Repository: UIHistories Project: Board of Trustees Minutes - 1958 [PAGE 162]

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1956]

UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS EXECUTIVE SESSION

159

At this point, on request of Mr. Livingston, an executive session was ordered to consider the following items of business presented by the President of the University.

ENGINEERING SERVICES FOR CONTROL SYSTEMS LABORATORY (17) A request for authority to employ the Aero Design and Engineering Company of Bethany, Oklahoma, for engineering services and modifications of an Aero Commander, Model 680, airplane, purchased for use in research work under the direction of the Control Systems Laboratory, at a cost of $32,586.75. The funds for this will be provided under contracts with the United States Government.

On motion of Mr. Johnston, these services and expenditure were authorized.

RECOMMENDATIONS OF THE UNIVERSITY PATENT COMMITTEE (18) T h e University Patent Committee submits, with the concurrence of the Chairman of the University Research Board, the following recommendations relating to inventions by members of the staff: 1. Transistorized bistable multivibrator — J. M. Wier, former Research Associate, Digital Computer Laboratory, inventor. This device is used to provide information storage in digital control and data handling systems. On June 27, 1956, the Patent Committee reported to the Board of Trustees that the University of Illinois Foundation had been requested to investigate the possibilities of obtaining a patent on this device. In its investigations the Foundation learned that a clear equivalent of this type of transistor circuit had been reported from another institution several years ago. Accordingly, the Chief Engineer of the Digital Computer Laboratory and the Patent Committee recommend the release of this invention to the Office of Naval Research, the sponsoring agency. 2. T h e use of cell walls of group A B hemolytic streptococci and products therefrom as an immunizing vaccine — Dr. S. S. Barkulis, Assistant Professor of Biological Chemistry, College of Medicine, inventor. This substance is made by disintegrating cell walls of microorganisms and using the disintegrates as an immunizing vaccine. T h e Patent Committee has studied this development and recommends that the interest of the University be transferred to the University of Illinois Foundation for further investigation and the filing of an application for a patent if such action appears warranted. 3. (1) Trimethylammoniumalkylphosphonic acids; the iodides of their dialkyl esters; (2) reactions of organic phosphites with benzyltrialkylamonivm derivatives ; phosphonic acid analogs of nucleoside phosphates — Terrell C. Myers, Assistant Professor of Biological Chemistry, College of Medicine, inventor. These chemical compounds are potentially of therapeutic value. Upon receipt of the disclosures, the Patent Committee referred them to Dr. C. S. Marvel, Research Professor of Organic Chemistry, who reported that they may have some interesting pharmacological properties; however, before he could give any opinion as to their value, further evidence of physiological activity would be required. Resources are not presently available in the College of Medicine to conduct the rather extensive research that would be necessary. It is the opinion of the Patent Committee that the commercial value of these compounds is uncertain and does not justify the expenditure of funds for further tests and a patent application at this time. Accordingly, the Patent Committee recommends the release of these three compounds to the inventor. 4. Junction transistor (flipflop) using a GB-amplifier and an emitter-follower — W. J. Poppelbaum, Research Assistant Professor, Digital Computer Laboratory, inventor. This new circuit is used in making bi-stable transistor elements. There are many other circuits which accomplish the same purpose and it is very difficult to assess its commercial value or to gauge whether other circuits would be superior for commercial usage. Under the circumstances, the Chief Engineer of the Digital Computer Laboratory and the Patent Committee are of the opinion that the further expenditure of funds on the development of this inven-