Verifi LLC

Other

Gcp Applied Technologies Inc.

Sonde Health, Inc.

Richard K Jordan

Mark F Roberts

Eric P Koehler

Yan Glina

Nathan A Tregger

Lawrence R Roberts

Roy J Cooley

Meriem Bahira

Gregory A Goldstein

Michael Chen

Howard Livingston

Meriem Bah Ira

The present invention provides a method and system for detecting hardened concrete buildup in a mixer drum which is substantially devoid of plastic concrete. An exemplary method involves monitoring the hydraulic pressure required to rotate the drum through at least two successive rotations at constant speed, using a hydraulic pressure sensor on hydraulic charge side, discharge side, or preferably both sides of the hydraulic motor which turns the mixer drum; and detecting when the pressure/time data curve indicates eccentric behavior of the mixer drum, whereby an alarm or other indication is provided to confirm that the hardened concrete buildup in the truck is not acceptable. The buildup detection method and system of the present invention does not require the use of an automated slump monitoring system, but can be implemented in combination with such systems with favorable results and advantages.

Eccentric buildup detection in concrete drums

A system and process for detecting dynamic segregation in concrete rotated within a mixer drum, such as mounted on a delivery truck. A system processor is programmed to monitor an instantaneous and averaged rheology parameter and to deploy protocols for detecting segregation. A first protocol comprises monitoring the averaged slump during and immediately after a jump in drum speed of at least plus or minus four rotations per minute and detecting when a change in the averaged slump value meets or exceeds a threshold; and a second protocol comprises monitoring the instantaneous slump when the mixer drum is rotating at a constant speed for at least three successive rotations and detecting when the instantaneous slump value meets or exceeds a threshold limit. Once segregation is detected, one or more operations can be initiated, such as initiating an alarm or adjusting the mix.

Dynamic segregation monitoring of concrete

This application provides a system for classifying a status of anhedonia, the system including an audio data collector adapted to collect a sample of speech, and a processing module including an audio feature extractor and a classification unit, wherein the audio feature extractor extracts a plurality of acoustic features from the sample of speech, and the classification unit classifies a status of anhedonia from the plurality of acoustic features.

System and method for anhedonia measurement using acoustic and contextual cues

Disclosed are method and system for treating concrete in mixing drums of delivery vehicles having automated rheology (e.g., slump) monitoring systems programmed to dose fluids into concrete based on the monitored rheology. The present invention takes into account a Revolution-To-Discharge value ('RTD') which reflects drum rotations needed to move concrete towards and through the mixing drum opening from which concrete is discharged, and also takes into consideration a Volume-Per-Revolution-Upon-Discharge ('VPRUD') value which reflects the relation between the rate of discharge and rheology (e.g., slump) of concrete upon discharge. The invention is especially useful for reclaiming concrete in the drum after delivery and can confirm rheology based upon peak (maximum) discharge pressure. The present inventors found surprisingly that discharge pressure readings are useful for recalibrating automated rheology monitoring systems as well as for reporting and/or treating the remainder concrete.

Monitoring discharge pressure on concrete mix load

A gyroscopic rotational monitoring system may be utilized for monitoring one or more properties of rotatable container or vessel, and/or one or more properties of a displaceable material contained in the rotatable vessels. An exemplary aspect relates to the use of a gyroscope and periodicity sensor (e.g., accelerometer) to determine rotational speed of a concrete mixing drum, so that the slump or other property of the concrete can be monitored or adjusted such as by dosing with water, chemical admixtures, or mixture thereof.

Determination of gyroscopic based rotation

Treating and reporting volume of concrete in delivery vehicle mixing drum

The invention provides a method and system for detecting 'sneak' additions of water or other fluid into the mixing drum of a concrete delivery vehicle having an automated rheology (e.g., slump) monitoring system. Sneak fluid additions are detected based on continuous rheology monitoring, even where valves and flow meters on the delivery vehicle are not used for the fluid addition. The invention is effective for monitoring additions by truck drivers who might add water from an undocumented water source (e.g., hose) along the delivery route or at the site, to hasten pouring, placement, and finishing at the time of delivery. Once sneak fluid addition is detected, the methods and system provide for reporting in the form of alerts, alarms, or other indications that sneak fluid addition has occurred, including monitor graphs or printouts confirming existence and/or extent of sneak fluid added into the vehicle mixing drum.

Growing community of inventors

Littleton, MA, United States of America

Richard K Jordan