Method and system for non-invasively determining properties of container and / or compound present within container

Abstract

The present invention relates to a method and system for non-invasively determining a property of a container (e.g., a degree of contamination and / or a filling level of a compound in the container) and / or a property of a compound present within the container (e.g., a viscosity and / or density of the compound). The method may use sound pressure level analysis to determine a characteristic key indicator of an acoustic behavior indicative of a property of the container and / or the compound. The key indicator may be compared to key indicators contained in reference measurement data to determine a property of the container and / or the compound.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a method and a system for non-invasively determining properties of a container (such as the degree of contamination and / or the fill level of a compound in the container) and / or properties of a compound present in the container (such as the viscosity and / or density of the compound). Background Art

[0002] Liquid and solid compounds (e.g., foods, raw materials, beverages, chemicals, pharmaceuticals, cosmetics, etc.) are typically stored and transported using reusable, industrial-grade intermediate bulk containers (IBCs). Depending on their design and construction, IBCs have a capacity of 500 to 3,000 liters. Due to their design, IBCs can be moved with a forklift or pallet truck and are stackable, making them particularly suitable for storing liquids and solid compounds for transport for further use. An advantage of most IBCs is that they can be cleaned after use and can therefore be reused multiple times.

[0003] It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide an improved method for determining the fill level of a compound present in a container. Summary of the Invention

[0004] According to one aspect, a method for determining the properties of a container and / or a compound present in the container is provided. At least one acoustic impulse is generated outside the wall of the container by means of a device attached to the outer wall of the container. Acoustic behavior generated in response to the at least one acoustic impulse is measured. The acoustic response indicates the properties of the container and / or the compound present in the container. The measured acoustic behavior is optionally processed. Acoustic behavior data of the measured acoustic behavior is generated by determining at least one root mean square (RMS) value within at least one time interval, and the generated acoustic behavior data is compared with reference measurement data. The reference measurement data includes reference acoustic behavior data, which is associated with a container containing one or more defined quantities of defined compounds. Based on the comparison, the properties of the container (e.g., data on the degree of contamination inside the container with one or more compounds and / or fill level data) and / or the properties of the compound present in the container (e.g., physical property data, such as viscosity data and density data) are determined.

[0005] According to another aspect, a system for determining an attribute of a container and / or a compound present in the container is disclosed. The system comprises:

[0006] a device attached to an outer wall of a container, wherein the device is configured to generate at least one acoustic impulse at the outer wall of the container, measure an acoustic behavior generated in response to the at least one acoustic impulse, wherein the acoustic response is indicative of a property of the container and / or a compound present in the container, and optionally process the measured acoustic behavior,

[0007] - A computer processor configured to: generate acoustic behavior data of the measured acoustic behavior by determining at least one root mean square (RMS) value over at least one time interval; compare the generated acoustic behavior data with reference measurement data, the reference measurement data comprising reference acoustic behavior data associated with a container containing one or more defined quantities of a defined compound; and determine a property of the container and / or a compound present in the container based on the comparison.

[0008] According to yet another aspect, a computer program for determining properties of a container and / or a compound present in the container is disclosed, the program comprising code means for causing the system as disclosed herein to perform the method as disclosed herein when the program is run on a computer controlling the system as disclosed herein.

[0009] According to yet another aspect, there is disclosed the use of the method disclosed herein for managing reusable containers.

[0010] The methods, systems, computer programs, and uses disclosed herein provide non-invasive means for determining the degree of contamination and / or fill level data within a container, and / or for determining the type of compound and / or the physical properties of the compound. The properties of the container and / or compound can be accurately and quickly determined without using a large amount of reference measurement data. Therefore, the life cycle of reusable containers can be remotely managed, the transportation of empty containers can be centralized, and cleaning procedures for contaminated containers can be determined. In addition, this allows the method to be used for existing IBCs without the need to recertify the IBCs due to the use of invasive measurement methods and equipment. This reduces the total number of IBCs required to ship goods to customers and speeds up product cycles, ultimately reducing costs. The method can be executed quickly and reliably and does not require excessive computing power. In addition, the method can be executed without using a large amount of reference measurement data (such as the data required when determining the fill level of a compound present in a container using a data-driven model). Instead, calculating the root mean square (RMS) value over one or more time intervals allows key characteristic indicators to be determined based on the measured acoustic behavior, thereby reducing the complexity of the measured acoustic behavior. Furthermore, the reduced complexity of the generated acoustic behavior data also allows for the use of fewer reference measurements. Furthermore, the method can be used to determine not only contamination and fill level data, but also physical property data of the compound within the container. This allows for monitoring and tracking the physical properties of the compound, and for initiating actions when the physical property data exceeds predefined threshold(s).

[0011] The object of the present invention is to provide an efficient method for determining the properties of a container and / or a compound with high accuracy. The method should allow the filling level of the compound(s) present in the container to be determined and the physical properties of the compound present in the container to be determined, thereby allowing the identification of the compound or another physical property.

[0012] The following is an overview of embodiments of the present disclosure by way of examples. It should be understood that the present disclosure is not limited to the embodiments and / or examples.

[0013] In embodiments, the compound is a solid or liquid compound. Liquid compounds exhibit a liquid aggregate state when present in the container, while solid compounds exhibit a solid aggregate state when present in the container. The container interior may be heated or cooled to ensure that the compound(s) present in the container exhibit a liquid or solid aggregate state. The solid compound may be a particulate material, such as a powder, pellets, or the like.

[0014] In an embodiment, the compound is a chemical composition. In one example, the chemical composition is a liquid coating composition or a component of a liquid coating composition. In another example, the chemical composition is a solid coating composition or a component of a solid coating composition. According to DIN EN 971-1:1996-09, a coating composition is a liquid, paste, or solid product that, when applied to a substrate, produces a coating having protective, decorative, and / or other specific properties. Coating compositions can be further classified based on various criteria, such as the primary binder present in the coating composition (i.e., epoxy coating composition, polyurethane coating composition, etc.), the primary solvent present in the coating composition (i.e., solvent-borne coating composition, water-borne coating composition), the type of coating composition (i.e., powder coating composition, high-solids coating composition, etc.), the application procedure used to apply the coating composition (i.e., spray coating composition, dip coating composition, etc.), the film-forming type (i.e., 1K coating composition, 2K coating composition, baked composition, etc.), the effect type (i.e., effect coating composition), the function within a multi-layer coating (i.e., electrocoat composition, primer coating composition, primer-surfacer coating composition, basecoat composition, clearcoat composition), and the type of object to be coated (i.e., automotive coating composition, etc.). "Components of a coating composition" can refer to the materials required to obtain the coating composition (e.g., obtained by mixing these materials). In the case of a multi-component coating composition (i.e., a coating composition prepared by mixing at least two components), such components may be, for example, a base varnish and a hardener component. Examples of liquid coating compositions and liquid components of coating compositions include liquid electrocoat compositions, liquid primer coating compositions, liquid primer-surfacer coating compositions, liquid basecoat compositions, liquid clearcoat compositions, base varnishes, or hardener components. In yet another example, the chemical composition includes a cosmetic composition.

[0015] In an embodiment, the container is a plastic, glass or metal container. In one example, the container is an intermediate bulk container (IBC). As used herein, the term "intermediate bulk container" or "IBC" includes various IBCs, transport tanks, bulk containers, solid material containers, SchCitz brand containers, SchCitz brand containers, or any suitable variations or combinations of the foregoing containers. In some embodiments, the container can be lined with one or more liners having one or more layers. In such embodiments, the container can be physically coupled to the one or more liners, for example, using ultrasonic welding, and the device can be configured to consider the one or more liners when determining the fill level and other properties of the container. In another example, the container is an oil drum or a plastic or glass container other than an IBC. In yet another example, the container is a fiberglass container. Particularly preferably, the container is a metal IBC, particularly a single-wall stainless steel or aluminum IBC.

[0016] In an embodiment, the attributes of a container include data about the degree of contamination inside the container and / or fill level data associated with the fill level of a compound present inside the container. For example, there may be at least one compound or a mixture of compounds in the container, and may correspond to a pollutant. The amount of the compound / mixture of compounds and therefore the fill level of the compound(s) may correspond to the degree of contamination. For example, if an emptied container is used to store waste, or the compound contained in the container cannot be completely removed when the container is emptied, the contamination may occur. Determining the degree of contamination allows the necessary degree of cleanliness to be determined before refilling the container, thereby providing a more efficient way to manage reusable containers (e.g., IBC containers). The fill level data of a compound may represent a classifier corresponding to whether the container is empty or not. Using this classifier allows triggering the recycling of the container for cleaning and refilling. For example, a container with a classifier of "empty" can be recycled for cleaning and refilling. In addition, using this classifier can reduce the number of measurements of acoustic behavior, thereby significantly extending the life of the battery of the device attached to the outside of the container wall. The fill level data may comprise a fill level value which corresponds at least approximately to the actual fill level of the compound present inside the container and may be given in % form (e.g. in litres) based on the original fill level. Such a fill level may be determined by regression methods known in the art.

