Material separation and conveyance using tuned waves

Abstract

Systems, methods and computer readable media for material separation and conveying using tuned waves are disclosed.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A system comprising:
 a controller programmed to separate materials using tuned waves;   an input device configured to measure material response to stimulation; and   an output device configured to generate tuned waves based on one or more control signals received from the controller.   
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the controller is configured to provide independent control over output signals to each output device. 
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the controller is configured to control one or more of a frequency, an amplitude, signal phasing, and signal duration of the one or more control signals. 
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 1 , further comprising a plate configured with a two-axis of inclination and disposed so as to communicate the tuned waves from the output devices. 
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the controller is further configured to control one or more of fluid flow, fluid pressure, and fluid flow direction for wet material separation/conveyance. 
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the controller is configured to perform operations including:
 providing material via a material hopper;
 configuring a controller with material separation/conveyance parameters based on one or more components of the material; 
 generating, at the controller, one or more modulated signals in accordance with the parameters, each modulated signal corresponding to an output device; 
 amplifying the modulated signals; 
 supplying the amplified modulated signals to an output device; and 
 causing the material to be separated in response to application of the modulated signals from the output device via a resonator plate. 
   
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 6 , wherein the controller is further configured to receive a feedback signal from a feedback sensor and provide the feedback signal to the controller. 
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 7 , wherein the controller is further configured to adjust, with the controller, the modulated signal based on the received feedback signal. 
     
     
         9 . A method comprising:
 providing material via a material hopper;   configuring a controller with material separation/conveyance parameters based on one or more components of the material;   generating, at the controller, one or more modulated signals in accordance with the parameters, each modulated signal corresponding to an output device.   amplifying the modulated signals;   supplying the amplified modulated signals to an output device; and   causing the material to be separated in response to application of the modulated signals from the output device via a resonator plate.   
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 9 , further comprising receiving a feedback signal from a feedback sensor and providing the feedback signal to the controller. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10 , further comprising adjusting, with the controller, the modulated signal based on the received feedback signal. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 9 , further comprising orienting one or more of the output devices to a predetermined angle of incidence via a gimble corresponding to each output device. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the feedback sensor is an ultrasonic sensor. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 9 , further comprising moving each separated components of the material to a respective output chute. 
     
     
         15 . A nontransitory computer readable medium having stored thereon instructions that, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to perform operations including:
 providing material via a material hopper;   configuring a controller with material separation/conveyance parameters based on one or more components of the material;   generating, at the controller, one or more modulated signals in accordance with the parameters, each modulated signal corresponding to an output device.   amplifying the modulated signals;   supplying the amplified modulated signals to an output device; and   causing the material to be separated in response to application of the modulated signals from the output device via a resonator plate.   
     
     
         16 . The nontransitory computer readable medium of  claim 15 , wherein the operations further comprise receiving a feedback signal from a feedback sensor and providing the feedback signal to the controller. 
     
     
         17 . The nontransitory computer readable medium of  claim 16 , wherein the operations further include adjusting, with the controller, the modulated signal based on the received feedback signal. 
     
     
         18 . The nontransitory computer readable medium of  claim 15 , wherein the operations further include orienting one or more of the output devices to a predetermined angle of incidence via a gimble corresponding to each output device. 
     
     
         19 . The nontransitory computer readable medium of  claim 16 , wherein the feedback sensor is an ultrasonic sensor. 
     
     
         20 . The nontransitory computer readable medium of  claim 15 , wherein the operations further include moving each separated components of the material to a respective output chute.