Methods and apparatus for non-invasive egg identification conditions via a multi-wavelength spectral comparison

摘要

"METHODS AND APPARATUS FOR NON-INVASIVE EGG IDENTIFICATION CONDITIONS VIA A SPECIAL COMPARISON OF MULTI WAVE LENGTHS". The present invention relates to methods and apparatus which can non-invasively identify the present condition of eggs, namely whether an egg is a live egg, a light egg, an early dead egg, an intermediate dead egg. , a late dead egg, a rotten egg, a cracked egg, and / or an inverted egg. An egg is illuminated with visible and invisible light at wavelengths between about three hundred nanometers and about one hundred and one hundred nanometers (300 nm - 1,100 nm). Light passing through the egg is received in a detector positioned such that a received light path does not pass through an air cell inside the egg, except for an inverted egg. Light intensity is determined at a plurality of visible and infrared wavelengths, and a spectrum representing light intensity at selected wavelengths between visible and infrared wavelengths is generated. The generated spectrum is compared to one or more spectra associated with a respective known egg condition in order to identify a present egg condition.