[0017] In one embodiment, the property of the compound present in the container interior includes the physical property data of the compound. Examples of physical property data include compound type data, compound density data, compound temperature data, data on sedimentation behavior and / or compound viscosity data. Therefore, the method disclosed herein allows determining the physical property data of the compound contained in the container in addition to data and / or fill level data on the degree of contamination. For example, the method disclosed herein can be used to determine compound type data, such as data associated with the type of coating material (such as, material name). In another case, the density and / or viscosity data of the compound contained in the container can be determined using the method disclosed herein. This allows verification whether the container does contain the compound it should contain, or whether other compounds are filled into the container. Therefore, the compound present in the container can be verified together with determining the relevant physical properties. In addition, the method disclosed herein allows monitoring of relevant physical properties (such as temperature), thereby allowing monitoring and tracking of the properties. In addition, when the physical property reaches a predefined threshold, an alarm or countermeasure can be triggered to avoid the compound contained in the container from being destroyed or having its shelf life shortened.

[0018] The acoustic impulses may be generated with the aid of a device. The device may be an IoT device and may communicate with a computing system that determines properties of the container and / or the compound. In an embodiment, the device is physically coupled to the outside of the wall of the container permanently or removably, in particular removably. Removably coupling the device to the outside of the container allows preventing the container from being required to be recertified in the event that the container is permanently modified, for example by permanently attaching the device or an attachment means for the device to the container. The easy disassembly of the device facilitates performing a cleaning process on the empty container before refilling, since the device can be easily removed before the cleaning process, thereby avoiding damage to the device during the cleaning operation.

[0019] The device may include an actuator (impulse generator), at least one sound sensor (microphone), a computer processor for processing the detected acoustic behavior generated in response to (multiple) acoustic impulses, and a data storage medium. The actuator may be a solenoid or a vibration generator.

[0020] The device may include a microphone. The device may include at least two microphones. Using at least two microphones can reduce the amount of interfering noise detected by the microphones. At least one microphone can be a capacitive microphone or a microelectromechanical system (MEMS) microphone, in particular a microelectromechanical system (MEMS) microphone. MEMS microphones are relatively small and require relatively low amounts of energy, resulting in a compact device design and a longer battery life for batteries within the device. The microphone(s) can be directional and soundproofed to reduce unwanted interference.

[0021] To prevent damage to the device after it is physically coupled to the container, its components can reside inside a housing designed to be physically stable for outdoor use. The housing can be made of plastic, should be silicone-free, and should be easy to clean. The device should comply with ATEX regulations so that it can be used in conjunction with containers located in areas requiring special measures for explosion protection. At least some of the device's components can be integrated together, for example, on a printed circuit board (PCB).

[0022] The acoustic impulses can be generated by striking the outer wall of the container with the aid of a device. The device may include an actuator for causing the acoustic impulses. The device may be configured to generate at least one acoustic impulse at a predefined rate (e.g., a striking frequency), such as once every x hours, once every x minutes, once every x seconds, less than one second, etc., and the striking frequency may vary depending on the time of day, or on the day of the week, month, or year. The device may be configured to generate at least one acoustic impulse upon detecting a change in the container environment (e.g., container movement, temperature change, etc.).

[0023] In an embodiment, the acoustic behavior generated in response to the at least one acoustic impulse corresponds to at least one audio signal generated in response to the at least one acoustic impulse. The audio signal may be a pulsating DC voltage within a frequency range of 6 Hz to 60,000 Hz (e.g., 6 Hz to 20,000 Hz). The audio signal may include acoustic behavior generated in response to the acoustic impulse and may end after a predetermined time interval. The device may be capable of detecting audible and inaudible audio signals, for example, using at least one microphone. The device may detect the audio signal before the actual impulse is generated. The device may detect the actual generated impulse. The device may detect the audio signal generated by the container and / or at least one compound present in the container in response to the acoustic impulse. The audio signal may be detected for a duration of up to 2 seconds, and particularly up to 1.6 seconds, after the at least one acoustic impulse is generated. Because audio signals are highly damped, detecting the audio signal(s) within a limited time period may be beneficial for conserving energy and extending the battery life of a battery present in the device.

[0024] In an embodiment, processing the measured acoustic behavior comprises determining a frequency spectrum. Determining the frequency spectrum may comprise calculating a Fourier spectrum from the measured acoustic behavior (eg, from the obtained audio samples).

[0025] In an embodiment, the acoustic behavior data of the measured acoustic behavior are generated based on time interval data present in the reference measurement data. For example, the time interval data present in the reference measurement data can be obtained, and the obtained data can be used to generate the acoustic behavior data by determining at least one root mean square (RMS) value using the obtained time interval data. The time interval data can include (multiple) time intervals for generating the reference measurement data, in particular the acoustic behavior data. The time interval data can indicate the time interval to be used to generate the acoustic behavior data based on the measured acoustic behavior. This ensures that the generated acoustic behavior data can be compared with the acoustic behavior data contained in the reference measurement data, thereby allowing the properties of the container and / or compound to be accurately determined.

[0026] In an embodiment, the acoustic behavior data of the measured acoustic behavior is generated by determining (multiple) root mean square (RMS) values ​​for the time interval data contained in the reference measurement data. One root mean square (RMS) value can be determined for each time interval contained in the time interval data. For example, if the reference measurement data contains two time intervals, two RMS values ​​can be determined, and if the reference measurement data contains four time intervals, four RMS values ​​can be determined, and so on. The root mean square (RMS) value of the audio signal within a defined time interval can be defined as the root mean square (e.g., the arithmetic mean of the squares) of the absolute values ​​of the amplitudes contained within the time interval. For example, the root mean square (RMS) value within a given time interval x containing a given sample set n can be calculated using formula (1):

[0027]

[0028] Where A is the absolute value of the amplitude.

[0029] The sample set may be determined based on the sampling rate used to measure the acoustic behavior (e.g., audio signal). Calculating the RMS value over a specific time interval allows the information contained in the acoustic behavior data to be reduced to a small number of values, thereby allowing a quick and reliable comparison of the generated acoustic behavior data with acoustic behavior data contained in reference measurement data.

[0030] In an embodiment, the reference measurement data includes a reference root mean square (RMS) value associated with the time interval data, and the reference root mean square value is used to define the compound of one or more defined amounts contained in the container. The defined compound can be a liquid or solid compound, such as a liquid or solid coating composition, such as a liquid transparent topcoat composition or a liquid basecoat composition. For example, the reference measurement data can include a reference root mean square (RMS) value associated with a plurality of time intervals, and the reference root mean square value is used to define the compound of one or more defined amounts (e.g., fill level). Therefore, each reference RMS value can be associated with a defined time interval and a defined compound amount. Defined amount can correspond to the volume of the compound present in the container, such as 10L, 100L, 200L, etc. Defined amount can include the situation that the container is empty, for example, including a compound of 0L volume. Time interval and defined amount can be selected so as to compare with the root mean square (RMS) value generated according to the measured acoustic behavior of the container including an unknown amount and / or unknown compound, so that the attribute of the container and / or compound can be reliably determined. The number of reference root mean square (RMS) values ​​for each defined amount of compound in a container allows for adjustment of the accuracy of the method disclosed herein. Thus, the accuracy of the method can be adjusted by adjusting the number of time intervals used to determine the root mean square (RMS) value. For example, the accuracy of the method disclosed herein can be improved by increasing the number of time intervals used to determine the root mean square (RMS) value. Thus, selecting appropriate reference measurement data allows for adjustment of the accuracy of the method disclosed herein.

[0031] At least part of the reference root mean square (RMS) value included in the reference measurement data can be associated with error data.For example, each reference root mean square (RMS) value included in the reference measurement data can be associated with error data.The reference measurement data can include the average error data associated with (multiple) reference root mean square (RMS) values ​​in all time intervals, and the reference root mean square value is used to be associated with the limited compound of the limited amount included in the container.For example, the error associated with all reference root mean square (RMS) values ​​can be included in the reference measurement data, and these reference root mean square values ​​are associated with the limited compound (for example, liquid transparent topcoat or liquid basecoat) of limited amount (for example, 0L, 20L, 50L, 100L).This error level data can be used to estimate the accuracy of the method disclosed herein.For example, the greater the error, the more inaccurate the attribute of the determined container and / or compound is.In addition, this error data can be used to determine whether to use the attribute of the container and / or compound determined according to the measured acoustic behavior, or whether it is necessary to repeat the measurement, for example, because the error is higher than one or more predefined thresholds as described later. This allows adjusting the accuracy of the methods disclosed herein and also avoids, for example, providing inaccurate results to a user, thereby improving the accuracy of the methods disclosed herein.

[0032] The reference measurement data may include reference acoustic behavior data associated with the container for a plurality of compounds at a plurality of defined quantities (e.g., a plurality of predefined fill levels). For example, if each compound has characteristic reference acoustic behavior data, the reference measurement data may include reference acoustic behavior data associated with the container for a plurality of compounds at a plurality of defined quantities (e.g., a plurality of predefined fill levels). Thus, one reference measurement data file may be used to analyze a plurality of different compounds. This avoids the need for using multiple different files, each containing reference measurement data associated with a specific compound.

[0033] The reference measurement data may include additional data, such as compound identifier(s), container identifier(s), reference measurement data identifier(s), error level thresholds, spectral data, weighting factors associated with at least a portion of the reference acoustic behavior data, or a combination thereof. The compound identifier(s) may allow appropriate reference measurement data to be determined based on data related to the compound contained in the container. For example, data related to the compound in the container, such as a compound identifier, may be provided and the provided data may be used to obtain appropriate reference measurement data. In another case, data related to the compound (e.g., compound name, viscosity and / or density) may be determined by the methods disclosed herein and may be used to determine the compound identifier. The compound identifier may then be used to determine appropriate reference measurement data to determine data about the degree of contamination and / or fill level data of the compound in the container.

