrical conductor  1030  of a pressure sensor, as described herein. The exposed electrical conductor  1030  can include some or all of the features of any of the exposed electrical conductors described herein, and can further include any desired shape or configuration, including but not limited to a wire or loop, as described herein. In the present example, the exposed electrical conductor  1030  includes or is formed from a metallic material, such as copper, gold, aluminum, and/or alloys thereof. As shown, in some examples, the exposed electrical conductor  1030  can further include a shell or a coating  1032  that can at least partially surround the exposed electrical conductor  1030 . In some examples, the coating  1032  can entirely surround the exposed electrical conductor  1030 . In some examples, the coating  1032  only surrounds select or desired portions of the exposed electrical conductor  1030 . For example, the coating  1032  can surround only the portion of the exposed electrical conductor  1030  that is not surrounded by the gel of the pressure sensor. 
     As at least a portion of the exposed electrical conductor  1030  can be exposed to or can be in communication with the ambient environment, as described herein. In some examples, the coating  1032  can serve to protect the exposed electrical conductor  1030  from potential environmental causes of corrosion, without unduly limited the ability of the exposed electrical conductor  1030  to detect the presence of a liquid, as described herein. 
     In some embodiments where the exposed electrical conductor  1030  is a gold wire, the exposed electrical conductor  1030  can experience undesirable corrosion when exposed to environmental chlorine. Such exposure can occur, for example, if the electronic device including the pressure sensor with exposed electrical conductor  1030  is in an environment such as a swimming pool that includes chlorinated water. If subjected to prolonged exposure to such an environment, an exposed electrical conductor  1030  including an uncoated gold wire can experience corrosion that can undesirably degrade the ability to detect the presence of liquid, as described herein. Accordingly, the exposed electrical conductor  1030  can be coated with a material that can prevent or reduce the corrosion caused by environmental agents, such as chlorine. Various examples of components, assemblies, and devices including liquid sensing components as described herein, and processes for using and forming the same are described below with reference to  FIGS. 19-24 . 
       FIG. 19  shows a cross-sectional side view of an embodiment of a pressure sensor  1220  that can be included in an electronic device and used in any of the methods described herein. The pressure sensor  1220  can be substantially similar to, and can include some or all of the features of, pressure sensors  129 ,  220 ,  320 ,  420 ,  520 ,  620 ,  720 ,  820  described herein. In some embodiments, the pressure sensor  1220  can include all of the features of the pressure sensor  520  described with respect to  FIG. 9 , such as a structure  1222  that includes a conductive material and is disposed on and affixed to a base  1221 . The structure  1222  and the base  1221  at least partially enclose a sensor volume, and a protective gel  1223  is disposed therein. A pressure sensing component  1225  is also disposed in the sensor volume and is both surrounded by the gel  1223  and affixed to the base  1221 . An exposed electrical conductor  1224  can be disposed directly on the pressure sensing component  1225  and can at least partially protrude above the gel  1223 . 
     As described herein, for example, with respect to  FIG. 11 , when the presence of liquid is detected at the pressure sensor  1220 , the detection can trigger a remedial action by the pressure sensor assembly and/or other components of the electronic device. In some examples, the remedial action can include discounting or modifying any signals generated or transmitted by the pressure sensor  1220 . In some examples, however, the remedial action can include a process or processes configured to remove or reduce the amount of liquid at the pressure sensor  1220 . In the present example illustrated in  FIG. 19 , the pressure sensor  1220  includes one or more heaters  1250  that can be activated to cause evaporation of any liquid that can is detected and might be in contact with, or be adjacent to, the heaters  1250 , thereby clearing the pressure sensor  1220  of undesirable liquid. In some examples, a heater  1250  can reach a desired temperature, or produce a sufficient amount of heat to boil any liquid present at the sensor  1220 . In some examples, the heater  1250  can reach a desired temperature, or produce a sufficient amount of heat to increase a rate of evaporation of any liquid by a desired amount. 
     A resistive heater  1250  can be disposed at any desired location on the pressure sensor  1220 , for example, at a location at or near an anticipated location of an undesirable liquid. Accordingly, in some examples, the heater  1250  can be disposed on a top surface of the structure  1222 . The heater  1250  can include a heating element  1252  that in some examples can be a resistive heater  1252 . The heater  1252  can include a material that can be heated to a desired temperature, for example, near or above a boiling point of a liquid, such as water, when supplied with a desired level of electrical current or power. Thus, the heating element  1252  can include a conductive material, such as metallic material. Further, the heating element  1252  can be at least partially exposed to the ambient environment. 
