Measuring Humidity Using Capacitive Sensors

Hi Shyam

I am the author, but not owner, of US Patent # 6,014,029 of a permittivity sensor for soil moisture measurement. It operates at UHF frequencies where permittivity is almost a pure real number with negligible complex part, thus the sensor is independent of the conductivity and PH of the soil. The sensor is basically an LC oscillator.

But now I have new designs that are based on a principle exactly "orthogonal" to that of my own patent. These new designs overcome several problems found on varying the kind of soil or material.

The problem is to find a market and a way to protect this idea, because the purpose is to do business, but to present this endeavour has proved to be almost impossible, companies try to get all ideas almost for free, the danger comes from Asian countries, they copy everything preventing incentives to their own people.

Jaime F. Soto, EE
http://www.matharts.cl/

I wonder if there is an application for monitoring moisture in wood .In a kiln application or as a remote sensor in a finished wood supply for better presentation to buyers .Or in duct work to avoid conditions that mold might grow .Free for the taking brother ,as a fellow inventor I understand your pain .

Moisture measurement for wood is possible using different methods. Surface moisture can be measured by mid infrared light reflection. These optical bands are in 900nm to 2200nm range. LED and IR detector can do the job.

Another way is to take small portion of wood, weigh it and heat it and weigh it again. Too much heat will also remove the wood oil. This method is good for leaves.

I am not so sure about ultrasound velocity change due to water in wood but can be tried out if wood is uniform and flawless.

Shyam
India

Dear Jaime,

I think you should make your technology projected for areas where money is not a serious problem. Also it must have ease to use it, reliability and reusability. I can only suggest few areas where you can try to project the idea.

Concrete solidification is highly moisture dependent and requires good sensor that can profile some depth.

Industrial materials and industrial waste, mine ore etc also require moisture sensor.

Surface soil moisture is measured for automatic water spray in green house and farming.

Perhaps you can dig out more such areas.

Marketing of products is as important as its development. Perhaps hire an agency to market your product with profit sharing.

Shyam
India

Hi Shyam

The main problem is how to protect ideas. Most of my designs must be tested at the client laboratories, because I lack the modern instruments they have, but of course, once I experiment something there, the danger of coping basic principles is real. For example recently I designed and tested an all digital spread spectrum oscillator that generates band limited spectral bands, I mean a noise band whose spectrum is flat and precisely limited between two programmable frequencies without using any analogue filter. It is a functional block programmed inside a Xilinx FPGA. But it is so simple that it would be easily copied and even sent by internet to anywhere. My only defence is to encrypt the macro. In the case of the sensor, it is impossible to protect the idea, because it is even more simple and cheap. I guess you have the same problems in India, lack of protection to ideas, thus lack of incentives to have new ideas, the same problem occurs in China, that means a disincentive to imagine new ideas or solutions, and that is not egoism, it is just a problem of survivability, how to live based on innovation in countries where ideas are not protected. I believe that the main cause of misery is lack of protection of property, not only physical property, as in agriculture and construction, but intellectual property, I believe these are the main obstacles to India an China.

Jaime Soto Figueroa
http://www.matharts.cl/

Dear Jaime

Patent process is slow and expensive. You have to file first in your country and then in other countries. You also have to wait for years. If you can't market the patent then it loses its purpose.

Copy you need not worry as you can always as for payment for loss suffered.

Have a no disclosure agreement with any one you talk business.

Some time what you think is right may not be right at all. Getting patent does not mean that things are perfact.

If you think you know to make Spread Spectrum device or even an oscillator then talk to www.maxim-ic.com or other manufacturers of similar items. They may buy the idea alone. They right now use analog process using their GHz ASIC.

Never get frustrated just because there is no one to buy your ideas. Feel great that you could do it. I published several hundreds of my new design ideas in EDN, Electronics Design and Electronics Wireless World.

Shyam