[0034] In an embodiment, comparing the generated acoustic behavior data with the reference measurement data includes determining error data between the generated acoustic behavior data and the reference measurement data. For example, the acoustic behavior data generated for the measured acoustic behavior can be compared with the reference acoustic behavior data contained in the reference measurement data. This can include determining error data between each root mean square (RMS) value contained in the generated acoustic behavior data and the reference measurement data (e.g., each reference root mean square (RMS) value associated with a corresponding time interval). For example, error data can be determined between each root mean square (RMS) value contained in the generated acoustic behavior data and each corresponding reference root mean square (RMS) value contained in the reference measurement data within each time interval (e.g., each reference root mean square (RMS) value associated with the following time interval, i.e., the same time interval as the time interval of the RMS value contained in the generated acoustic behavior data with which the reference RMS value is compared). Therefore, error data between a root mean square (RMS) value contained in the generated acoustic behavior data and associated with a given time interval and a corresponding reference root mean square (RMS) value within the given time interval can be determined. Additionally or alternatively, error data may be determined for at least some of the root mean square (RMS) values ​​contained in the generated acoustic behavior data and at least some of the corresponding reference root mean square (RMS) values ​​contained in the reference measurement data. For example, for a given defined amount of a defined compound, error data may be determined for all of the root mean square (RMS) values ​​contained in the generated acoustic behavior data and all of the root mean square (RMS) values ​​contained in the reference measurement data over all time intervals. Thus, error data may be determined based on all of the root mean square (RMS) values ​​contained in the generated acoustic behavior data and all of the reference root mean square (RMS) values ​​over all time intervals at a given fill level (e.g., a fill level of 0 L, 20 L, 50 L, or 100 L, etc.).

[0035] The error data can be determined by determining an arithmetic mean error and / or by determining a mean square error between the generated acoustic behavior data and the reference measurement data. For example, the root mean square (RMS) value contained in the generated acoustic behavior data and the root mean square (RMS) value contained in the reference measurement data can be used to determine the arithmetic mean error and / or the mean square error. The arithmetic mean error and / or the mean square error can be determined for each defined quantity (e.g., fill level) contained in the reference measurement data. For example, if the reference measurement data contains (multiple) root mean square (RMS) values ​​for fill levels of 0L, 20L, 50L, 100L, 300L, 500L, 700L, and 900L, the arithmetic mean error and / or the mean square error can be determined for (multiple) RMS values ​​associated with each of said fill levels.

[0036] For a defined amount not included in the reference measurement data, the root mean square (RMS) value included in the reference measurement data can be interpolated before determining the error data. The interpolated root mean square (RMS) value can be included in the reference measurement data. For example, a root mean square (RMS) value can be determined for the acoustic behavior of a reference container including a defined amount of a defined compound, and interpolation can be used to generate the reference measurement data. Interpolation can include linear interpolation. The use of interpolation allows for a more detailed determination of data and / or fill level data on the degree of contamination without having to generate a large amount of reference measurement data for a large number of fill levels, because interpolation avoids the determined fill level always corresponding to a defined compound of a defined amount (e.g., fill level) included in the reference measurement data, even if the determined fill level data or data on the degree of contamination are between two such defined amounts.

[0037] Without the above interpolation, the arithmetic mean error can be determined according to the following formula (2a):

[0038]

[0039] in,

[0040] RMS n (v) where v∈V is the reference root mean square (RMS) value for a defined quantity (filling level) v within the time interval n, where V={0, 20, 50, 100, ...} are the quantities of all filling levels contained in the reference measurement data,

[0041] MRMS n is the root mean square (RMS) value contained in the generated acoustic behavior data within the time interval n, and

[0042] f(v) is the total error of all root mean square (RMS) values ​​contained in the generated acoustic behavior data and the root mean square (RMS) value associated with a defined quantity (eg, fill level) v contained in the reference measurement data.

[0043] Without the above interpolation, the mean square error can be determined according to the following formula (3a):

[0044]

[0045] The respective errors can be weighted. This allows defining which errors associated with the RMS value of a given time interval are more important than other errors. The weighting factors can be included in the reference measurement data. The weighting factors can be received, for example, via an I / O device from a user performing the method of the invention. For the errors in a time interval n, a suitable weighting function can include

[0046] Therefore, the arithmetic mean error can be expressed according to the following formula (2b):

[0047]

[0048] And the mean square error can be expressed according to the following formula (3b):

[0049]

[0050] The arithmetic mean error of the interpolated reference root mean square (RMS) value (hereinafter denoted as rms) can be determined according to the following formula (4):

[0051]

[0052] The mean square error of the interpolated reference root mean square (RMS) value (hereinafter denoted as rms) can be determined according to the following formula (5):

[0053]

[0054] The property of the container can be determined by determining the defined quantity (e.g., fill level) associated with the lowest error data (e.g., by determining the defined quantity associated with the error minimum). For example, the arithmetic mean error(s) and / or mean square error(s) determined for each defined quantity contained in the reference measurement data can be compared, and the defined quantity (e.g., fill level) associated with the lowest arithmetic mean error and / or lowest mean square error can be provided as data associated with the degree of contamination and / or fill level data.

[0055] The properties of the compound can be determined by determining the compound associated with the lowest error (e.g., by determining the compound associated with the minimum error value). For example, the compound associated with the RMS value that produces the lowest error (e.g., the lowest arithmetic mean error and / or mean square error) can be provided as the physical property data of the compound, such as the compound name, compound ID, compound viscosity data, and / or compound density data.

[0056] The error data described previously can be used to determine whether the accuracy of the determined container and / or compound attribute is sufficient. The error data determined when determining the attribute of the container and / or compound can be compared with one or more predefined thresholds. For example, the error data of each RMS value or the error data of a limited amount (for example, arithmetic mean error and / or mean square error) can be compared with one or more predefined thresholds. (Multiple) predefined thresholds can be included in the reference measurement data. If at least some of the error data in the error data are higher than one or more predefined thresholds, the accuracy associated with the determination of the attribute of the container and / or compound is insufficient, and the attribute of the container and / or compound can be repeatedly determined. One or more thresholds can be determined by comparing the acoustic behavior data generated with the acoustic behavior data associated with the known compound of the known amount present in the container. The comparison of the error data with one or more predefined thresholds can allow the accuracy of the determined container and / or compound attribute to be determined to be sufficient, or whether the accuracy is too low, and therefore it is necessary to restart and determine. Therefore, using appropriate thresholds allows the accuracy required for determining the attribute of the container and / or compound to be limited.

[0057] In an embodiment, the method further comprises the steps of determining an action to be taken based on the determined properties of the container and / or compound, and optionally controlling the taking of the determined action. The action may be predefined or may vary based on the different states / locations of the container, the time of day, day or week, month or year, parameter values ​​received from the container management network, user input, the determined physical condition of the compound, or any suitable combination thereof. For example, the action may include: arranging for the container to be shipped, cleaned, emptied, filled, moved, discarded, or maintained; ordering new container(s); changing the location of the container; powering on, off, or adjusting the behavior of the device; activating an alarm (e.g., visual, audible, or noise); other actions; or any suitable combination of the foregoing actions.

[0058] In an embodiment, the method further comprises determining an optimized maintenance interval based on provided container properties, in particular fill level data of the compound. The fill level data can be used to predict the point in time at which the container is empty and can be returned for maintenance. This prediction thus allows scheduling maintenance intervals for containers still in use without having to wait until the container is returned, thereby allowing maintenance intervals to be optimized based on the prediction.

[0059] In an embodiment, the method further comprises the step of determining a centralized transport of empty containers based on the determined properties of the containers, in particular the determined fill level data. Calculating centralized transport based on determined fill level data to reduce emissions and transport costs is well known in the prior art (e.g., see J. Ferrer et al.; "BIN-CT: Urban waste collection based on predicting the container fill level"; BioSystems; Vol. 186; 2019; 103962).

[0060] It shall be understood that the above aspects, and in particular the method for determining the fill level of a container according to claim 1 , the system according to claim 13 and the computer program according to claim 14 , have similar and / or identical preferred embodiments, in particular as defined in the dependent claims.

[0061] It shall be understood that a preferred embodiment or aspect of the present invention may also be any combination of the dependent claims or the above-mentioned embodiments or aspects with the corresponding independent claim.

[0062] These and other aspects of the invention will be apparent from and elucidated with reference to the embodiments described hereinafter. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0063] Hereinafter, the present disclosure will be further described with reference to the accompanying drawings. In the accompanying drawings and the present disclosure, the same reference numerals are intended to refer to the same or similar elements, components and / or parts.

[0064] Figure 1 A first schematic representation of a container and an apparatus for determining properties of a container and / or a compound according to embodiments described herein is shown.

[0065] Figure 2A An example of a container including an attachment device for physically coupling a device to the container according to an embodiment of the methods and systems described herein is shown.

[0066] Figure 2B An example of physically coupling a device to a container according to an embodiment of the methods and systems described herein is shown.

[0067] Figure 3 An example of a system for remotely determining properties of a container and / or compound according to an embodiment of the system described herein is shown.

[0068] Figure 4An example of a system for remotely monitoring and managing containers according to an embodiment of the method or system described herein is shown.

[0069] Figure 5 A flow chart illustrating a method for determining properties of a container and / or compound according to embodiments described herein is shown.

