Steven Robert Mills

US Patent:

6382982, May 7, 2002

Filed:

May 11, 2000

Appl. No.:

09/569161

Inventors:

Russell B. Wilcox - El Ceritto CA 94530
Patricia C. Payne - Castro Valley CA 94546
Stephen A. Payne - Castro Valley CA 94546
Steven T. Mills - Oakland CA 94605
Karen L. Jentes - San Jose CA 95125

International Classification:

G09B 2322

US Classification:

434303, 434300

Abstract:

The invention is a teaching tool, intended to elucidate the principles of light and its associated technologies. For several of the embodiments, the optics and components are embedded into sliding or rotating structures, so that the student is able to âshiftâ or âdialâ the component into a pre-determined location within the optical train in order to perform the intended optical demonstrations. The invention may contain diode lasers, light-emitting diodes, light bulbs, lenses, modulators, holograms, prisms, interferometers, polarizers, slits, apertures, detectors, and fiber optics. Because the optics are readily selectable within the optical train, a large variety of different demonstrations can be conveniently performed. Another type of architecture is to employ linkable modules, each containing one or more components, which can be linked together in a variety of permutations in order to perform many different demonstrations.

US Patent:

20130319209, Dec 5, 2013

Filed:

Jun 1, 2012

Appl. No.:

13/486582

Inventors:

Michael Good - Los Altos CA, US
Steven Mills - Shorewood MN, US

Assignee:

MAKEMUSIC, INC. - Eden Prairie MN

International Classification:

G09B 15/04

US Classification:

844832

Abstract:

An apparatus for synchronized digital sheet music display and audio playback comprises an electronic appliance. The apparatus includes an audio output for playing an audio recording of a piece of music and a display for displaying the piece of music in notation form, including a first portion thereof and comprising elements representing discrete segments of the piece of music that may be identified, displayed, and highlighted. The apparatus further comprises software for controllably playing the recording of and displaying the piece of music, highlighting a second portion of the piece of music within and advancing through the first, and synchronizing the highlighted second portion with the audio played from the audio output. The software further supports an electronic book format, displaying and playing book contents containing both written language and music notation. Audio playback includes both music and a voice reading the language.

US Patent:

56174926, Apr 1, 1997

Filed:

Feb 6, 1996

Appl. No.:

8/597331

Inventors:

Raymond J. Beach - Livermore CA
William J. Benett - Livermore CA
Steven T. Mills - Antioch CA

Assignee:

The Regents of the University of California - Oakland CA

International Classification:

G02B 632

US Classification:

385 33

Abstract:

The output radiation from the two-dimensional aperture of a semiconductor laser diode array is efficiently coupled into an optical fiber. The two-dimensional aperture is formed by stacking individual laser diode bars on top of another in a "rack and stack" configuration. Coupling into the fiber is then accomplished using individual microlenses to condition the output radiation of the laser diode bars. A lens that matches the divergence properties and wavefront characteristics of the laser light to the fiber optic is used to focus this conditioned radiation into the fiber.