Patents by Inventor Sanford William Spivey

Sanford William Spivey has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Publication number: 20230144696
    Abstract: Content rules engines for playback devices are disclosed herein. A media playback system receives a first command to form a synchrony group comprising a plurality of playback devices. The system receives a second command for the synchrony group to play back first audio content. In response to the second command, the first audio content is played back via the synchrony group. The system receives (i) second audio content to be played back by one or more of the playback devices of the synchrony group and (ii) content source properties associated with an audio source of the second audio content. The system accesses a rules engine to determine playback restrictions based at least in part on the content source properties. Based at least in part on the playback restrictions, operation of one or more of the playback devices is restricted.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 16, 2022
    Publication date: May 11, 2023
    Inventors: Jeffrey Michael Torgerson, Sanford William Spivey, Ryan Taylor
  • Patent number: 11533562
    Abstract: Content rules engines for playback devices are disclosed herein. A media playback system receives a first command to form a synchrony group comprising a plurality of playback devices. The system receives a second command for the synchrony group to play back first audio content. In response to the second command, the first audio content is played back via the synchrony group. The system receives (i) second audio content to be played back by one or more of the playback devices of the synchrony group and (ii) content source properties associated with an audio source of the second audio content. The system accesses a rules engine to determine playback restrictions based at least in part on the content source properties. Based at least in part on the playback restrictions, operation of one or more of the playback devices is restricted.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 11, 2021
    Date of Patent: December 20, 2022
    Assignee: Sonos, Inc.
    Inventors: Jeffrey Michael Torgerson, Sanford William Spivey, Ryan Taylor
  • Publication number: 20220030355
    Abstract: Content rules engines for playback devices are disclosed herein. A media playback system receives a first command to form a synchrony group comprising a plurality of playback devices. The system receives a second command for the synchrony group to play back first audio content. In response to the second command, the first audio content is played back via the synchrony group. The system receives (i) second audio content to be played back by one or more of the playback devices of the synchrony group and (ii) content source properties associated with an audio source of the second audio content. The system accesses a rules engine to determine playback restrictions based at least in part on the content source properties. Based at least in part on the playback restrictions, operation of one or more of the playback devices is restricted.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 11, 2021
    Publication date: January 27, 2022
    Inventors: Jeffrey Michael Torgerson, Sanford William Spivey, Ryan Taylor
  • Patent number: 11172299
    Abstract: Content rules engines for playback devices are disclosed herein. A media playback system receives a first command to form a synchrony group comprising a plurality of playback devices. The system receives a second command for the synchrony group to play back first audio content. In response to the second command, the first audio content is played back via the synchrony group. The system receives (i) second audio content to be played back by one or more of the playback devices of the synchrony group and (ii) content source properties associated with an audio source of the second audio content. The system accesses a rules engine to determine playback restrictions based at least in part on the content source properties. Based at least in part on the playback restrictions, operation of one or more of the playback devices is restricted.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 14, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 9, 2021
    Assignee: Sonos, Inc.
    Inventors: Jeffrey Michael Torgerson, Sanford William Spivey, Ryan Taylor
  • Publication number: 20200413192
    Abstract: Content rules engines for playback devices are disclosed herein. A media playback system receives a first command to form a synchrony group comprising a plurality of playback devices. The system receives a second command for the synchrony group to play back first audio content. In response to the second command, the first audio content is played back via the synchrony group. The system receives (i) second audio content to be played back by one or more of the playback devices of the synchrony group and (ii) content source properties associated with an audio source of the second audio content. The system accesses a rules engine to determine playback restrictions based at least in part on the content source properties. Based at least in part on the playback restrictions, operation of one or more of the playback devices is restricted.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 14, 2020
    Publication date: December 31, 2020
    Inventors: Jeffrey Michael Torgerson, Sanford William Spivey, Ryan Taylor
  • Patent number: 10785570
    Abstract: Content rules engines for playback devices are disclosed herein. A media playback system receives a first command to form a synchrony group comprising a plurality of playback devices. The system receives a second command for the synchrony group to play back first audio content. In response to the second command, the first audio content is played back via the synchrony group. The system receives (i) second audio content to be played back by one or more of the playback devices of the synchrony group and (ii) content source properties associated with an audio source of the second audio content. The system accesses a rules engine to determine playback restrictions based at least in part on the content source properties. Based at least in part on the playback restrictions, operation of one or more of the playback devices is restricted.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 8, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 22, 2020
    Assignee: Sonos, Inc.
    Inventors: Jeffrey Michael Torgerson, Sanford William Spivey, Ryan Taylor
  • Publication number: 20190387318
    Abstract: Content rules engines for playback devices are disclosed herein. A media playback system receives a first command to form a synchrony group comprising a plurality of playback devices. The system receives a second command for the synchrony group to play back first audio content. In response to the second command, the first audio content is played back via the synchrony group. The system receives (i) second audio content to be played back by one or more of the playback devices of the synchrony group and (ii) content source properties associated with an audio source of the second audio content. The system accesses a rules engine to determine playback restrictions based at least in part on the content source properties. Based at least in part on the playback restrictions, operation of one or more of the playback devices is restricted.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 8, 2019
    Publication date: December 19, 2019
    Inventors: Jeffrey Michael Torgerson, Sanford William Spivey, Ryan Taylor
  • Patent number: 10433058
    Abstract: Content rules engines for playback devices are disclosed herein. A media playback system receives a first command to form a synchrony group comprising a plurality of playback devices. The system receives a second command for the synchrony group to play back first audio content. In response to the second command, the first audio content is played back via the synchrony group. The system receives (i) second audio content to be played back by one or more of the playback devices of the synchrony group and (ii) content source properties associated with an audio source of the second audio content. The system accesses a rules engine to determine playback restrictions based at least in part on the content source properties. Based at least in part on the playback restrictions, operation of one or more of the playback devices is restricted.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 14, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 1, 2019
    Assignee: Sonos, Inc.
    Inventors: Jeffrey Michael Torgerson, Sanford William Spivey, Ryan Taylor