[0070] Figure 6 shows a graph depicting the acoustic behavior generated in response to an acoustic impulse,

[0071] Figure 7 Shown is a graph depicting determination of compound fill level data inside a container using generated sound pressure level data and reference measurement data according to an embodiment of the method described herein. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0072] Figure 1 Schematic representations of a container 102 and a device 108 are shown. The container 102 may be a reusable industrial-grade intermediate bulk container (IBC) or any other container that can be used to store or transport liquid and solid compounds (e.g., food, raw materials, beverages, chemicals, pharmaceuticals, cosmetics, etc.). The device 108 may be an IoT device and may be connected to another computing system (not shown, for example, see Figure 3 ) or cloud computing environments (not shown, see e.g. Figure 4 A cloud computing environment may refer to the provision of computer system resources, particularly data storage (cloud storage) and computing power, on demand without the need for direct active management by the user, and may include at least one of the following service modules: Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS), Platform as a Service (PaaS), Software as a Service (SaaS), Mobile "Backend" as a Service (MBaaS), and Function as a Service (FaaS).

[0073] Container 102 may be filled with compound 104. Container 102 may be empty. Compound 104 may be a liquid or solid component. Compound 104 may be a contaminant. Compound 104 may be a liquid or solid chemical composition. Compound 104 may be a liquid or solid coating composition. The liquid or solid component may have a fill level 106. The apparatus may be configured to perform as disclosed herein (e.g., as described in Figure 5 The apparatus may be configured to perform only a portion of the method disclosed therein (e.g., generating acoustic impulse(s) and measuring acoustic behavior), while other portions of the method (e.g., generating acoustic behavior data, comparing the generated acoustic behavior data with reference measurement data, and determining the properties of the container and / or compound) may be performed by another computing system (not shown, e.g., see Figure 3 and Figure 4 ) is performed. The processing of the measured acoustic behavior may be performed by device 108. The processing of the measured acoustic behavior may be performed by another computing system (not shown, for example, see Figure 3 and Figure 4 ) is executed. Assigning tasks requiring higher computing power to another computing system allows for reduced computing power, thereby reducing the energy consumption of the device. This allows for an increase in the battery life of the battery contained in the device, thereby extending the required maintenance intervals for the device. Furthermore, this allows for the rapid determination of the properties of the container and / or compound.

[0074] The device 108 can be attached to the outside of the wall of the container 102. The attachment can be permanent. The device can be removably attached, for example, as in Figure 2A and Figure 2B The device 108 may include an audio signal generator 110 configured to generate an acoustic pulse or acoustic impulse at the wall of the container 102. The acoustic pulse may propagate inside the container and may interact with the contents of the container (e.g., compound 104 and / or air). Portions of the acoustic signal may be reflected and may be detected by the device 108. The reflected signal may be analyzed to determine properties of the container (e.g., data regarding the degree of contamination or fill level data) and / or properties of the compound (e.g., physical property data of the compound). The physical property data of the compound may include compound type data, compound density data, compound temperature data, and / or compound viscosity data as described above.

[0075] The device 108 may include a housing, an audio signal generator 110, and a sound signal sensor 112. As previously described, the housing may comply with ATEX regulations to allow the device 108 to be used in environments requiring ATEX certification. The audio signal generator 110 may be implemented as an impulse generator to generate an acoustic impulse on the outside of the wall of the container 102. For example, the audio signal generator may be an actuator, such as a vibration motor. The actuator may be configured to "strike" the outside of the wall of the container to generate the acoustic impulse. When the device is physically coupled to the outside of the container (e.g., see Figure 2B ), the device's actuator can acoustically stimulate the container 102 (e.g., generate acoustic impulses on the outside of the container's walls). The actuator can be controlled by a microprocessor on the device 108 motherboard 114.

[0076] The acoustic sensor 112 may be configured to measure acoustic activity (e.g., an audio signal) generated in response to at least one acoustic impulse. The acoustic sensor 112 may include one or more microphones, such as the MEMS microphones described previously. The actuator may be controlled by a microprocessor on the mainboard 114 of the device 108.

[0077] The device 108 may further include a motherboard 114, such as a printed circuit board (PCB). The motherboard 114 may include a computer processor (e.g., a microprocessor), communication module(s), sensors (e.g., an inertial measurement unit (IMU) and / or a climate sensor), and memory (e.g., random access memory and / or non-volatile memory (e.g., flash memory)). The motherboard 114 may further include a timer component and / or a trusted platform module (TPM). The processor may be configured to provide the required processing power and interfaces to the other components present in the device 108. The processor may be configured to control the audio signal generator 110. The processor may be configured to control the sound sensor 112. The processor may be configured to process acoustic behavior measured by the sound sensor 112. The processor may be configured to determine properties of the container and / or compound based on the measured acoustic behavior, for example, as in Figure 5 The processor may include the ability to be interrupted by a timer component and / or an IMU. The processor may be connected to components of device 108 via digital and / or analog interfaces.

[0078] The communication module(s) present on the mainboard 114 may include at least one cellular communication interface to enable communication with a cellular network and may be configured using technologies such as Long Term Evolution (LTE) and its derivatives, such as LTE Narrowband (5G) and LTE FDD / TDD (4G), HSPA (UMTS, 3G), EDGE / GSM (2G), CDMA, or LPWAN technologies. Cellular communication allows the device 108 to communicate with one or more other devices in the container management network (e.g., in a Figure 3 and Figure 4 Communication with a cellular network can be used to detect the geographic location of a container 102 coupled to a device 108, including detecting a change in location from one cell to another in the cellular network, and the relative location of the container 102 within a cell (e.g., radial distance from a cellular telephone base station). Communication with a cellular network can be used to transmit data acquired and / or processed by the device (e.g., measured acoustic behavior or processed acoustic behavior) to another computing device, such as a server (e.g., see Figure 3 and Figure 4). Communication with a cellular network can be used to detect a change in location and to initiate a measurement or sleep mode of the device 108. The at least one cellular communication interface can be or include or be part of a cellular modem. The communication interface can be configured to implement Wi-Fi technology, for example, according to one or more 802.11 standards, thereby allowing the location of the container 102 or a change in the location of the container 102 with the device 108 attached indoors to be determined. Wi-Fi technology can be used to connect to hotspots at various locations and during various states of the container life cycle, and can be used to establish a communication path with further devices 108.1 to 108.n or a container management network (e.g., see Figure 4 ) option, for example, as an alternative or in addition to a cellular communication path. Device 108 may include one or more antennas corresponding to one or more of the previously described communication technologies. If appropriate, each antenna may be integrated within motherboard 114 or physically connected to motherboard 114 and / or the housing of device 108. The communication interface may be configured to implement GNSS technology to allow for determination of the location of container 102 with device 108 attached outdoors.

[0079] Sensors present on the motherboard 114, within the device 108, and / or external to the device may include an inertial measurement unit (IMU) and / or (multiple) climate sensors. The inertial measurement unit (IMU) can be used to determine the specific force, angular rate, and orientation of the device 108 using a combination of an accelerometer, a gyroscope, and an optional magnetometer, thereby determining the movement of the container 102 to which the device 108 is attached. The climate sensor can be configured to measure the climate conditions of the device 108 (e.g., inside the device 108 housing). Such climate conditions may include any of the following: temperature, air humidity, air pressure, other climate conditions, or any suitable combination thereof, particularly temperature. The climate sensor located external to the motherboard 114 can be connected via a digital and / or analog interface (e.g., one or more M12.8 connectors) and can measure any of a variety of climate conditions, including but not limited to: temperature, humidity, and pressure or other climate conditions of the container, the contents of the container (e.g., liquid, air), and / or the ambient air outside the container.

[0080] The timer component can provide a clock at any of a variety of frequencies (e.g., 32 kHz or lower) for the processor of the motherboard 114. The frequency of the clock can be selected to balance various factors, including, for example, fixed costs, resource consumption (including power consumption), and the desired maximum operating frequency. The timer component can be used to switch the device 108 from a sleep mode (e.g., an operating mode during which the device 108 does not generate (multiple) acoustic impulses, does not measure acoustic behavior, does not transmit any data, or does not calculate any data) to an active mode (e.g., an operating mode during which the device 108 generates (multiple) acoustic impulses, measures acoustic behavior, transmits any data, and / or calculates any data). The transition of device 108 from active mode to sleep mode can be performed in response to various predefined conditions, such as: receiving instructions or data from another device, a network (e.g., a container management network), or a database via a communication interface; determining that a predetermined amount of time has passed without any activity (e.g., no change in data captured by device 108) or a change in one or more predefined attributes (e.g., location, movement / vibration, fill level data); determining a predefined time of day (e.g., after x hours of operation) and / or a day of the week (e.g., weekends), month, or year (e.g., holidays). The transition to sleep mode can be performed by shutting down all components of device 108 that are not required to wake up the device 108. Components required for wakeup may include the processor, selected additional sensor(s) (e.g., a motion sensor), and timer components. The amount of power and / or money saved / conserved needs to be balanced against the desire or need to obtain the latest attributes of the container and / or compound. The transition of device 108 from sleep mode to active mode can be performed in response to various predefined routines, such as setting a wakeup timer or a motion interrupt. A wake-up timer can be set by configuring a timer component to interrupt the processor after a predefined amount of time has elapsed. The timer component can have a predefined configuration or can be configured via a communication interface based on data received from a network (e.g., a container management network) or database. A motion interrupt can be set on a motion sensor to interrupt the processor in response to detecting motion, such as during transport of a container within a company or to another company.

