• REF ID:A5220~ 

WAR DEPARTMENT 

lnn 

OFFICE OF THE CHIEF SIGNAL OFFICER 

WASHINGTON 

:."j or A:.t:in. 

·- \,'_ 

riith reference to the !!tt~'l.Checi ;oamo1"'.ndrun d!\ted blov't:aber 

21, th:, following Rief SUmHl'.ll7 of th::i ~>ro !Ila con .U-f'.WlY.nts is 

13UWi tt.ed& 

i i 

l. Protection of tho {,overnm•;nt':s rights Md lnhrettte. 

~&.V inventors are workine: M.l.ont; iuentioA..l. lin•!o'!i• 11;·ith cr-i;>to!.J,rllvhs 

b~sed uμon sim.1.la:r ~rinci"1lea of revolvinf{ ci~er wheels. The 

policy hu, eo far 11a I know, al•ayR ~eon to obtain patent protection under theuo circ•1inat11nces so '113 t.o obv111te tha ?OHib1lit1 that 

the goverMent at~, ln the !uturs, h~ve to pay royalties for UH, 

·r.hathe:r invented b' gov~rnraimt eraplo~·t::es or by non-governaent ea-

~loyeeu who h'!Ve conceived siailar or icfontic~l. devices at .a+i..:iroxi-

.s~tely th~ SSi.'UG d!lt;e. 

2. Protection of the inva.r.tora• l'it;:hts &nd interests. The 

princi,.)les of the device hl'ive m1 iaportMt -..p • .1lic:.tio11 1n oo!lWltir,:iHl 

and bankinc com.~unia!it1ona. It i;4 understood ths.t there i1' no de~irei 

or rea.aon to 1nter;ioH ·MiY obstncloe to t.i.., salnill{'. of suc~i fin tnc1al 

b•ln£::1'1 ts .u1 11ey aocru~ to thl' invontoi-a, uuder er.ieitinr l:or.v, uni~us 

theri; are valid rea.<sona, on the oasis of .fR.otors praJudici"-1 to t.htt 

t'.O'Hru•ent•" 1r.:terests {foi oxuple, nt.tlonu defense) for t\bangooiru; 

t,he ?&tent; since it CEmnot, under 'lld.atir\L' l.~T:, be kapt eecret by 

p~evontin~ 1sauanca. 

B. ReP.sons for not '.lllod.ng patent to iaeuaa 

l. Secrsi:.')'. Onoe 1ariult'-~• descri&>tion mi~ d"'t:~ils of pt>.t.ent 

b£1coa1..; μubliat so that all sea:recy is do~troyed. 

F.abuttal1 tUf. iu-paent presents b 10 phu;,,a. (~) It is true 

thBt ;:t1 oolositre of th$ 3kJecificat1ons and olaiaa deist1·oys seor•oy, but 

only 11a ragar<ls the actual construotbc 1lnd lfl"llltler of funationing or 

the dev'ice itsolf. It ao~ee not d~utroy th~ secrecy of •a1HUlgda !inoi-

~hored b;I !lleans of tha device, wh.i.cli opur~tea by vn1.!ll.blw ka1int' el .. 

mants. .Sven if m ene111 governt1ent. ha~ one of the devices tr.is would 

not asaiat ln isolut.ion of th~ mess~es. As a mlltter of foot, in tbia 

JA'pproved for Release by NSA on 11-19-2013 pursuant to E.O. 1352§ 
I 

REF ID:A522073 

C'ltie t.echnicslly thertt is no met .... "lod kno;rn which csn brlnr, "-botit 

nol.w·t..ion. Only ~tu~ ~>0.saesaion of t.i:t·:~ keys n~.:iaHlVQ:J c•1n reoult 

.in .1olu·tt..'lna t..ho:-: a:;.chin~ i tedf ne~~li not be in ~1ossesaion ot' the 

e17~tMii>:ly:.lt. 

(2) Th9 ot..her l)b~:.'fus of tu·'~ eo&arec.}' tt.t'iii"Uacnt is that 

c~cera.lne aidint; 11 a><>tenti.tl or actual ane~· rovernm.~nt- by uiaolo.., 

or Ui.; pl'ltttnt. Grantl.n;;: tha .Lapoaaibi.Uty oi.' aoJ.utl;.)n, recoj:r1ition 

of t~bi3 !'act •··~ induoe l'l foreign government to 8Cloa;it the identicnl 

iA!lChin1::i in it•11 own earvlc\t, thus f.\l vlnt hiw. Bn e:;<trs:11ely uas1\1l 'lfe&;on 

for warti••J e:RlplO)"'aGr.t.1 ~1ooslbly ~gs.in.at un. 

R.~buttlia This is ~ vwd P,,rgwaant !l?l.O ~&rhs.ps th<:> :sost 

serioue on"j" Howeve1·, 1.t rt:tsts \1£.ion th~.: th~reUcu yc>HibilLty of 'In 

occurrtS-.uce .!llld not u~1on ,._ demonstr:-.bL·:, fllctu~l occur:r·once. It then 

COQa3 do1m to I\ q_U~Btion of ueter:11in..l.nt, whet..1.a1· ti"iis ~)Oes1bi11t;F ia 

t;r.:i•"t enough m..:I. suf.ficion.tly aoriouJ in cona&•:u.~nces tG ju•ti.fy 

J eop'lr<li 4'inii; t.nu f.OVarnment' ;t i~t t·:tre ~ts, M c:i ted under il aboTe. 

I.f t.h<J ;108dbility ie r~nwta ~d not st:i•ious in co1u1e·. uences, t~hen 

ol>viously t..loJer,~ is no ob.}~ct to be i.rtl.n~d in au;~1re.1Mine t::h:- j")::i.t1.mt 

in th·J illlaetiiste pre3ent ru:i..l u :l result j eo:;.ivdi•1ns th•J fOYarnmiilnt' R 

intbrest for :a~ yctara. If, on th'.; othttI' hmu, th:~ possibility is 

l.aaillin,.mt. Mid eer1ous in it!'I con=~'.u~nces, tr..::i longer u111cl0Etur~ is 

dalr-y~'i" ttrn batter. Th13 le 11. rac-tte..r for ludlvidu'll ju~l'll~nt :'llld 

dacial•>n b;," hi.ghat" ::iuth.,rity. However, ae rec.~ds Ci~ invant:.or 1 e 

1nter'4stfl, 1 t nhould b':! !JOinted out th -.t SU.i.J!JrtH1>'de>n (or rftthar r1.b!'J.Pd{)n11t~t af th~i ?:ltont, "f•h.lcn in what woula ba nr.~COl!liuu•y) would deprive 

the inventors of riahts th3t ve l!Ccoraed tbt;.:a under the la-r., unless 

th&y ahouLd be recompcn:tGci. in Eoaw other ,..,,.,mer. 

Will1u 1' .• J'rit:tdliUlh