Method and system for non-invasively determining properties of a container and / or compounds present therein

Abstract

The present invention relates to a method and system for non-invasively determining properties of a container, such as the contamination level of the container and / or the fill level of the compound in the container, and / or properties of a compound present in the container, such as the viscosity and / or density of the compound. The method can use sound pressure level analysis to determine key figures characteristic of the acoustic behavior of the container and / or the compound, which can be compared with key figures contained in reference measurement data to determine the properties of the container and / or the compound.

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to methods and systems for non-invasively determining properties of a container, such as the contamination level of the container 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 technology]

[0002] Liquid and solid compounds, such as food, ingredients, beverages, chemicals, pharmaceuticals, and cosmetics, are commonly stored and transported in industrial, reusable intermediate bulk containers (IBCs). Depending on their design and construction, IBCs have volumes ranging from 500 liters to a maximum of 3,000 liters. IBCs can be moved by forklift or pallet truck, and their design allows them to be stacked, making them particularly suitable for storing liquid and solid compounds intended for transport for further use. Most IBCs have the advantage of being able to be cleaned after use and therefore reused multiple times.

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

[0004] According to one embodiment, a method for determining a characteristic of a container and / or a compound present within the container is provided. An apparatus attached to an outer wall of the container generates at least one acoustic impulse outside the wall of the container. Acoustic behavior generated in response to the at least one acoustic impulse is measured. The acoustic response is indicative of a characteristic of the container and / or a characteristic of the compound present within 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 for 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 associated with a container containing one or more specified amounts of specified compounds. A characteristic of the container, e.g., data regarding the degree of contamination of the interior of the container with one or more compounds and / or fill level data, and / or a characteristic of the compound present within the container, e.g., physical property data such as viscosity data and density data, is determined based on the comparison.

[0005] According to a further aspect, a system for determining a property of a container and / or a compound present within the container is disclosed, the system comprising: - a device attached to an outer wall of the container, the device being configured to generate at least one acoustic impulse on the outer wall of the container, to measure acoustic behavior generated in response to the at least one acoustic impulse, the acoustic response being indicative of a property of the container and / or a property of a compound present in the container, and optionally processing the measured acoustic behavior; - generating acoustic behavior data of the measured acoustic behavior by determining at least one root mean square (RMS) value for at least one time interval, comparing the generated acoustic behavior data with reference measurement data, the reference acoustic behavior data being associated with a container containing one or more defined amounts of a defined compound, and determining, based on the comparison, a characteristic of the container and / or a characteristic of the compound present in the container.

[0006] According to a further aspect, a computer program for determining properties of a container and / or compounds present in the container is disclosed, the program comprising code means for causing the system disclosed herein to perform the methods disclosed herein when the program is executed on a computer controlling the system disclosed herein.

[0007] According to yet another aspect, there is disclosed a use of the methods disclosed herein for managing reusable containers. [Means for solving the problem]

[0008] The methods, systems, computer programs, and applications disclosed herein provide a non-invasive means for determining the degree of contamination and / or fill level data inside 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 large amounts of reference measurement data. This allows for remote management of the lifecycle of reusable containers, consolidating the transportation of empty containers, and determining cleaning procedures for contaminated containers. Furthermore, the method can be used with existing IBCs without the need to recertify the IBCs using invasive measurement methods and devices. This results in a reduction in the total number of IBCs required to transport goods to customers, a faster product cycle, and ultimately reduced costs. The method is fast, reliable, and does not require excessive computing power. Furthermore, the method can be performed without extensive reference measurement data, as would be required when using data-driven models to determine the fill level of compounds present in a container. Instead, by calculating the root mean square (RMS) value for one or more time intervals, a key figure of merit can be determined from the measured acoustic behavior, thus reducing the complexity of the measured acoustic behavior. Furthermore, the reduced complexity of the generated acoustic behavior data also reduces the amount of reference measurement data used. Furthermore, the method can be used not only to determine contamination level and fill level data, but also to determine physical property data of compounds in a container. This allows the physical properties of compounds to be monitored and tracked, and actions can be initiated if the physical property data exceeds a predefined threshold(s).

[0009] It is an object of the present invention to provide an efficient method for determining the properties of a container and / or a compound with high accuracy, which allows the determination of the fill level of a compound present in a container, as well as the determination of the physical properties of the compound present in the container, allowing the identification of the compound or further physical properties. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0010] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present disclosure will be outlined by way of examples, and it should be understood that the present disclosure is not limited to the above embodiments and / or examples. In one embodiment, the compound is a solid or liquid compound. A liquid compound has a liquid aggregate state under the conditions present in the container, and a solid compound has a solid aggregate state under the conditions present in the container. The container can be heated or cooled to ensure the liquid or solid aggregate state of the compound present in the container. The solid compound can be in particulate form, such as a powder or pellets.

[0011] In one 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 specified properties. Coating compositions can be further classified according to different criteria, such as the main binder present in the coating composition (i.e., epoxy coating composition, polyurethane coating composition, etc.), the main solvent present in the coating composition (i.e., solvent-based coating composition, water-based coating composition, etc.), their type (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 type of film formation (1K coating composition, 2K coating composition, baked coating composition, etc.), the type of effect (e.g., effect coating composition, etc.), the function within a multilayer coating (electrocoating composition, primer coating composition, primer-surfacer coating composition, base coat composition, clear coat composition, etc.), and the type of object to be coated (automotive coating composition, etc.). The term "component of a coating composition" may refer to, for example, the materials required to obtain the coating composition by mixing the materials. In the case of a multi-component coating composition, i.e., a coating composition prepared by mixing at least two components, such components are, for example, a base varnish and a hardener component. Examples of liquid coating compositions and liquid components of coating compositions include a liquid electrocoating composition, a liquid primer coating composition, a liquid primer surfacer coating composition, a liquid basecoat composition, a liquid clearcoat composition, a base varnish, or a hardener component. In yet another example, the chemical composition comprises a cosmetic composition.

[0012] In one 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 an IBC, a transport tank, a bulk container, a solid material container, an EcoBulk® SchCitz brand container, a RecoBulk® SchCitz brand container, or any suitable variation or combination of the foregoing. In some embodiments, the container may be lined with one or more liners having one or more layers. In such embodiments, the container may be physically coupled to one or more liners using, for example, ultrasonic welding, and the device may be configured to take the one or more liners into account when determining the fill level and other characteristics of the container. In another example, the container is a drum or a plastic or glass container that is not 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.

[0013] In an embodiment, the container characteristics include data regarding the degree of contamination inside the container and / or fill level data related to the fill level of compounds present inside the container. For example, at least one compound or a mixture of compounds may be present in the container and may correspond to contamination. The amount of the compound / mixture of compounds, and therefore the fill level of the compound(s), may correspond to the degree of contamination. The contamination may occur, for example, when an empty container is used to store waste or when the compounds contained in the container cannot be completely removed when the container is emptied. Determining the degree of contamination can determine the degree of cleaning required before refilling the container, thus providing a more efficient method for managing reusable containers, such as IBC containers. The compound fill level data may represent a classifier corresponding to whether the container is empty or not. This classifier can be used to trigger the recall of the container for cleaning and refilling. For example, a container with the classifier "empty" can be recalled for cleaning and refilling. Furthermore, this classifier can reduce the number of measurements of acoustic behavior and significantly extend the battery life of devices attached to the outside of the container wall. The fill level data may include a fill level value that corresponds at least approximately to the actual fill level of the compound present in the container, which may be given in liters, etc., as a % based on the original fill level. Such fill levels may be determined by regression methods known in the art.

[0014] In one embodiment, the properties of the compound present in the container include physical property data of the compound. Examples of physical property data include compound type data, compound density data, compound temperature data, data regarding sedimentation behavior, and / or compound viscosity data. Thus, the methods disclosed herein can determine physical property data of the compound contained in the container separately from determining data regarding the degree of contamination and / or fill level data. For example, compound type data, such as data related to the type of coating material, such as the material name, may be determined using the methods disclosed herein. In another example, the density and / or viscosity data of the compound contained in the container can be determined using the methods disclosed herein. This can confirm whether the container actually contains the compound it should contain, or whether a different compound has been filled into the container. Thus, the presence of the compound in the container can be verified along with the determination of the relevant physical property. Furthermore, the methods disclosed herein enable monitoring of relevant physical properties, such as temperature, thereby enabling the property to be monitored and tracked. Furthermore, if a physical property reaches a predefined threshold, an alarm or countermeasure can be triggered to avoid destruction or a reduction in the shelf life of the compound contained in the container.