[0081] A Trusted Platform Module (TPM) can be used to encrypt data and protect the integrity of the processor of the motherboard 114. The TPM can be used for any of a variety of functions, such as creating data, storing credentials and keys to ensure secure communication with one or more networks (e.g., any of the networks described herein); creating TPM objects, which are specially encrypted data stored in non-volatile memory external to the TPM that can only be decrypted by the TPM; creating data to be transmitted and stored as part of a transaction record (e.g., a blockchain record) or register, signing files to ensure the integrity and authenticity of services (e.g., the services described herein); enabling over-the-air (OtA) updates of firmware, software, and parameters of the device 108; other functions; and any suitable combination of the foregoing.

[0082] The device 108 may further include an energy source, such as a battery commonly used in the industry. The energy source can be recharged and can be replaced when exhausted. The processor can be connected to the energy source via a digital and / or analog interface so that the energy source level can be monitored by the processor. The processor can be configured to provide a notification / alarm when the energy source level reaches a predefined value to prevent the device 108 from malfunctioning due to lack of power. The processor can be configured to predict the life of the energy source based on historical and / or actual power consumption, and can provide the prediction to another device via a communication interface.

[0083] The device 108 may further include an NFC reader board. The NFC reader board may be used to retrieve information (e.g., container ID) stored on an identification tag (e.g., an NFC tag) present on a crossbar attached to the frame of the container, for example, as in Figure 2A and Figure 2B described in the context of .

[0084] Figure 2A An example of a container 102 is shown, which includes a container for placing a device (e.g., Figure 1 108) is physically coupled to the container 102 by an attachment device 206. The container 102 may be a metal intermediate bulk container (IBC) comprising a metal container 102 having an opening 202 for use in the filling and emptying process. The container 102 may be a plastic IBC, a composite IBC, or any other container previously described. The metal container 102 may be secured inside a metal frame 204 to allow for easy transport and stacking of the metal IBCs. The container 102 may include an attachment device 206 for attaching the device 108 (not shown, e.g., see Figure 2B) is physically coupled to the outer wall of the container 102. The attachment device 206 can represent a metal crossbar that can be removably clamped to the metal frame 204 of the container 102. The use of a removable attachment device 204 avoids the need to re-certify the container, which would have to be done if the container was permanently modified. The attachment device can include an identification tag (not shown) for storing information related to the container. The identification tag can be a passive NFC tag that includes the container ID. The identification tag can be permanently attached to the attachment device 206 or it can be removable so that the identification tag 206 can be removed before cleaning to prevent it from being damaged during the cleaning process. The container ID can be obtained from the identification tag by the device 108 and can be correlated with data provided by the device 108 (e.g., measured acoustic behavior, processed acoustic behavior, properties of the container and / or compound). This allows the data provided by the device 108 to be associated with the corresponding container 102, thereby allowing a digital twin of the container to be generated by accumulating all data related to the container ID of the container.

[0085] Figure 2B Demonstrates the integration of equipment (e.g. Figure 1 108 is an example of a device 108 that is physically coupled to a container 102. The container 102 can be a metal intermediate bulk container (IBC) that includes a metal container 102 having an opening 202 for the filling and emptying process. The container 102 can be a plastic IBC, a composite IBC, or any other container previously described. The metal container 102 can be secured inside a metal frame 204 to allow for easy transport and stacking of the metal IBCs. The container 102 can include attachment means 206 (e.g., cross bars) for physically coupling the device 108 to an outer wall of the container 102. The attachment means 206 can be removably clamped to the metal frame 204 to avoid Figure 2A The device 108 may be attached to the attachment means by means of a screw which may also be used to ensure that the device 108 is in contact with the outer wall of the container 102. Thus, the screw may be used to adjust the position of the device 108 so that it is in contact with the outer wall of the container. The device 108 may be removed from the attachment means 206 by unscrewing the screw, thus allowing easy attachment and removal of the device 108, for example during a cleaning process to avoid damaging the device 108 or during maintenance of the device 108. The attachment means 206 may comprise a screw as in Figure 2A The device 108 may be configured to retrieve the identification tag stored in the Figure 2A The information on the label is described in the context of the label.

[0086] Figure 3is an example of a system 300 for remotely determining properties of a container and / or compound according to an embodiment of the system described herein. The system 300 can determine properties of a container and / or compound, such as in Figure 5 The properties of the container may include data on the degree of contamination and / or fill level data. The properties of the compound may include Figure 1 Attribute data described in the context of .

[0087] System 300 may include at least one container 102, such as one present in Figure 2A and Figure 2B The container 102 is described in the context of the metal frame 204. The container 102 can be empty. The container 102 can be filled with a compound (e.g., see Figure 1 ). The compound may be a liquid or solid chemical composition. The liquid or solid chemical composition may be a coating composition, such as a liquid basecoat composition or a liquid base varnish. The liquid or solid chemical composition may be a liquid or solid cosmetic or food composition. The container 102 may include an attachment device 206 (e.g., Figure 2A and Figure 2B The attachment means may be used to physically couple the device to the outer wall of the container 102. The device may be in the Figure 1 The attachment device may include an identification tag having container data stored thereon, such as in Figure 2A and Figure 2B The container ID (not shown) is described in the context of .

[0088] To determine the location of the container 102, the sensor device 108 may communicate with the WiFi hotspot 302 via the communication interface 312 and / or with the global navigation satellite system 304 via the communication interface 314, e.g., as in Figure 1 The data about the determined position can be transmitted to the computing device 308 via the communication interfaces 316, 318 together with the data determined by the sensors of the sensor device (such as temperature), for example, as described in the context of FIG. Figure 1 described in the context of .

[0089] The system 300 may further include at least one computing device 308, such as a geographically remote server (e.g., a cloud-based server). The computing device 308 may be configured to determine properties of the container and / or compound (e.g., see Figure 5 ). The computing device may be configured to initiate action(s) based on data transmitted from device 108, e.g., as in Figure 4 and Figure 5 The computing device 308 can connect to the device 108 via the cellular communication interface 316, 318 using the mobile radio tower 306. The cellular communication interface 316 can be a LPWAN technology, such as in Figure 1 The cellular-based communication interfaces 316 and / or 318 can exceed the coverage capabilities of 900 MHz communication systems, thereby eliminating the need to integrate with WiFi networks or other LANs and any associated issues (e.g., firewalls, changing passwords, or different SSIDs). The computing device 308 can be connected to clients 310a to 310c (e.g., mobile or stationary computing devices, including laptops, smart phones, tablets, or personal computers) via the communication interface 320. Access to the computing device 308 via the clients 310a to 310c can be restricted using well-known authorization processes (e.g., single sign-on). The computing device 308 can perform further analysis on the data received from the device 108 and / or the determined properties of the container and / or compound, such as initiating and controlling the operation of the computing device 308 as described in the context of FIG. Figure 5 The data, associated analysis, and initiated actions can be accessed and viewed using clients 310a-310c, for example, via a web browser, thereby eliminating the need for a dedicated computing device. Computing device 308 can also interface with an enterprise resource planning or vendor managed inventory system so that information is sent directly to the user's computing device (e.g., clients 310a-310c), or so that information residing in a database used in a vendor managed inventory system is automatically updated by computing device 308, which can then be accessed by the user's computing device.

[0090] In this embodiment, the system 300 includes a single container 102 with a device 108 attached. In another embodiment (not shown), the system 300 may include multiple containers 102a to 102n, each with a device 108 attached. Each device 108 can transmit data to a computing device 308 via a communication interface 316, 318, which can then process all data received from the sensor device 108. Data from different devices 108 can be transmitted to different computing devices 308a to 308n and can be further processed by these computing devices. The computing devices 308a to 308n can then transmit the processed data to another computing device, which can be accessed by the client 310a to 310c. Alternatively, the client devices 310a to 310c can access the corresponding computing devices 308a to 308n that process the relevant data from the corresponding device 108.

[0091] Figure 4An example of a system 400 for remotely monitoring and managing containers according to embodiments of the methods and systems described herein is shown. The system 400 may include a cloud 402 having a plurality of containers 102 including a device (e.g., reference numeral 200b) and clients 412, 414 coupled thereto. The cloud 402 may include one or more servers, e.g., Figure 3 The computing device 308 is described in the context of FIG. The device can be physically attached to the container 102, for example, as in Figure 2B Each device may be implemented as Figure 1 Each device may be configured to determine properties of a container and / or compound, e.g., as in Figure 5 The cloud 402 may be configured to determine properties of the container and / or compound based on data received from the device 108 (e.g., measured acoustic behavior or processed acoustic behavior), for example, as described in Figure 5 described in the context of .

