Patents by Inventor Gary Fox

Gary Fox 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: 20240094981
    Abstract: A first playback device is configured to (1) determine, based on a group configuration of a synchrony group including the first playback device and a second playback device, that the first playback device, and not the second playback device, is to operate as a group coordinator for the synchrony group, wherein the group coordinator transmits audio content and playback timing information, (2) begin to operate as the group coordinator, (3) while operating as the group coordinator, determine respective battery state variable values for the first and second playback devices, (4) based on the respective battery state variable values, determine that a computing device other than the first playback device is to operate as the group coordinator, and (5) based on the determining, (i) discontinue operating as the group coordinator and (ii) cause the computing device to operate as the group coordinator instead of the first playback device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 23, 2023
    Publication date: March 21, 2024
    Inventors: Hrishikesh Gossain, Gary Fox, Jeff Derderian, Jeffrey Peters
  • Publication number: 20240073635
    Abstract: A playback device comprising a first spectrum radio for communication via a first wireless spectrum and a second spectrum radio for communication via a second wireless spectrum operates in a first mode in which the first spectrum radio is enabled and the second spectrum radio is disabled. While operating in the first mode, the playback device receives a command to join a synchrony group with a display device. Based on the command, the playback device begins to operate in a second mode in which the second spectrum radio is enabled. The playback device receives audio content for playback, wherein the audio content corresponds to video content being displayed at a display device. Using the second spectrum radio, the playback device coordinates with the display device for playing back the audio content in synchrony with the video content.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 6, 2023
    Publication date: February 29, 2024
    Inventors: Jeffrey M. Peters, Gary Fox
  • Patent number: 11812228
    Abstract: Examples are provided for establishing a bonded zone comprising a first playback device comprising a respective first wireless radio and a second playback device comprising a second respective wireless radio. The first and second playback devices may establish a bonded zone comprising at least the first and second playback device. While in the established bonded zone, the first playback device may determine that the first playback device is in the established bonded zone and that the first playback device is not currently playing audio in synchrony with the second playback device. Responsive to determining that the first playback device is not playing audio in synchrony, the first playback device may disable communicating via the first wireless radio of the first playback device and send a message to the second playback device to disable communicating via the first wireless radio of the second playback device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 1, 2021
    Date of Patent: November 7, 2023
    Assignee: Sonos, Inc.
    Inventors: Jeffrey M. Peters, Gary Fox
  • Patent number: 11797266
    Abstract: A first playback device may include at least one battery, a network interface, at least one processor, a non-transitory computer-readable medium, and program instructions stored on the non-transitory computer-readable medium. The program instructions may be executable by the at least one processor such that the first playback device is configured to (i) receive an instruction to operate as a group coordinator of a synchrony group, (ii) determine a value of a battery state variable of the at least one battery, (iii) based on the value of the battery state variable of the at least one battery, select a second playback device from one or more other members of the synchrony group to operate as the group coordinator of the synchrony group, and (iv) cause the second playback device to operate as the group coordinator of the synchrony group.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 21, 2022
    Date of Patent: October 24, 2023
    Assignee: Sonos, Inc.
    Inventors: Hrishikesh Gossain, Gary Fox, Jeff Derderian, Jeffrey Peters
  • Patent number: 11507343
    Abstract: A first playback device may include at least one battery, a network interface, at least one processor, a non-transitory computer-readable medium, and program instructions stored on the non-transitory computer-readable medium. The program instructions may be executable by the at least one processor such that the first playback device is configured to (i) receive an instruction to operate as a group coordinator of a synchrony group, (ii) determine a value of a battery state variable of the at least one battery, (iii) based on the value of the battery state variable of the at least one battery, select a second playback device from one or more other members of the synchrony group to operate as the group coordinator of the synchrony group, and (iv) cause the second playback device to operate as the group coordinator of the synchrony group.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 17, 2021
    Date of Patent: November 22, 2022
    Assignee: Sonos, Inc.