     The heater  1250  can further include an electrical connector  1254  that can connect the heating element  1252  to one or more other components of the pressure sensor  1220  or device, and can supply electrical power to the heater  1252 . In some examples, the electrical connector  1254  can be a wire and can be connected to the base  1221  and/or to one or more other components, such as processors and batteries of the device. In some examples, the wire  1254  can be disposed on the structure  1222  or can pass through an aperture  1256  or other portion of the structure  1222 . In some examples, the structure  1222  itself can act as an electrical connector between the heating element  1252  and other components of the device. In some examples, the structure  1222  can further act as all or a portion of the heating element  1252 . Additional pressure sensor configurations are discussed below with reference to  FIGS. 20 and 21 . 
       FIG. 20  shows a cross-sectional view of another embodiment of a pressure sensor  1320 , while  FIG. 21  illustrates a top view of the pressure sensor  1320 . The pressure sensor  1320  can be substantially similar to, and can include some or all of the features of, pressure sensors  129 ,  220 ,  320 ,  420 ,  520 ,  620 ,  720 ,  820 ,  1220  described herein. In this example, the pressure sensor  1320  can include a structure  1322  that can at least partially enclose a sensor volume. In some examples, the structure  1322  can include a base and sidewalls, and can define an open top or aperture. In some other examples, the structure  1322  can be coupled to a base to at least partially enclose a sensor volume, for example, as described with respect to at least  FIGS. 6-16 . As with the pressure sensors described herein, the pressure sensor  1320  can include a pressure sensing component  1325  disposed in the sensor volume and a gel  1323  that can surround the sensing component  1325 , and that can partially or entirely occupy the sensor volume. 
     Whereas some embodiments described herein can include a structure formed of a conductive material, in the present example, the structure  1322  can include an insulating or non-conductive material, such as a ceramic or polymeric material. The structure  1322  including a non-conductive material can further include one or more portions of conductive material  1324 ,  1326 ,  1327 ,  1328 . These portions of conductive material  1324 ,  1326 ,  1327 ,  1328  can be at least partially exposed to the ambient environment at one or more desired locations on the structure  1322 , such as a top surface and/or a location where the presence of an undesirable liquid is anticipated. The exposed portions of conductive material  1324 ,  1326 ,  1327 ,  1328  can serve the same function as the exposed electrical conductors described herein, for example, with respect to at least  FIGS. 6-16 . 
     In some examples, the exposed conductive portions of the structure  1324 ,  1326 ,  1327 ,  1328  can be integrally formed with the non-conductive portion of the structure  1322 . In some examples, one or more of the exposed conductive portions  1324 ,  1326 ,  1327 ,  1328  can be disposed in an aperture or apertures defined by the structure  1322 . In some examples, the exposed conductive portions  1324 ,  1326 ,  1327 ,  1328  can include a metal, such as gold, copper, aluminum, and/or alloys thereof. The exposed conductive portions  1324 ,  1326 ,  1327 ,  1328  can be part of, or can form a circuit having one or more electrical properties, such as a capacitance, resistance, and/or inductance that can be detectably changed if a liquid contacts or is disposed sufficiently adjacent to the exposed conductive portions  1324 ,  1326 ,  1327 ,  1328 . Additional sensor configurations are detailed below with reference to  FIG. 22 . 
       FIG. 22  shows a cross-sectional view of another embodiment of a pressure sensor  1420 . The pressure sensor  1420  can be substantially similar to, and can include some or all of the features of, pressure sensors  129 ,  220 ,  320 ,  420 ,  520 ,  620 ,  720 ,  820 ,  1220 ,  1320  described herein. In this example, the pressure sensor  1420  includes a structure  1422  that can be coupled to a base  1421  to partially define a sensor volume  1423 . A first pressure sensing component  1425  and a second pressure sensing component  1426  can be disposed in the sensor volume  1423 . A lid  1442  can cover and further define the sensor volume  1423 , while also defining an aperture  1444  through which the sensor volume  1423  can communicate with the ambient environment. Whereas some examples of pressure sensors can include a gel to provide waterproofing, in this example an air permeable and liquid impermeable membrane  1446  can cover or occlude the aperture  1444 . Such a design can still be susceptible to similar issues as the other pressure sensors described herein when a liquid, such as water, is located on the membrane  1446 . 