[0015] The acoustic impulse may be generated by a device, which may be an IoT device and may be in communication with a computing system that determines the properties of the container and / or the compound. In one embodiment, the device is permanently or removably physically coupled to the exterior of the container wall, particularly the exterior of the container wall. Removable coupling of the device to the exterior of the container may prevent recertification of the container, which would be necessary if the container is permanently altered, for example, by permanently attaching the device or its attachment means to the container. Easy removal of the device may facilitate the cleaning process of the empty container before refilling, as the device can be easily removed prior to the cleaning process, avoiding damage to the device during the cleaning operation.

[0016] The device may include an actuator (impulse generator), at least one acoustic sensor (microphone), a computer processor for processing the detected acoustic behavior in response to the acoustic impulse, and a data storage medium. The actuator may be a solenoid or a vibration generator.

[0017] The device may include one microphone. The device may include at least two microphones. Using at least two microphones can reduce the amount of interference noise detected by the microphones. At least one microphone may be a capacitive microphone or a microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) microphone, particularly a microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) microphone. MEMS microphones are relatively small and require relatively little energy, allowing for compact device designs and longer battery life within the device. The microphones can be directional and soundproof to reduce unwanted interference.

[0018] To prevent damage to the device after it is physically coupled to the enclosure, the device components may reside in a housing designed to physically withstand outdoor use. The housing may be made of plastic and should be silicone-free and easily cleanable. The device must be ATEX compliant so that it can be used in conjunction with enclosures located in areas requiring special measures regarding explosion protection. At least some of the device's components may be integrated, for example, on a printed circuit board (PCB).

[0019] The acoustic impulse can be generated by striking the exterior wall of the container with a device. The device may include an actuator for inducing the acoustic impulse. The device may be configured to generate at least one acoustic impulse at a predefined rate (e.g., a pulse frequency), e.g., once every x hours, once every x minutes, once every x seconds, every fraction of a second, etc., and the pulse frequency may vary at different times of day or days 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's environment, such as movement of the container or a temperature change.

[0020] In one 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 represent a pulsating direct voltage in a frequency range of 6 Hz to 60,000 Hz, e.g., 6 Hz to 20,000 Hz. The audio signal may include the acoustic behavior generated in response to the acoustic impulse and may terminate after a predetermined time interval. The device may be capable of detecting audible and inaudible audio signals, e.g., using at least one microphone. The device may detect the audio signal before the actual impulse occurs. The device may detect the actual impulse occurrence. In response to the acoustic impulse, the device may detect an audio signal originating from the container and / or an audio signal originating from the presence of at least one compound in the container. The audio signal may be detected up to 2 seconds, particularly up to 1.6 seconds, after the occurrence of the at least one acoustic impulse. Since the attenuation of the audio signal is quite strong, detecting the audio signal for a limited time is beneficial to save energy and extend the life of the battery present in the device.

[0021] In one embodiment, processing the measured acoustic behavior includes determining a frequency spectrum, which may include calculating a Fourier spectrum from the measured acoustic behavior (e.g., from the obtained audio samples).

[0022] In one embodiment, acoustic behavior data of the measured acoustic behavior is generated based on time interval data present in the reference measurement data. For example, the retrieved data can be used to generate the acoustic behavior data by retrieving time interval data present in the reference measurement data and determining at least one root mean square (RMS) value using the retrieved time interval data. The time interval data can include the time interval used to generate the reference measurement data, particularly the acoustic behavior data. The time interval data can indicate the time interval used to generate the acoustic behavior data from the measured acoustic behavior. This allows the generated acoustic behavior data to be compared with the acoustic behavior data included in the reference measurement data, allowing accurate determination of the characteristics of the container and / or compound.

[0023] In one embodiment, acoustic behavior data of the measured acoustic behavior is generated by determining the root mean square (RMS) value(s) of the time interval data included in the reference measurement data. One root mean square (RMS) value may be determined for each time interval included in the time interval data. For example, if two time intervals are included in the reference measurement data, two RMS values ​​are determined; if four time intervals are included in the reference measurement data, four RMS values ​​are determined, and so on. The root mean square (RMS) value of an audio signal for a defined time interval may be defined as the square root of the mean square (e.g., the arithmetic mean of the squares) of the absolute values ​​of the amplitudes included within the time interval. For example, the root mean square (RMS) value of a given time interval x including a given set of samples n can be calculated using Equation (1), where A is the absolute value of the amplitude.

[0024]

number

[0025] The set of samples may be determined from the sampling rate used to measure the acoustic behavior of the audio signal, etc. By calculating the RMS value for a specific time interval, the information contained in the acoustic behavior data can be condensed into a small number of values, allowing the generated acoustic behavior data to be quickly and reliably compared with acoustic behavior data contained in reference measurement data.

[0026] In one embodiment, the reference measurement data includes reference root-mean-square (RMS) values ​​associated with time interval data for one or more defined quantities of a defined compound contained within the container. The defined compound may be a defined liquid or solid compound, such as a liquid or solid coating composition, e.g., a liquid clearcoat composition or a liquid basecoat composition. For example, the reference measurement data may include reference root-mean-square (RMS) values ​​associated with multiple time intervals for one or more defined quantities (e.g., fill levels) of the defined compound. Thus, each reference RMS value may be associated with a defined time interval and a defined quantity of the compound. The defined quantity may correspond to a volume of the compound present in the container, such as 10 L, 100 L, 200 L, etc. The defined quantity may also include an empty container, e.g., a volume of 0 L of compound. The defined quantity as well as the time intervals may be selected such that comparison with the root-mean-square (RMS) values ​​generated from the measured acoustic behavior of a container containing an unknown quantity and / or unknown compound provides a reliable determination of the properties of the container and / or compound. The precision of the method disclosed herein can be adjusted by the number of reference root mean square (RMS) values ​​per defined amount of compound in the container. Therefore, the precision of the method can be adjusted by adjusting the number of time intervals used to determine the root mean square (RMS). For example, the precision of the method disclosed herein can be improved by increasing the number of time intervals over which the root mean square (RMS) values ​​are determined. Therefore, the precision of the method disclosed herein can be adjusted by selecting appropriate reference measurement data.

[0027] At least some of the reference root mean square (RMS) values ​​included in the reference measurement data may be associated with error data. For example, each reference root mean square (RMS) value included in the reference measurement data may be associated with error data. The reference measurement data may include error data associated with the reference root mean square (RMS) values ​​for all time intervals associated with a defined amount of a defined compound contained in a container. For example, errors associated with all reference root mean square (RMS) values ​​associated with defined amounts, such as 0 L, 20 L, 50 L, 100 L, etc., of a defined compound, such as a liquid clear coat or a liquid base coat, may be included in the reference measurement data. Such error level data can be used to estimate the accuracy of the methods disclosed herein. For example, a larger error indicates less accuracy in the determined properties of the container and / or compound. Furthermore, such error data can be used to determine whether to use the properties of the container and / or compound determined from the measured acoustic behavior or whether the measurement should be repeated, for example, because the error exceeds one or more predefined threshold(s), as described below. This allows for adjusting the accuracy of the methods disclosed therein and, for example, for avoiding providing inaccurate results to the user, thereby improving the accuracy of the methods disclosed therein.

[0028] The reference measurement data may include reference acoustic behavior data associated with containers for several compounds at several defined volumes, e.g., several predefined fill levels. For example, the reference measurement data may include reference acoustic behavior data associated with containers for several compounds at several defined volumes, where each compound has characteristic reference acoustic behavior data. Thus, one reference measurement data file may be used for the analysis of several different compounds. This avoids the need to use several different files containing reference measurement data associated with specific compounds.

[0029] The reference measurement data may further include data such as a compound identifier, a container identifier, a reference measurement data identifier, an error level threshold, frequency spectrum data, a weighting factor associated with at least a portion of the reference acoustic behavior data, or a combination thereof. The compound identifier(s) may enable appropriate reference measurement data to be determined based on data related to the compounds contained in the container. For example, data related to the compounds in the container (e.g., compound identifiers, etc.) may be provided and used to search for appropriate reference measurement data. In another example, data related to the compounds, such as compound name, viscosity, and / or density, may be determined by the methods disclosed therein and used to determine the compound identifier. The compound identifier may then be used to determine appropriate reference measurement data for determining data related to the contamination level and / or fill level data for the compounds in the container.

