METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR DETECTING MOISTURE LEVELS IN WOOD PRODUCTS USING NEAR INFRARED IMAGING

1 . A method for detecting moisture levels in wood products comprising:

generating a moisture level to greyscale mapping database, the moisture level to greyscale mapping database containing data that maps moisture level to Near InfraRed (NIR) image greyscale values for one or more wood products;

providing an NIR analysis station, the NIR analysis station including one or more sources of illumination positioned to illuminate a surface of a wood product, the NIR analysis station including one or more NIR cameras positioned to capture one or more NIR images of the illuminated surface of the wood product;

positioning a wood product to be analyzed in the NIR analysis station such that a first surface of the wood product to be analyzed is illuminated by the one or more illumination sources;

capturing, using the one or more NIR cameras, one or more NIR images of the illuminated first surface of the wood product;

processing the one or more NIR images of the illuminated first surface of the wood product to generate NIR greyscale images indicating different moisture levels in the illuminated first surface of the wood product;

processing the NIR greyscale images using the moisture level to greyscale mapping database to identify moisture levels for the first surface of the wood product;

assigning a grade to the wood product based on the identified moisture levels for the first surface of the wood product; and

based, at least in part, on the grade assigned to the wood product, taking one or more actions with respect to the wood product.

2 . The method for detecting moisture levels in wood products of claim 1 wherein the one or more sources of illumination include one or more LED light sources.

3 . The method for detecting moisture levels in wood products of claim 1 wherein one or more NIR cameras are adjustably positioned to capture one or more NIR images of the illuminated surface of the wood product.

4 . The method for detecting moisture levels in wood products of claim 1 wherein positioning a wood product to be analyzed in the NIR analysis station is accomplished by passing the wood product through the NIR analysis station on a conveyor system.

5 . The method for detecting moisture levels in wood products of claim 1 wherein the one or more actions taken with respect to the wood product based, at least in part, on the grade assigned to the wood product, include one or more of:

sorting the wood product into a bin or location associated with the grade assigned to the wood product;

restricting the use of the wood product based on grade assigned to the wood product;

rejecting the wood product based on the grade assigned to the wood product;

sending the wood product back for further processing based on the grade assigned to the wood product;

adjusting one or more processing parameters of a production line based on grades assigned to one or more wood products;

adjusting drying temperatures on a production line based on grades assigned to one or more wood products; and

adjusting drying times on a production line based on grades assigned to one or more wood products.

6 . The method for detecting moisture levels in wood products of claim 1 further comprising:

generating a greyscale to color mapping database, the greyscale to color mapping database containing data that maps one or more greyscale values to respective visible colors indicating moisture levels for one or more wood products; and

after processing the NIR greyscale images using the moisture level to greyscale mapping database to identify moisture levels for the first surface of the wood product, processing the NIR greyscale images using the greyscale to color mapping database to generate color-based moisture level images for the first surface of the wood product.

7 . The method for detecting moisture levels in wood products of claim 1 wherein the NIR analysis station includes one or more sources of illumination positioned to illuminate two or more surfaces of a wood product and one or more NIR cameras positioned to capture one or more NIR images of the two or more illuminated surfaces of the wood product.

8 . The method for detecting moisture levels in wood products of claim 7 further comprising:

positioning a wood product to be analyzed in the NIR analysis station such that the two or more surfaces of the wood product to be analyzed are illuminated by the one or more illumination sources;

capturing, using the one or more NIR cameras, one or more NIR images of the illuminated two or more surfaces of the wood product;

processing the one or more NIR images of the illuminated two or more surfaces of the wood product to generate NIR greyscale images indicating different moisture levels in the illuminated two or more surfaces of the wood product;

processing the NIR greyscale images using the moisture level to greyscale mapping database to identify moisture levels for the two or more surfaces of the wood product;

assigning a grade to the wood product based on the identified moisture levels for the two or more surfaces of the wood product; and

based, at least in part, on the grade assigned to the wood product, taking one or more actions with respect to the wood product.

9 . A system for detecting moisture levels in wood products comprising:

a moisture level to greyscale mapping database, the moisture level to greyscale mapping database containing data that maps moisture level to Near InfraRed (NIR) image greyscale values for one or more wood products;

an NIR analysis station, the NIR analysis station including one or more sources of illumination positioned to illuminate a surface of a wood product, the NIR analysis station including one or more NIR cameras positioned to capture one or more NIR images of the illuminated surface of the wood product;

a wood product to be analyzed in the NIR analysis station, the wood product to be analyzed being positioned such that a first surface of the wood product to be analyzed is illuminated by the one or more illumination sources;

a physical memory, the physical memory including data representing one or more NIR images of the illuminated first surface of the wood product captured using the one or more NIR cameras;

one or more processors for processing the data representing one or more NIR images of the illuminated first surface of the wood product to generate NIR greyscale image data indicating different moisture levels in the illuminated first surface of the wood product;

one or processors for processing the NIR greyscale image data using the moisture level to greyscale mapping database data to identify moisture levels for the first surface of the wood product;

a grade assignment module for assigning a grade to the wood product based on the identified moisture levels for the first surface of the wood product; and

an action activation module for initializing one or more actions with respect to the wood product based, at least in part, on the grade assigned to the wood product.

10 . The system for detecting moisture levels in wood products of claim 9 wherein the one or more sources of illumination include one or more LED light sources.

