System, method and article for indicating a wet or dry condition to a user

Abstract

Disclosed is a system, method and an article for indicating wet/dry condition to a user. At least one sensor comprising a circuit of a processing unit, a switch and an antenna is positioned within a target area. The switch detects the target area with a dry condition or a wet condition. The switch arranges the circuit in an open circuit configuration or a closed circuit configuration based upon the detection of the dry condition or the wet condition respectively. The antenna transmits a communication signal, generated by the processing unit, to a wireless reader via the circuit arranged in the open circuit configuration or the closed circuit configuration. The wireless reader determines the dry condition or the wet condition in the target area based upon the receipt of the communication signal. The wireless reader notifies to a user the dry condition or the wet condition detected in the target area.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A system for indicating wet or dry condition to a user, the system comprising:
 a first sensor and a second sensor positioned within a target area of an absorbent article; and   a reader;   wherein the first sensor comprises
 a first circuit comprising a first IC, a first switch and a first antenna connected in parallel, 
 the first switch being configured to detect the target area with one of a dry condition and a wet condition, and arrange the first circuit in a first circuit configuration based upon the detection of the one of the dry condition and the wet condition, 
 the first IC being configured to generate a first communication signal when the first circuit is in the first circuit configuration, and 
 the first antenna being configured to transmit the first communication signal to the reader; 
   the second sensor comprises
 a second circuit comprising a second IC, a second switch and a second antenna connected in series, 
 the second switch being configured to detect the target area with an other of the dry condition and the wet condition, and arrange the second circuit in a second circuit configuration based upon the detection of the other of the dry condition and the wet condition, 
 the second IC being configured to generate a second communication signal when the second circuit is in the second circuit configuration, and 
 the second antenna being configured to transmit the second communication signal to the reader; 
   the reader is configured to receive the first or second communication signal and determine the target area is in the dry condition or the wet condition.   
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the reader is an Radio-frequency identification (RFID) reader, the first IC is an RFID IC, and the second IC is an RFID IC. 
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the first switch acts as a closed switch if there is liquid within the target area and an open switch if there is no liquid within the target area, and the second switch acts as a closed switch if there is liquid within the target area and an open switch if there is no liquid within the target area. 
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the first circuit configuration is an open circuit configuration, and the second circuit configuration is a closed circuit configuration. 
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the reader further generates a notification signal for a user, the notification signal being indicative of the dry condition or the wet condition detected in the target area. 
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 5 , wherein the notification signal generated by the reader is in form of an audible signal or a visual signal or a combination thereof. 
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 6 , wherein the audible signal and the visual signal is indicated via a beeper and one or more Light Emitting Diodes (LEDs) respectively, wherein the beeper and the one or more LEDs are present within the reader. 
     
     
         8 . A method for indicating wet or dry condition to a user, the method comprising:
 positioning a first sensor and a second sensor within a target area of an absorbent article, wherein the first sensor comprises
 a first circuit comprising a first IC, a first switch and a first antenna connected in parallel, 
 the first switch being configured to detect the target area with one of a dry condition and a wet condition, and arrange the first circuit in a first circuit configuration based upon the detection of the one of the dry condition and the wet condition, 
 the first IC being configured to generate a first communication signal when the first circuit is in the first circuit configuration, and 
 the first antenna being configured to transmit the first communication signal to a reader; 
   the second sensor comprises
 a second circuit comprising a second IC, a second switch and a second antenna connected in series, 
 the second switch being configured to detect the target area with an other of the dry condition and the wet condition, and arrange the second circuit in a second circuit configuration based upon the detection of the other of the dry condition and the wet condition, 
 the second IC being configured to generate a second communication signal when the second circuit is in the second circuit configuration, and 
 the second antenna being configured to transmit the second communication signal to the reader; 
   detecting, by the first sensor and the second sensor, the target area with the dry condition or the wet condition;   receiving, by the reader, the first or second communication signal, determining the target area is in the dry condition or the wet condition.   
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the reader is an Radio-frequency identification (RFID) reader, the first IC is an RFID IC, and the second IC is an RFID IC. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the first switch acts as a closed switch if there is liquid within the target area and an open switch if there is no liquid within the target area, and the second switch acts as a closed switch if there is liquid within the target area and an open switch if there is no liquid within the target area. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the first circuit configuration is an open circuit configuration, and the second circuit configuration is a closed circuit configuration. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the reader further generates a notification signal for a user, the notification signal being indicative of the dry condition or the wet condition detected in the target area. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the notification signal generated by the reader is in form of an audible signal or a visual signal or a combination thereof. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the audible signal and the visual signal is indicated via a beeper and one or more Light Emitting Diodes (LEDs) respectively, wherein the beeper and the one or more LEDs are present within the reader. 
     
     
         15 . An absorbent article, comprising:
 a first reusable sensor and a second reusable sensor positioned inside the absorbent article such that the first reusable sensor and the second reusable sensor are in direct contact with a liquid in the absorbent article,   wherein the first sensor comprises
 a first circuit comprising a first IC, a first switch and a first antenna connected in parallel, 
 the first switch being configured to detect the target area with one of a dry condition and a wet condition, and arrange the first circuit in a first circuit configuration based upon the detection of the one of the dry condition and the wet condition, 
 the first IC being configured to generate a first communication signal when the first circuit is in the first circuit configuration, and 
 the first antenna being configured to transmit the first communication signal to a reader; 
   the second sensor comprises
 a second circuit comprising a second IC, a second switch and a second antenna connected in series, 
 the second switch being configured to detect the target area with an other of the dry condition and the wet condition, and arrange the second circuit in a second circuit configuration based upon the detection of the other of the dry condition and the wet condition, 
 the second IC being configured to generate a second communication signal when the second circuit is in the second circuit configuration, and 
 the second antenna being configured to transmit the second communication signal to the reader. 
   
     
     
         16 . The article of  claim 15 , wherein the reader is an Radio-frequency identification (RFID) reader, the first IC is an RFID IC, and the second IC is an RFID IC. 
     
     
         17 . The article of  claim 15 , wherein the first switch acts as a closed switch if there is liquid within the target area and an open switch if there is no liquid within the target area, and the second switch acts as a closed switch if there is liquid within the target area and an open switch if there is no liquid within the target area. 
     
     
         18 . The article of  claim 15 , wherein the first circuit configuration is an open circuit configuration, and the second circuit configuration is a closed circuit configuration. 
     
     
         19 . The article of  claim 15 , wherein the reader further generates a notification signal for a user, the notification signal being indicative of the dry condition or the wet condition detected in the target area. 
     
     
         20 . The article of  claim 15 , wherein the notification signal generated by the reader is in form of an audible signal or a visual signal or a combination thereof; and
 the audible signal and the visual signal is indicated via a beeper and one or more Light Emitting Diodes (LEDs) respectively, wherein the beeper and the one or more LEDs are present within the reader.