[0030] In one embodiment, comparing the generated acoustic behavior data with the reference measurement data includes determining error data for the generated acoustic behavior data relative to the reference measurement data. For example, the generated acoustic behavior data for the measured acoustic behavior can be compared to the reference acoustic behavior data included in the reference measurement data. This may include determining an error data (RMS) value, e.g., error data for each reference root-mean-square (RMS) value associated with a corresponding time interval. For example, error data can be determined for each root-mean-square (RMS) value included in the generated acoustic behavior data relative to a respective reference root-mean-square (RMS) value included in the reference measurement data for each time interval (e.g., each reference root-mean-square (RMS) value associated with the same time interval as the RMS value included in the generated acoustic behavior data to which the reference RMS value is compared). Thus, error data for each reference root-mean-square (RMS) value included in the generated acoustic behavior data and associated with a given time interval for the given time interval may be determined. Additionally or alternatively, error data may be determined for at least some of the root mean square (RMS) values ​​included in the generated acoustic behavior data relative to at least some of the respective reference root mean square (RMS) values ​​included in the reference measurement data. For example, error data may be determined for all root mean square (RMS) values ​​included in the generated acoustic behavior data relative to all RMS values ​​included in the reference measurement data for all time intervals for a predetermined, defined amount of a defined compound. Thus, the error data may be determined from all root mean square (RMS) values ​​included in the generated acoustic behavior data and all reference RMS values ​​for all time intervals for a predetermined fill level, such as a fill level of 0 L, 20 L, 50 L, or 100 L.

[0031] The error data may be determined by calculating an arithmetic mean error and / or a root mean square error of the generated acoustic behavior data relative to the reference measurement data. For example, the arithmetic mean error and / or the root mean square error may be calculated using the root mean square (RMS) values ​​included in the generated acoustic behavior data and the root mean square (RMS) values ​​included in the reference measurement. The arithmetic mean error and / or the root mean square error may be calculated for each defined quantity (e.g., fill level) included in the reference measurement data. For example, if the reference measurement data includes root mean square (RMS) values(s) for fill levels of 0 L, 20 L, 50 L, 100 L, 300 L, 500 L, 700 L, and 900 L, the arithmetic mean error and / or the root mean square error may be calculated for the RMS value(s) associated with each of the fill levels.

[0032] For defined quantities not included in the reference measurement data, interpolation of root mean square (RMS) values ​​included in the reference measurement data may be performed before determining the error data. The interpolated root mean square (RMS) values ​​may be included in the reference measurement data. For example, root mean square (RMS) values ​​may be determined for the acoustic behavior of a reference container containing a defined quantity of a defined compound, and interpolation may be used to generate the reference measurement data. The interpolation may include linear interpolation. By using interpolation, data related to the degree of contamination and / or fill level data may be determined in more detail without generating extensive reference measurement data for a large number of fill levels, because the interpolation prevents the determined fill level from always corresponding to a defined quantity (e.g., fill level) of the defined compound included in the reference measurement data, even if the determined fill level data or data related to the degree of contamination falls between two such defined quantities.

[0033] The arithmetic mean error in the missing data interpolation described above can be calculated according to the following formula (2a):

number

number

number

[0034] The mean square error without the above interpolation can be calculated according to the following equation (3a):

[0035]

number

[0036]

number

[0037] Therefore, the arithmetic mean error can be formulated according to the following equation (2b):

number

[0038] Then, the mean square error can be formulated according to the following equation (3b):

number

[0039] The arithmetic mean error (hereinafter referred to as rms) of the interpolated reference root mean square (RMS) value can be calculated according to the following equation (4):

number

[0040] The mean square error (hereinafter referred to as rms) of the interpolated reference root mean square (RMS) value can be calculated according to the following equation (5):

number

[0041] The property of the container can be determined by determining the defined quantity (e.g., fill level) associated with the smallest error data, e.g., by determining the defined quantity associated with the smallest error value. For example, the arithmetic mean error(s) and / or root mean square error(s) determined for each defined quantity included in the reference measurement data may be compared, and the defined quantity (e.g., fill level) associated with the smallest arithmetic mean error and / or smallest root mean square error may be provided as data associated with the contamination degree and / or fill level data.

[0042] The physical properties of the compound may be determined by determining the compound with the smallest error, e.g., the compound associated with the RMS value resulting in the smallest error, e.g., the smallest arithmetic mean error and / or mean square error, may be provided as physical property data of the compound, such as compound name, compound ID, compound viscosity data, and / or compound density data.

[0043] The error data described above may be used to determine whether the accuracy of the determined properties of the container and / or compound is sufficient. The error data determined when determining the properties of the container and / or compound may be compared to one or more predefined threshold(s). For example, the error data of each RMS value, or a defined amount of error data (e.g., arithmetic mean error and / or mean square error), may be compared to one or more predefined threshold(s). The predefined threshold(s) may be included in the reference measurement data. If at least a portion of the error data exceeds one or more predefined threshold(s), the accuracy associated with determining the properties of the container and / or compound may be insufficient, and the determination of the properties of the container and / or compound may be repeated. The one or more threshold(s) may be determined by comparing the generated acoustic behavior data to acoustic behavior data associated with a known amount of a known compound present in the container. By comparing the error data with one or more predefined threshold(s), it can be determined whether the determined properties of the container and / or compound are accurate enough or if they are too inaccurate and the determination needs to be redone. Thus, by using appropriate thresholds, the required accuracy for determining the properties of the container and / or compound can be defined.

[0044] In one embodiment, the method further includes determining an action to be taken based on the determined characteristics of the container and / or compound, and optionally controlling the execution of the determined action. The actions may be predefined or may be different for different states / locations of the container, times of day, days or weeks, months or years, parameter values ​​received from the container management network, user input, determined physical conditions of the compound, or any suitable combination thereof. Actions may include, for example, transporting, cleaning, emptying, filling, moving, discarding, or scheduling maintenance of the container; ordering a new container; changing the location of the container; powering down, powering up, or adjusting operation of equipment; activating an alarm (e.g., visual, audible, or noisy), other action, or any suitable combination of the foregoing.

[0045] In one embodiment, the method further comprises determining an optimized maintenance interval based on the characteristics of the provided container, in particular the fill level data of the compound. The fill level data may be used to predict when the container will be empty and can be shipped again for maintenance. This prediction allows for scheduling maintenance intervals for containers that are still in use without waiting until the container is shipped again, thus optimizing the maintenance interval based on the prediction.

[0046] In one embodiment, the method further comprises determining a consolidated transport of empty containers based on the determined characteristics of the containers, in particular the determined fill level data. Calculating consolidated transport based on determined fill level data to reduce emissions and transportation costs is well known in the art (see, for example, J. Ferrer et al.; "BIN-CT: Urban waste collection based on predicting the container fill level"; BioSystems; Vol. 186; 2019; 103962).

[0047] It is to be understood that the above-mentioned aspects, in particular the method for determining the filling 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.

[0048] It is to be understood that preferred embodiments or aspects of the invention may also be any combination of the dependent claims or the above embodiments or aspects with the respective independent claim.

[0049] These and other aspects of the invention will be apparent from and elucidated with reference to the embodiment(s) described hereinafter. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0050] The present disclosure will now be further described with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which like reference numbers in the drawings and the present disclosure are intended to represent the same or similar elements, components, and / or parts. [Figure 1] FIG. 1 shows a first schematic diagram of an apparatus for determining characteristics of a container and / or compound according to an embodiment described herein. [Figure 2A] FIG. 2A illustrates an example of a container that includes attachment means for physically coupling a device to the container, according to embodiments of the methods and systems described herein. [Figure 2B] FIG. 2B illustrates an example of a physical coupling of a device to a container according to embodiments of the methods and systems described herein. [Figure 3] FIG. 3 illustrates an example of a system for remotely determining properties of a container and / or compound according to embodiments of the system described herein. [Figure 4] FIG. 4 illustrates an example system for remotely monitoring and managing containers according to an embodiment of a method or system described herein. [Figure 5] FIG. 5 shows a flowchart of a method for determining a property of a container and / or a compound according to embodiments described herein. [Figure 6] FIG. 6 is a graph illustrating the acoustic behavior produced in response to an acoustic impulse. [Figure 7] FIG. 7 is a graph illustrating the determination of fill level data for a compound in a container using generated sound pressure level data and reference measurement data according to an embodiment of the method described herein.

