[Federal Register Volume 68, Number 187 (Friday, September 26, 2003)]
[Notices]
[Pages 55594-55597]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 03-24255]


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DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE

Department of the Army; Corps of Engineers


Availability of Exclusive or Partially Exclusive Licenses

AGENCY: Department of the Army, U.S. Corps of Engineers, DoD.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: The Department of the Army, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, 
announces the general availability of exclusive, or partially exclusive 
licenses under the following pending patents listed under SUPPLEMENTARY 
INFORMATION. Any license granted shall comply with 35 U.S.C. 209 and 37 
CFR part 404.

ADDRESSES: Humphreys Engineer Center Support Activity, Office of 
Counsel, 7701 Telegraph Road, Alexandria, VA 22315-3860.

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DATES: Applications for an exclusive or partially exclusive license may 
be submitted at any time from the date of this notice. However, no 
exclusive or partially exclusive license shall be granted until 
December 26, 2003.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Patricia L. Howland (703) 428-6672.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 
    1. Title: Scour Sensor Assembly. An optical scour sensor monitors 
scour, including deposition and ablation, in bodies of water that may 
be too lossy to enable use of electrical signals. A specially 
configured optical fiber is inserted into the sediment and the 
interface between the sediment and water thereby monitored using a top-
mounted control box to pulse light down the cable and capture reflected 
signals. The optical fiber may be armored by a soft plastic concentric 
shield and incorporate a micro-bend inducer for detecting minute 
indentations in the fiber. The presence of a non-liquid, e.g., 
sediment, against the cable is detected because the sediment impinges 
on the fiber causing an indentation therein. At each indentation a 
reflection is sent back to the source. Using principles of optical time 
domain reflectometry (OTDR), the location of the indentation is 
determined. The data are fed to a remote system for processing, 
analysis and display.
    Serial No.: 09/878,997.
    Date: 6/13/2001.
    2. Title: Pattern Detection Using the Bragg Effect at RF 
Frequencies. A system, and method of its use, provides for detecting 
patterns that exist within a geographic area due to the presence of an 
orderly array of objects. In a preferred embodiment, the system uses an 
irregular array of transceivers to illuminate an area suspected of 
containing a minefield. Typically, these minefields are arranged in an 
orderly arrangement. Exploiting the Bragg Effect, the transceivers, 
each configured as a surface wave radar, illuminate an area with RF 
energy that is scanned in carrier frequency within the HF band (3-30 
MHz) at a pre-specified interval. At the frequency that corresponds to 
the Bragg Effect, a significantly increased signal level occurs that 
indicates the presence of a pattern such as one might expect from 
reflections from numerous objects arranged orderly. By processing these 
returns judiciously, the minefield's size, location, perimeter, and 
even the location of individual mines may be determined.
    Serial No.: 60/245,2000.
    Date: 11/3/2000.
    3. Title: Detector and System for Indicating Pressure Change and 
Methods of Use. An electronic detector configuration enables the 
accurate determination of pressure differences in scenarios in which 
conventional detectors and detector systems introduce inherent thermal 
inequalities at the interface with their immediate environs. A 
preferred embodiment of the present invention accurately measures snow 
water equivalent (SWE) while eliminating the need for fluid-filled 
pillows that contain environmentally hazardous fluids. By matching the 
thermal conductivity of surrounding soil to a detector configuration 
having an inherently low specific heat, it minimizes effects of 
differences in thermal conductivity at the snow/soil interface that 
cause SWE pressure sensor measurement errors. Further, it minimizes 
thermal effects by keeping soil moisture under the configuration 
approximately the same as that of surrounding soil. The system is 
environmentally friendly, has a small footprint, and is inexpensive to 
implement in arrays coupled to communicators suitable for any number of 
monitoring and warning functions such as snow avalanche and landslide 
early warning.
    Serial No.: 10/211,582.
    Date: 8/5/2002.
    4. Title: Autonomous System and Method for Efficiently Collecting 
Fugitive Airborne Emissions From Open Vessels. An autonomous pushed 
liquid recirculation system (APLRS) is installed in a vessel, such as 
an electroplating tank. It situates around the interior perimeter and 
adjusts to changes in the level of liquid, maintaining the same 
location and orientation respective to the liquid's surface. It 
establishes a current near the surface that pushes liquid across the 
narrow horizontal dimension of the tank from a front wall to a rear 
wall. The current serves to push any bubbles resultant from operations 
within the tank to the rear wall. Over the rear wall is mounted an 
abbreviated exhaust hood covering only a short width of the surface of 
the tank along the rear wall. Because the exhaust system has to 
scavenge only a portion of the surface since all bubbles now burst 
along the rear wall, a much smaller air handling apparatus may be 
specified with an attendant savings in energy costs.
    Serial No.: 10/224,232.
    Date: 8/20/2002.
    5. Title: Device and Method for Simulating Natural Cues so That 
Waterborne Fauna Avoid Manmade Barriers. The method of adding natural 
hydrodynamic cues to fish diversion screens similar to cues produced by 
the flow of water over rough, stream beds is described. Fish detect the 
cues and avoid contacting or impinging on the screen surface in the 
same way that they avoid collision with natural features of stream 
channels. One design features that uses the method of adding natural 
cues is described. The feature consists of a series of rectangular 
plates that are attached to the u-clips beneath diversion screens that 
provide structural support to the individual bars that comprise the 
screen. The plates are oriented so that they are approximately 
perpendicular to the flow lines approaching the screen surface. The 
flow contacts the plates and, because the orientation of the plate 
creates an unstable hydraulic field, the flow alternately slips above 
and below the plates. This hydrodynamic oscillation extends above the 
screen surface and creates fluctuating local acceleration zones. These 
small-scale flow instabilities can be detected by fish prior to their 
contact with the screen surface and will cause the fish to navigate 
away from the screen surface without contacting the screen. Fish are 
guided by the signals generated by the screen reducing the danger of 
injury or death by collision with the screen surface or supporting 
structure.
    Serial No.: 10/226,555.
    Date: 8/20/2002.
    6. Title: Bullet Trapping Medium and System. A backstop for 
decelerating and trapping projectiles generally includes a support 
structure having an inclined surface and a projectile trapping medium 
disposed on the inclined surface. The projectile trapping medium may be 
either a resilient granular ballistic medium or a combination of a 
ballistic medium with a hydrated super absorbent polymer (SAP) gel. 
Preferably, the support structure is made of a shock absorbing, foamed, 
fiber-reinforced concrete, such as SACON. In embodiments, the support 
structure also includes an enclosure. Additives may also be mixed into 
the projectile trapping medium to control alkalinity and prevent 
leaching of heavy metals.
    Serial No.: 10/307,427.
    Date: 12/2/2002.
    7. Title: Methods and Devices for Optically Recording and Imaging 
Representations of Interactions of an Object With its Environment. 
Using an array of optical sensors affixed to measure interactions on a 
surface of an object, in combination with a specially configured 
personal computer, dynamic mapping of interaction is provided. One 
application maps washover of an object towed in a large body of water. 
Data are collected on optical characteristics of the interaction such 
as reflectivity at a boundary. For example, in one

