ARBOSPECTRUM 2022/01 . . . . . . . Who Invented Acoustic/Sonic-Tree-Tomography?. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 / 2

2024.03.25 2024.03.25 2024.03.25 2024.03.25 2024.03.25 2024.03.25 2024.03.25 2024.03.25

Here come the facts to clear up the confusion, deliberately created by repeated but false (and often professorial) claims about who invented sonic tree-tomography: Patents and trademarks are the only state-guaranteed rights allowing the owners (citizens / companies) to prohibit others from economically using the patented technology (for 20 years starting with the date of the first application). Before a patent is granted, the patent offices therefore check carefully who really was the corresponding inventor, because otherwise there would be a high risk of expensive litigation for damages. The official examination of a patent application is therefore the toughest of all "peer-review" procedures. Any publication anywhere in the world, no matter how small and insignificant, describing or mentioning the same or a similar idea will bring down a subsequently filed patent in any other country. So, if a patent was granted, even in several countries, then it is quite safe to assume that the specified inventor was the first to describe the patented technology - especially since the patent offices of different countries review and research independently and in competition (everyone wants to find predecessors and competing rights first). And, sonic tomography? While I developed resistance drilling at the tree-ring lab of Hohenheim University in 1986, my friend Michael studied ultrasound for tree decay detection at Freiburg University (Brandt 1987). For obtaining a tomogram by moving the ultra-sound sensor around the cross-section, it was necessary to fully remove the bark. Because this kills the tree, we looked for non-destructive alternatives (Brandt & Rinn 1989) and found the METRIGUARD StressWaveTimer. But, we needed more, cheaper and smaller receivers. So, we developed tiny sonic sensors and placed them (electronically linked) around the tree for analyzing sonic “time of flight” (ToF) - based on previous research (e.g.: Burmester 1965; Pellerin et al. 1985). Our technical development took much longer than originally planned because we had to develop a new series of our resistance drill (with automatic speed control) at the same time in order to escape from the plagiarism of my corresponding patent (DE4122494B4) and trademark (RESISTOGRAPH®) by a German Professor and his partner-company. After years of development and tests, paid by income from our tree-/timber inspections, the first public description of our tree tomograph was faxed to the patent office on 11. May, 1999. The day after, we started marketing, offering, and selling. Our patent described not only the first combination of sonic and impedance (=electrical resistance) tomography by using electronically independent sensors, but furthermore a concept that was 20 years later hyped as “EDGE” computing: each sensor analyzes the data by itself and transmits only the results of this analysis.

2024.03.25 2024.03.25 2024.03.25 2024.03.25 2024.03.25 2024.03.25 2024.03.25 2024.03.25

After intensive international research, the European and the US Patent Offices did not find any previous publication describing such a kind of tomography. Therefore, the patent was granted in all countries of the European Union and in the USA (we did not apply for it in other countries because filing and examination of patents is expensive and makes sense only in sufficiently sized markets). With the international granting of this patent, it was therefore officially confirmed who is legally designated as “the inventor” of this kind of tomography. And obviously, the US and the EU-patent offices independently came to the same conclusion about this question as shown below. After being granted, this sonic tomography patent was never challenged - confirming again who invented this technology. >> EU-Patents

FRANK RINN @ RINNTECH-METRIWERK @ HEIDELBERG @ GERMANY | WWW.RESISTOGRAPH.COM | WWW.RINNTECH.COM | [email protected]

ARBOSPECTRUM 2022/01 . . . . . . . Who Invented Acoustic/Sonic-Tree-Tomography?. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 / 2

2024.03.25 2024.03.25 2024.03.25 2024.03.25 2024.03.25 2024.03.25 2024.03.25 2024.03.25