[0051] [Detailed explanation] FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of a container 102 and a device 108. The container 102 may be an industrial-grade reusable intermediate bulk container (IBC) or any other container that can be used to store or transport liquid and solid compounds, such as food, ingredients, beverages, chemical products, pharmacy products, cosmetics, etc. The device 108 may be an IoT device and may be connected to an additional computing system (not shown, see e.g., FIG. 3) or a cloud computing environment (not shown, see e.g., FIG. 4). A cloud computing environment may refer to the on-demand availability of computer system resources, particularly data storage (cloud storage) and computing power, without direct active management by a 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).

[0052] The container 102 may be filled with a compound 104. The container 102 may be empty. The compound 104 may be a liquid or solid component. The compound 104 may be a contaminant. The compound 104 may be a liquid or solid chemical composition. The 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 the methods for determining properties of a container and / or a compound disclosed herein, for example, as described in the context of FIG. 5. The apparatus may be configured to perform only a portion of the methods disclosed therein, such as generating acoustic impulses and measuring acoustic behavior, while other portions of the methods, such as generating acoustic behavior data, comparing the generated acoustic behavior data with reference measurement data, and determining properties of the container and / or compound, may be performed by a further computing system (not shown, see e.g., FIGS. 3 and 4). Processing of the measured acoustic behavior may be performed by the apparatus 108. Processing of the measured acoustic behavior may be performed by a further computing system (not shown, see e.g., Figures 3 and 4). By allocating tasks requiring more computing power to the further computing system, the computing power and therefore the energy consumption of the device can be reduced. This allows the life of the battery contained in the device to be extended, and therefore the intervals between maintenance required for said device to be extended. Furthermore, the properties of the container and / or compound can be determined quickly.

[0053] The device 108 may be attached to the exterior of the wall of the container 102. The attachment may be permanent. The device may also be removably attached, for example, as described in the context of FIGS. 2A and 2B. The device 108 may include an acoustic signal generator 110 configured to generate an acoustic pulse or impulse on the wall of the container 102. The acoustic pulse may travel within the container and interact with the contents of the container, such as the compound 104 and / or air. A portion of the acoustic signal may be reflected and detected by the device 108. The reflected signal may be analyzed to determine characteristics of the container, such as contamination level data or fill level data, and / or compound characteristics, such as compound physical property data. The compound physical property data may include compound type data, compound density data, compound temperature data, and / or compound viscosity data, as described above.

[0054] The device 108 may include a housing, an audio signal generator 110, and an acoustic signal sensor 112. The housing may comply with ATEX specifications, as described above, to enable use of the device 108 in environments requiring ATEX certification. The audio signal generator 110 may be implemented as an impulse generator that generates an acoustic impulse on the outside of the walls 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 "bump" on the outside of the container wall to generate the acoustic impulse. When the device is physically coupled to the outside of the container (e.g., see FIG. 2B ), the device's actuator can acoustically stimulate the container 102 (e.g., generate an acoustic impulse on the outside of the container wall). The actuator may be controlled by a microprocessor on a main board 114 of the device 108.

[0055] The sound sensor 112 may be configured to measure acoustic behavior, such as an audio signal generated in response to at least one acoustic impulse. The sound sensor 112 may include one or more microphones, such as the MEMS microphones described above. The actuator may be controlled by a microprocessor on the main board 114 of the device 108.

[0056] The device 108 may further include a main board 114, such as a printed circuit board (PCB). The main board 114 may include a computer processor, such as a microprocessor, communication module(s), sensors, such as an inertial measurement unit (IMU) and / or a climate sensor, and memory, such as random access memory and / or non-volatile memory (e.g., FLASH). The main board 114 may further include a timer component and / or a trusted platform module (TPM). The processor may be configured to provide necessary processing power and interfaces to 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 acoustic sensor 112. The processor may be configured to process acoustic behavior measured by the acoustic sensor 112. The processor may be configured to determine container and / or compound characteristics from the measured acoustic behavior, for example, as described in the context of FIG. 5. The processor may include functionality interrupted by the timer component and / or IMU. The processor may be connected to the components of device 108 via digital and / or analog interfaces.

[0057] The communication module(s) present on the main board 114 may include at least one cellular communication interface that enables communication with a cellular network and may be configured with technologies such as, for example, LTE (Long-term Evolution) 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 enables the device 108 to communicate with one or more other devices of a container management network, such as the systems described in the context of FIGS. 3 and 4. Communication with the cellular network may be used to detect the geographic location of the container 102 with the device 108 coupled thereto, including detecting changes in location from one cell of the cellular network to another, and the relative location of the container 102 within a cell, e.g., radial distance from a cell tower. Communication with a cellular network may be used to transmit data acquired and / or processed by the device, such as measured and processed acoustic behavior, to additional computing devices, such as a server (see, e.g., FIGS. 3 and 4). Communication with a cellular network may be used to detect changes in location and initiate measurement or sleep modes for the device 108. The at least one cellular communication interface may be, include, or be part of a cellular modem. The communication interface may be configured to implement Wi-Fi technology, for example, according to one or more 802.11 standards, which allows changes in the location of the container 102 or the container 102 with the device 108 attached thereto to be determined indoors. Wi-Fi technology may be used to connect with hotspots during various locations and various states of the container's lifecycle, and may serve, for example, as an option for establishing communication paths with additional devices 108.1-108.n or a container management network (see, e.g., FIG. 4), as an alternative to, or in addition to, a cellular communication path. Device 108 may include one or more antennas corresponding to one or more of the communication technologies described above.Each antenna may be integrated into the main board 114, as appropriate, or may be physically connected to the main board 114 and / or the housing of the device 108. The communication interface may be configured to implement GNSS technology so that the container 102 in which the device 108 is mounted can be determined outdoors.

[0058] Sensors present on the main board 114, in the device 108, and / or external to the device may include an inertial measurement unit (IMU) and / or climate sensor(s). The inertial measurement unit (IMU) may be used to determine the movement of the container 102 to which the device 108 is attached by determining the specific forces, angular velocity, and orientation of the device 108 using a combination of accelerometers, gyroscopes, and optionally, a geomagnetometer. The climate sensors may be configured to measure climate conditions of the device 108, for example, within the housing of the device 108. Such climate conditions may include any of temperature, air humidity, barometric pressure, other climate conditions, or any suitable combination thereof, and may particularly include temperature. Climate sensors located external to the main board 114 may be linked via digital and / or analog interfaces, such as one or more M12.8 connectors, and may measure any of a variety of climate conditions, including, but not limited to, the temperature, humidity, and pressure or other climate conditions of the container, its contents (e.g., liquid, air), and / or the ambient air outside the container.

[0059] The timer component may provide the processor of the main board 114 with a clock at various frequencies, e.g., up to 32 KHz. The clock frequency may be selected to balance various factors, including, for example, financial cost, resource consumption (including power consumption), and the highest desired operating frequency. The timer component may be used to transition the device 108 from a sleep mode (e.g., an operating mode of the device 108 during which it does not generate acoustic impulse(s), measure acoustic behavior, transmit any data, or calculate any data) to an active mode (e.g., an operating mode of the device 108 during which it generates acoustic impulse(s), measures acoustic behavior, transmits any data, and / or calculates any data). The transition of the device 108 from active mode to sleep mode may occur in response to various predefined conditions, such as: instructions or data received via a communication interface from additional devices, a network (e.g., a container management network), or a database; determining the passage of a predetermined amount of time without any activity (e.g., no change in data acquired by the device 108) or no change in one or more predefined characteristics (e.g., position, movement / vibration, fill level data); determining a predefined time of day (e.g., after x hours of operation) and / or day of the week (e.g., weekend), month, or year (e.g., holiday). The transition to sleep mode may be performed by turning off all components of the device 108 that are not necessary to wake the device 108. Components necessary for wake-up may include a processor, selected additional sensors (e.g., motion sensors), and timer components. The amount of power and / or money conserved must be balanced against the desire or need to have up-to-date characteristics of the container and / or compound. The transition of device 108 from sleep mode to active mode may occur in response to various predefined routines, such as setting a wake-up timer or an activity interrupt.A wake-up timer may be set by configuring a timer component to interrupt the processor after a predefined time has elapsed. The timer component may have a predefined configuration or may be configured via a communication interface based on data received from a network, such as a container management network, or a database. A movement interrupt may be configured in a movement sensor to interrupt the processor in response to detecting movement, for example, during the transport of a container within a company or to another company.

