Patents by Inventor Derek W. Erdmann

Derek W. Erdmann 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).

  • Distributing Audio Content in a Media Playback System
    Publication number: 20260075282
    Abstract: A first playback device is configured to obtain audio content from a cloud-based media service, the audio content encrypted according to a first encryption scheme. The first playback device is configured to communicate with a cloud-based license service to obtain information for decrypting the audio content and use the obtained information to decrypt the audio content. The first playback device is also configured to re-encrypt the decrypted audio content in accordance with a second encryption scheme and transmit the re-encrypted audio content to at least a second playback device that is grouped with the first playback device for synchronous audio playback. The first playback device is also configured to play back the audio content in synchrony with playback of the audio content by the second playback device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 14, 2025
    Publication date: March 12, 2026
    Inventors: Won So, Ted Lin, Derek W. Erdmann
  • Intelligent setup for playback devices
    Patent number: 12549945
    Abstract: A playback device is configured to (i) transmit, via at least one wireless network interface and indication that the playback device is available for setup, (ii) establish a direct communication path with a computing device configured to operate on a secure wireless network, (iii) provide, outside the direct communication path, authentication information to the computing device, (iv) verify, via the direct communication path, the authentication information with the computing device, (v) after verifying the authentication information via the direct communication path, receive, from the computing device over the direct communication path, network configuration parameters for connecting to the secure wireless network, (vi) use the network configuration parameters to connect to the secure wireless network, and (vii) transition from communicating with the computing device over the direct communication path to communicating with the computing device over the secure wireless network.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 24, 2021
    Date of Patent: February 10, 2026
    Assignee: Sonos, Inc.
    Inventors: Jennifer McDevitt, James Babu, Patrick Celentano, Kyle Hutchings, Pratik Bhangale, Michael Agerbak, Daniel Valente, William Shoesmith, Derek W. Erdmann, Conor Walsh, Nikolai Kutateli, Carl Fristrom, Youngjoo Park
  • Audio encryption in a media playback system
    Patent number: 12279008
    Abstract: A first playback device is configured to obtain audio content from a cloud-based media service, the audio content encrypted according to a first encryption scheme. The first playback device is configured to communicate with a cloud-based license service to obtain information for decrypting the audio content and use the obtained information to decrypt the audio content. The first playback device is also configured to re-encrypt the decrypted audio content in accordance with a second encryption scheme and transmit the re-encrypted audio content to at least a second playback device that is grouped with the first playback device for synchronous audio playback. The first playback device is also configured to play back the audio content in synchrony with playback of the audio content by the second playback device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 10, 2022
    Date of Patent: April 15, 2025
    Assignee: Sonos, Inc.
    Inventors: Won So, Ted Lin, Derek W. Erdmann
  • Audio Encryption in a Media Playback System
    Publication number: 20220358187
    Abstract: A first playback device is configured to obtain audio content from a cloud-based media service, the audio content encrypted according to a first encryption scheme. The first playback device is configured to communicate with a cloud-based license service to obtain information for decrypting the audio content and use the obtained information to decrypt the audio content. The first playback device is also configured to re-encrypt the decrypted audio content in accordance with a second encryption scheme and transmit the re-encrypted audio content to at least a second playback device that is grouped with the first playback device for synchronous audio playback. The first playback device is also configured to play back the audio content in synchrony with playback of the audio content by the second playback device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 10, 2022
    Publication date: November 10, 2022
    Inventors: Won So, Ted Lin, Derek W. Erdmann
  • Intelligent Setup for Playback Devices
    Publication number: 20220104015
    Abstract: A playback device is configured to (i) transmit, via at least one wireless network interface and indication that the playback device is available for setup, (ii) establish a direct communication path with a computing device configured to operate on a secure wireless network, (iii) provide, outside the direct communication path, authentication information to the computing device, (iv) verify, via the direct communication path, the authentication information with the computing device, (v) after verifying the authentication information via the direct communication path, receive, from the computing device over the direct communication path, network configuration parameters for connecting to the secure wireless network, (vi) use the network configuration parameters to connect to the secure wireless network, and (vii) transition from communicating with the computing device over the direct communication path to communicating with the computing device over the secure wireless network.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 24, 2021
    Publication date: March 31, 2022
    Inventors: Jennifer McDevitt, James Babu, Patrick Celentano, Kyle Hutchings, Pratik Bhangale, Michael Agerbak, Daniel Valente, William Shoesmith, Derek W. Erdmann, Conor Walsh, Nikolai Kutateli, Carl Fristrom, Youngjoo Park