Method and apparatus for providing real time air measurement applications in wet concrete

A ready-mix truck having a system for making a full air measurement to sense a characteristic of a slurry contained in a rotating container or drum, comprising:

• an acoustic sensor arranged in the rotating container or drum having the slurry contained therein, including concrete, so that the acoustic sensor enters and exits the slurry as the rotating container or drum rotates, configured to inject an acoustic sensor signal into the slurry, sense an acoustic signal containing information about the characteristic of the slurry, provide acoustic sensor signaling containing information about the acoustic signal sensed, and also configured to receive a power control signal and activate to make the full air measurement to sense the characteristic of the slurry, and then de-activate after making the full air measurement;
• a communication transmitter arranged on the rotating container or drum, and configured to receive the acoustic sensor signaling provided from the acoustic sensor, and provide the acoustic sensor signaling received for further processing;
• and
• a power system arranged on the rotating container or drum, and configured to receive a power signal, and provide the power control signal to the acoustic sensor to activate and power the acoustic sensor to make the full air measurement to sense the characteristic of the slurry, and de-activate the acoustic sensor and remove power after making the full air measurement, based upon a relationship between the acoustic sensor and either the rotating container or drum, or the slurry being sensed, the power system configured to implement a power savings mode based upon detecting either a wetting of the acoustic sensor, or a rotational angle of the rotating container or drum, or a rotation speed of the rotating container or drum, or some combination thereof, the rotating container or drum having a maximum rotating speed to make an accurate full air measurement, and the power system configured to de-activate the acoustic sensor and remove power when the rotating container or drum is rotating above the maximum rotating speed.