公开(公告)号：US20250076249A1

公开(公告)日：2025-03-06

申请号：US18457143

申请日：2023-08-28

Applicant: STMicroelectronics International N.V.

Inventor： Marco Maria Branciforte ,  Fabrizio La Rosa

IPC: G01N27/60 ,  G01N33/24

Abstract: A soil sensor includes a signal generator, and a transmitter coupled to the signal generator, the transmitter configured to transmit a signal from the signal generator, the signal having a fixed frequency, the transmitter including a transmit electrode embedded within a first dielectric material. The soil sensor includes a receiver, the receiver being configured to electrostatically couple to the transmitter through a channel including soil, the receiver including a charge variation (QVAR) electrode embedded within a second dielectric material. The soil sensor includes a charge variation (QVAR) sensor coupled to the QVAR electrode, the QVAR sensor configured to detect a variation in charge detected at the QVAR electrode in response to the signal from the signal generator and output a digital signal including the charge detected. And the soil sensor further includes a processing circuit coupled to the QVAR sensor and configured to determine a level of moisture in the channel based on the digital signal.