DIFFERENTIAL ILLUMINATION TO SELECT EGG LAYING SITES

• US 20120186524A1
• Filed: 01/24/2012
• Published: 07/26/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 01/24/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Signify North America Corporation (Signify N.V.)
• Original Assignee: Once Innovations Inc. (Signify N.V.)
• Inventors: GRAJCAR, Zdenko
• Granted Patent: US 9,756,837 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 119/6.8
• CPC Class Codes: A01K 31/005 Battery breeding cages, with or without auxiliary features, e.g. feeding, watering, demanuring, heating, ventilation
• CPC Class Codes: A01K 31/22 Poultry runs ; Poultry houses, including auxiliary features, e.g. feeding, watering, demanuring air-conditioning of poultry runs or houses A01K1/0047
• CPC Class Codes: A01K 45/00 Other aviculture appliances, e.g. devices for determining whether a bird is about to lay

Abstract

Differential illumination systems and methods selectively provide light having different spectrums in an aviary system for housing animals located within an enclosure, and in the enclosure. A first light source produces light with a first spectrum, and illuminates an internal volume of the aviary system. A second light source produces light with a second spectrum different from the first spectrum, and illuminates the enclosure outside of the aviary system. The first spectrum can have a higher red component than the second spectrum to encourage chicken to lay eggs inside of the aviary system, and the second spectrum can have a higher blue component than the first spectrum to discourage chicken from laying eggs outside of the aviary system.

Claims

1. A system comprising:

an aviary system located within an enclosure, wherein the aviary system includes an internal volume for housing animals, and wherein the animals can move between the aviary system and the enclosure;

a first light source producing light with a first spectrum,

wherein the first light source illuminates at least part of the internal volume of the aviary system; and

a second light source producing light with a second spectrum different from the first spectrum,

wherein the second light source illuminates at least part of the enclosure outside of the aviary system.

2. The system according to claim 1, wherein the second light source includes light emitting diodes (LEDs).

3. The system according to claim 1, wherein the first spectrum of the first light source has a higher red component than the second spectrum of the second light source.

4. The system according to claim 1, wherein the second spectrum of the second light source has a higher blue component than the first spectrum of the first light source.

5. The system according to claim 1, wherein:

the first spectrum is selected to encourage the animals to perform particular activities in areas illuminated by the first light source; and

the second spectrum is selected to discourage the animals from performing the particular activities in areas illuminated by the second light source.

6. The system according to claim 1, wherein:

the first and second light sources are directional light sources;

the first light source is directed away from an opening between the internal volume of the aviary system and the enclosure; and

the second light source is directed away from an opening between the enclosure and the internal volume of the aviary system.

7. The system according to claim 6, wherein:

the second light source illuminates a floor area of the enclosure located substantially below or around the aviary system.

8. The system according to claim 6, wherein the second light source illuminates an area of the enclosure located substantially above the aviary system.

9. The system according to claim 3, wherein the first light source illuminates an area designed for the animals to lay eggs, roost, or feed.

10. The system according to claim 4, wherein the second light source illuminates an area in which laying eggs is discouraged.

11. A method comprising:

illuminating a part of an enclosure having an aviary system located therein with light having a first spectrum; and

illuminating a part of an internal volume of the aviary system with light having a second spectrum,

wherein the first spectrum and the second spectrum are different spectrums.

12. The method according to claim 11, wherein the first spectrum has a higher blue component than the second spectrum.

13. The method according to claim 11, wherein the second spectrum has a higher red component than the first spectrum.

14. The method according to claim 11, wherein:

the first spectrum is selected to discourage the animals from performing particular activities in areas illuminated by the first light source; and

the second spectrum is selected to encourage the animals to perform the particular activities in areas illuminated by the second light source.

15. The method according to claim 14, wherein:

the first spectrum is selected to discourage chicken from laying eggs in the enclosure outside of the aviary system; and

the second spectrum is selected to encourage chicken to lay eggs within the aviary system.

16. The method according to claim 11, further comprising:

dimming the light illuminating the part of the internal volume of the aviary system and having the second spectrum to have a lower intensity; and

maintaining an intensity of the light illuminating the part of the enclosure and having the first spectrum during the dimming of the light having the second spectrum.

17. The method according to claim 16, further comprising:

changing the spectrum of the light illuminating the part of the internal volume of the aviary system during the dimming,

wherein the changing the spectrum includes increasing the relative intensity of red light within the spectrum.