     Accordingly, the pressure sensor  1420  can include an exposed conductor  1431  that can be in the form of a wire, or pad of conductive material disposed on the lid  1442 . In some examples, the lid can be a non-conductive material, such as a polymer or ceramic material. The exposed electrical conductor  1431  can be electrically connected to one or more other components, such as the structure or the base  1421 , via a conductor  1432 , and can form a circuit as described herein to detect the presence of liquid. An additional sensor configuration is provided below with reference to  FIG. 23 . 
       FIG. 23  shows a cross-sectional view of another embodiment of a pressure sensor  1520 . The pressure sensor  1520  can be substantially similar to, and can include some or all of the features of, pressure sensors  129 ,  220 ,  320 ,  420 ,  520 ,  620 ,  720 ,  820 ,  1220 ,  1320 ,  1420  described herein. In this example, the pressure sensor  1520  can include a structure  1522  that is disposed on and affixed to a base  1521 . The structure  1522  can include any form of conductive material, such as a metallic material, as described herein. The base  1521 , meanwhile, can include a printed circuit board or ceramic substrate. The structure  1522  and the base  1521  can at least partially enclose a sensor volume that is in communication with the ambient environment. 
     A component, such as sensor die and/or a pressure sensing component  1525  can be disposed on or can be affixed to the base  1521  and can further be in electrical communication with one or more other components of the device, for example, through vias or wires embedded in or coupled to a part of the base  1521 . In this example, exposed electrical conductors  1532 ,  1534  can be disposed on or can be affixed to the base  1521 , for example, at locations within the sensor volume that are adjacent to the sensing component  1525 . In this example, the exposed electrical conductors  1532 ,  1534  can be any desired shape, and can be disposed entirely within the sensor volume. Whereas some examples of pressure sensors described herein can include a gel disposed in the sensor volume that at least partially surrounds both the sensing component and one or more exposed electrical conductors, in some examples and as shown, the pressure sensor  1520  can include a gel  1523  that surrounds the sensing component  1525  but that does not contact the exposed electrical conductors  1532 ,  1534 . An additional sensor configuration is described below with reference to  FIG. 24 . 
       FIG. 24  shows a cross-sectional view of another embodiment of a pressure sensor  1620 . The pressure sensor  1620  can be substantially similar to, and can include some or all of the features of, pressure sensors  129 ,  220 ,  320 ,  420 ,  520 ,  620 ,  720 ,  820 ,  1220 ,  1320 ,  1420 ,  1520  described herein. In this example, the pressure sensor  1620  can include a structure  1622  that is disposed on and affixed to a base  1621 . The structure  1622  can include any form of conductive material, such as a metallic material, as described herein. The base  1621 , meanwhile, can include a printed circuit board or a ceramic substrate, as described herein. The structure  1622  and the base  1621  can at least partially enclose a sensor volume that is in communication with the ambient environment. A component, such as a sensor die and/or a pressure sensing component  1625  can be disposed on or can be affixed to the base  1621 , and can further be in electrical communication with one or more other components of the device, for example, through vias or wires embedded in or on part of the base  1621 . A gel  1623  can be disposed in the sensor volume to surround the sensing component  1625 . 
     Whereas some examples of pressure sensors described herein can include one or more exposed electrical conductors that are at least partially disposed in the sensor volume and are connected to the base  1621 , in some examples, an exposed electrical conductor  1624  can be disposed outside the sensor volume, for example, adjacent to the structure  1622 . In some examples, the exposed electrical conductor  1624  can nevertheless be bonded or otherwise affixed to the base  1621 , although in some examples the exposed electrical conductor  1624  can be disposed or affixed to other locations or components. As with the other exposed electrical conductors described herein, the exposed electrical conductor  1624  can form a circuit with the structure  1622  that has one or more electrical properties which can detectably change when the circuit is contacted by or sufficiently close to a liquid, as described herein. Various examples of processes for using and forming the same are described below with reference to  FIG. 25 . 
