Method and apparatus for selectively classifying poultry eggs
First Claim
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1. A method for classifying poultry eggs, said method comprising the steps of:
- providing a plurality of eggs each having a respective physical egg location;
measuring the opacities of the eggs;
measuring the temperatures of the eggs; and
classifying the eggs as a function of the opacities and the temperatures of the eggs;
wherein said step of classifying includes;
identifying clear eggs of the plurality of eggs using the opacities of the eggs;
determining a spatial temperature trend among the plurality of eggs using the identification of the clear eggs; and
identifying live eggs of the plurality of eggs using the spatial temperature trend.
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Abstract
An apparatus for classifying a plurality of poultry eggs includes means for detecting the opacities of the eggs, means for detecting the temperatures of the eggs, and means for classifying the eggs using the opacities and the temperatures of the eggs. A method for classifying poultry eggs includes measuring the opacities of the eggs, measuring the temperatures of the eggs, and classifying the eggs as a function of the opacities and the temperatures of the eggs.
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Citations
30 Claims
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1. A method for classifying poultry eggs, said method comprising the steps of:
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providing a plurality of eggs each having a respective physical egg location;
measuring the opacities of the eggs;
measuring the temperatures of the eggs; and
classifying the eggs as a function of the opacities and the temperatures of the eggs;
wherein said step of classifying includes;
identifying clear eggs of the plurality of eggs using the opacities of the eggs;
determining a spatial temperature trend among the plurality of eggs using the identification of the clear eggs; and
identifying live eggs of the plurality of eggs using the spatial temperature trend. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. The method of claim I including the step of identifying upside-down eggs and wherein said step of determining a spatial temperature trend includes excluding the temperatures of the upside-down eggs from the temperature trend determination.
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11. A method for classifying poultry eggs, said method comprising the steps of:
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measuring the opacities of the eggs;
measuring the temperatures of the eggs; and
classifying the eggs as a function of the opacities and the temperatures of the eggs;
wherein said step of classifying includes;
identifying clear eggs of the plurality of eggs using the opacities of the eggs; and
identifying live eggs of the plurality of eggs using the temperatures of the eggs;
wherein said step of identifying live eggs is facilitated by the identification of the clear eggs. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 29, 30)
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16. An apparatus for classifying a plurality of poultry eggs each having an opacity and a temperature, said apparatus comprising:
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a) means for detecting the opacities of the eggs;
b) means for detecting the temperatures of the eggs; and
c) means for classifying the eggs using the opacities and the temperatures of the eggs;
d) wherein said means for classifying;
identifies clear eggs of the plurality of eggs using the opacities of the eggs; and
identifies live eggs of the plurality of eggs using the temperatures of the eggs;
wherein said identification of live eggs is facilitated by the identification of the clear eggs.
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28. A method for classifying poultry eggs, said method comprising the steps of:
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providing a plurality of eggs each having a respective physical egg location;
measuring the temperatures of the eggs; and
classifying the eggs as a function of the temperatures of the eggs;
wherein said step of classifying includes;
determining a spatial temperature trend among the plurality of eggs; and
identifying live eggs of the plurality of eggs using the spatial temperature trend.
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Specification