Thanks for the comments from the CaseIH dealer... You really didn't get a good look or see it all. At a 100 feet, similar to a Case. Up close, from the feed beater to the stepped threashing cage, nothing like a Case.
Having previously viewed video footage and actual field trials of the TX903 Massey (which was their rotary prototype circa 1980),I would have to agree that the STS shares SOME commonality with the 9700_9720. One slight difference is that the front impeller of the White_Massey feeds the crop into about (if memory serves me correctly)28" of narrow auger flighting on the front of the rotor. The benefit is that by the time the crop hits the concave it's being fed-in through the complete 360 degrees circumference of the rotor, not through the bottor of the rotor such as Case. I doubt whether Deeres design will enjoy this benefit, although they claim it will.
Again, let me just say, not the same, similar, but not the same. If you really want to know where the axial rotor concept came from, check U.S. Patent 140,396 dated July of 1873 "Combine Harvester and Thrasher" by J.H.Adamson of South Australia. Check "The Grain Harvesters" by Quick and Buchele and published by the American Society of Agricultural Engineers. First axial in 1873, Yes 1873. 126 years ago.
I don't think Deere even tries to hide the fact that they let other companies pursue innovation, then merely improve upon it. Deere was (to my knowledge) very late in developing a 4 cylinder diesel engine. They were still pushing their indestructable "Johnny Poppers" while IH was marketing their (I believe) W4's, W6's, etc. I think their's merit in this method of doing business. The biggest single reason I'm evolving my equipment line to Deere is the fact that their financially stable and very consistent in product quality. I'm tired of buying Allis_Duetz_Duetz-Allis_Agco-Allis product only to have it become outdated and_or obsolete before it's first oil change, and this situation is only going to worsen, since AGCO seems to be little more than a marketing company.