Activating a submersible sensor based on electrode output, and related systems, methods and devices
A submersible sensor comprising a fluid-tight shell, electrodes operatively coupled to the inner surface of the fluid-tight shell, and a processor disposed within the fluid-tight shell and operatively coupled to the electrodes. The processor is configured to detect capacitance changes at the electrodes, detect a first property of a first medium responsive to first detected capacitance changes of the detected capacitive changes, detect a second property of a second medium responsive to second detected capacitance changes of the detected capacitive changes, and activate one or more operational modes responsive to a difference between the first property and the second property.
1. A submersible sensor comprising:
a fluid-tight shell comprising:
an outer surface; and
an inner surface opposite the outer surface;
electrodes operatively coupled to the inner surface of the fluid-tight shell; and
a processor disposed within the fluid-tight shell and operatively coupled to the electrodes, the processor configured to:
detect capacitance changes at the electrodes;
detect a first property of a first medium responsive to first detected capacitance changes of the detected capacitive changes detected responsive to submersion of the fluid-tight shell in the first medium;
detect a second property of a second medium responsive to second detected capacitance changes of the detected capacitive changes detected responsive to submersion of the fluid-tight shell in the second medium; and
activate one or more operational modes responsive to a difference between the first property and the second property.
2. The submersible sensor of claim 1 , wherein the first property is a fluid density of the first medium and the second property is a fluid density of the second medium.
3. The submersible sensor of claim 1 , wherein the electrodes include capacitive electrodes.
4. The submersible sensor of claim 1 , wherein the one or more operational modes include a power on mode, a power off mode, a low power mode, and a sensing mode.
5. The submersible sensor of claim 1 , wherein the one or more operational modes include a first sensing mode and a second sensing mode different than the first sensing mode.
6. The submersible sensor of claim 1 , wherein a first operational mode is operable at a first sensing frequency and a second operational mode is operable at a second sensing frequency.
7. The submersible sensor of claim 1 , wherein the processor is selected from a group consisting of: a microcontroller and a microprocessor.
8. The submersible sensor of claim 1 , wherein the fluid-tight shell does not include a port extending from the outer surface to the inner surface.
9. The submersible sensor of claim 1 , wherein the fluid-tight shell does not include a component physically extending from the inner surface to the outer surface.
10. The submersible sensor of claim 1 , wherein the first property of the first medium is selected from a group consisting of: a dielectric constant of the first medium and fluid density of the first medium.
11. The submersible sensor of claim 1 , wherein the second property of the second medium is selected from a group consisting of: a dielectric constant of the second medium and fluid density of the second medium.
12. A method comprising:
detecting capacitance changes at electrodes operatively coupled to an inner surface of a fluid-tight shell;
detecting a first property of a first medium responsive to first detected capacitance changes of the detected capacitive changes, the first detected capacitance changes detected responsive to submersion of the fluid-tight shell in the first medium;
detecting a second property of a second medium responsive to second detected capacitance changes of the detected capacitive changes, the second detected capacitance changes detected responsive to submersion of the fluid-tight shell in the second medium; and
activating one or more operational modes responsive to a difference between the first property and the second property.
13. The method of claim 12 , further comprising:
detecting a capacitance indicative of a human touch; and
in response to the capacitance indicative of the human touch, forgo activating one or more operational modes.
14. The method of claim 12 , further comprising:
determining an identification of the first medium based on the first detected capacitance changes; and
determining an identification of the second medium based on the detected second capacitance changes.
15. A microprocessor disposed within a fluid-tight shell and operatively coupled to electrodes operatively coupled to an inner surface of the fluid-tight shell, the microprocessor configured to:
detect capacitance changes at the electrodes;
detect a first property of a first medium responsive to first detected capacitance changes of the detected capacitive changes detected responsive to submersion of the fluid-tight shell in the first medium;
detect a second property of a second medium responsive to second detected capacitance changes of the detected capacitive changes detected responsive to submersion of the fluid-tight shell in the second medium; and
activate one or more operational modes responsive to a difference between the first property and the second property.
16. The microprocessor of claim 15 , wherein the first property is a fluid density of the first medium and the second property is a fluid density of the second medium.
17. The microprocessor of claim 15 , wherein the electrodes include capacitive electrodes.
18. The microprocessor of claim 15 , wherein the one or more operational modes include a first sensing mode and a second sensing mode different than the first sensing mode.
19. The microprocessor of claim 15 , wherein a first operational mode is operable at a first sensing frequency and a second operational mode is operable at a second sensing frequency.
20. The microprocessor of claim 15 , wherein the one or more operational modes include an inactive mode, a stand-by mode, and a sensing mode.