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embodiment the reflectivity at an optical fiber/seawater boundary is 
compared to that of an optical fiber/air boundary and dynamic 
measurements made using an optical time domain reflectometer (OillR). 
These data are then processed using specialized software to yield 
representation of the dynamics (spatial and temporal) of selected 
washover events on a surface of interest. The system specifically 
provides a real-time representation of washover, including two and 
three-dimensional visualization of washover, as well as recording 
selected data for future use. Methods of employment of the system are 
also provided.
    Serial No.: 10/318,129.
    Date: 12/13/2002.
    8. Title: Systems, and Methods of Use, Employing Distorted Patterns 
to ascertain the Shape of a Surface, for Road or Runway Profiling, or 
as Input to Control Pro-active Suspension Systems. Provided in a 
preferred embodiment is an application of phase or ``shadow'' 
profilometry to determine a 3-D profile of structure instantaneously. 
In one application, a vehicle-mounted system captures a 3-D profile 
while operating normally. The system may use a digital camera, a 
computer for processing and storage, a broadband light source, and a 
device positioned between the light and structure that enables strips 
of light to impinge on the structure. A preferred embodiment uses a 
single straight edge as the device, casting a straight line shadow. In 
addition to profiling road surfaces, the bottom of hydraulic models 
have been profiled even while being disturbed with a wave generator. It 
may be integrated with other devices such as a pro-active suspension 
system for civilian, military, and construction vehicles. Further, use 
with tiltmeters and GPS receivers provides data useful for engineering 
or construction management.
    Serial No.: 10/318,214.
    Date: 12/13/2002.
    9. Title: Method and Instrument for Electronically Recording, and 
Imaging Representations of Interactions of an Object With its 
Environment. Using an array of electrically isolated electrode pairs in 
combination with a specially configured processor, e.g., a personal 
computer, continuous real-time acquisition, processing, mapping and 
visualization of an object's interaction with its environment are 
provided. In a specific application, washover data are collected on 
salient electrical characteristics of seawater accumulating between 
electrodes of an electrode pair, one of which may be a common ground 
plane. For example, in one embodiment, the resistance of seawater is 
measured dynamically at each electrode pair. These data are then 
processed using specialized software to yield representation of the 
dynamics of selected washover events on a surface of interest. 
Described systems specifically provide real-time spatial and temporal 
representations of interaction, including two and three-dimensional 
visualization of the interaction, e.g., washover, as well as recording 
selected data for future use. Methods of employment of the systems are 
also provided.
    Serial No.: 10/318,297.
    Date: 12/13/2002.
    10. Title: Self-Healing Coating and Microcapsules to Make Same. A 
liquid self-healing coating, incorporating microcapsules filled with 
tailored repair formulations, repairs itself upon physical compromise 
after curing. In one embodiment, a commercially available paint primer 
is mixed with a pre-specified amount of these microcapsules. After the 
coating has cured on the substrate to which it is applied, any physical 
compromise of the cured coating results in the microcapsules bursting 
to release a liquid that fills and seals the compromised volume of the 
coating. In applications where paint is used to provide corrosion 
protection, the liquid contains anti-corrosion material as well as 
suitable diluents and film-forming compounds. In another embodiment, 
the microcapsules may be provided separately to enhance commercially 
available products. For example, if a paint formulation is known a 
priori, specifically configured microcapsules packaged separately from 
the paint and designed for use with the paint formulation, may be added 
to the commercially available product just prior to application.
    Serial No.: 10/377,642.
    Date: 3/4/2003.
    11. Title: Fusion of Data From Differing Mathematical Models. A 
procedure automatically resolves vertical differences commonly found 
when merging and combining Digital Elevation Models (DEMs) from 
different collection and production systems. These systems may employ 
technologies used in single pass Interferometric Synthetic Aperture 
Radar (IFSAR), Light Detection And Ranging (LIDAR), and photogrammetry, 
as well as DEMs derived from contour based elevation data and GPS point 
data. This procedure employs sophisticated software checking routines 
for automatically identifying horizontal and vertical datums used by 
the differing systems as well as any geoid models employed by them. 
Normally, all of these sources use different vertical datums and may 
use different horizontal datums. A preferred embodiment of the present 
invention automatically recognizes the vertical datums, including those 
that are associated with the geoid models and the 3-D datums that 
conventional GIS does not support at present.
    Serial No.: 10/395,168.
    Date: 3/25/2003.
    12. Title: Detecting, Classifying, and Localizing Minor Amounts of 
an Element Within a Sample of Material. Minute amounts of material, 
such as a contaminant, are detected, identified and located using a 
single procedure that eliminates the need for using complex and 
sometimes redundant instrumentation setups, multiple (and sometimes 
overlapping) analytic processes, or both. In a preferred embodiment, a 
series of processing steps enables one to detect, identify, and 
localize minute amounts of particular elements, e.g., contaminants, in 
material being tested. Data sets, suitable for characterizing 
components of samples at least spectrally and spatially, are collected 
from at least one uncontaminated sample of material (the ``baseline'' 
or ``control'') and a sample of material under test (MUT) that may 
contain contaminants. Comparison of these data sets, using the 
procedures of the present invention, enables ready identification of 
minute amounts of material in any sample. The use of existing 
conventional procedures may require that multiple sets of data be taken 
or multiple processes be applied.
    Serial No.: 10/406,159.
    Date: 4/3/2003.
    13. Title: Improved Method and System for Dewatering Particulate 
Materials. A system and method for dewatering particulate materials 
employs an improved dewatering probe generally including a single non-
conducting pipe having a plurality of holes or slots, an anode mounted 
on the pipe adjacent one end of the pipe, and a cathode mounted on the 
pipe adjacent the opposite end of the pipe. The pipe serves as both a 
sonde for mounting the anode and cathode and as a well for extracting 
water that collects around the outside of the pipe and flows into the 
interior of the pipe through the holes or slots via gravitational and 
electro-osmotic forces. A pump may be used to extract both collected 
water and accumulated electrolytic gases from the pipe's interior. In 
embodiments, an array of guide electrodes is mounted on the pipe in 
addition to the anode and the cathode in order to deflect the major 
current flow out into the body of surrounding particulate materials. 
The guide electrodes also facilitate rapid