    Inventors: Hrishikesh Gossain, Gary Fox, Jeff Derderian, Jeffrey Peters
  • Publication number: 20210409881
    Abstract: Examples are provided for establishing a bonded zone comprising a first playback device comprising a respective first wireless radio and a second playback device comprising a second respective wireless radio. The first and second playback devices may establish a bonded zone comprising at least the first and second playback device. While in the established bonded zone, the first playback device may determine that the first playback device is in the established bonded zone and that the first playback device is not currently playing audio in synchrony with the second playback device. Responsive to determining that the first playback device is not playing audio in synchrony, the first playback device may disable communicating via the first wireless radio of the first playback device and send a message to the second playback device to disable communicating via the first wireless radio of the second playback device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 1, 2021
    Publication date: December 30, 2021
    Inventors: Jeffrey M. Peters, Gary Fox
  • Publication number: 20210382680
    Abstract: A first playback device may include at least one battery, a network interface, at least one processor, a non-transitory computer-readable medium, and program instructions stored on the non-transitory computer-readable medium. The program instructions may be executable by the at least one processor such that the first playback device is configured to (i) receive an instruction to operate as a group coordinator of a synchrony group, (ii) determine a value of a battery state variable of the at least one battery, (iii) based on the value of the battery state variable of the at least one battery, select a second playback device from one or more other members of the synchrony group to operate as the group coordinator of the synchrony group, and (iv) cause the second playback device to operate as the group coordinator of the synchrony group.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 17, 2021
    Publication date: December 9, 2021
    Inventors: Hrishikesh Gossain, Gary Fox, Jeff Derderian, Jeffrey Peters
  • Patent number: 11057725
    Abstract: Examples are provided for establishing a bonded zone comprising a first playback device comprising a respective first wireless radio and a second playback device comprising a second respective wireless radio. The first and second playback devices may establish a bonded zone comprising at least the first and second playback device. While in the established bonded zone, the first playback device may determine that the first playback device is in the established bonded zone and that the first playback device is not currently playing audio in synchrony with the second playback device. Responsive to determining that the first playback device is not playing audio in synchrony, the first playback device may disable communicating via the first wireless radio of the first playback device and send a message to the second playback device to disable communicating via the first wireless radio of the second playback device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 4, 2020
    Date of Patent: July 6, 2021
    Assignee: Sonos, Inc.
    Inventors: Jeffrey M. Peters, Gary Fox
  • Patent number: 11042352
    Abstract: A first playback device may include at least one battery, a network interface, at least one processor, a non-transitory computer-readable medium, and program instructions stored on the non-transitory computer-readable medium. The program instructions may be executable by the at least one processor such that the first playback device is configured to (i) receive an instruction to operate as a group coordinator of a synchrony group, (ii) determine a value of a battery state variable of the at least one battery, (iii) based on the value of the battery state variable of the at least one battery, select a second playback device from one or more other members of the synchrony group to operate as the group coordinator of the synchrony group, and (iv) cause the second playback device to operate as the group coordinator of the synchrony group.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 14, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 22, 2021
    Assignee: Sonos, Inc.
    Inventors: Hrishikesh Gossain, Gary Fox, Jeff Derderian, Jeffrey Peters
  • Publication number: 20200336849
    Abstract: Examples are provided for establishing a bonded zone comprising a first playback device comprising a respective first wireless radio and a second playback device comprising a second respective wireless radio. The first and second playback devices may establish a bonded zone comprising at least the first and second playback device. While in the established bonded zone, the first playback device may determine that the first playback device is in the established bonded zone and that the first playback device is not currently playing audio in synchrony with the second playback device. Responsive to determining that the first playback device is not playing audio in synchrony, the first playback device may disable communicating via the first wireless radio of the first playback device and send a message to the second playback device to disable communicating via the first wireless radio of the second playback device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 4, 2020
    Publication date: October 22, 2020
    Inventors: Jeffrey M. Peters, Gary Fox
  • Publication number: 20200142666
    Abstract: A first playback device may include at least one battery, a network interface, at least one processor, a non-transitory computer-readable medium, and program instructions stored on the non-transitory computer-readable medium. The program instructions may be executable by the at least one processor such that the first playback device is configured to (i) receive an instruction to operate as a group coordinator of a synchrony group, (ii) determine a value of a battery state variable of the at least one battery, (iii) based on the value of the battery state variable of the at least one battery, select a second playback device from one or more other members of the synchrony group to operate as the group coordinator of the synchrony group, and (iv) cause the second playback device to operate as the group coordinator of the synchrony group.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 14, 2019
    Publication date: May 7, 2020
    Inventors: Hrishikesh Gossain, Gary Fox, Jeff Derderian, Jeffrey Peters
  • Patent number: 10645504
    Abstract: Examples are provided for establishing a bonded zone comprising a first playback device comprising a respective first wireless radio and a second playback device comprising a second respective wireless radio. The first and second playback devices may establish a bonded zone comprising at least the first and second playback device. While in the established bonded zone, the first playback device may determine that the first playback device is in the established bonded zone and that the first playback device is not currently playing audio in synchrony with the second playback device. Responsive to determining that the first playback device is not playing audio in synchrony, the first playback device may disable communicating via the first wireless radio of the first playback device and send a message to the second playback device to disable communicating via the first wireless radio of the second playback device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 6, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 5, 2020
    Assignee: Sonos, Inc.
