Wood tracking by identification of surface characteristics
First Claim
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1. A substantially automated wood processing system, comprising:
- a wood evaluation station including a first light source and a first sensor for acquiring first data about inherent wood characteristics of multiple pieces of wood, including at least first and second pieces of wood;
first characterization software in communication with the first sensor for using at least some of the first data to create a first data packet for each of at least the first and second pieces of wood that uniquely identifies at least the first and second pieces of wood based on at least one given inherent wood characteristic;
a wood identification station including a second light source and a second sensor for acquiring second data about at least one given inherent wood characteristic of at least the first and second pieces of wood, the second sensor in communication with the first characterization software and/or second characterization software for using at least some of the second data to create a second data packet for each of at least the first and second pieces of wood; and
processing circuitry directly or indirectly in communication with the first and/or second characterization software and having comparison software for comparing the second data packets to the first data packets of the at least first and second pieces of wood to create comparison scores for the second data packets, the comparison software employing confidence levels associated with the comparison scores of the second data packets of the at least first and second pieces of wood to determine the identity of at least the second piece of wood.
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Abstract
A “Woodprint™” characterization and identification technique employs cameras (16), lighting (14), camera interface hardware (18), a computer (20), and/or image processing software to collect and analyze surface characteristics of pieces of wood (8) to track them through an automated production process in real-time with information that is specific to each wood piece (8), such as what machining is required, its value, and/or its destination. When a wood piece (8) reaches a point in the production process where a decision is required, its unique identity is used to retrieve appropriate information previously determined and assigned to the wood piece (8).
97 Citations
21 Claims
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1. A substantially automated wood processing system, comprising:
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a wood evaluation station including a first light source and a first sensor for acquiring first data about inherent wood characteristics of multiple pieces of wood, including at least first and second pieces of wood; first characterization software in communication with the first sensor for using at least some of the first data to create a first data packet for each of at least the first and second pieces of wood that uniquely identifies at least the first and second pieces of wood based on at least one given inherent wood characteristic; a wood identification station including a second light source and a second sensor for acquiring second data about at least one given inherent wood characteristic of at least the first and second pieces of wood, the second sensor in communication with the first characterization software and/or second characterization software for using at least some of the second data to create a second data packet for each of at least the first and second pieces of wood; and processing circuitry directly or indirectly in communication with the first and/or second characterization software and having comparison software for comparing the second data packets to the first data packets of the at least first and second pieces of wood to create comparison scores for the second data packets, the comparison software employing confidence levels associated with the comparison scores of the second data packets of the at least first and second pieces of wood to determine the identity of at least the second piece of wood. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
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20. A method for identifying characterized pieces of wood, comprising:
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acquiring first data about inherent wood characteristics of multiple pieces of wood, including at least first and second pieces of wood, at a wood evaluation station; characterizing at least some of the first data to create a first data packet for each of at least the first and second pieces of wood that uniquely identifies at least the first and second pieces of wood based on at least one given inherent wood characteristic; acquiring second data about at least one given inherent wood characteristic of at least the first and second pieces of wood at a wood identification station; characterizing at least some of the second data to create a second data packet for each of at least the first and second pieces of wood; and comparing the second data packets to the first data packets of the at least first and second pieces of wood to create comparison scores for the second data packets relative to the first data packets; and employing confidence levels associated with the comparison scores of the second data packets of the at least first and second pieces of wood to determine the identity of at least the second piece of wood. - View Dependent Claims (21)
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Specification