[0060] A Trusted Platform Module (TPM) can be used to encrypt data and protect the integrity of the processor of mainboard 114. The TPM may be used for a variety of functions, such as creating data, storing credentials and secrets it holds, communicating with one or more networkers (e.g., any of the networkers described herein), creating TPM objects that are stored in non-volatile memory outside the TPM and decryptable only by the TPM, creating data to communicate and to store as part of a transaction or register of records (e.g., blockchain records), signing to ensure the integrity and authenticity of services, such as those described herein, enabling functionality such as Over-the-Air (OtA) updates of firmware, software, and parameters of device 108, other functions, and any combination thereof.

[0061] The device 108 may further include an energy source, such as a battery commonly used in industry. The energy source may be recharged or replaced when depleted. The processor may be connected to the energy source via a digital and / or analog interface such that the level of the energy source is monitored by the processor. The processor may be configured to provide a notification / alarm when the energy source level reaches a predefined value to avoid malfunction of the device 108 due to insufficient power. The processor may be configured to predict the lifespan of the energy source based on historical and / or actual power consumption and provide the prediction to the further device via the communication interface.

[0062] The device 108 may further include an NFC reader board that may be used to obtain information such as a container ID stored on an identification tag, such as an NFC tag present on a bar attached to the frame of the container, as described in the context of Figures 2A and 2B.

[0063] FIG. 2A shows an example of a container 102 including attachment means 206 for physically coupling a device, such as the device 108 described in the context of FIG. 1, to the container 102. The container 102 may be a metal intermediate bulk container (IBC) including a metal container 102 with an opening 202 for filling and emptying processes. The container 102 may also be a plastic IBC, a composite IBC, or one of the other containers described above. The metal container 102 may be secured within a metal framework 204 to allow for easy transport and stacking of the metal IBC. The container 102 may also include attachment means 206 for physically coupling the device 108 (not shown, see, e.g., FIG. 2B) to the exterior wall of the container 102. The attachment means 206 may represent a metal bar that is removably clamped to the metal framework 204 of the container 102. The use of a removably attachable attachment means 204 can avoid recertification of the container, which would otherwise be required if the container is permanently modified. The attachment means may include an identification tag for storing container-related information (not shown). The identification tag may be a passive NFC tag that includes a container ID. The identification tag may be permanently attached to the attachment means 206 or may be removable so that it can be removed before cleaning to prevent destruction of the identification tag 206 during the cleaning process. The container ID may be obtained from the identification tag by the device 108 and correlated with data provided by the device 108, such as measured acoustic behavior, processed acoustic behavior, container and / or compound properties, etc. This allows the data provided by the device 108 to be associated with the corresponding container 102, and thus a digital twin of the container can be created by accumulating all data related to the container ID of the container.

[0064] FIG. 2B illustrates an example of physically coupling a device, such as the device 108 described in the context of FIG. 1, to a container 102. The container 102 may be a metal intermediate bulk container (IBC) including a metal container 102 with an opening 202 for filling and emptying processes. The container 102 may also be a plastic IBC, a composite IBC, or other containers previously described. The metal container 102 may be secured within a metal framework 204 to allow for easy transport and stacking of the metal IBC. The container 102 may include attachment means 206, such as a bar, for physically coupling the device 108 to the outer wall of the container 102. The attachment means 206 may be removably clamped to the metal framework 204 to avoid recertification, as described in the context of FIG. 2A. The device 108 may be attached to the attachment means by 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 serve to adjust the position of the device 108 so that the device 108 is in contact with the outer wall of the container. The device 108 can be removed from the attachment means 206 by unscrewing it, thus allowing easy attachment and removal of the device 108, for example during cleaning procedures or maintenance of the device 108 to avoid destroying the device 108. The attachment means 206 may include an identification tag as described in the context of Fig. 2A. The device 108 may be configured to retrieve information stored on said tag as described in the context of Fig. 2A.

[0065] 3 is an example of a system 300 for remotely determining properties of a container and / or a compound, according to embodiments of the system described herein. The system 300 may determine properties of the container and / or compound as described in the context of FIG. 5. The properties of the container may include contamination level data and / or fill level data. The properties of the compound may include property data as described in the context of FIG. 1.

[0066] The system 300 may include at least one container 102, such as the container 102 residing within the metal framework 204 described in the context of FIGS. 2A and 2B. The container 102 may be empty. The container 102 may be filled with a compound (see, for example, FIG. 1). The compound may be a liquid or solid chemical composition. The liquid or solid chemical composition may be a trowel composition, such as a liquid base coat 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 means 206, such as a bar described in the context of FIGS. 2A and 2B, which may be used to physically couple a device to the exterior wall of the container 102. The device may be the device 108 described in the context of FIG. 1. The attachment means may include an identification tag (not shown) having container data stored thereon, such as a container ID, as described in the context of FIGS. 2A and 2B.

[0067] To determine the location of the container 102, the sensor device 108 may communicate with the WiFi hotspot 302 via communication interface 312 and / or with the global navigation satellite system 304 via communication interface 314, for example, as described in the context of FIG. 1. Data regarding the determined location, along with data determined by sensors in the sensor device, such as temperature, may be transmitted to the computing device 308 via communication interfaces 316, 318, for example, as described in the context of FIG.

[0068] 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 characteristics of the container and / or compound from data, such as measured or processed acoustic behavior, received from the device 108 (see, e.g., FIG. 5 ). The computing device may be configured to initiate actions, e.g., as described in the context of FIGS. 4 and 5 , based on the data transmitted from the device 108. The computing device 308 may be configured to initiate actions, e.g., as described in the context of FIGS. 4 and 5 , based on the data transmitted from the device 108. The computing device 308 may be connected to the device 108 via cellular communication interfaces 316, 318 utilizing a mobile radio tower 306. The cellular communication interface 316 may be an LPWAN technology, as described in the context of FIG. 1 . The cellular-based communication interfaces 316 and / or 318 may exceed the coverage capabilities of 900 MHz communication systems, thus eliminating the need to integrate with WiFi networks or other LANs and associated issues, such as firewalls, password changes, or different SSIDs. The computing device 308 may connect with clients 310a-310c, such as mobile or stationary computing devices including laptops, smartphones, tablets, or personal computers, via the communication interface 320. Access to the computing device 308 via clients 310a-310c may be restricted using commonly known authentication procedures, such as single sign-on. The computing device 308 may perform further analysis of the data received from the device 108 and / or the determined properties of the vessels and / or compounds (e.g., initiating and controlling actions as described in the context of FIG. 5). The data, associated analyses, and initiated actions can be accessed and displayed using clients 310a-310c, e.g., via a web browser, without requiring a dedicated computing device.Computing device 308 may also interface with enterprise resource planning or vendor-managed inventory systems so that information is sent directly to a user's computing device (such as clients 310a-310c) or so that information residing in a database used by the vendor-managed inventory system is automatically updated by computing device 308, where it can be accessed by the user's computing device.

[0069] 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-102n, each with a device 108 attached. Each device 108 may transmit data via communications interfaces 316, 318 to a computing device 308, which may process all data received from the sensor device 108. Data from different devices 108 may be transmitted to different computing devices 308a-308n for further processing by these computing devices. The computing devices 308a-308n may transmit the processed data to another computing device, where it may be accessed by the clients 310a-310c. Alternatively, the client devices 310a-310c-n may access each computing device 308a-308n, which processes the associated data from each device 108.

[0070] FIG. 4 illustrates an example system 400 for remotely monitoring and managing vessels in accordance with embodiments of the methods and systems described herein. The system 400 may include a cloud 402 having coupled thereto a plurality of vessels 102, including devices (e.g., reference numeral 200b) and clients 412, 414. The cloud 402 may include one or more servers, such as the computing device 308 described in the context of FIG. 3. The devices may be physically attached to the vessels 102, such as the devices 108 described in the context of FIG. 2B. Each of the devices may be implemented as the devices 108 described in the context of FIG. 1. Each device may be configured to determine characteristics of the vessels and / or compounds, such as the devices described in the context of FIG. 5. The cloud 402 may be configured to determine characteristics of the vessels and / or compounds based on data received from the devices 108, such as measured or processed acoustic behavior, such as the devices described in the context of FIG. 5.