[0092] Each of the device 108 and clients 412, 414 can be coupled to the cloud 402 via a communication interface (depicted by arrows). At least some of the communication interfaces can represent gateways. At least two devices 108 can be coupled to the cloud 402 via a gateway (not shown). The device 108 can be directly coupled to the cloud 402. In this case, the device 108 can be configured with any of the gateway functions and components described herein and can be considered a gateway by the cloud 402, at least in some aspects. Each gateway can be configured to implement any of the network communication technologies described herein with respect to the device 108 so that the gateway can remotely communicate with, monitor, and manage the device 108. Each gateway can be configured with one or more capabilities of a gateway and / or controller known in the art and can be any of a variety of types of devices configured to perform the gateway functions defined herein. As shown in Figure 1As described in the context of [ 15 ], to ensure the security of transmitted data, each gateway may include a TPM (e.g., in the hardware layer of the controller). The TPM can be used, for example, to encrypt portions of communications from sensor devices to the gateway or from the gateway to the sensor device, encrypt portions of such information received at the gateway that are not encrypted, or provide secure communications between the cloud 402, the gateway, the sensor device 108, and the client devices 412, 414. For example, the TPM or other components of the system 400 can be configured to implement Transport Layer Security (TLS) for HTTPS communications and / or Datagram Transport Layer Security (DTLS) for datagram-based applications. In addition, one or more security credentials associated with any of the aforementioned data security operations can be stored on the TPM. The TPM can be implemented, for example, within any of the gateways, sensor devices 108, or servers in the cloud 402 during production and can be used to personalize the gateway or sensor device. Such gateways, sensor devices, and / or servers can be configured (e.g., during manufacturing or later) to implement cryptographic techniques known in the art, such as a public key infrastructure (PKI) for managing keys and credentials.

[0093] Each gateway connecting the device 108 to the cloud 402 or each gateway present in the device 108 can be configured to process the data received from the device 108, including analyzing the data that may have been generated or received by the device 108, and providing instructions to the device. In addition, each gateway can be configured to provide one or more functions related to commissioning, filling, cleaning, incoming inspection and certification (for example, after 2 years), consumption, and other processing of the container. For this purpose, each gateway can be configured with software that encapsulates such capabilities. The device 108 can be directly connected to the cloud 402 via a communication interface, and the device can be configured to process data and perform the above-mentioned additional functions. For this purpose, the corresponding (multiple) devices 108 can be configured with software that encapsulates such capabilities. By performing such processing at one or more gateways and / or at the device 108 itself, rather than performing it in a more centralized manner on one or more servers in the cloud 402, the system 400 can implement and enjoy the benefits of more distributed edge computing technologies.

[0094] Cloud 402 includes one or more tiers. In this embodiment, cloud 402 includes two tiers: an application tier 404 including one or more application programs 406 and a service tier 408 including one or more databases 410. Application tier 404 and service tier 408 can each be implemented using one or more servers in cloud 402. In other embodiments, cloud 402 can include more or fewer tiers.

[0095] The service layer 410 may include, for example, the following databases 410: a transaction database, a container database, a container contents database, and a lifecycle management database. The transaction database may include one or more transaction records involving containers managed by the system 400. For example, the transaction records may utilize blockchain technology, and the blockchain may serve as a secure transaction register for the system 400. A transaction may include any commercial transaction involving one of the managed containers or other state information unrelated to a commercial transaction. Furthermore, the data stored in each of the other databases 410 within the service layer 408 may be stored as one or more transaction records and may be part of the transaction register of the container management system 400. The container database may include information about the containers managed by the system 400, such as mechanical specifications, geometry, creation date, maintenance interval, last inspection, material composition, and other information. The container contents database may include information about the contents of the managed containers (e.g., liquids, bulk solids, powders), such as raw materials, chemical composition, classification (e.g., pharmaceuticals, beverages, foods), ATEX classification of the container's contents or expected contents, regulatory-related information, container attributes, and other information collected over time, as well as other information about the contents. The properties of a container may include physical properties associated with the container, such as climate conditions, location, weight and fill level, maximum fill level of the container, and other properties. For a given container, the information stored in the container database and / or the container contents database may include the same information as that stored in the container itself, which, combined with the information about the container itself, may be considered a digital representation of the container, such as a digital twin. The lifecycle management database may store information about states, rules, algorithms, procedures, etc., which may be used to manage the container throughout its lifecycle stages, as described in more detail elsewhere herein. The information stored in the container database and / or the container contents database may be retrieved by the device(s) 108 via a communication interface when the device(s) 108 are physically coupled to the container 102 (e.g., see Figure 2A and Figure 2B ). After physical coupling, the container ID stored on the NFC tag present on the attachment device can be retrieved by means of device(s) 108 and used to obtain information associated with the container ID stored in the container database and / or the container content database.

[0096] Application layer 404 may include any of a variety of applications that utilize information and services related to container management (including any information and services available from service layer 408). Application layer 404 may include an inventory application, an order management application, another application, or any suitable combination of the aforementioned applications. The inventory application may provide an inventory of containers managed within a system (e.g., system 400), including attributes (e.g., characteristics) regarding each container and its contents in the system, including the current state of the container within its lifecycle, the container's fill level, the current location (e.g., one or more network identifiers for a mobile phone network, Wi-Fi network, ISM network, etc.), and any other attributes corresponding to the containers described herein. The inventory of containers may be a group (e.g., a "fleet") of containers owned, leased, controlled, managed, and / or used by an entity (e.g., an OEM). An order management application may manage container orders for customers (e.g., all customers of an entity (e.g., an OEM)) and / or orders with the OEM, such as for new containers. The order management application may maintain information regarding all past and current container orders for the entity's or OEM's customers and process these orders. The order management application can be configured to automatically order containers for an entity (e.g., a customer or OEM) based on container status information received from sensor devices physically coupled to the containers (e.g., via one or more gateways or directly from the sensor devices themselves). For example, the application can have one or more predefined thresholds, such as empty containers, damaged containers, container fill levels, etc., after which additional containers should be ordered (e.g., below a fill level and / or the number of non-empty, non-damaged containers). The application can be configured to interact with other applications within application layer 404 (including each other) via interfaces. These applications, or portions thereof, can also be programmed into gateways and / or sensor devices of the container management network.

[0097] Container information and / or the properties of the determined container and / or compound can be transmitted between components of the system 400 (including components of the device 108, the gateway, and the cloud 402) in any of a variety of ways. Such technology may involve, for example, using blockchain technology to transmit container information in transaction records. Such transaction records may include public information and private information, wherein public information can be provided more generally to all parties, while more sensitive information can be considered as private information that is provided more selectively (e.g., only to certain container manufacturers, OEMs, and / or customers). For example, the information in the transaction record may include private data that can be encrypted using a private key dedicated to the container and / or sensor device, and may include unencrypted public data. Public data can also be encrypted to protect the value of the data and enable data transactions, such as as part of a smart contract. The distinction between public and private data can depend on the data and the purpose of the data.

[0098] The number of communications between components of system 400 can be minimized. In some embodiments, this can include transmitting transactions (e.g., container status information) to servers within cloud 402 according to a predefined schedule, wherein a gateway is assigned a sequence of time periods during which transactions are transmitted to / from one or more servers (e.g., sending data from device 108 to cloud 402 or sending instructions from cloud 402 to device(s) 108). Data can be collected over a predetermined period of time and grouped into individual transaction records before transmission.

[0099] Figure 5 A flow chart illustrating an example of a method for determining properties of a container and / or compound. The container may be Figure 2A and Figure 2B The method may be performed by Figure 1 The device 108 described in the context of or by Figure 3 or Figure 4 Device 108 may be implemented as system 300 or 400 described in the context of FIG. Figure 5 Device 108 may execute at least a portion of the blocks shown in Figure 5 , while the remaining blocks may be formed by, for example, Figure 3 and Figure 4 The properties of the container may include data on the degree of contamination and / or fill level data. The properties of the compound may include, for example, Figure 1The physical property data described in the context of the container. The container may be empty. The container may contain residues of a compound or mixture of compounds, which residues may be referred to as contaminants. The container may contain a defined amount of the compound. The compound may be a chemical composition. The compound may be a liquid or solid compound. The compound may be a liquid or solid coating material or a component thereof, such as a liquid basecoat material or a liquid base varnish.

[0100] In block 502, the Figures 1 to 4 The device 108 described in the context of Figures 1 to 2B The device may be physically coupled to the container, such as in Figure 2A and Figure 2B The acoustic impulse may be generated by striking the outer wall of the container with the aid of the device. The acoustic impulse may be generated by an audio signal generator 110 (e.g., an actuator) included in the device 108 (e.g., see Figure 1 ) is generated. The audio signal generator 110 may be controlled by a processor residing on the motherboard 114 of the device 108, such as Figure 1 The acoustic impulses may be generated at a predefined rate or when the device 108 detects a change in the container environment, such as Figure 1 described in the context of .

[0101] In block 504, acoustic activity generated in response to the acoustic impulse may be measured. The acoustic activity may be measured using an audio signal sensor 112 included in the device 108 (e.g., see Figure 1 ) to measure. The audio signal sensor 112 may include at least one microphone, such as Figure 1 The present invention is described in the context of . The acoustic behavior may be detected for a duration of up to 2 seconds, in particular up to 1.6 seconds, after generating at least one acoustic impulse. The measured acoustic behavior may correspond to an audio signal generated in response to the acoustic impulse. The audio signal may include the acoustic behavior generated in response to the acoustic impulse and may end after a predetermined time interval.

[0102] In block 506, implement Figure 5 A routine of the method can determine whether to process the acoustic behavior measured in block 504. If the properties of the compound are to be determined, the routine can be programmed to initiate processing of the acoustic behavior. If the acoustic behavior measured in block 504 is to be processed, the method proceeds to block 508. Otherwise, the method proceeds to block 510.

