The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Sep. 08, 2026
Filed:
Mar. 29, 2023
Disney Enterprises, Inc., Burbank, CA (US);
Lanny S. Smoot, Thousand Oaks, CA (US);
Robert J. Bristow, Shadow Hills, CA (US);
David James Myers, Orlando, FL (US);
Gary A. Powell, Alta Loma, CA (US);
Charles Jacob Sedor, Orlando, FL (US);
Keith Jeffrey Mazzella, Gotha, FL (US);
Steven I. Smith, Burbank, CA (US);
Disney Enterprises, Inc., Burbank, CA (US);
Abstract
A system for simulating operation of a stringed instrument using a combination of water and light steams. The system includes a nozzle configured for outputting a falling laminar water stream. The system includes a light transmitter configured to inject light into a first end of the water stream and a light receiver configured to receive the light injected into the water stream and, in response, generate a signal. The system includes a controller configured for processing the signal and, in response to a lack of the signal, for operating an audio system to play a musical note or audio file. The system may include an optical fiber with a first end proximate to the nozzle oriented to receive the light injected into the water stream at the second end of the water stream, and the light receiver can be a photodetector coupled to the second end of the optical fiber.