Patents by Inventor Andrew Bates

Andrew Bates 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).

  • Patent number: 10698650
    Abstract: Example techniques may involve temporary configuration of a media playback system in a place of accommodation, such as a hotel. In particular, the media playback system in a guest's room is configured with one or more settings of the guest's home media playback system. Example settings include user accounts of a various services, such as streaming audio services and/or voice assistant services. Other example settings include artists, albums, audio tracks, audio books, stations, and other audio content that the guest previously designated as a favorite using their home media playback system. When the guest leaves (e.g., checks-out of) of the place of accommodation, these settings are removed from the media playback system in the guest's room.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 6, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 30, 2020
    Assignee: Sonos, Inc.
    Inventor: Paul Andrew Bates
  • Publication number: 20200194004
    Abstract: Playback devices comprising a network interface, an optional speaker(s), and one or more processors are disclosed herein. In some embodiments, the playback device is configured to communicate with a computing system that stores configuration data corresponding to each of a plurality of users. The playback device detects one or more users near the playback device and retrieves user configuration data corresponding to each of the one or more detected users, and thereafter, uses the user configuration data of the one or more detected users to process voice commands, play media content, and/or perform other voice and/or media related functions.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 10, 2019
    Publication date: June 18, 2020
    Inventor: Paul Andrew Bates
  • Patent number: 10592086
    Abstract: Example implementations may involve using a prompt to prevent inadvertent control or playback of audio content. When a mobile device receives input data indicating a command to play back audio content on a first playback device, the mobile device determines whether the mobile device is in proximity to the first playback device. If the mobile device determines that the mobile device within a given proximity to the first playback device, the mobile device transmits, via the network interface, one or more commands to instruct the first playback device to play back the audio content. However, if the mobile device determines that the mobile device outside the proximity, the mobile device displays a prompt indicating that the mobile device is the outside the given proximity to the first playback device and a selectable control that, when selected, transmits the one or more commands to play back the audio content.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 20, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 17, 2020
    Assignee: Sonos, Inc.
    Inventor: Paul Andrew Bates
  • Publication number: 20200050352
    Abstract: Example techniques relate to lock screen media controls. While a mobile device is in the locked state, an example implementation involves selecting one or more playback devices from among the multiple playback devices connected to a local area network, displaying a lock screen control for the one or more selected playback devices, the lock screen control including: a playback status control displaying metadata of a particular audio track playing back on the one or more selected playback devices and one or more transport controls to control playback by the one or more selected playback devices. The example implementation also involves receiving input data representing a command to adjust playback volume on one or more selected playback devices and sending, via a wireless network interface of the mobile device, instructions to cause the one or more selected playback devices to adjust playback volume according to the command.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 18, 2019
    Publication date: February 13, 2020
    Inventor: Paul Andrew Bates
  • Publication number: 20200045361
    Abstract: An example implementation involves a playback device receiving a request to add continuous automated streaming audio content to a playback queue, the request indicating a playback start time, and the playback queue indicating a plurality of audio content. The implementation further involves the playback device adding the continuous automated streaming audio content to the playback queue. The example implementation also involves the playback device determining that a duration until the playback start time is less than a duration of the given audio content before playing a given audio content in the playback queue. The example implementation involves the playback device responsively, playing the continuous automated streaming audio content.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 9, 2019
    Publication date: February 6, 2020
    Inventors: Paul Andrew Bates, Abhishek Kumar
  • Patent number: 10499146
    Abstract: Multiple aspects of systems and methods for voice control and related features and functionality for various embodiments of media playback devices, networked microphone devices, microphone-equipped media playback devices, and speaker-equipped networked microphone devices are disclosed and described herein, including but not limited to designating and managing default networked devices, audio response playback, room-corrected voice detection, content mixing, music service selection, metadata exchange between networked playback systems and networked microphone systems, handling loss of pairing between networked devices, actions based on user identification, and other voice control of networked devices.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 21, 2017
    Date of Patent: December 3, 2019
    Assignee: Sonos, Inc.
    Inventors: Jonathan P. Lang, Mark Plagge, Simon Jarvis, Romi Kadri, Yean-Nian Willy Chen, Paul Andrew Bates, Luis Vega-Zayas, Christopher Butts, Nicholas A. J. Millington, Keith Corbin
  • Patent number: 10467288
    Abstract: Embodiments are described herein that provide searches, including a multi-dimensional search, a cross-source search, or both in a media playback system. The search can be initiated by way of a selection of a location on user interface of a controller. The location corresponds to one or more metadata that is used in the search. Results are sorted and displayed. In some embodiments, metadata is used to filter and/or sort the results.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 2, 2015
    Date of Patent: November 5, 2019
    Assignee: Sonos, Inc.