       FIG. 25  shows a process flow diagram for a method  1700  of sensing a liquid at a pressure sensor assembly. The method  1700  can include monitoring an environment over a pressure sensor for the presence of a liquid at block  1710 , detecting the presence of the liquid in the environment at block  1720 , and initiating, at block  1730 , a remedial action in response to detecting the presence of the liquid. 
     At block  1710 , the electronic device, a component thereof, such as a processor, and/or a component of a pressure sensor assembly, such as a processor or microprocessor can monitor an environment at, near, over, or adjacent to the pressure sensor for the presence of a liquid. In some examples, the environment can be an area that has an exposed electrical conductor of the pressure sensor at least partially disposed therein, for example, as described herein. In some examples, the environment can be an environment directly overlying the pressure sensor and can include some or all of the sensor volume, as described herein. In some examples, the environment can be any region of space at or near the pressure sensor in which the presence of a liquid would undesirably affect the pressure sensor. 
     In some examples, monitoring can include monitoring one or more electrical properties of a circuit including the exposed electrical conductor, as described herein. For example, monitoring can include monitoring one or more of the capacitance, resistance, inductance, or other property of the circuit including the exposed electrical conductor, as described herein. In some examples, monitoring can include continuously or substantially continuously sampling, measuring, or reading values for one or more the electrical properties of the circuit, such as with a process that is electrically connected to the circuit. In some examples, monitoring can include sampling, measuring, or reading values for one or more the electrical properties of the circuit at a desired time interval or intervals. 
     At block  1720 , the presence of any liquid in the environment can be detected by the pressure sensor assembly. In some examples, an amount of liquid in the environment must be greater than a threshold amount of liquid for a detection to occur. Accordingly, the step of detecting the liquid at block  1720  will not occur unless a liquid, for example, in an undesirable amount, is present in the environment. As described herein, detecting the presence of the liquid can include detecting a predetermined change in one or more of the electrical properties of the circuit including the exposed electrical conductor in excess of a threshold. In some examples, the circuit can also include a structure at least partially enclosing a volume around a pressure sensing component as described here. 
     Thus, in some examples, detecting can include detecting a change in one or more of the resistance, capacitance, and/or inductance of the circuit including the exposed electrical conductor. The detecting can be performed or accomplished by any or all of the components involved in the monitoring described with respect to block  1710 . In some examples, the detecting can include sampling, measuring, or reading one or more of the electrical properties of the circuit, and determining when a measured value differs by more than a desire amount from a reference value or a value read at a previous time. 
     In some examples, when no liquid is present in the environment, a resistance value of the circuit can be on the order of gigaohms or greater, and in some instances can be measured or considered as effectively infinite. In some examples, when a liquid is present in the environment a resistance value of the circuit can be between about 0.1 megaohms to about 10 megaohms, for example, about 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, or 7 megaohms. In some examples, when no liquid is present in the environment a capacitance value of the circuit measured at a frequency of about 100 hertz can be on the order of picofarads. In some examples, the capacitance value at 100 hertz when no liquid is present can be between about 1 picofarad and about 100 picofarads, such as about 25 picofarads. When a liquid is present in the environment, the capacitance value at 100 hertz can be on the order of nanofarads, for example, between about 1 nanofarad and about 100 nanofarads. In some examples, when no liquid is present in the environment an inductance value of the circuit can be measured as effectively zero microamperes. When a liquid is present in the environment an inductance value of the circuit can be between about 0.1 and about 2 microamperes, for example, about 0.5 microamperes. 
     In some examples, detecting the presence of a liquid at block  1720  can further include detecting an amount and/or type of liquid present in the environment. That is, by detecting the amount or type of change in one or more of the electrical properties of the circuit, not only can the presence of a liquid be detected, but the magnitude of the change in the electrical properties can also be used to determine the amount of liquid present, and/or the type of liquid. For example, the presence of non-salinated water, such as tap water, can produce a first change in one or more electrical properties of the circuit, while the presence of salinated water, such as sea water, can produce a second change of a different magnitude or type than the first change. 
