Patent ID: 7545502

Claim:
A method for detecting compression wood in a wood sample, the method comprising the steps of: projecting a coherent light beam toward a first section of the wood sample in a plane substantially normal to the surface of the wood sample; acquiring a first image of diffusely reflected light using a first line camera, wherein the first line camera is aimed substantially parallel to and at a first fixed distance from the coherent light beam; measuring a first intensity of the diffusely reflected light based on the first image; acquiring a second image of diffusely reflected light using a second line camera, wherein the second line camera is aimed substantially parallel to and at a second fixed distance from the coherent light beam; measuring a second intensity of the diffusely reflected light based on the second image; measuring a difference between the first intensity and the second intensity; detecting an area of compression wood in the wood sample wherein the detection is based on whether the difference between the first intensity and the second intensity is within a predetermined intensity range; wherein the first image and the second image are acquired simultaneously; and wherein the first fixed distance is greater than the second fixed distance.