[0071] Each of the devices 108 and clients 412, 414 may be coupled to the cloud 402 via a communication interface (illustrated by an arrow). At least a portion of the communication interface may represent a gateway. At least two devices 108 may be coupled to the cloud 402 (not shown) via a single gateway. A device 108 may be coupled directly to the cloud 402. In this case, the device 108 may be configured with any of the gateway functions and components described herein and may be treated like a gateway by the cloud 402 in at least some respects. Each gateway may be configured to implement any of the network communication techniques described herein in connection with the device 108 so that the gateway can remotely communicate with, monitor, and manage the device 108. Each gateway may be configured to have one or more functions of a gateway and / or controller, as known in the art, and may be any of several types of devices configured to perform the gateway functions defined herein. To ensure the security of transmitted data, each gateway may include a TPM (e.g., in the hardware layer of the controller), as described in the context of FIG. 1. The TPM may be used, for example, to encrypt portions of communications from the sensor device to / from the gateway, to encrypt portions of such information received at the gateway that are unencrypted, or to 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 may be configured to implement Transport Layer Security (TLS) for HTTPS communications and / or Datagram Transport Layer Security (DTLS) for datagram-based applications. Additionally, one or more security credentials associated with any of the aforementioned data security operations may be stored in the TPM.A TPM may be implemented in either the gateway, the sensor device 108, or a server in the cloud 402, e.g., during manufacturing, and may be used to personalize the gateway or the sensor device. Such gateways, sensor devices, and / or servers may be configured (e.g., during manufacturing or thereafter) to implement cryptographic techniques known in the art, such as a public key infrastructure (PKI) for key and credential management.

[0072] Each gateway connecting a device 108 to the cloud 402, or residing within a device 108, may be configured to process data received from the device 108 and provide instructions to the device, including analyzing data that may have been generated or received by the device 108. Additionally, each gateway may be configured to provide one or more functions related to commissioning, filling, cleaning, incoming goods inspection and certification (e.g., after two years), consumption, and other processing of containers. To this end, each gateway may be configured with software encapsulating such functionality. A device 108 may be directly connected to the cloud 402 via a communications interface and configured to process data and perform the additional functions described above. To this end, each device 108 may be configured with software encapsulating such capabilities. By performing such processing in one or more gateways and / or within the device 108 itself, rather than in a more centralized manner on one or more servers within the cloud 402, the system 400 may implement and enjoy the benefits of more distributed edge computing technologies.

[0073] Cloud 402 includes one or more tiers. In this embodiment, cloud 402 includes two tiers: an application tier 404 that includes one or more applications 406, and a service tier 408 that includes one or more databases 410. Application tier 404 and service tier 408 may each be implemented using one or more servers within cloud 402. In other embodiments, cloud 402 may include more or fewer tiers.

[0074] The services layer 410 may include databases 410, such as a transaction database, a container database, a container content database, and a lifecycle management database. The transaction database may include one or more transaction records related to containers managed by the system 400. For example, the transaction records may include blockchain technology, which may serve as a secure transaction registry for the system 400. A transaction may include any commercial transaction involving one of the managed containers, or other status information unrelated to a commercial transaction. Additionally, data stored in each of the other databases 410 in the services layer 408 may be stored as one or more transaction records and may be part of the transaction registry of the container management system 400. The container database may include information about containers managed by the system 400, such as mechanical specifications, geometry, date of manufacture, maintenance intervals, last inspection, material composition, and other information. The container contents database may include information about the contents of managed containers (e.g., liquids, bulk solids, powders), such as ingredients, chemical composition, classification (e.g., pharmaceutical, beverage, food), ATEX classification of the container's contents or intended contents, regulatory-related information, container characteristics, and other information collected over time. Container characteristics may include physical characteristics associated with the container, such as climatic conditions, location, weight, fill level, maximum container fill level, etc. For a given container, the information stored in the container database and / or container contents database may include the same information stored on the container itself and, combined with information about the container itself, may be considered a digital representation, e.g., a digital twin, of the container. The lifecycle management database may store information about states, rules, algorithms, procedures, etc., that may be used to manage containers through lifecycle stages, as described in more detail elsewhere herein.The information stored in the container database and / or container contents database may be retrieved by device(s) 108 via the communication interface upon physical coupling of device(s) 108 to the container 102 (see, e.g., FIGS. 2A and 2B). After physical coupling, a container ID stored on an NFC tag present on the attachment means may be retrieved by device(s) 108 and used to retrieve information stored in the container database and / or container contents database associated with the container ID.

[0075] The application layer 404 may include any of a variety of applications that utilize information and services related to container management, including any of the information and services made available from the service layer 408. The application layer 404 may include an inventory application, an order management application, additional applications, or any suitable combination of the foregoing. The inventory application may provide an inventory of containers managed within a system (e.g., system 400), including properties (e.g., characteristics) for each container in the system and its contents (including the container's current state within its lifecycle, the container's fill level, its current location (e.g., cellular network, Wi-Fi network, ISM network, or one or more other network identifiers), and other properties corresponding to the container as described herein). The container inventory may be a group (e.g., a "fleet") of containers owned, leased, managed, or used by an entity such as an OEM. The order management application may manage customer container orders, e.g., all customers of an entity, e.g., an OEM, and / or an OEM's orders, e.g., to order new containers. The order management application may maintain information regarding all past and current container orders for an entity's or OEM's customers and process such orders. The order management application may 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 may have one or more predefined thresholds, such as empty containers, damaged containers, container fill levels, etc., after which a threshold is reached or exceeded (e.g., below the fill level and / or number of non-empty, non-damaged containers), additional containers should be ordered. The application may be configured to interact with other applications in the application layer 404, including each other, via interfaces.These applications, or portions thereof, may likewise be programmed into gateways and / or sensor devices of the container management network.

[0076] Container information and / or determined characteristics of the container and / or chemical compound may be communicated in any of a variety of ways among components of the system 400, including the device 108, the gateway, and the cloud 402 components. Such techniques may include, for example, transmitting container information in a transaction record using blockchain technology. Such a transaction record may include public and private information, where public information may be made more generally available to interested parties and more sensitive information may be treated as private information, made more selectively available, for example, only to specific container manufacturers, OEMs, and / or customers. For example, information in a transaction record may include private data encrypted using a private key unique to the container and / or sensor device, and may include unencrypted public data. Public data may also be encrypted to protect the value of this data and enable trading of the data, for example, as part of a smart contract. The distinction between public and private data may be made depending on the data and its intended use.

[0077] The number of communications between components of the system 400 may be minimized, which in some embodiments may include communicating transactions (e.g., container status information) to a server in the cloud 402 according to a predefined schedule in which slots in a time cycle are allocated between one or more servers for a gateway to transmit transactions (e.g., sending data from a device 108 to the cloud 402 or sending instructions from the cloud 402 to the device(s) 108). Data may be collected over a predetermined period of time and grouped into a single transaction record before transmission.

[0078] FIG. 5 shows a flowchart of an example method for determining characteristics of a container and / or a compound. The container may be the container 102 described in the context of FIGS. 2A and 2B. The method may be performed by the device 108 described in the context of FIG. 1 or the systems 300 or 400 described in the context of FIGS. 3 or 4. The device 108 may perform at least some of the blocks shown in FIG. 5. The device 108 may perform some of the blocks illustrated in FIG. 5, while the remaining blocks may be performed by a computing device, for example, as described in the context of FIGS. 3 and 4. The container characteristics may include contamination level data and / or fill level data. The compound characteristics may include physical property data, as described in the context of FIG. 1. The container may be empty. The container may contain residues of a compound or a mixture of compounds, referred to as contamination. The container may contain a defined amount of a 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 component thereof, such as a liquid basecoat material or a liquid base varnish.

[0079] In block 502, an acoustic impulse may be generated on the exterior wall of a container, such as container 102, described in the context of FIGS. 1-2B, using a device, such as device 108, as described in the context of FIGS. 1-4. The device may be physically attached to the container, as described in the context of FIGS. 2A and 2B. The acoustic impulse may be generated by striking the exterior wall of the container with the device. The acoustic impulse may be generated by an audio signal generator 110, such as an actuator included within device 108 (see, e.g., FIG. 1). The audio signal generator 110 may be controlled by a processor residing on main board 114 of device 108, as described in the context of FIG. 1. The acoustic impulse may be generated at a predefined rate or may be generated upon detection of a change in the container's environment by device 108, as described in the context of FIG. 1.