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depolarization of the probe. An array of probes according to the 
present invention may be employed as a system to dewater a volume of 
particulate.
    Serial No.: 10/421,922.
    Date: 4/24/2003.
    14. Title: Devices and Methods for Reducing or Eliminating the Gap 
Between a Stay Vane and its Corresponding Wicket Gate as Used in 
Turbines. An improved design for turbines increases efficiency while 
reducing potential for fish kill. In a preferred embodiment as relates 
to a Kaplan turbine, the gap between stay vanes and their corresponding 
wicket gates is reduced or eliminated by provision of an extension to 
the trailing edge of the stay vane. In alternative embodiments, the 
extension may be added to the wicket gate or affixed to both in an 
arrangement that permits free movement of the wicket gate. To 
facilitate eliminating the gap altogether, the extension may be made of 
a pliable material or be fabricated in a telescoping or accordion 
arrangement to permit contact with opposing parts without damage 
thereto. By designing extensions using accepted hydraulic principles, a 
better fit of the stay vane to its associated wicket gate, and possibly 
to the turbines runners may be effected, further improving operational 
efficiency and possibly even extending maintenance intervals.
    Serial No.: 60/442,551.
    Date: 1/27/2003.

Luz D. Ortiz,
Army Federal Register Liaison Officer.
[FR Doc. 03-24255 Filed 9-25-03; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3710-92-P