Repository: UIHistories Project: Board of Trustees Minutes - 1986 [PAGE 211]

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BOARD OF TRUSTEES

[March 21

is little commercial interest in this invention and since action to revive the application would be costly, the application should be abandoned. The University Patent Committee has reviewed the circumstances surrounding these findings and recommends that the University abandon the application. It is further recommended that the University release its rights in this invention to the inventors, subject to the retention of shop rights in the invention by the University. 2. Time of Flight Mass Spectrometer with High Transmission and Resolution and Long Flight Time — Ernest A. Sammann, research engineer, Scott W. Maclaren, research assistant, and David A. Reed, former senior research chemist, Materials Research Laboratory, Urbana, inventors; developed with support from the National Science Foundation and the United States Department of Energy. U P I reported that it does not elect to subject this invention to its servicing agreement with the University. There is little apparent commercial interest in the invention and technical development of the invention by the inventors is lacking. The University Patent Committee accepts these findings and recommends that the University release its rights in this invention to the sponsors of the work leading to the development of this invention, the National Science Foundation and the United States Department of Energy. 3. Interphased Memory Design — James A. Kohlmeier, research engineer, and David D. Lesny, research physicist, Department of Physics, Urbana, inventors; developed with support from the United States Department of Energy. U P I reported that it does not elect to subject this invention to its servicing agreement with the University. While some limited patent protection for the invention might be available, the potential market for practical applications is insufficient to justify the cost of obtaining patent protection. The University Patent Committee accepts these findings and recommends that the University release its rights to the sponsor of the work leading to the development of this invention, the United States Department of Energy. 4. Benomyl: A Broad Spectrum Fungicide for Use in Plant Cell and Protoplast Culture —• Randal M. Hauptmann, former research assistant, Department of Agronomy, Jack D . Paxton, associate professor, Department of Plant Pathology, and Jack M. Widholm, professor of plant physiology, Department of Plant Pathology, Urbana, inventors; developed with support from the United States Department of Agriculture. U P I reported that it does not elect to subject this invention to its servicing agreement with the University. This decision was based upon its opinion that obtaining significant patent protection would be difficult, that the enforceability of any issued patent is doubtful, and that these facts would serve as a disincentive to commercial interest. The University Patent Committee accepts these findings and recommends that the University release its rights in this invention to the sponsor of the work leading to this invention, the United States Department of Agriculture. 5. A Musical Instrument for a Handicapped Individual — Manssour H . Moeinzadeh, assistant professor, Louis N. Caputo, former student, G. Scott Dowler, former student, Marianne J. Stanke, former student, and Thomas J. Wdowik, former student, Department of General Engineering, Urbana, inventors. U P I reported that it does not elect to subject this invention to its servicing agreement with the University. U P I rendered the opinion that market potential for the device was insufficient to support a patenting effort. The University Patent Committee accepts these findings and recommends that the University release its rights in this invention to the inventors, subject to the retention of shop rights in the invention by the University. 6. Scribing Tool that Minimizes Damage in Non-Metals — Steven Danyluk, associate professor, Department of Civil Engineering, Mechanics, and Metallurgy,