IP Library Granted Patent US 12,480,933
Granted Patent B2
US 12,480,933 · App. 19/175,834 · Granted Nov 25, 2025

Systems and methods for automatically characterizing lumber

Inventors: Christopher Barrett Ames (Durham, NC); Adam Konneker (Durham, NC)
Assignee: Botbuilt, Inc.
G01N33/46B41J3/01B41J3/4075G01N21/956
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,480,933
App. No.
19/175,834
Granted
Nov 25, 2025
Kind
B2
Abstract

A system for characterization of lumber is presented. The system includes a computing module having processor that generates a first fiducial to be printed on the lumber. The system includes an applicator module having a first printer that prints the first fiducial onto the lumber. The system includes a vision module having a camera that captures the first fiducial as printed on the lumber. The processor of the computing module determines lumber information based on a print distortion of the first fiducial as printed on the lumber. The first printer of the applicator module prints a label including the lumber information onto the lumber.

Claims (36)

1 . A system for characterization of lumber, the system comprising:

a computing module having processor that generates a first fiducial to be printed on the lumber;

an applicator module having a first printer that prints the first fiducial onto the lumber;

a vision module having a camera that captures the first fiducial as printed on the lumber;

wherein the processor determines lumber information based on a print distortion of the first fiducial as printed on the lumber; and

wherein the first printer prints a label including the lumber information onto the lumber.

2 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the print distortion comprises at least one of a print deviation, a print offset, or a print error.

3 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the lumber information comprises at least one of a size, a shape, a length, a width, a height, a thickness, a wood type, an age, a color, or a curvature of the lumber.

4 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the processor generates a unique identifier that corresponds to the lumber based on the lumber information, and generates the label based on the unique identifier.

5 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the label comprises at least one of a size, a shape, a length, a width, a height, a thickness, a wood type, an age, a color, or a curvature of the lumber.

6 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the label comprises at least one of a linear barcode, or a two dimensional barcode.

7 . The system for characterization of claim 1 , wherein the processor stores the lumber information into a storage device of the computing module.

8 . The system of claim 1 , where the first printer comprises at least one of an inkjet printer, a laser printer, or a pen plotter.

9 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the first printer adjusts the printing of the first fiducial based on a distance of the first fiducial from an edge of the lumber.

10 . The system of claim 9 , wherein the first printer adjusts at least one of a visual odometry or a scale of the first fiducial based on the distance of the first fiducial from the edge of the lumber.

11 . The system of claim 9 , wherein the first printer prints visual landmarks into the first fiducial that represent the distance of the first fiducial from the edge of the lumber.

12 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the first printer adjusts the printing of the first fiducial based on a predetermined print error.

13 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the processor generates a second fiducial, and the applicator module has a second printer that prints the second fiducial onto the lumber.

14 . The system of claim 13 , wherein the second printer adjusts the printing of the second fiducial based on a print offset between the first fiducial and the second fiducial.

15 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the print distortion comprises a print offset between the first fiducial and a second fiducial printed by a second printer of the applicator module, and the processor determines a print error based the print offset.

16 . A method for automatically characterizing lumber, the method comprising:

generating, using a processor, a first fiducial to be printed on the lumber;

printing, using a first printer, the first fiducial onto the lumber;

capturing, using a camera, the first fiducial as printed on the lumber;

determining, using the processor, lumber information based on a print distortion of the first fiducial as printed on the lumber; and

printing, using the first printer, a label including the lumber information onto the lumber.

17 . The method of claim 16 , further comprising:

prior to printing the label, generating a unique identifier that corresponds to the lumber based on the lumber information, and generating the label based on the unique identifier.

18 . The method of claim 16 , wherein the label comprises at least one of a linear barcode, or a two dimensional barcode.

19 . The method of claim 16 further comprising:

generating, using the processor, a second fiducial to be printed on the lumber;

printing, using a second printer, the second fiducial onto the lumber;

capturing, using the camera, the second fiducial as printed on the lumber; and

wherein determining the lumber information based on the print distortion comprises determining, using the processor, a print error between the first and second fiducials.

20 . The method of claim 19 further comprising:

adjusting, using the first and second printers, the printing of the first or second fiducials based on the print error.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Aug 6, 2025
From: AMES, CHRISTOPHER BARRETT; KONNEKER, ADAM
To: BOTBUILT, INC.
Reel/Frame 071952/0752 →
Continuity (2)
Provisional Application 63632420 · Apr 10, 2024
Related Publication 20250321217A1 · Oct 16, 2025
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US 12,715,136