Egg flat identification system, and associated method

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10228357-B2
Application number	US-201615206372-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 11, 2016
Priority date	Jul 14, 2015
Publication date	Mar 12, 2019
Grant date	Mar 12, 2019

Abstract

An egg flat identification system for identifying an egg flat among a collection of egg flats is provided. Such a system includes a first measurement device configured to determine a first measurement of a plurality of eggs carried by an egg flat. A processor is in communication with the first measurement device. The processor is configured to receive the first measurements from the first measurement device. A second measurement device is configured to determine a second measurement of the eggs in the collection of egg flats. The second measurement device is in communication with the processor such that the processor is capable of receiving the second measurements. The processor compares the second measurements with the first measurements so as to identify a respective egg flat among the collection of egg flats.

First claim

That which is claimed:

1. An egg flat identification system, comprising:
a first measurement device configured to determine a first measurement for each of a plurality of eggs carried by a target egg flat in a plurality of egg flats;
a processor in communication with the first measurement device, the processor being configured to receive the first measurements from the first measurement device and to generate and store a first data pattern according to the first measurements of the target egg flat;
a second measurement device configured to determine a second measurement of each of the eggs in an unidentified egg flat in the plurality of egg flats, the second measurement device being positioned downstream from the first measurement device, the second measurement device being in communication with the processor such that the processor is capable of receiving the second measurements so as to generate a comparative data pattern from the second measurements of the unidentified egg flat;
a holding station configured to store the plurality of egg flats awaiting a desired result, the holding station being disposed between the first and second measurement devices; and
wherein the processor is configured to compare the first data pattern with the comparative data pattern so as to identify the unidentified egg flat as the target egg flat among the plurality of egg flats.

2. A system according to claim 1 , wherein the first and second measurements comprise opacity measurements of the eggs.

3. A system according to claim 1 , wherein the first and second measurement devices comprise egg candling devices.

4. A system according to claim 1 , further comprising a first processing station configured to process the eggs and positioned upstream of the second measurement device.

5. A system according to claim 4 , further comprising a second processing station configured to process the eggs and positioned downstream of the second measurement device.

6. A system according to claim 1 , wherein the first and second measurements are compared in at least one of a raw form and a modified form.

7. A method of identifying an egg flat within a plurality of egg flats, the method comprising:
conveying the plurality of egg flats through a first measurement device, each egg flat containing a plurality of eggs;
determining with the first measurement device a first measurement for each of a plurality of eggs carried by a target egg flat among the plurality of egg flats;
generating, via a processor, a first data pattern according to the first measurements of the target egg flat;
storing the plurality of egg flats at a holding station awaiting a desired result, wherein the holding station is downstream from the first measurement device;
conveying an unidentified egg flat from the holding station to a second measurement device configured to determine a second measurement of each of the eggs in the unidentified egg flat;
generating, via the processor, a comparative data pattern according to the second measurements of the unidentified egg flat; and
comparing the first data pattern with the comparative data pattern so as to identify the unidentified egg flat as the target egg flat among the plurality of egg flats.

8. A method according to claim 7 , wherein determining the first and second measurements comprises determining first and second opacity measurements of the eggs using first and second egg candling devices, respectively.

9. A method according to claim 7 , further comprising:
processing the eggs to determine a characteristic of each egg prior to conveying the plurality of egg flats through the second measurement device; and
processing the eggs downstream of the second measurement device according to the determined characteristic.

10. A method according to claim 9 , wherein processing the eggs prior to conveying the plurality of egg flats through the second measurement device comprises extracting a sample from the eggs and assaying the sample to determine the characteristic of each egg.

11. A method according to claim 9 , wherein processing the eggs downstream of the second measurement device comprises at least one of removing eggs from the plurality of egg flats according to the characteristic of each egg, sorting the eggs according to the characteristic of each egg, and treating the eggs according to the characteristic of each egg.

12. A method according to claim 9 , wherein the characteristic is embryo gender.

Assignees

• Zoetis Services Llc

Inventors

• Samson William Douglas
• Hebrank John Hilbert

Classifications

• A01K45/007

  Injecting or otherwise treating hatching eggs · CPC title

• G01N21/59

  Transmissivity (G01N21/25 takes precedence) · CPC title

• G01N33/085 Primary

  by candling · CPC title

• A01K43/04

  Grading eggs · CPC title

• A01K43/00

  Testing, sorting or cleaning eggs (investigating or analysing eggs, e.g. by candling G01N33/08); {Conveying devices (for batteries A01K31/165); Pick-up devices} · CPC title