[0103] In block 508, the acoustic behavior measured in block 504 may be processed. Processing may include determining a frequency spectrum. Determining the frequency spectrum may include calculating a Fourier spectrum based on the measured acoustic behavior (e.g., based on the obtained audio samples). Blocks 502 to 508 may be performed by Figures 1 to 4 The device 108 described in the context of . The device 108 may be configured to provide the measured or processed acoustic behavior to a computing device, and the computing device may be configured to determine properties of the container and / or compound, for example, as in Figure 3 and Figure 4 described in the context of .

[0104] In block 510, reference measurement data or time interval data may be obtained. The reference measurement data associated with the container may include reference acoustic behavior data associated with the time interval data, the reference acoustic behavior data being used for one or more defined quantities of a defined compound contained within the container. The reference acoustic behavior data may include at least one reference RMS value associated with at least two different defined quantities of a defined compound. The defined quantity may include 0 L, for example, representing an empty container. The defined compound may be a defined liquid or solid coating composition. The number of root mean square (RMS) values ​​for each defined quantity allows adjustment of the accuracy of the method disclosed herein. For example, the accuracy of the method disclosed herein may be improved by increasing the number of time intervals used to determine the RMS value. At least a portion of the reference RMS values ​​included in the reference measurement data may be associated with error data as described above. The reference measurement data may include additional data, such as spectral data, compound identifiers, container identifiers, reference measurement data identifiers, error level thresholds, weighting factors, or a combination thereof.

[0105] Reference measurement data can be retrieved using a container ID associated with a container to which the device is physically coupled. For example, the container ID can be determined based on an identification tag, such as in Figure 2A and Figure 2B The container ID can be used to obtain reference measurement data associated with the container ID. The container ID can be used to obtain compound data associated with the container ID. The compound data can include compound type data, compound identifier, compound name, or a combination thereof. The compound data (e.g., compound identifier) ​​can be used to obtain reference measurement data associated with the compound data. Determining the time interval and / or time point data ensures that acoustic behavior data within the time interval used to generate the reference measurement data is generated in block 512, thereby allowing the generated acoustic behavior data to be compared with the reference measurement data.

[0106] Determining the time interval data may include retrieving appropriate time interval data from a data storage medium (eg, a database or internal memory of the device performing block 510 ).

[0107] In block 512, acoustic behavior data may be generated based on the reference measurement data or time interval data obtained in block 510 and the acoustic behavior measured in block 504. The acoustic behavior data may be generated by calculating a root mean square (RMS) value of the measured acoustic behavior for a determined time interval data. The RMS value within each time interval may be calculated using the above formula (1). Calculating the RMS value within a particular time interval allows the information contained in the generated acoustic behavior data to be reduced to a small number of values, thereby allowing the generated acoustic behavior data to be quickly and reliably compared with the reference acoustic behavior data contained in the reference measurement data.

[0108] In box 514, it can be determined whether to interpolate the reference acoustic behavior data included in the reference measurement data. This determination can be based on the data contained in the reference measurement data. If the measurement reference data has not been obtained until this box, the reference measurement data described in the context of box 510 can be obtained, for example. The use of interpolation allows for more precise determination of data and / or filling level data on the degree of contamination without generating a large amount of reference measurement data for a large number of filling levels, because interpolation avoids the determined filling level always corresponding to a defined compound of a defined amount (e.g., filling level) contained in the reference measurement data, even if the determined filling level data or the data on the degree of contamination are between two such defined amounts. If it is determined in box 514 that interpolation is to be performed, the method can proceed to box 516. Otherwise, the method can proceed to box 518.

[0109] In block 516, the reference measurement data may be interpolated. Interpolation may be performed by calculating RMS values ​​for defined quantities (e.g., fill levels) not included in the reference measurement data. Linear interpolation may be used. If reference measurement data has not yet been acquired, reference measurement data may be acquired in this block before performing interpolation, e.g., as described in the context of block 510. In block 518, error data between the generated acoustic behavior data and the reference measurement data may be determined. The reference measurement data may correspond to the reference measurement data acquired in block 510 or block 514. The reference measurement data may correspond to the interpolated reference measurement data obtained after block 516. For example, the acoustic behavior data generated in block 512 may be compared with reference acoustic behavior data included in the reference measurement data. This may include determining error data for each RMS value included in the generated acoustic behavior data and a corresponding reference RMS value (e.g., each reference RMS value associated with a corresponding time interval) included in the reference measurement data for the container. For example, error data can be determined between each RMS value contained in the generated acoustic behavior and each corresponding reference RMS value contained in the reference measurement data within each time interval (e.g., each reference RMS value associated with the following time interval, i.e., the same time interval as the time interval of the RMS value contained in the generated acoustic behavior data with which the reference RMS value is compared). Thus, error data can be determined between the RMS value contained in the generated acoustic behavior data and associated with a given time interval and the corresponding reference RMS value within the given time interval. In addition or as an alternative, error data can be determined between at least some of the RMS values ​​contained in the generated acoustic behavior data and at least some of the corresponding reference RMS values ​​contained in the reference measurement data. For example, for a given defined amount of a defined compound, error data can be determined between all RMS values ​​contained in the generated acoustic behavior data and all reference RMS values ​​contained in the reference measurement data within all time intervals. Thus, error data can be determined based on all RMS values ​​contained in the generated acoustic behavior data and all reference RMS values ​​within all time intervals at a given filling level (e.g., a filling level of 0 L, 20 L, 50 L, 100 L, etc.). The error data can be determined by determining an arithmetic mean error and / or by determining a mean square error between the generated acoustic behavior data and the reference measurement data. The arithmetic mean error can be determined according to formula (2a) or formula (3a) or formula (4). The mean square error can be determined according to formula (2b) or formula (3b) or formula (5). As described in the following box, using the arithmetic mean error and / or the mean square error allows for reliable determination of properties of the container and / or compound.

[0110] In block 520, properties of the container and / or compound can be determined based on the error data determined in block 514. For example, a property of the container (e.g., fill level data and / or data associated with a degree of contamination) can be determined by determining a defined quantity (e.g., fill level) associated with a lowest arithmetic mean error and / or lowest mean square error (e.g., by determining a defined quantity associated with a minimum error value), and providing the determined defined quantity as fill level data or data associated with a degree of contamination. Thus, the arithmetic mean error(s) and / or mean square error(s) determined for each fill level included in the reference measurement data are compared, and the lowest arithmetic mean error or lowest mean square error is selected as the property of the container, e.g., as fill level data or data associated with a degree of contamination. A property of a compound can be determined by determining the compound associated with the lowest error (e.g., by determining the compound associated with the minimum error value). For example, the compound associated with the RMS value that produces the lowest error (e.g., the lowest arithmetic mean error and / or mean square error) can be provided as physical property data of the compound, such as compound name, compound ID, compound viscosity data, and / or compound density data. The determined property can be provided. Providing the determined property can include providing the determined property (optionally in combination with additional data contained in reference measurement data and / or measured or processed acoustic behavior) to a display device for display on a screen and / or to a data storage medium.

[0111] In box 522, the error data determined in box 520 can be compared with (multiple) predefined threshold values, which are typically optional. (Multiple) predefined threshold values ​​can be included in the reference measurement data. (Multiple) predefined threshold values ​​can be obtained from a data storage medium. The error data for each RMS value or the error data for all RMS values ​​associated with a defined amount (e.g., arithmetic mean error and / or mean square error) can be compared with (multiple) predefined threshold values. The comparison of the error data with (multiple) predefined threshold values ​​can allow determination of the accuracy of the determined container and / or compound's attribute to be sufficient, or whether the accuracy is too low and needs to be re-determined. Therefore, using an appropriate threshold value allows the accuracy required for determining the attribute of the container and / or compound to be limited. For example, if the determined error is smaller, the inaccuracy associated with the determined attribute is higher.

[0112] In block 524, which is generally optional, a determination may be made as to whether the error level data is above a predefined threshold(s). This determination may be performed based on the results of block 522. If the error level data is above a predefined threshold(s), the method may be restarted and may return to block 502. If the determined attribute is not sufficiently accurate, the method may be repeated. If the error level data is below a predefined threshold(s), the method may terminate, or additional steps, as outlined below, may be performed.

[0113] For example, after block 520 or block 524, the method may further include the steps of determining an action to be taken based on the determined properties of the container and / or compound, and optionally controlling the taking of the determined action. The action may be predefined or may vary based on different states / locations of the container, time of day, day or week, month or year, parameter values ​​received from the container management network, user input, determined physical conditions of the compound, or any suitable combination thereof. For example, the action may include: arranging for the container to be shipped, cleaned, emptied, filled, moved, discarded, or maintained; ordering new container(s); changing the location of the container; powering on, off, or adjusting the behavior of the device; activating an alarm (e.g., visual, audible, or noise); other actions; or any suitable combination of the foregoing actions.

[0114] For example, after block 520 or block 524, the method may further include the step of determining an optimized maintenance interval based on the provided container properties, particularly the fill level data of the compound. The fill level data may be used to predict the point in time when the container is empty and can be returned for maintenance. This prediction thus allows scheduling maintenance intervals for containers that are still in use without having to wait until the container is returned, thereby allowing maintenance intervals to be optimized based on the prediction.

[0115] For example, after block 520 or block 524 , the method may further comprise the step of determining a collective transport of empty containers based on the determined properties of the containers, in particular the determined fill level data as described above.

