Apparatus, system, and method for the detection of objects and activity within a container

A method of detecting an object within a container, the method comprising:

• providing a container having a quantity of fluid within an interior space thereof, wherein at least one object is within the interior space of the container and in contact with the fluid;
• mounting a plurality of acoustic sensors on an exterior surface of the container;
• transmitting a plurality of acoustic signals into the container by at least a portion of the plurality of acoustic sensors, wherein each of the acoustic sensors is capable of transmitting the acoustic signals to a remainder of the plurality of acoustic sensors, and receiving acoustic signals from the remainder of the plurality of acoustic sensors concurrently;
• contacting the at least one object with one or more of the plurality of transmitted acoustic signals, wherein the one or more of the plurality of transmitted acoustic signals is altered to generate at least one echo;
• receiving the at least one echo at one or more of the plurality of acoustic sensors;
• collecting data representing the transmitted acoustic signals and the received echoes with a computerized device having a processor, the computerized device in communication with each of the plurality of acoustic sensors;
• and
• detecting the object within the container based on at least one of the transmitted acoustic signals and the received echoes.

An apparatus for analyzing a sediment surface within a container, the apparatus comprising:

• at least two acoustic transducers, wherein a first of the two acoustic transducers is positioned on a first side of the container, and a second of the two acoustic transducers is positioned on a second side of the container;
• at least one acoustic signal angularly transmitted through a fluid material within the container by the first acoustic transducer, wherein the at least one acoustic signal reflects off a sediment surface and is received at the second acoustic transducer;
• and
• a computerized device having a processor in communication with at least two acoustic transducers, wherein the processor analyzes the sediment surface based on the reflection of the at least one acoustic signal.