Stephen C O'Brien

US Patent:

8381635, Feb 26, 2013

Filed:

Dec 29, 2009

Appl. No.:

12/649269

Inventors:

Stephen J. O'Brien - San Jose CA, US
Jacques Gagne - Los Gatos CA, US
Stephen Hooper - Los Gatos CA, US
Benjamin Pei-Ming Chia - Cupertino CA, US
Yi-Chun Liao - Taichung, TW
Ray Gradwohl - Saratoga CA, US
Kenneth Robertson - San Jose CA, US

Assignee:

Espressi, Inc. - San Jose CA

International Classification:

A47J 31/44
A47J 31/00

US Classification:

99302R, 99295, 993231, 99323

Abstract:

A brewing device comprising a brewing system; a handle assembly coupled to the brewing system and containing a source of compressed fluid; and a valve system, coupled to the handle, to selectively place the source of compressed fluid in fluid communication with the brewing system.

US Patent:

20080302252, Dec 11, 2008

Filed:

Jun 11, 2008

Appl. No.:

12/137533

Inventors:

Stephen James O'Brien - San Jose CA, US
Carmel Ish-Shalom - Alameda CA, US
David Richard Stevens - San Jose CA, US

Assignee:

Espressi Corporation - San Jose CA

International Classification:

A47J 31/32

US Classification:

99302 R

Abstract:

A portable brewing device is provided for brewing a hot beverage such as espresso that includes a compressed gas container communicating with a pressure regulator that is configured to control the pressure of gas released from the compressed gas container. A release switch is configured to communicate with pressure regulator and configured to release pressure controlled gas when actuated by a user. A water vessel is configured to receive the pressure controlled gas when the switch is actuated by a user. A mixing vessel can hold a brew substance and is configured to communicate with the water vessel and also configured to receive water from the water vessel to pass through the brew substance when pressure is released from the gas container through the pressure regulator. An outlet is configured to release a brewed product produced from water flowing through the brew substance contained in the mixing vessel when brewing.

US Patent:

20100162899, Jul 1, 2010

Filed:

Apr 16, 2009

Appl. No.:

12/425365

Inventors:

Stephen J. O'Brien - San Jose CA, US
Yi-Chun Liao - San Jose CA, US
Stephen Hooper - Los Gatos CA, US
Benjamin Pei-Ming Chia - Cupertino CA, US
Jacques Gagne - Los Gatos CA, US
Ray Gradwohl - San Jose CA, US
Kenneth Robertson - San Jose CA, US

International Classification:

A47J 31/32

US Classification:

99302 R

Abstract:

A brewing device comprising a brewing system; a handle assembly coupled to the brewing system and containing a source of compressed fluid; and a valve system, coupled to the handle, to selectively place the source of compressed fluid in fluid communication with the brewing system.

US Patent:

20120042239, Feb 16, 2012

Filed:

May 26, 2005

Appl. No.:

11/597162

Inventors:

Stephen James O'Brien - San Jose CA, US

International Classification:

G06F 17/00

US Classification:

715243

Abstract:

A method of creating a template for presenting content within a document. The method includes defining a plurality of components, each including at least one content region and at least one of a frame, a template perimeter and an object. A number of links are then defined between the components, each link representing a respective spatial relationship. A processing system is then responsive to the template to populate the content region with content, generate a representation of each component and position the representation of each component in the document using the defined links to control the relative spatial positioning of the components.

US Patent:

52553329, Oct 19, 1993

Filed:

Jul 16, 1992

Appl. No.:

7/915918

Inventors:

David F. Welch - Palo Alto CA
Donald R. Scifres - San Jose CA
Robert G. Waarts - Palo Alto CA
Amos A. Hardy - Stanford CA
David G. Mehuys - Sunnyvale CA
Stephen O'Brien - Sunnyvale CA

Assignee:

SDL, Inc. - San Jose CA

International Classification:

G02B 636

US Classification:

385 17

Abstract:

An optical crossbar switch matrix for use in switching optical signals from a first set of optical fibers to a second set of optical fibers, in any order, which is characterized by having a matrix of rows and columns of diffraction gratings formed in a semiconductor heterostructure. Each grating is independently biased with either a forward or reverse bias voltage to switch the grating between a reflective state and a transmissive state. The gratings are oriented at an angle relative to the rows and columns so that when the Bragg condition for the light received from an optical film is met, a portion of the light is diffracted from the row in which it is propagating into a column toward another optical fiber. The heterostructure may include optical amplifiers to restore the optical signal to its original power level. Beam expanding, collimating and focussing optics may also be integrated into the heterostructure.