     At block  1730 , a remedial action can be initiated based on or in response to detecting the presence of a liquid at block  1720 . As described herein, in some examples, the remedial action can include one or more of turning on a heating element, modifying a signal produced by the pressure sensor assembly, and/or disregarding a signal produced by the pressure sensor assembly. In some examples, the remedial action can include notifying a user of the detection, turning on a speaker or vibrating element, such as a haptic actuator, to remove the liquid from the environment, and/or determining an air pressure with a different component of the device, such as by another pressure sensor, or by querying a database including local air pressure information based on GPS coordinates of the device. 
     In some examples, while the remedial action can be carried out by one or more components of the device or pressure sensor assembly, such as a heater, the initiating can be performed or directed by a processor of the device and/or sensor assembly, for example, the same processor involved with the monitoring and/or detecting at block  1710 ,  1720 . 
     In some examples, where the presence of the liquid in the environment can result in a regular or predictable change in the air pressure values determined by the air pressure sensor, the remedial action can include modifying the signal from the air pressure sensor by a given, known, or desired amount to produce an accurate air pressure reading. For example, the error associated with an air pressure reading can be proportional or related to an amount of liquid present in the environment, with more liquid producing a greater error. In such an example, the signal from the air pressure sensor can be modified based on the detection of the presence and the amount of the liquid in the environment. 
     Any of the features or aspects of the components discussed herein can be combined or included in any varied combination. For example, the design and shape of the pressure sensor assembly is not limited in any way and can be formed by any number of processes, including those discussed herein. Further, the pressure sensor assembly can monitor and detect the presence of liquid at or near the pressure sensor assembly by any method now known or discovered in the future. The principles and structure described with respect to detecting the presence of liquid can also be used in conjunction with other sensing components and/or assemblies and are not limited to being applicable to pressure sensors. 
     To the extent applicable to the present technology, gathering and use of data available from various sources can be used to improve the delivery to users of invitational content or any other content that may be of interest to them. The present disclosure contemplates that in some instances, this gathered data may include personal information data that uniquely identifies or can be used to contact or locate a specific person. Such personal information data can include demographic data, location-based data, telephone numbers, email addresses, TWITTER® ID&#39;s, home addresses, data or records relating to a user&#39;s health or level of fitness (e.g., vital signs measurements, medication information, exercise information), date of birth, or any other identifying or personal information. 
     The present disclosure recognizes that the use of such personal information data, in the present technology, can be used to the benefit of users. For example, the personal information data can be used to deliver targeted content that is of greater interest to the user. Accordingly, use of such personal information data enables users to calculated control of the delivered content. Further, other uses for personal information data that benefit the user are also contemplated by the present disclosure. For instance, health and fitness data may be used to provide insights into a user&#39;s general wellness or may be used as positive feedback to individuals using technology to pursue wellness goals. 
     The present disclosure contemplates that the entities responsible for the collection, analysis, disclosure, transfer, storage, or other use of such personal information data will comply with well-established privacy policies and/or privacy practices. In particular, such entities should implement and consistently use privacy policies and practices that are generally recognized as meeting or exceeding industry or governmental requirements for maintaining personal information data private and secure. Such policies should be easily accessible by users and should be updated as the collection and/or use of data changes. Personal information from users should be collected for legitimate and reasonable uses of the entity and not shared or sold outside of those legitimate uses. Further, such collection/sharing should occur after receiving the informed consent of the users. Additionally, such entities should consider taking any needed steps for safeguarding and securing access to such personal information data and ensuring that others with access to the personal information data adhere to their privacy policies and procedures. Further, such entities can subject themselves to evaluation by third parties to certify their adherence to widely accepted privacy policies and practices. In addition, policies and practices should be adapted for the particular types of personal information data being collected and/or accessed and adapted to applicable laws and standards, including jurisdiction-specific considerations. For instance, in the US, collection of or access to certain health data may be governed by federal and/or state laws, such as the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA); whereas health data in other countries may be subject to other regulations and policies and should be handled accordingly. Hence different privacy practices should be maintained for different personal data types in each country. 