    Inventor: Paul Andrew Bates
  • Patent number: 10452248
    Abstract: Embodiments are provided for providing on a display of a computing device, playback controls for a particular playback zone of a media playback system, while the computing device is in a locked state. The playback controls may then be selected to control playback of media content in the playback zone, while the computing device remains in the locked state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 2, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 22, 2019
    Assignee: Sonos, Inc.
    Inventor: Paul Andrew Bates
  • Publication number: 20190308791
    Abstract: An inflatable web (10) includes a top film (30) heat sealed to a bottom film (32) to define sealed regions (40) and non-sealed regions (214). The non-sealed regions include inflatable regions (216) that are inflatable through one or more inflation ports. The top film (30) may have a color that differs from the color of the bottom film (32) to create a visual contrast between the sealed regions (40) and the adjacent non-sealed regions (214) when the web is viewed from the top film side. The ratio of the surface area of the inflatable regions (216) to the total surface area of the inflatable web is at least 50% and at most 95%.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 15, 2017
    Publication date: October 10, 2019
    Inventors: Andrew Bates, Laurence Sperry, Amy Curneen
  • Publication number: 20190310820
    Abstract: Example techniques may involve temporary configuration of a media playback system in a place of accommodation, such as a hotel. In particular, the media playback system in a guest's room is configured with one or more settings of the guest's home media playback system. Example settings include user accounts of a various services, such as streaming audio services and/or voice assistant services. Other example settings include artists, albums, audio tracks, audio books, stations, and other audio content that the guest previously designated as a favorite using their home media playback system. When the guest leaves (e.g., checks-out of) of the place of accommodation, these settings are removed from the media playback system in the guest's room.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 6, 2018
    Publication date: October 10, 2019
    Inventor: Paul Andrew Bates
  • Publication number: 20190278559
    Abstract: Configuration information and selectable grouping options associated with the plurality of zones is displayed, for example, on a wearable device. Selection of a first selectable grouping option is received and in response a configuration change is transmitted. The configuration change may comprise information indicating a first zone is to join a zone group with a second zone of the plurality of zones. Updated configuration information is received indicating that a media playback system includes the zone group comprising the first zone and the second zone. The updated configuration information is displayed on the wearable device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 23, 2019
    Publication date: September 12, 2019
    Inventors: Paul Andrew Bates, Danielle Storlie
  • Patent number: 10412445
    Abstract: An example implementation involves a playback device receiving a request to add continuous automated streaming audio content to a playback queue, the request indicating a playback start time, and the playback queue indicating a plurality of audio content. The implementation further involves the playback device adding the continuous automated streaming audio content to the playback queue. The example implementation also involves the playback device determining that a duration until the playback start time is less than a duration of the given audio content before playing a given audio content in the playback queue. The example implementation involves the playback device responsively, playing the continuous automated streaming audio content.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 28, 2017
    Date of Patent: September 10, 2019
    Assignee: Sonos, Inc.