[0116] Figure 6 A graph depicting audio signal data measured in response to an acoustic impulse generated at the outer wall of a container is shown. The acoustic impulse may be generated and may be detected by a device physically attached to the container, such as at Figures 1 to 4 The audio signal data may be obtained by measuring the acoustic behavior (e.g., the audio signal) produced by the user. Figure 1The audio signal data may be acquired by the sound sensor 112 of the device 108 described in the context of FIG. The audio signal data may include an initial time interval A0 602. Initial time interval A1 602 may include audio signal data acquired before the generation of an acoustic impulse. The audio signal data may further include the generated acoustic impulse 604. The audio signal data may further include a second time interval A2 606 after the acoustic impulse 604. Second time interval A2 may correspond to acoustic activity generated in response to the acoustic impulse. The audio signal data may further include a third time interval A3 608 after the second time interval A2 606. Third time interval A3 608 may include data associated with reflections from the container wall generated in response to the generated acoustic impulse. The audio signal data may further include a fourth time interval A4 610 after the third time interval A3 608. Fourth time interval A4 610 may include noise. In embodiments, third time interval A3 608 and fourth time interval A4 610 may not be used to determine properties of the container and / or compound. In an embodiment, only the second time interval A2 606 may be used to determine the properties of the container and / or compound. The second time interval A2 606 may be less than 100 ms from the start of generating the acoustic impulse. The second time interval A2 606 may be less than 80 ms and in particular not more than 65 ms.

[0117] Figure 7 A graph depicting reference acoustic behavior data included in exemplary reference measurement data and a comparison of the generated acoustic behavior data with the exemplary reference measurement data is shown. On the x-axis, a defined amount (or fill level) of a defined compound (e.g., a liquid coating material) in a container is given in liters. On the y-axis, an RMS value is given. The exemplary reference measurement data can be associated with one or more compounds. The compound(s) can be a solid or liquid compound. The compound(s) can be a chemical compound(s). The compound(s) can be a liquid or solid coating material, such as a liquid basecoat material or a liquid base varnish.

[0118] Exemplary reference measurement data may include root mean square (RMS) values ​​for four different time intervals (e.g., RMS1, RMS2, RMS3, and RMS4). The time intervals may range from 0 to 15 ms (the time interval associated with RMS1), 30 to 60 ms (the time interval associated with RMS2), 40 to 60 ms (the time interval associated with RMS3), and 50 to 70 ms (the time interval associated with RMS4). The RMS values ​​may be used for each defined amount of the compound. Figure 5The method described in the context of is determined based on the measured acoustic behavior. Thus, for each amount (e.g., each fill level) of a defined compound, the acoustic behavior can be measured and used to generate RMS values ​​for four different time intervals. Thus, the reference measurement data can contain four RMS values ​​for each amount (or fill level) of the defined compound.

[0119] The RMS values ​​contained in the exemplary reference measurement data can be compared with RMS values ​​determined for the measured acoustic behavior of the compound present in the unknown amount in the container. The RMS values ​​can be determined based on the acoustic behavior measured in the four time intervals defined in the exemplary reference measurement data as previously described, for example, as in Figure 5 The comparison may include determining error level data, such as the arithmetic mean error and / or the mean square error. The arithmetic mean error is Figure 7 is denoted as AME in , and can be determined using formula (2a) or formula (3a) or formula (4) described previously. Figure 7 The error data may be expressed as MSE in ( ) and may be determined using the previously described formula (2b) or formula (3b) or formula (5). The arithmetic mean error and / or mean square error may be determined for all RMS values ​​associated with a defined quantity (e.g., fill level) contained in the exemplary reference measurement data. Thus, all RMS values ​​contained in the generated acoustic behavior data are compared with all corresponding RMS values ​​associated with a particular fill level contained in the exemplary reference measurement data. The error data obtained may be plotted relative to the fill level data contained in the exemplary reference measurement data.

[0120] As in Figure 5 As outlined in the context of , the unknown amount of compound within a container may correspond to a defined amount (e.g., a filling level) associated with a lowest arithmetic mean error and / or mean square error. Thus, all determined errors and associated filling levels may be compared, and the filling level associated with the lowest arithmetic mean error and / or lowest mean square error may be provided as a property of the container and / or compound. Figure 7 In the example of , the lowest arithmetic mean error and the lowest mean square error are at a filling level of approximately 20 1. Therefore, filling level data of approximately 20 1 can be determined and provided based on a comparison of the generated acoustic behavior data with the exemplary reference measurement data.

[0121] The present method allows the use of acoustic behavior data generated according to the acoustic behavior obtained in response to an acoustic impulse to determine the properties of the container (e.g., data associated with the degree of contamination or fill level data) and the properties of the compound present in the container (e.g., physical property data). Therefore, a single measurement allows the use of the same method to determine multiple data associated with the container and the compound. The use of error data (e.g., RMS value) associated with specific acoustic behavior data allows the accuracy of the method to be adjusted, and determines whether the accuracy of the properties obtained is sufficient. The properties of the container and the properties of the compound can be determined simultaneously or one by one. For example, the properties of the container (e.g., fill level data) can be determined first, and the fill level data can be used to determine the properties of the compound. This will simplify material analysis. In another case, the properties of the compound can be determined before determining the properties of the container. In this case, physical property data are used to determine the properties of the container. Since the material is known, this will enable a more accurate fill level analysis.

[0122] A single unit device or system may perform the functions of several items recited in the claims. The fact that certain measures are recited in mutually different dependent claims does not mean that a combination of these measures cannot be used to advantage. Processes such as analyzing data and adding metadata to the data, which are performed by one or more units or devices, may be performed by any other number of units, devices or systems. These processes may be implemented as program code means of a computer program and / or as dedicated hardware. The computer program product may be stored / distributed on a suitable medium, such as an optical storage medium or solid-state medium provided together with or as part of other hardware, but may also be distributed in other forms, such as via the Internet or other wired or wireless telecommunication systems.

Claims

1. A method for determining an attribute of a container and / or a compound present in the container, the method comprising: (a) generating at least one acoustic impulse outside the wall of the container by means of a device arranged outside the wall of the container, (b) measuring an acoustic behavior generated in response to the at least one acoustic impulse, and optionally processing the measured acoustic behavior, wherein the acoustic response is indicative of a property of the container and / or a compound present in the container, (c) generating acoustic behavior data of the measured acoustic behavior by determining at least one root mean square (RMS) value over at least one time interval, (d) comparing the generated acoustic behavior data with reference measurement data, the reference measurement data comprising reference acoustic behavior data associated with a container containing one or more defined amounts of a defined compound, and (e) determining an attribute of the container and / or a compound present within the container based on the comparison.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein The properties of the container include data on the degree of contamination inside the container and / or fill level data associated with the fill level of a compound present inside the container.

3. The method according to claim 1 or 2, wherein: The properties of the compound present inside the container include physical property data of the compound, in particular compound type data, density data of the compound, temperature data of the compound, and / or viscosity data of the compound.

4. A method according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein The acoustic behavior generated in response to the at least one acoustic impulse corresponds to at least one audio signal generated in response to the at least one acoustic impulse.

5. A method according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein Processing the measured acoustic behavior includes determining a frequency spectrum.

6. A method according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein Acoustic behavior data of the measured acoustic behavior are generated based on time interval data present in the reference measurement data.

7. A method according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein The acoustic behavior data is generated by determining root mean square (RMS) value(s) for the time interval data contained in the reference measurement data.

8. A method according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein The reference measurement data comprises reference root mean square (RMS) values ​​associated with the time interval data, the reference RMS values ​​for one or more defined quantities of a defined compound contained within the container.

9. The method according to claim 8, wherein At least a portion of the reference root mean square (SPL) values ​​contained in the reference measurement data are associated with error data.

10. The method according to claim 8 or 9, wherein: The reference measurement data comprises average error data associated with reference root mean square (RMS) value(s) over all time intervals associated with the defined amount of the defined compound contained in the container.

11. A method according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein Comparing the generated acoustic behavior data with the reference measurement data includes: determining error data between the generated acoustic behavior data and the reference measurement data, in particular determining error data between each root mean square (RMS) value contained in the generated acoustic behavior data and the corresponding reference root mean square (RMS) value contained in the reference measurement data, and / or determining error data between at least part of the root mean square (RMS) values ​​contained in the generated acoustic behavior data and at least part of the corresponding reference root mean square (RMS) values ​​contained in the reference measurement data.

12. The method according to claim 11, further comprising the steps of: The error data is compared to one or more predefined thresholds and, optionally, if the error data is above the one or more predefined thresholds, steps (a) to (e) are repeated.

13. A system for determining an attribute of a container and / or a compound present in the container, the system comprising: - a device attached to an outer wall of a container, wherein the device is configured to generate at least one acoustic impulse at the outer wall of the container, measure an acoustic behavior generated in response to the at least one acoustic impulse, wherein the acoustic response is indicative of a property of the container and / or a compound present in the container, and optionally process the measured acoustic behavior, and - A computer processor configured to: generate acoustic behavior data of the measured acoustic behavior by determining at least one root mean square (RMS) value over at least one time interval; compare the generated acoustic behavior data with reference measurement data, the reference measurement data comprising reference acoustic behavior data associated with a container containing one or more defined quantities of a defined compound; and determine a property of the container and / or a compound present in the container based on the comparison.

14. A computer program for determining properties of a container and / or a compound present in the container, the program comprising code means for causing the system as claimed in claim 13 to perform the method according to any one of claims 1 to 12 when the program is run on a computer controlling the system as claimed in claim 13.

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