Patent attributes
An apparatus and method for multi-bounce acoustic signal material detection is provided. The apparatus includes a container containing a quantity of material therein, wherein the quantity of material has at least two segmented layers. First and second acoustic sensors are positioned on a sidewall of the container, wherein the first acoustic sensor is positioned at a different height along the sidewall than the second acoustic sensor. An acoustic signal is transmitted into the sidewall of the container from the first acoustic sensor. The acoustic signal reflects between an interior surface of the sidewall and an exterior surface of the sidewall until it is received at the second acoustic sensor. A border between the at least two segmented layers of the quantity of material is detectable based on the acoustic signal.