Every serious scientific paper should mention the original publication on a method described. As can be seen in Mucciardi et al. (2011), in the case of sonic tree tomography, the patent shown here has to be cited at least as a reference, because it was the first public description of this method. If this patent is not mentioned in a corresponding publication, this is not scientifically serious and has probably other intentions (mis-information/marketing). Unfortunately, this kind of plagiarism is quite common in technical tree-safety-diagnostics, especially referring resistance drilling and sonic tomography, mainly as a result of legally questionable, but highly efficient “professorial” marketing. Patent documents are public and most patent administrations offer free online search and downloads. Just check the corresponding databases and read the PDFs: you can learn a lot about technical tree inspection, the science behind and about who really invented which method. Then you can better identify false claims, lies and plagiarism (as common in technical tree-safety inspection). Similar to sonic ToF-tree-tomography and resistance drilling, many other scientifically important methods were first described in a patent application. In many scientific areas, patents thus belong to the most important publications and are correspondingly cited in serious scientific papers. Literature

http://download.rinntech.com/2020_RINN_SonicTomographySensorPositioning_WCISA_WA.pdf http://download.rinntech.com/2018_NZArb_RINN_SonicTomographyCannotNotRevealWoodCondition.pdf http://download.rinntech.com/2017_RINN_SonicTomographyKeyResult_WesternArborist.pdf http://download.rinntech.com/RINN_SonicRootInspection_WesternArborist_Fall_2016.pdf http://download.Rinntech.com/RINN_CentralDefectsInSonicTreeTomography_WesternArborist_Spring_2015.pdf http://download.Rinntech.com/RINN_SonicTreeTomography_SCAToday12_2014.pdf http://download.rinntech.com/ConceptosBasicosDeTomografiaSonicaEnArboles.pdf http://download.Rinntech.com/2019_AFZ_RINN_SchalltomographieSensorPosition.pdf http://download.Rinntech.com/2019_BAUMZEITUNG_RINN_SchalltomographieZustand.pdf http://download.Rinntech.com/RINN_2004_Holzanatomische_Grundlagen_der_Schalltomographie.pdf http://download.Rinntech.com/RINN_Zahlenskalierung_von_Schalltomogrammen.pdf http://download.Rinntech.com/RINN_Kleine_Schalltomographiefarrbenlehre_AFZ_08-2007_s404-405.pdf http://download.Rinntech.com/RINN_AFZ12-2008-630-631_Wurzeldiagnose_mit_einem_Schalltomographen.pdf http://download.Rinntech.com/RINN_StatischeHinweiseImTomogramm_2004.pdf http://download.Rinntech.com/RINN_HolzanatomischeGrundlagenSchalltomographie_2003.pdf http://download.Rinntech.com/RINN_TechnischeGrundlagenSchallTomographie_2003.pdf http://download.Rinntech.com/SIEGERT_PICUS_vs_ARBOTOM_2003.pdf

2024.03.25 2024.03.25 2024.03.25 2024.03.25 2024.03.25 2024.03.25 2024.03.25 2024.03.25

Brandt, M. (1987): Anwendungen der Ultraschall-Prüftechnik zur Stammfäulediagnose an stehenden Fichten. Univ. Freiburg. [Application of ultra sound technology for decay detection in standing spruce trees]. Brandt, M., Rinn, F. (1989): Der Blick in's Innere von Bäumen. Eine Übersicht über Verfahren zur Stammfäulediagnose. Holz-Zentralblatt Nr. 80, 5.7.1989, S. 1268-1270. [Technologies for tree decay detection]. Burmester, A. (1965): Zusammenhang zwischen Schallgeschwindigkeit und morphologischen, physikalischen und mechanischen Eigenschaften von Holz. Holz als Roh-und Werk. 23(6): 227–236. [Relationship between sound velocity and the morphological, physical, and mechanical properties of wood]. Mucciardi, A., C. Luley & K.H. Gormally (2011): Preliminary Evidence for Using Statistical Classification of Vibration Waveforms as an Initial Decay Detection Tool. Arboriculture & Urban Forestry, September 2011, 191-199. Pellerin, R. F., DeGroot, R. C., Esenther, G. R. (1985): “Nondestructive stress wave measurements of decay and termite attack in experimental wood units. ” Proc. 5th Nondestructive Testing of Wood Symposium, Sept. 9-11, 1985, Washington State University, Pullman, WA.

>> USA - patent search When a new technical method is described for the first time in a patent, the person named therein in this regard is legally considered the "inventor". Theoretically, of course, it is possible that someone else had already had the same idea or even developed a similar technical method before - but most likely without presenting or publishing about it.

FRANK RINN @ RINNTECH-METRIWERK @ HEIDELBERG @ GERMANY | WWW.RESISTOGRAPH.COM | WWW.RINNTECH.COM | [email protected]