The rights include the right to exclusively sell the nodes to certain specified companies, including coal mines, non-coal mines and coal suppliers that are potential customers for the ActiveMine system and further guarantee ACT a supply of a minimum of 1,000 nodes. ACT has the option to acquire up to 2,000 additional nodes upon further payments. ACT will outsource the manufacturing of the nodes directly using the MeshDynamics technology. The agreement with MeshDynamics will result in a savings to ACT on a per node basis and will secure ACT's access to MeshDynamics' proprietary Wi-Fi technology during the two year term of the reseller agreement.

Management estimates that 40 nodes are required on average per underground coal mine in the U.S. The outsourced California-based contract manufacturer of the mesh nodes has the capacity to produce up to 3,000 nodes per month.

"We are very pleased with our partnership with MeshDynamics and we are grateful for all of their support," said Steve Barrett, President and CEO, Active Control. "We also anticipate that ActiveMine's superior tracking, voice, video and data transmission capabilities will continue to garner sales in the USA and internationally. Solidifying our relationship with MeshDynamics will ensure continuity of supply for this key component of the ActiveMine system."

Concurrently, ACT is moving to convert its international patent application covering aspects of the ActiveMine system into national patent applications in Australia, China, Canada and South Africa. ACT already has such a patent application before the US patent office and ACT may elect to pursue other national patent applications at a later date. The national patent applications will make reference to certain preliminary findings in a written opinion by the international patent office that were favorable towards ACT's prospects of securing a patent over various aspects of the ActiveMine system.

ActiveMine's communications, data and tracking system enables monitoring of production, personnel and equipment in all types of surface and underground mining environments, including coal and base metal mines. The system is designed to:

• Operate on a 100 percent wireless Wi-Fi network backbone.
• Be less susceptible to water and mechanical damage of all sorts, including rock fall.
• Use open-standards technology.
• Comply with relevant U.S. state and federal regulations, including MINER Act requirements for wireless systems as established in MSHA policies.
• Provide four-day intrinsically safe battery back-up and power supply.
• Provide a wireless communications and data network above-ground to extend underground networks.  

Keywords: international patent application, active control technology, south africa act, control technology inc, generation mesh, coal suppliers, mesh nodes, steve barrett, mesh network, underground coal, national patent, coal mines, coal mine, mesh networks