Patent ID: 8098370

Claim:
A method of candling eggs with a candling apparatus, wherein the candling apparatus comprises a plurality of pairs of light sources and light detectors in spaced apart relationship such that a carrier of eggs may pass therebetween, wherein each light source/light detector pair is operatively associated with a processor, wherein each light source/light detector pair defines a respective optical channel, the method comprising: a) illuminating eggs in a carrier with light from the light sources, wherein the eggs are arranged in rows and columns within the carrier, and wherein each egg in a row is positioned between a respective light source/light detector pair; b) receiving light passing through each egg at a corresponding light detector; c) generating an output signal that corresponds to light received at a light detector for each respective egg; and d) analyzing the output signals of each optical channel to determine whether an optical path between any of the light source/light detector pairs has been altered by debris and/or by a malfunctioning light source or light detector; wherein analyzing the output signals of each optical channel to determine whether the optical path between any of the light source/light detector pairs has been altered comprises detecting whether an average opacity value of clear eggs candled via an optical channel has dropped below an average opacity value of clear eggs candled via the other optical channels.