초록 ▼

Egg candling methods and apparatus are provided wherein black rot eggs can be identified and removed. A method of identifying live eggs includes illuminating eggs in a carrier with light from a light source; receiving light passing through each egg at a light detector; generating an output signal th

Egg candling methods and apparatus are provided wherein black rot eggs can be identified and removed. A method of identifying live eggs includes illuminating eggs in a carrier with light from a light source; receiving light passing through each egg at a light detector; generating an output signal that corresponds to light received at a light detector for each respective egg; analyzing the output signal for each egg to determine opacity of each egg; removing eggs having an opacity less than a first opacity value; and removing eggs having an opacity greater than a second opacity value that is different from the first opacity value.

대표청구항 ▼

1. A method of identifying live eggs, comprising: providing an egg opacity level distribution profile having a plurality of egg status distribution profiles indicative of egg viability at day eleven of incubation;providing an egg opacity level distribution profile having a rotten egg distribution pr

1. A method of identifying live eggs, comprising: providing an egg opacity level distribution profile having a plurality of egg status distribution profiles indicative of egg viability at day eleven of incubation;providing an egg opacity level distribution profile having a rotten egg distribution profile, a live egg distribution profile, a dead egg distribution profile, and an infertile egg distribution profile,wherein each distribution profile corresponds to a different light level value;setting a first cutoff light level value and a second cutoff light level value according to the egg opacity level distribution profile such that eggs identified as having a light level value between the first and second cutoff light level values are designated as live egg;illuminating eggs in a carrier with light from a light source at day eleven of incubation;receiving light passing through each egg at a light detector;generating an output signal that corresponds to light received at a light detector for each respective egg;analyzing the output signal for each egg to determine a light level value of each egg;analyzing the light level value of each egg to determine the egg opacity level distribution profile;removing eggs having light level values less than the first cutoff light level value; andremoving eggs having light level values greater than the second cutoff light level value, the second cutoff light level value being greater than the first cutoff light level value such that eggs analyzed as having light level values ranging between the first and second cutoff light level values are designated as live eggs and maintained in the carrier for injection. 2. The method of claim 1, wherein the light source and detector for each egg are positioned on respective opposite portions of the egg. 3. The method of claim 1, wherein the light source and detector for each egg are positioned on respective opposite end portions of the egg. 4. The method of claim 1, further comprising injecting a virus into each egg not removed from the carrier. 5. The method of claim 4, wherein the virus comprises human flu virus. 6. The method of claim 1, wherein the light detector is a camera and where the camera receives light passing through a plurality of eggs in the carrier substantially simultaneously. 7. The method of claim 1, wherein the light source is a S Beam light candling system. 8. The method of claim 1, wherein the output signal corresponds to light based upon the outputs of a single, or group of, pixels received at a light detector for each respective egg. 9. The method of claim 1, wherein setting a first cutoff light level value and a second cutoff light level value comprises setting the first cutoff light level value between a peak of the rotten egg distribution profile and a peak of the live egg distribution profile. 10. The method of claim 9, wherein setting a first cutoff light level value and a second cutoff light level value comprises setting the second cutoff light level value between the peak of the live egg distribution profile and a peak of the dead egg distribution profile. 11. The method of claim 9, wherein the rotten egg distribution profile and the live egg distribution profile overlap, and the first cutoff light level value is set so as to include at least a portion of the rotten egg distribution profile when designating eggs as live eggs. 12. An apparatus that identifies live eggs, comprising: a candler that candles eggs within a carrier, the candler comprising:a light source that illuminates each egg within a carrier with light; anda detector that receives light passing through each egg from the light source and that generates an output signal corresponding to the received light; anda processor in communication with the candler that analyzes the output signal for each egg to determine and store a light level value of each egg, wherein the processor designates each egg as one of live and non-live according to an egg opacity level distribution profile having a plurality of egg status distribution profiles indicative of egg viability at day eleven of incubation, the plurality of egg status distribution profiles comprise a rotten egg distribution profile, a live egg distribution profile, a dead egg distribution profile, and an infertile egg distribution profile, wherein each distribution profile corresponds to a different light level value range, and further wherein the processor designates an egg as non-live if the light level value is less than a first cutoff light level value as set according to the egg opacity level distribution profile, and further wherein the processor designates an egg as non-live if the light level value is greater than a second cutoff light level value as set according to the egg opacity level distribution profile, the second cutoff light level being greater than the first cutoff light level value such that eggs analyzed as having light level values ranging between the first and second cutoff light level values are designated as live eggs. 13. The apparatus of claim 12, further comprising an egg removal device that removes eggs from the carrier. 14. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the egg removal device removes non-live eggs from the carrier. 15. The apparatus of claim 13, further comprising a backfill station that replaces non-live eggs removed from the carrier with eggs prior to subsequent processing. 16. The apparatus of claim 12, further comprising an injection device configured to inject a substance into each live egg. 17. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the substance comprises a virus. 18. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein the virus comprises human flu virus. 19. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the detector comprises a photodetector. 20. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the detector is a video camera. 21. The apparatus of claim 20, wherein the video camera receives light passing through a plurality of eggs in the carrier substantially simultaneously. 22. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the first cutoff light level value is set between a peak of the rotten egg distribution profile and a peak of the live egg distribution profile. 23. The apparatus of claim 22, wherein the second cutoff light level value is set between the peak of the live egg distribution profile and a peak of the dead egg distribution profile. 24. The apparatus of claim 22, wherein the rotten egg distribution profile and the live egg distribution profile overlap, and the first cutoff light level value is set so as to include at least a portion of the rotten egg distribution profile when designating eggs as live eggs.