Ground penetrating radar system for non-invasive inspection of trees for internal decay
First Claim
1. A method of examining trees for internal decay comprising directing ground penetrating radar signals into a tree, receiving radar signals from the tree, scanning the tree with the directing and the receiving of radar signals and generating a real-time radargram, and digitizing and saving a resulting ensemble of radar waveforms for offline data analysis and generating diagrams derived from the radargram.
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Accused Products
Abstract
The method for examining trees comprises directing ground penetrating radar signals into a tree using a radar apparatus connected to a microprocessor control and data acquisition unit via an interface. The tree to be examined is scanned with the radar unit after the radar velocity for that tree is calibrated. The tree is scanned at a selected elevation either by moving a single radar unit along the bark of the tree in a circumferential manner or by moving a radar signal transmitter substantially diametrically opposed to a radar signal receiver along the bark of the tree in a circumferential manner. The microprocessor control and data acquisition unit controls the radar unit and stores and digitizes radar signals for generating a real-time radargram. A cross-sectional map of the tree, a map of the severity, shape, size and location of internal decay and a map of the thickness of remaining wood are then generated from the radargram and the ensemble of saved radar signals. The maps generated from this method may then be examined by tree diagnosticians to determine the extent of the internal damage of the tree.
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Citations
21 Claims
- 1. A method of examining trees for internal decay comprising directing ground penetrating radar signals into a tree, receiving radar signals from the tree, scanning the tree with the directing and the receiving of radar signals and generating a real-time radargram, and digitizing and saving a resulting ensemble of radar waveforms for offline data analysis and generating diagrams derived from the radargram.
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8. A method for estimating radar velocity in a tree comprising:
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a) applying a ground penetrating radar frequency transmitter diametrically opposite a ground penetrating radar frequency receiver to a decay-free section of a tree, transmitting a radar frequency signal from the transmitter to the receiver, and noting the time necessary for the radar frequency signal to pass from the transmitter to the receiver through the decay-free section of the tree, b) holding the ground penetrating radar frequency transmitter diametrically opposed to the radar frequency receiver at the same distance as the thickness of the decay-free section of the tree in step a), transmitting a radar frequency signal from the transmitter to the receiver, noting the time necessary for a radar frequency signal to pass from the transmitter to the receiver through air, and c) comparing the times noted in steps a) and b). - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11)
a) selecting a short segment of a time waveform, b) positioning the short segment at the origin of a waveform, c) computing Fast Fourier Transformations of the portion of the waveform contained within the short segment, d) sliding the short segment to another point on the waveform, e) repeating the process for all segments on the waveform, and f) repeating the process for all waveforms in the radargram.
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- 12. An apparatus for detecting internal decay of a tree comprising a ground penetrating radar frequency transmitter for transmitting radar frequency input signals into a tree and a radar frequency receiver for receiving radar frequency output signals from the tree, a microprocessor controller and data acquisition unit for displaying a real-time display of a radargram and digitizing and saving an ensemble of radar waveforms for offline data analysis, an interface connected to the microprocessor, the transmitter, and the receiver for receiving control signals from a microprocessor controller and data acquisition unit, pulsing the radar frequency transmitter for providing radar input signals, and sending radar output signals to the microprocessor data acquisition unit and generating diagrams of solid wood remaining.
- 16. The method of determining viability of a tree comprising directing pulses of radar energy signals from a radar unit into a tree over a circumferential scan, while in contact with the tree at a center frequency of from above 500 MHz to about 1500 MHz, receiving the pulsed radar energy signals at the radar frequency at a time displaced from the directing of the pulses, using an encoder attached to the radar unit in contact with the tree for triggering automatic data acquisition at each increment, digitizing the radar energy signals, enhancing the received signals by noise reduction, determining time differentiations between the directing and receiving of signals, and presenting a radargram showing limitations of decay pockets in the tree.
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20. The method of determining viability of a tree comprising directing pulses of radar energy signals from a radar unit into a tree over a circumferential scan, while in contact with the tree at a center frequency of from above 500 MHz to about 1500 MHz, receiving the pulsed radar energy signals at the radar frequency at a time displaced from the directing of the pulses, digitizing the radar energy signals, enhancing the received signals by noise reduction, determining time differentiations between the directing and receiving of signals, and presenting a radar gram showing limitations of decay pockets in the tree.
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21. The method of determining viability of a tree comprising directing pulses of radar energy signals from a radar unit into a tree over a circumferential scan, while in contact with the tree at a center frequency of from above 500 MHz to about 1500 MHz, receiving the pulsed radar energy signals at the radar frequency at a time displaced from the directing of the pulses, using an encoder attached to the radar unit in contact with the tree for triggering automatic data acquisition at each increment, digitizing the radar energy signals, determining time differentiations between the directing and receiving of signals, and presenting a radar gram showing limitations of decay pockets in the tree.
Specification