[0080] In block 504, acoustic behavior generated in response to the acoustic impulse may be measured. The acoustic behavior may be measured using an audio signal sensor 112 (see, e.g., FIG. 1 ) included in the device 108. The audio signal sensor 112 may include at least one microphone, as described in the context of FIG. 1 . The acoustic behavior may be detected for up to 2 seconds, particularly up to 1.6 seconds, after generating the 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 terminate after a predetermined time interval.

[0081] 5 may determine whether to process the acoustic behavior measured in block 504. The routine may be programmed to begin processing the acoustic behavior if the compound's characteristics are determined. If the acoustic behavior measured in block 504 is to be processed, the method proceeds to block 508. If not, the method proceeds to block 510.

[0082] 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 from the measured acoustic behavior (e.g., from the acquired audio sample). Blocks 502-508 may be performed by device 108 described in the context of FIGS. 1-4. Device 108 may be configured to provide the measured or processed acoustic behavior to a computing device, which may be configured to determine properties of the container and / or compound, for example, as described in the context of FIGS. 3 and 4.

[0083] In block 510, reference measurement data or time interval data may be retrieved. The reference measurement data associated with the container may include reference acoustic behavior data associated with time interval data of one or more defined quantities of a defined compound contained in the container. The reference acoustic behavior data may include at least one reference RMS value associated with at least two different defined quantities of the defined compound. The defined quantities may include, for example, 0 L representing an empty container. The defined compound may be a defined liquid or solid coating composition. The number of root-mean-square (RMS) values ​​per defined quantity can adjust the accuracy of the methods disclosed herein. For example, increasing the number of time intervals over which RMS values ​​are determined can improve the accuracy of the methods disclosed herein. At least some 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 frequency spectrum data, compound identifier(s), container identifier(s), reference measurement data identifier(s), error level threshold, weighting coefficient(s), or a combination thereof.

[0084] The reference measurement data may be retrieved using a container ID associated with the container to which the device is physically coupled. For example, the container ID may be determined based on an identification tag, as described in the context of FIGS. 2A and 2B . The container ID may be used to retrieve the reference measurement data associated with the container ID. The container ID may be used to retrieve compound data associated with the container ID. The compound data may include compound type data, a compound identifier, a compound name, or a combination thereof. The compound data, such as a compound identifier, may be used to retrieve the reference measurement data associated with the compound data. Determining the time interval and / or time point data ensures that acoustic behavior data is generated for the time interval used to generate the reference measurement data in block 512, thereby enabling comparison of the generated acoustic behavior data with the reference measurement data.

[0085] Determining the time interval data may include retrieving the appropriate time interval data from a data storage medium, such as a database or internal memory of the device performing block 510 .

[0086] 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 the determined time interval data. The RMS value for each time interval may be calculated using equation (1) above. Calculating the RMS value for a particular time interval condenses the information contained in the generated acoustic behavior data into a few values, thereby enabling a quick and reliable comparison of the generated acoustic behavior data with the reference acoustic behavior data contained in the reference measurement data.

[0087] In block 514, a determination may be made as to whether to interpolate reference acoustic behavior data contained in the reference measurement data. This determination may be based on data contained in the reference measurement data. If measurement reference data has not been obtained up to this block, reference measurement data may be obtained, for example, as described in the context of block 510. The use of interpolation allows for more detailed determination of data related to the degree of contamination and / or data related to the filling level without generating extensive reference measurement data related to a large number of filling levels, because interpolation prevents the determined filling level from always corresponding to a defined amount (e.g., filling level) of a defined compound contained in the reference measurement data, even if the determined filling level data or data related to the degree of contamination lies between two of such defined amounts. If it is determined in block 514 that interpolation is to be performed, the method may proceed to block 516. Otherwise, the method may proceed to block 518.

[0088] In block 516, the reference measurement data may be interpolated. The interpolation may be performed by calculating the RMS value of a defined quantity (e.g., fill level) not included in the reference measurement data. Linear interpolation may be used. If the reference measurement data has not yet been retrieved, it may be retrieved in this block before performing the interpolation, for example, 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 obtained in block 510 or 514. The reference measurement data may also correspond to interpolated reference measurement data obtained after block 516. For example, the acoustic behavior data generated in block 512 may be compared with the reference acoustic behavior data included in the reference measurement data. This may involve determining error data between each RMS value included in the generated acoustic behavior data and a respective reference RMS value included in the reference measurement data of the container, for example, each reference RMS value associated with a corresponding time interval. For example, error data may be determined for each RMS value included in the generated acoustic behavior data relative to a respective reference RMS value included in the reference measurement data for each time interval (e.g., a respective reference RMS value associated with the same time interval as the RMS value included in the generated acoustic behavior data to which the reference RMS value is compared). Thus, error data may be determined for an RMS value included in the generated acoustic behavior data and associated with a predetermined time interval relative to a respective reference RMS value for the predetermined time interval. Additionally or alternatively, error data may be determined for at least some of the RMS values ​​included in the generated acoustic behavior data relative to at least some of the respective reference RMS values ​​included in the reference measurement data. For example, error data may be determined for all RMS values ​​included in the generated acoustic behavior data relative to all reference RMS values ​​included in the reference measurement data for all time intervals for a predetermined, defined amount of a defined compound. Thus, error data may be determined from all RMS values ​​included in the generated acoustic behavior data and the reference RMS values ​​for all time intervals for a predetermined fill level, such as a fill level of 0 L, 20 L, 50 L, or 100 L.The error data may be determined by determining an arithmetic mean error and / or by determining a root mean square error of the generated acoustic behavior data relative to reference measurement data. The arithmetic mean error may be determined according to equation (2a) or (3a) or (4). The root mean square error may be determined according to equation (2b) or (3b) or (5). Using the arithmetic mean error and / or the root mean square error, properties of the container and / or compound can be reliably determined, as described in the following blocks.

[0089] In block 520, a characteristic of the container and / or compound may be determined based on the error data determined in block 514. For example, a characteristic of the container, such as fill level data and / or data related to the degree of contamination, may be determined by determining a defined quantity (e.g., fill level) associated with the smallest arithmetic mean error and / or the smallest root mean square error (e.g., by determining the defined quantity associated with the smallest error) and providing the determined defined quantity as the fill level data or data related to the 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 characteristic of the container, e.g., as the fill level data or data related to the degree of contamination. A characteristic of the compound may be determined by determining the compound associated with the smallest error, e.g., by determining the compound associated with the smallest error. For example, the compound associated with the RMS value resulting in the smallest error, such as the smallest arithmetic mean error and / or mean square error, may be provided as physical property data of the compound, such as the compound name, compound ID, compound viscosity data, and / or compound density data. The determined characteristics may be provided. Providing the determined characteristics may include providing the determined characteristics, optionally in combination with reference measurement data and / or further data contained in the measured or processed acoustic behavior, to a display device for display on a screen and / or to a data storage medium.

[0090] In block 522, the error data determined in block 520 may be compared to a predefined threshold value; this block is generally optional. The predefined threshold value may be included in the reference measurement data or may 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 quantity (e.g., arithmetic mean error and / or mean square error), may be compared to predefined threshold value(s). Comparing the error data to predefined threshold value(s) can determine whether the determined characteristics of the container and / or compound are sufficiently accurate or too inaccurate and require redoing the determination. Thus, by using an appropriate threshold value, the required accuracy for determining the characteristics of the container and / or compound can be defined. For example, the lower the error determined, the higher the accuracy associated with the determined characteristics.

[0091] In block 524, it may be determined whether the error data exceeds a predefined threshold(s); this block is generally optional. This determination may be made based on the results of block 522. If the error level data exceeds the predefined threshold(s), the method may begin again and return to block 502, allowing the method to be repeated if the determined characteristics are associated with insufficient accuracy. If the error level data is below the predefined threshold(s), the method may end or further steps may be performed as outlined below.

[0092] The method may further include, for example, after block 520 or block 524, determining an action to take based on the determined characteristics of the container and / or compound, and optionally controlling the taking of the determined action. The action may be predefined or may be different for different states / locations of the container, times of day, days or weeks, months or years, parameter values ​​received from the container management network, user input, determined physical conditions of the compound, or any suitable combination thereof. Actions may include, for example, transporting, cleaning, emptying, filling, moving, discarding, or scheduling maintenance of the container; ordering a new container; changing the location of the container; powering down, powering up, or adjusting operation of equipment; activating an alarm (e.g., visual, audible, or noisy), other action, or any suitable combination of the foregoing.

