Knotless Wooden Board Log-Origin Tracing via Same-Log Feature Matching
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing methods for identifying the origin of wooden boards fail when the boards lack distinctive nodosity, particularly those from the lower part of a tree, due to branch trimming and internal nodosity being absent.
Innovation Solution
A method is developed to identify the origin of boards lacking nodosity by comparing features of a second board from the same log to determine the common origin, using surface analysis and structural comparisons of growth rings, grain, and knots, and employing digital image processing to match boards with the same log.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If unique biometric features (knots) are used to identify boards, then tracing accuracy is improved for most boards, but identification fails for lateral boards from lower tree parts that lack nodosity
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces an intermediary approach by using boards with nodosity as mediators to identify logs, which then serve as references to identify boards without nodosity. Instead of directly identifying knotless boards through their own features, the system uses boards from the same log that do have knots as intermediate reference points, enabling indirect identification of the problematic lateral boards.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent transitions from direct identification (using only the board's own features) to indirect identification through multiple dimensions: first identifying boards with nodosity, then using their log origin information to create a reference system that enables identification of boards without nodosity through their positional and dimensional relationships within the log structure.
2Measurement precision
If X-ray inspection is used to pick out knot distributions in logs before cutting, then log identification is improved, but lateral boards from lower tree parts still cannot be matched due to absent nodosity
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the identification parameters from relying solely on nodosity presence/absence to using a combination of parameters including board dimensions, positional information within the log, growth ring patterns, and density variations. This multi-parameter approach compensates for the loss of nodosity information in lateral boards from lower tree parts.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent performs preliminary actions by thoroughly characterizing and storing information about boards with nodosity (including their log origin, dimensions, and features) before attempting to identify boards without nodosity. This preliminary data collection creates a reference database that enables subsequent identification of knotless boards through comparison and matching algorithms.
3Ease of manufacture
If branch trimming is performed on lower tree parts, then log quality is improved, but nodosity is removed from lateral boards making identification impossible
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates copies of nodosity information by using boards with preserved knots as reference models. These reference boards serve as templates that contain the nodosity information that is absent from trimmed lateral boards, allowing the identification system to 'copy' or transfer the identification capability from boards with nodosity to boards without it through pattern matching and log origin correlation.
Data Source
AI summary
A method for identifying a log of origin of a first board, comprising an identification step, during which a second board (12) is identified which was obtained from the same log (2) as the first board (11) was obtained from, a studying step, during which identifying features of the second board (12) are identified, and a recognition step during which the log (2) of origin of the first board (11) is recognised, among a plurality of known logs (2) about which saved information is available, and this is done by identifying the log of origin of the second board (12), using the identifying features of the second board (12) itself.