Patent ID: 9474208
Filing Date: 2016-10-25
CPC Classification: A01D

Claim Text:
1. A system for acoustically detecting and quantifying bulk material, which said system comprises: an impact sensor including a sensor case enclosing a sensor interior; said sensor case mounting a strike plate adapted for striking by the bulk material; said strike plate communicating acoustically with said sensor interior; an acoustic device communicating acoustically with said sensor interior and adapted for providing an output signal in response to bulk material striking said strike plate; a processor connected to said acoustic device and adapted for receiving and processing said acoustic device output signals; said acoustic device comprising a transducer adapted for converting acoustic energy to an electrical signal; said transducer comprising a micro-electro-mechanical system (MEMS) microphone; a bandpass filter connected to said microphone and adapted for filtering bulk material impact for conversion to electrical output signals from said sensor; an acoustic energy measurement device connected to said bandpass filter, an acoustic event detection device connected to said energy measurement device and a multiple impact detection device adapted for processing strikes by multiple bulk material pieces; wherein said processor includes a time domain function adapted for identifying an acoustic energy signal source; wherein said processor includes a frequency domain function adapted for identifying an acoustic energy signal source; a neural network connected to said processor and adapted for providing output corresponding to the presence or absence of a bulk material impact said sensor case having an elongated, channel-shaped body with a top opening and opposite ends; said sensor case having a pair of end caps each attached to a respective sensor case end; each said end cap enclosing a respective end cap space forming a part of said sensor interior; and said strike plate being mounted on said sensor case in covering relation over said top opening.