     Despite the foregoing, the present disclosure also contemplates embodiments in which users selectively block the use of, or access to, personal information data. That is, the present disclosure contemplates that hardware and/or software elements can be provided to prevent or block access to such personal information data. For example, in the case of advertisement delivery services, the present technology can be configured to allow users to select to “opt in” or “opt out” of participation in the collection of personal information data during registration for services or anytime thereafter. In another example, users can select not to provide mood-associated data for targeted content delivery services. In yet another example, users can select to limit the length of time mood-associated data is maintained or entirely prohibit the development of a baseline mood profile. In addition to providing “opt in” and “opt out” options, the present disclosure contemplates providing notifications relating to the access or use of personal information. For instance, a user may be notified upon downloading an app that their personal information data will be accessed and then reminded again just before personal information data is accessed by the app. 
     Moreover, it is the intent of the present disclosure that personal information data should be managed and handled in a way to minimize risks of unintentional or unauthorized access or use. Risk can be minimized by limiting the collection of data and deleting data once it is no longer needed. In addition, and when applicable, including in certain health related applications, data de-identification can be used to protect a user&#39;s privacy. De-identification may be facilitated, when appropriate, by removing specific identifiers (e.g., date of birth, etc.), controlling the amount or specificity of data stored (e.g., collecting location data a city level rather than at an address level), controlling how data is stored (e.g., aggregating data across users), and/or other methods. 
     Therefore, although the present disclosure broadly covers use of personal information data to implement one or more various disclosed embodiments, the present disclosure also contemplates that the various embodiments can also be implemented without the need for accessing such personal information data. That is, the various embodiments of the present technology are not rendered inoperable due to the lack of all or a portion of such personal information data. For example, content can be selected and delivered to users by inferring preferences based on non-personal information data or a bare minimum amount of personal information, such as the content being requested by the device associated with a user, other non-personal information available to the content delivery services, or publicly available information. 
     As used herein, the terms exterior, outer, interior, inner, top, and bottom are used for reference purposes only. An exterior or outer portion of a component can form a portion of an exterior surface of the component but may not necessarily form the entire exterior of outer surface thereof. Similarly, the interior or inner portion of a component can form or define an interior or inner portion of the component but can also form or define a portion of an exterior or outer surface of the component. A top portion of a component can be located above a bottom portion in some orientations of the component, but can also be located in line with, below, or in other spatial relationships with the bottom portion depending on the orientation of the component. 
     Various inventions have been described herein with reference to certain specific embodiments and examples. However, they will be recognized by those skilled in the art that many variations are possible without departing from the scope and spirit of the inventions disclosed herein, in that those inventions set forth in the claims below are intended to cover all variations and modifications of the inventions disclosed without departing from the spirit of the inventions. The terms “including:” and “having” come as used in the specification and claims shall have the same meaning as the term “comprising.” 
     The foregoing description, for purposes of explanation, used specific nomenclature to provide a thorough understanding of the described embodiments. However, it will be apparent to one skilled in the art that the specific details are not required in order to practice the described embodiments. Thus, the foregoing descriptions of the specific embodiments described herein are presented for purposes of illustration and description. They are not targeted to be exhaustive or to limit the embodiments to the precise forms disclosed. It will be apparent to one of ordinary skill in the art that many modifications and variations are possible in view of the above teachings.

Metadata:
Filing Date: 20200421
Publication Date: 20220823
Grant Date: 20220823
Priority Date: 20190906
Inventors: HAN, CALEB C.
BOOZER, BRAD G.
MACNEIL, DAVID
ARNDT, GREGORY B.
O'BRIEN, PATRICK E.
SOLASI, ROHAM
JIANG, TONGBI T.
BALASUBRAMANIAN, Ashwin
LEE, WILLIAM S.
BHATTACHARYYA, MANOJ K.
LIANG, Jiahui
HORIUCHI, JAMES G.
GIDER, SAVAS
Assignee: APPLE INC
CPC Classifications: [{"code": "G01N27/228", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "G01N27/226", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "G01N27/048", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "G06F1/1656", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "G06F1/1684", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "G04G21/02", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "G01N27/07", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "G04G21/02", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "G06F3/0362", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "G01N27/223", "inventive": true, "first": true, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "G06F1/169", "inventive": true, "first": true, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "G01N27/045", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "G06F1/163", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "G06F1/163", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "G01N27/07", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "G01N27/223", "inventive": true, "first": true, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "G01N27/048", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "G06F1/163", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "G01N27/226", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "G01N27/045", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "G04G21/02", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "G01N27/228", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}]
Family ID: 74849545