    Inventors: Jeffrey M. Peters, Gary Fox
  • Publication number: 20190335282
    Abstract: Examples are provided for establishing a bonded zone comprising a first playback device comprising a respective first wireless radio and a second playback device comprising a second respective wireless radio. The first and second playback devices may establish a bonded zone comprising at least the first and second playback device. While in the established bonded zone, the first playback device may determine that the first playback device is in the established bonded zone and that the first playback device is not currently playing audio in synchrony with the second playback device. Responsive to determining that the first playback device is not playing audio in synchrony, the first playback device may disable communicating via the first wireless radio of the first playback device and send a message to the second playback device to disable communicating via the first wireless radio of the second playback device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 6, 2019
    Publication date: October 31, 2019
    Inventors: Jeffrey M. Peters, Gary Fox
  • Patent number: 10445058
    Abstract: A network device is arranged to identify a group coordinator for a group of networked playback devices. The network device may have a network interface configured to communicate with first playback device and a second playback device over a network. A processor may execute instructions to cause the processor to receive a command to cause a group of one or more playback devices to play audio content, wherein the group of one or more playback devices comprises the first playback device. In response to the command, the processor is to determine that the first playback device is battery-powered. The processor is to identify the second playback device to provide audio content data and audio content playback timing information to the group of the one or more playback devices based on the determination that the first playback device is battery-powered.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 29, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 15, 2019
    Assignee: Sonos, Inc.
    Inventors: Hrishikesh Gossain, Gary Fox, Jeff Derderian, Jeffrey Peters
  • Patent number: 10284981
    Abstract: Examples are provided for establishing a bonded zone comprising a first playback device comprising a respective first wireless radio and a second playback device comprising a second respective wireless radio. The first and second playback devices may establish a bonded zone comprising at least the first and second playback device. While in the established bonded zone, the first playback device may determine that the first playback device is in the established bonded zone and that the first playback device is not currently playing audio in synchrony with the second playback device. Responsive to determining that the first playback device is not playing audio in synchrony, the first playback device may disable communicating via the first wireless radio of the first playback device and send a message to the second playback device to disable communicating via the first wireless radio of the second playback device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 15, 2017
    Date of Patent: May 7, 2019
    Assignee: SONOS, INC.
    Inventors: Jeffrey M. Peters, Gary Fox
  • Publication number: 20190073185
    Abstract: A network device is arranged to identify a group coordinator for a group of networked playback devices. The network device may have a network interface configured to communicate with first playback device and a second playback device over a network. A processor may execute instructions to cause the processor to receive a command to cause a group of one or more playback devices to play audio content, wherein the group of one or more playback devices comprises the first playback device. In response to the command, the processor is to determine that the first playback device is battery-powered. The processor is to identify the second playback device to provide audio content data and audio content playback timing information to the group of the one or more playback devices based on the determination that the first playback device is battery-powered.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 29, 2018
    Publication date: March 7, 2019
    Inventors: Hrishikesh Gossain, Gary Fox, Jeff Derderian, Jeffrey Peters
  • Patent number: 10114605
    Abstract: A network device is arranged to identify a group coordinator for a group of networked playback devices. The network device may have a network interface configured to communicate with first playback device and a second playback device over a network. A processor may execute instructions to cause the processor to receive a command to cause a group of one or more playback devices to play audio content, wherein the group of one or more playback devices comprises the first playback device. In response to the command, the processor is to determine that the first playback device is battery-powered. The processor is to identify the second playback device to provide audio content data and audio content playback timing information to the group of the one or more playback devices based on the determination that the first playback device is battery-powered.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 30, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 30, 2018
    Assignee: Sonos, Inc.
    Inventors: Hrishikesh Gossain, Gary Fox, Jeff Derderian, Jeffrey Peters
  • Publication number: 20170289611
    Abstract: Examples are provided for establishing a bonded zone comprising a first playback device comprising a respective first wireless radio and a second playback device comprising a second respective wireless radio. The first and second playback devices may establish a bonded zone comprising at least the first and second playback device. While in the established bonded zone, the first playback device may determine that the first playback device is in the established bonded zone and that the first playback device is not currently playing audio in synchrony with the second playback device. Responsive to determining that the first playback device is not playing audio in synchrony, the first playback device may disable communicating via the first wireless radio of the first playback device and send a message to the second playback device to disable communicating via the first wireless radio of the second playback device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 15, 2017
    Publication date: October 5, 2017
    Inventors: Jeffrey M. Peters, Gary Fox
  • Patent number: 9706319
    Abstract: Embodiments are provided for wireless radio switching in a playback device. An example playback device includes an audio interface to communicate audio information. The example playback device also includes a radio manager to determine, while the playback device is in a bonded zone, that the playback device is not playing audio based on the audio information. The radio manager to also disable communicating via a wireless radio of the playback device when the playback device is not playing audio.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 20, 2015
    Date of Patent: July 11, 2017
    Assignee: Sonos, Inc.
    Inventors: Jeffrey M. Peters, Gary Fox
  • Patent number: D921145
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 29, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 1, 2021
    Inventor: Gary A. Fox