US 12,169,350 B2
Apparatus for analyzing a media, and associated egg identification apparatus and method
Joel James Walukas, Cary, NC (US); Daniel Wickstrom, Cary, NC (US); and Amanda Elizabeth Basciano, Apex, NC (US)
Assigned to Zoetis Services LLC, Parsippany, NJ (US)
Filed by Zoetis Services LLC, Parsippany, NJ (US)
Filed on Jul. 31, 2018, as Appl. No. 16/049,926.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/539,684, filed on Aug. 1, 2017.
Prior Publication US 2019/0041722 A1, Feb. 7, 2019
Int. Cl. G02F 2/00 (2006.01); G01J 3/10 (2006.01); G01J 3/427 (2006.01); G01N 17/00 (2006.01); G01N 21/25 (2006.01); G01N 21/31 (2006.01); G01N 33/08 (2006.01); G02B 27/14 (2006.01)
CPC G02F 2/004 (2013.01) [G01J 3/10 (2013.01); G01J 3/427 (2013.01); G01N 17/004 (2013.01); G01N 21/256 (2013.01); G01N 21/31 (2013.01); G01N 21/3151 (2013.01); G01N 33/085 (2013.01); G02B 27/141 (2013.01); G01J 2003/104 (2013.01); G01N 2021/3155 (2013.01)] 14 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. An apparatus for non-invasively identifying a present condition of an egg, the apparatus comprising:
an emitter assembly configured to emit light toward an egg, the emitter assembly having a first emitter source configured to emit a first light signal and a second emitter source configured to emit a second light signal, the first and second light signals being emitted simultaneously and combined into a combined light signal and being transmitted through the egg in phase quadrature;
a detector assembly configured to detect the combined light signal transmitted through the egg, and further being configured to increase optical power, the detector assembly having a transimpedance amplifier configured to amplify the combined light signal and improve signal-to-noise ratio to the combined light signal in order to simultaneously filter and resolve a relative amplitude or an absolute amplitude of each of the first and second light signals in the detector assembly; and
a processor programmed to process the detected first and second light signals to identify a present condition of the egg using at least one of the relative amplitudes or absolute amplitudes of the first and second light signals.