    Inventors: Paul Andrew Bates, Abhishek Kumar
  • Patent number: 10403659
    Abstract: Implementations of image sensors may include a first die including an image sensor array and a first plurality of interconnects where the image sensor array includes a plurality of photodiodes and a plurality of transfer gates. The image sensor array may also include a second die including a second plurality of interconnects and a plurality of capacitors, each capacitor selected from the group consisting of deep trench capacitors, metal-insulator-metal (MIM) capacitors, polysilicon-insulator-polysilicon (PIP) capacitors, and 3D stacked capacitors. The first die may be coupled to the second die through the first plurality of interconnects and through the second plurality of interconnects. No more than eight photodiodes of the plurality of photodiodes of the first die may be electrically coupled with no more than four capacitors of the plurality of capacitors.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 29, 2018
    Date of Patent: September 3, 2019
    Assignee: SEMICONDUCTOR COMPONENTS INDUSTRIES, LLC
    Inventors: Jeffrey Peter Gambino, Angel Rodriguez, David T. Price, Jeffery Allen Neuls, Kenneth Andrew Bates, Rick Mauritzson
  • Publication number: 20190217671
    Abstract: A vehicle wheel monitoring device includes a tire pressure monitoring unit, a tire pressure sensor unit disposed at a wheel of the vehicle and a brake pad wear sensor unit disposed at a wheel of the vehicle. The brake pad wear sensor unit includes a brake pad wear sensor and a wireless transmitter configured to receive the signal emitted from the brake pad wear sensor and wirelessly transmit it to the tire pressure monitoring unit. An energy harvesting device is configured to convert energy derived from an external source into electrical power, and to provide the electrical power to the brake pad wear sensor unit and the transmitter. The brake pad wear sensor unit and the tire pressure sensor unit are monitored by the tire pressure monitoring unit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 8, 2017
    Publication date: July 18, 2019
    Inventors: Andrew Bates, Andreas Kurz, Walter Heinrich, Michael Roelleke, Florin Gruianu, Marian Keck, Matache Rusu
  • Patent number: 10303424
    Abstract: Configuration information and selectable grouping options associated with the plurality of zones is displayed, for example, on a wearable device. Selection of a first selectable grouping option is received and in response a configuration change is transmitted. The configuration change may comprise information indicating a first zone is to join a zone group with a second zone of the plurality of zones. Updated configuration information is received indicating that a media playback system includes the zone group comprising the first zone and the second zone. The updated configuration information is displayed on the wearable device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 22, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 28, 2019
    Assignee: Sonos, Inc.
    Inventors: Paul Andrew Bates, Danielle Storlie
  • Publication number: 20190050481
    Abstract: Embodiments are described herein that provide searches, including a multi-dimensional search, a cross-source search, or both in a media playback system. The search can be initiated by way of a selection of a location on user interface of a controller. The location corresponds to one or more metadata that is used in the search. Results are sorted and displayed. In some embodiments, metadata is used to filter and/or sort the results.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 8, 2018
    Publication date: February 14, 2019
    Inventor: Paul Andrew Bates
  • Publication number: 20190052372
    Abstract: Embodiments are provided for replacing media items in a queue of a playback device. An example implementation involves receiving, at the playback device, first data indicating an addition of a first media item to a queue. The playback device determines that the first media item is no longer accessible to the playback device at a later second time. The playback device initiates a query for a media item similar to the first media item and receives second data indicating that a second media item has replaced the first media item in the queue, the second media item being similar to the first media item. In response, the playback device initiates playback of the second media item on the playback device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 26, 2018
    Publication date: February 14, 2019
    Inventors: Paul Andrew Bates, Steven Beckhardt, Jonathon Reilly
  • Publication number: 20190043903
    Abstract: Implementations of image sensors may include a first die including an image sensor array and a first plurality of interconnects where the image sensor array includes a plurality of photodiodes and a plurality of transfer gates. The image sensor array may also include a second die including a second plurality of interconnects and a plurality of capacitors, each capacitor selected from the group consisting of deep trench capacitors, metal-insulator-metal (MIM) capacitors, polysilicon-insulator-polysilicon (PIP) capacitors, and 3D stacked capacitors. The first die may be coupled to the second die through the first plurality of interconnects and through the second plurality of interconnects. No more than eight photodiodes of the plurality of photodiodes of the first die may be electrically coupled with no more than four capacitors of the plurality of capacitors.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 29, 2018
    Publication date: February 7, 2019
    Applicant: SEMICONDUCTOR COMPONENTS INDUSTRIES, LLC
    Inventors: Jeffrey Peter GAMBINO, Angel RODRIGUEZ, David T. PRICE, Jeffery Allen NEULS, Kenneth Andrew BATES, Rick MAURITZSON
  • Publication number: 20190012069
    Abstract: Example implementations may involve using a prompt to prevent inadvertent control or playback of audio content. When a mobile device receives input data indicating a command to play back audio content on a first playback device, the mobile device determines whether the mobile device is in proximity to the first playback device. If the mobile device determines that the mobile device within a given proximity to the first playback device, the mobile device transmits, via the network interface, one or more commands to instruct the first playback device to play back the audio content. However, if the mobile device determines that the mobile device outside the proximity, the mobile device displays a prompt indicating that the mobile device is the outside the given proximity to the first playback device and a selectable control that, when selected, transmits the one or more commands to play back the audio content.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 20, 2018
    Publication date: January 10, 2019
    Inventor: Paul Andrew Bates
  • Patent number: D879797
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 18, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 31, 2020
    Assignee: Sonos, Inc.
    Inventor: Paul Andrew Bates