11 . The system for detecting moisture levels in wood products of claim 9 wherein one or more NIR cameras are adjustably positioned to capture one or more NIR images of the illuminated surface of the wood product.

12 . The system for detecting moisture levels in wood products of claim 9 wherein wood product to be analyzed is a veneer sheet.

13 . The system for detecting moisture levels in wood products of claim 9 wherein positioning a wood product to be analyzed in the NIR analysis station is accomplished by passing the wood product through the NIR analysis station on a conveyor system.

14 . The system for detecting moisture levels in wood products of claim 9 wherein the one or more actions taken with respect to the wood product based, at least in part, on the grade assigned to the wood product, include one or more of:

sorting the wood product into a bin or location associated with the grade assigned to the wood product;

restricting the use of the wood product based on grade assigned to the wood product;

rejecting the wood product based on the grade assigned to the wood product;

sending the wood product back for further processing based on the grade assigned to the wood product;

adjusting one or more processing parameters of a production line based on grades assigned to one or more wood products;

adjusting drying temperatures on a production line based on grades assigned to one or more wood products; and

adjusting drying times on a production line based on grades assigned to one or more wood products.

15 . The system for detecting moisture levels in wood products of claim 9 further comprising:

a greyscale to color mapping database, the greyscale to color mapping database containing data that maps one or more greyscale values to respective visible colors indicating moisture levels for one or more wood products;

one or more processors for processing the NIR greyscale images using the moisture level to greyscale mapping database to identify moisture levels for the first surface of the wood product;

and one or more processors for processing the NIR greyscale images using the greyscale to color mapping database to generate color-based moisture level images for the first surface of the wood product.

16 . The system for detecting moisture levels in wood products of claim 9 wherein the NIR analysis station includes one or more sources of illumination positioned to illuminate two or more surfaces of a wood product and one or more NIR cameras positioned to capture one or more NIR images of the two or more illuminated surfaces of the wood product.

17 . A method for detecting moisture levels in veneer sheets comprising:

generating a moisture level to greyscale mapping database, the moisture level to greyscale mapping database containing data that maps moisture level to Near InfraRed (NIR) image greyscale values for one or more types of veneer sheets;

providing an NIR analysis station, the NIR analysis station including one or more sources of illumination positioned to illuminate a surface of a veneer sheet, the NIR analysis station including one or more NIR cameras positioned to capture one or more NIR images of the illuminated surface of the veneer sheet;

positioning a veneer sheet to be analyzed in the NIR analysis station such that a first surface of the veneer sheet to be analyzed is illuminated by the one or more illumination sources;

capturing, using the one or more NIR cameras, one or more NIR images of the illuminated first surface of the veneer sheet;

processing the one or more NIR images of the illuminated first surface of the veneer sheet to generate NIR greyscale images indicating different moisture levels in the illuminated first surface of the veneer sheet;

processing the NIR greyscale images using the moisture level to greyscale mapping database to identify moisture levels for the first surface of the veneer sheet;

assigning a grade to the veneer sheet based on the identified moisture levels for the first surface of the veneer sheet; and

based, at least in part, on the grade assigned to the veneer sheet, taking one or more actions with respect to the veneer sheet.

18 . The method for detecting moisture levels in veneer sheets of claim 17 wherein the one or more actions taken with respect to the veneer sheet based, at least in part, on the grade assigned to the veneer sheet, include one or more of:

sorting the veneer sheet into a bin or location associated with the grade assigned to the veneer sheet;

restricting the use of the veneer sheet based on grade assigned to the veneer sheet;

rejecting the veneer sheet based on the grade assigned to the veneer sheet;

sending the veneer sheet back for further processing based on the grade assigned to the veneer sheet;

adjusting one or more processing parameters of a production line based on grades assigned to one or more veneer sheets;

adjusting drying temperatures on a production line based on grades assigned to one or more veneer sheets; and

adjusting drying times on a production line based on grades assigned to one or more veneer sheets.

19 . The method for detecting moisture levels in veneer sheets of claim 17 further comprising:

generating a greyscale to color mapping database, the greyscale to color mapping database containing data that maps one or more greyscale values to respective visible colors indicating moisture levels for one or more veneer sheets; and

after processing the NIR greyscale images using the moisture level to greyscale mapping database to identify moisture levels for the first surface of the veneer sheet, processing the NIR greyscale images using the greyscale to color mapping database to generate color-based moisture level images for the first surface of the veneer sheet.

20 . The method for detecting moisture levels in veneer sheets of claim 17 further comprising:

positioning a veneer sheet to be analyzed in the NIR analysis station such that the two or more surfaces of the veneer sheet to be analyzed are illuminated by the one or more illumination sources;

capturing, using the one or more NIR cameras, one or more NIR images of the illuminated two or more surfaces of the veneer sheet;

processing the one or more NIR images of the illuminated two or more surfaces of the veneer sheet to generate NIR greyscale images indicating different moisture levels in the illuminated two or more surfaces of the veneer sheet;

processing the NIR greyscale images using the moisture level to greyscale mapping database to identify moisture levels for the two or more surfaces of the veneer sheet;

assigning a grade to the veneer sheet based on the identified moisture levels for the two or more surfaces of the veneer sheet; and

based, at least in part, on the grade assigned to the veneer sheet, taking one or more actions with respect to the veneer sheet.