US Patent:

53496027, Sep 20, 1994

Filed:

Mar 15, 1993

Appl. No.:

8/031684

Inventors:

David G. Mehuys - Menlo Park CA
Stephen O'Brien - Sunnyvale CA
David F. Welch - Menlo Park CA

Assignee:

SDL, Inc. - San Jose CA

International Classification:

H01S 308

US Classification:

372 98

Abstract:

A coherent light source, such as a laser oscillator and a monolithic MOPA device, and a broad area light amplifying device, all characterized by having a leaky waveguide beam expander coupled thereto for expanding a single mode beam into a wide light beam in a coherent manner. The beam expander comprises an elongated antiguide core of a first refractive index and a radiated-wave receiving region of a higher refractive index to receive lightwaves laterally radiated from the antiguide core. This beam expander can be located at an output end of a single mode laser oscillator to receive and expand the beam, at an input end of a broad area optical power amplifier to allow the amplifier to accept a narrow input beam, or between the laser oscillator and power amplifier in a MOPA device. The beam expander elements can also be located partially or entirely within the resonant optical cavity of a laser oscillator.

US Patent:

57935211, Aug 11, 1998

Filed:

Jul 22, 1996

Appl. No.:

8/684786

Inventors:

Stephen O'Brien - Sunnyvale CA
Alexander Schoenfelder - Cupertino CA
Robert J. Lang - Pleasanton CA
Amos A. Hardy - Tel Aviv, IL
Ross A. Parke - Fremont CA
David F. Welch - Menlo Park CA

Assignee:

SDL Inc. - San Jose CA

International Classification:

H01S 300

US Classification:

359344

Abstract:

An optical gain medium comprising, for example, an optical semiconductor device which is differentially pumped and a master oscillator power amplifier (MOPA) device employing such an amplifier. The gain medium may have a linear stripe region or a diverging stripe region that allows the light propagating therein to diverge along at least part of its length, such as a flared or tapered amplifier having a gain region that increases in width toward its output at a rate that equals or exceeds the divergence of the light. The amplifier is pumped with a current density at its input end which is smaller than the current density used to pump the output end for maintaining coherence of the beam to high power levels employing differential pumping. Differential pumping may be both longitudinal and lateral within the amplifier and may be patterned to reduce the peak modal gain observed longitudinally along and/or laterally across the pumped stripe region of the gain medium so that he experienced modal gain of the propagating light is more balanced along the length of the stripe region, i. e. , rendered significantly more uniform in distribution, providing for higher diffraction limited performance without optical filamentation formation.

US Patent:

52316424, Jul 27, 1993

Filed:

May 8, 1992

Appl. No.:

7/880681

Inventors:

Donald R. Scifres - San Jose CA
Kenneth M. Dzurko - Santa Clara CA
Robert G. Waarts - Palo Alto CA
David F. Welch - San Jose CA
Amos Hardy - Mountain View CA
Stephen O'Brien - Sunnyvale CA

Assignee:

Spectra Diode Laboratories, Inc. - San Jose CA

International Classification:

H01S 319

US Classification:

372 45

Abstract:

A semiconductor laser that includes at least one grating reflector with a grating period selected to diffract at a nonperpendicular angle within the plane of the laser waveguide. This allows dispersal of laser light, eliminating filamentary multimode operation of broad area lasers. In one embodiment, the grating reflector couples light between a single transverse mode waveguide portion of the optical cavity and a second, broad area, portion that is not collinear with the single mode waveguide. In another embodiment, the cavity favors a ring mode of oscillation. One or more grating reflectors form part of the feedback mechanism which forms a resonant optical cavity with noncollinear portions. Other reflectors in the feedback mechanism include facet reflectors which can be cleaved or ion milled, or semiconductor material refractive index boundaries. Laser embodiments with two or more grating reflectors can be independently tuned to provide a high rate of amplitude modulation.