The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Nov. 03, 2009
Filed:
Dec. 21, 2006
Applicants:
John H. Hebrank, Durham, NC (US);
Monika Garrell, Raleigh, NC (US);
Inventors:
John H. Hebrank, Durham, NC (US);
Monika Garrell, Raleigh, NC (US);
Assignee:
Embrex, Inc., Durham, NC (US);
Attorneys:
Primary Examiner:
Assistant Examiner:
Int. Cl.
CPC ...
G01N 33/08 (2006.01); G01N 25/00 (2006.01); G01J 5/00 (2006.01); G01K 13/00 (2006.01); A01K 43/00 (2006.01);
U.S. Cl.
CPC ...
Abstract
Egg candling methods and apparatus are provided wherein non-live eggs, inverted egg, and side air cell eggs can be quickly identified. A method of candling eggs includes exposing a plurality of incubated eggs to an environment having a temperature different from a temperature at which the eggs were incubated; obtaining a thermal image of the eggs; and analyzing the thermal image to obtain surface temperature information for each egg. The surface temperature information is utilized to designate each egg as live/non-live, inverted, or having a side air cell.