[0093] The method may further include, for example after block 520 or block 524, determining optimized maintenance intervals based on the characteristics of the provided container, in particular the fill level data of the compound. The fill level data may be used to predict when the container will be empty and can be transported again for maintenance. This prediction allows for scheduling maintenance intervals for containers that are still in use without waiting until the container is transported again, thus optimizing the maintenance intervals based on the prediction.

[0094] The method may further comprise, for example after block 520 or block 524, a step of determining a coupled transport of empty containers based on the determined characteristics of the containers, in particular the fill level data determined as described above.

[0095] FIG. 6 is a graph illustrating audio signal data measured in response to an acoustic impulse generated on the exterior wall of a container. An acoustic impulse may be generated, and the resulting acoustic behavior (e.g., the resulting audio signal) may be measured by a device physically attached to the container, such as those described in the context of FIGS. 1-4. The audio signal data may be acquired by the acoustic sensor 112 of the device 108 described in the context of FIG. 1. The audio signal data may include an initial time interval A0 602. The initial time interval A1 602 may include audio signal data acquired prior to generating the acoustic impulse. The audio signal data may further include a generated acoustic impulse 604. The audio signal data may further include a second time interval A2 606 following the acoustic impulse 604. The second time interval A2 may correspond to acoustic behavior generated in response to the acoustic impulse. The audio signal data may further include a third time interval A3 608 following the second time interval A2 606. The third time interval A3 608 may include data related to reflections from the container walls generated in response to the generated acoustic impulse. The audio signal data may further include a fourth time interval A4 610 following the third time interval A3 608. The fourth time interval A4 610 may include noise. In one embodiment, the third time interval A3 608 and the fourth time interval A4 610 may not be used to determine the characteristics of the container and / or the compound. In one embodiment, only the second time interval A2 606 may be used to determine the characteristics of the container and / or the compound. The second time interval A2 606 may be 100 ms or less from the generation of the acoustic impulse. The second time interval A2 606 may be 80 ms or less, particularly up to 65 ms.

[0096] 7 is a graph showing reference acoustic behavior data contained in exemplary reference measurement data and a comparison of the generated acoustic behavior data with the exemplary reference measurement data. The x-axis shows a defined amount (or fill level) in liters of a defined compound, such as a liquid coating material, in a container. The y-axis provides the RMS value. The exemplary reference measurement data can be associated with one or more compounds. The compound can be a solid compound or a liquid compound. The compound can be a chemical compound. The compound can be a liquid or solid coating material, such as a liquid base coat material or a liquid base varnish.

[0097] 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). RMS values ​​may be determined for each defined amount of compound from the measured acoustic behavior using the method described in the context of FIG. 5. Thus, for each amount of defined compound (e.g., for each fill level), the acoustic behavior may be measured and used to generate RMS values ​​for the four different time intervals. Thus, the reference measurement data may include four RMS values ​​for each defined amount (or fill level) of compound.

[0098] The RMS values ​​included in the exemplary reference measurement data can be compared to RMS values ​​determined for the measured acoustic behavior of a compound present in an unknown amount in a container. The RMS values ​​can be determined from the acoustic behavior measured for four defined time intervals in the exemplary reference measurement data, as described above, for example, in the context of FIG. 5 . The comparison can include determining error level data, such as the arithmetic mean error and / or the root mean square error. The arithmetic mean error, denoted as AME in FIG. 7, can be determined using equations (2a), (3a), or (4) described above. The mean square error, denoted as MSE in FIG. 7, can be determined using equations (2b), (3b), or (5) described above. The arithmetic mean error and / or the root mean square error can be determined for all RMS values ​​associated with a defined quantity (e.g., fill level) included in the exemplary reference measurement data. Thus, all RMS values ​​included in the generated acoustic behavior data can be compared to all respective RMS values ​​associated with a particular fill level included in the exemplary reference measurement data. The resulting error data may be plotted against fill level data contained in the exemplary reference measurement data.

[0099] As outlined in the context of FIG. 5, the unknown amount of compound in the container may correspond to a defined quantity (e.g., fill level) associated with the lowest arithmetic mean error and / or mean square error. Accordingly, all determined errors and associated fill levels may be compared, and the fill level associated with the lowest arithmetic mean error and / or lowest mean square error may be provided as a characteristic of the container and / or compound. In the example of FIG. 7, the lowest arithmetic mean error and lowest mean square error are at a fill level of approximately 20 l. Accordingly, based on a comparison of the generated acoustic behavior data with the exemplary reference measurement data, fill level data of approximately 20 l may be determined and provided.

[0100] This method uses acoustic data generated from acoustic behavior in response to an acoustic impulse to determine container characteristics, such as contamination level and fill level data, and properties of compounds present in the container, such as physical property data. Therefore, various data related to the container and compounds can be determined in the same way using a single measurement. Error data associated with specific acoustic behavior data, such as the RMS value, can be used to adjust the accuracy of the method and determine whether the accuracy of the obtained properties is sufficient. The container characteristics and compound characteristics can be determined simultaneously or separately. For example, container characteristics, such as fill level data, can be determined first, and then the fill level data can be used to determine the compound characteristics. This simplifies material analysis. In another example, the compound properties can be determined before the container properties. In this case, the physical property data is used to determine the container properties. In this case, the material is already known, allowing for more accurate fill level analysis.

[0101] A single unit device or system may fulfill the functions of several items recited in the claims. The mere fact that certain means are recited in mutually different dependent claims does not indicate that a combination of these means cannot be used to advantage. Steps performed by one or more units or devices, such as analyzing data or adding metadata to data, can be performed by any number of other units, devices or systems. These steps can be implemented as program code means of a computer program and / or as dedicated hardware. The computer program product can be stored / distributed on a suitable medium, such as an optical storage medium or a solid-state medium, supplied together with or as part of other hardware, but can also be distributed in other forms, such as via the Internet or other wired or wireless telecommunication systems.

Claims

1. 1. A method for determining a property of a container and / or a compound present in the container, comprising the steps of: (a) generating at least one acoustic impulse on the exterior of the vessel wall by a device disposed on the exterior of the vessel wall; (b) measuring acoustic behavior occurring in response to at least one acoustic impulse, and optionally processing the measured acoustic behavior, wherein the acoustic response is indicative of a characteristic of the container and / or compounds present in the container; (c) generating acoustic behavior data of the measured acoustic behavior by determining at least one root mean square (RMS) value for at least one time interval; (d) comparing the generated acoustic behavior data with reference measurement data, including reference acoustic behavior data associated with containers containing one or more defined amounts of the defined compounds; (e) determining a characteristic of the container and / or the compound present in the container based on the comparison; A method comprising:

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the characteristics of the container include data relating to the degree of contamination inside the container and / or fill level data relating to the fill level of compounds present inside the container.

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

4. 3. The method of claim 1, 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. 3. The method of claim 1, wherein processing the measured acoustic behavior comprises determining a frequency spectrum.

6. 3. The method of claim 1, wherein the acoustic behavior data of the measured acoustic behavior is generated based on time interval data present in the reference measurement data.

7. The method of claim 1 or 2, wherein the acoustic behavior data is generated by determining a root mean square (RMS) value of time interval data included in the reference measurement data.

8. 3. The method of claim 1 or 2, wherein the reference measurement data comprises a reference root mean square (RMS) value associated with time interval data of one or more defined amounts of defined compounds contained within the container.

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

10. 9. The method of claim 8, wherein the reference measurement data comprises average error data associated with reference root mean square (RMS) values ​​for all time intervals associated with a defined amount of a defined compound contained in the container.

11. 3. The method of claim 1 or 2, wherein comparing the generated acoustic behavior data with the reference measurement data comprises determining error data of the generated acoustic behavior data relative to the reference measurement data, in particular determining error data of each root mean square (RMS) value included in the generated acoustic behavior data relative to a respective reference root mean square (RMS) value included in the reference measurement data, and / or determining error data of at least some of the root mean square (RMS) values ​​included in the generated acoustic behavior data relative to at least some of the respective reference root mean square (RMS) values ​​included in the reference measurement data.

12. 12. The method of claim 11, further comprising the step of comparing the error data to one or more predefined thresholds, and optionally repeating steps (a) through (e) if the error data exceeds the one or more predefined thresholds.

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

14. 14. A computer program for determining the properties of a vessel and / or a compound present in the vessel, the program comprising code means for causing the system of claim 13 to carry out the method of claim 1 or 2 when the program is run on a computer controlling the system of claim 13.

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