A moisture sensor (100) that comprises a contact surface (105) for contacting a polishing pad (503), and a first, a second and a third electrical contact element (101, 102, 103) electrically isolated from each other, the electrical contact elements (101, 102, 103) being disposed within the moisture sensor (100) so that they are exposed at the contact surface (105). Also a polishing device and a method for measuring the moisture in a polishing pad (503) is disclosed using the moisture sensor (100).

A diagnostic function of a humidity sensor is exposed to the outside and the humidity sensor is likely to deteriorate.

An aspect of the present invention includes: a capacitance-voltage conversion circuit which includes a plurality of reference capacitors having different pieces of capacitance and a switch which switches the reference capacitors and outputs a voltage according to the capacitance of a humidity sensor; and a diagnosis unit which compares an output voltage of the capacitance-voltage conversion circuit with a reference voltage obtained from a reference characteristic of the humidity sensor and diagnoses the humidity sensor based on a comparison result. Also, the diagnosis unit changes the output voltage by changing the capacitance of the capacitance-voltage conversion circuit using the switch in a state in which the output voltage of the capacitance-voltage conversion circuit is within a certain range and compares the changed output voltage with the reference voltage.

The present invention relates to a sensor device (10) for detection of liquid and/or humidity. The sensor device comprises a resonance circuit comprising an inductor (13) connected to a capacitor (11), wherein the capacitor comprises a first electrode (11a) and a second electrode (11b) together sandwiching at least a portion of a dielectric substrate (14). The first and second electrodes are configured to provide an overlap mismatch relative to each other, and the overlap mismatch area (ma) is at least 0.1% of the overlapping area (o.sub.a) of the two electrodes. The present invention further relates to a system (70) for reading a sensor device and a method (100, 200) for reading a sensor device.

The present invention relates to a method of calibrating a humidity sensor device, comprising the steps determining a first dew point and a first relative humidity at a first temperature in an environment by the humidity sensor device using a first calibration offset; subsequently heating the humidity sensor device, in particular, by self-heating, thereby heating the environment to a second temperature higher than the first temperature; subsequently determining a second dew point at the second temperature by the humidity sensor device; subsequently determining whether the determined second dew point differs from the determined first dew point by more than a predetermined difference; and subsequently changing the first calibration offset of the humidity sensor device by a predetermined value to obtain a second calibration offset, if it is determined that the determined second dew point differs from the determined first dew point by more than the predetermined difference.

Aspects of the present invention include a system and method for differentiating a plurality of objects detected behind an opaque surface, including, a plurality of sensors, controlled by one or more processors, configured to collect in parallel, sensor data of the plurality of objects behind an opaque surface, the one or more processors are configured to analyze the sensor data to identify estimated regions of the plurality of objects behind the opaque surface, the one or more processors are further configured to differentiate the estimated regions of the plurality of objects behind the opaque surface, and, the one or more processors are further configured to inform a user, via a user interface, of the plurality of objects within the estimated regions behind the opaque surface.

A system and method for moisture sensing and methods for making and using same. The present disclosure describes a fluid sensing array that comprises a first and second set of conducting lines with a fluid layer disposed between the first and second set of conducting lines. Proximate intersections of the sets of conducting lines define a plurality of sensing regions. Reading the plurality of sensing regions may provide for calculating a value for fluid volume present, a value for surface area where fluid is present, or a determination of the identity, class or a characteristic of a fluid present.

Various aspects of the disclosure relate to evaluating the electromagnetic impedance characteristics of a material under test (MUT) over a range of frequencies. In particular aspects, a system includes: an electrically non-conducting container sized to hold the MUT, the electrically non-conducting container having a first opening at a first end thereof and a second opening at a second, opposite end thereof; a transmitting electrode assembly at the first end of the electrically non-conducting container, the transmitting electrode assembly having a transmitting electrode with a transmitting surface; and a receiving electrode assembly at the second end of the electrically non-conducting container, the receiving electrode assembly having a receiving electrode with a receiving surface, wherein the receiving electrode is approximately parallel with the transmitting electrode, and wherein the transmitting surface of the transmitting electrode is larger than the receiving surface of the receiving electrode.

The present invention is a sensor device comprising: a housing; a processing unit assembly disposed within the housing, wherein the processing unit comprising a high frequency oscillator, a first voltage meter, a low frequency oscillator, a second voltage meter; a probe having a predetermined shape and profile attached to the processing unit and extending from the housing a predetermined distance; and a first sensing unit integrated into the probe and in electrical communication with the high frequency oscillator and the first voltage meter; a second sensing unit integrated into the probe relative to the first sensing unit and in electrical communication with the low frequency oscillator and the second voltage meter.

Disclosed herein are a soil moisture sensor and an operating method thereof. The soil moisture sensor includes a first probe including a pair of first electrodes extending in a first direction; a first resonance circuit connected to the pair of first electrodes of the first probe through a pair of first ports, and configured such that a first AC signal is applied thereto; a second resonance circuit having the same impedance as the first resonance circuit, and configured such that a second AC signal having the same characteristics as the first AC signal while being a reference AC signal is applied thereto; and a determination circuit configured to receive a first electrical signal and a second electrical signal and to determine the moisture in the soil based on the first resonant frequency of the first electrical signal and the second resonant frequency of the second electrical signal.

A device includes a sensor die, an electrical coupling, a substrate, a liquid detection unit, and a housing unit. The sensor die is coupled to the substrate via the electrical coupling. The liquid detection unit electrically is coupled to the sensor die. The housing unit and the substrate are configured to house the sensor die, the liquid detection unit, and the electrical coupling. The housing unit comprises an opening that exposes the sensor die to an environment external to the housing unit. The liquid detection unit detects presence of liquid within an interior environment of the housing unit. In some embodiments, the device further includes a gel filled within the interior environment of the housing unit covering the sensor die and the substrate. The gel, e.g., silicone, fluoro silicone, etc., is configured to protect the sensor die, the electrical coupling, and the substrate from exposure to the liquid.