Abstract: The invention relates to a method of acoustically monitoring the course of a process, in which method the amplitude difference and/or the intensity value of sound are/is measured during the process, and the amplitudes and/or the intensity values of the sound and/or the vibrations are measured continuously or with an adjustable frequency by means of a sound and/or vibration sensor (4), such as a piezoelectric transducer (12), during the entire process or part of the process and are compared mutually and/or with a predetermined threshold value and/or reference value and/or reference pattern for the purpose of drawing, on the basis thereof, conclusions in relation to the progress and/or the course of the process and/or the presence of disturbances and/or deviations in the course of the process.

Abstract: A method and apparatus which acoustically monitors a process, specifically an automated milking process. In the process the amplitude differences or the intensity values or both of the sound are measured during the process by a sound sensor comprising a piezoelectric transducer. These measurements which are taken during the entire process either continuously or at least continually at frequent intervals are compared with predetermined threshold values or other reference values or a reference pattern or patterns for the purpose of detecting whether the process is proceeding as it should or there are irregularities such as the presence of disturbances or deviations or both in the course of the process.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method of acoustically monitoring the course of a process, in which method the amplitude difference and/or the intensity value of sound are/is measured during the process, and the amplitudes and/or the intensity values of the sound and/or the vibrations are measured continuously or with an adjustable frequency by means of a sound and/or vibration sensor (4), such as a piezoelectric transducer (12), during the entire process or part of the process and are compared mutually and/or with a predetermined threshold value and/or reference value and/or reference pattern for the purpose of drawing, on the basis thereof, conclusions in relation to the progress and/or the course of the process and/or the presence of disturbances and/or deviations in the course of the process.