Patents by Inventor Paul Kafadar

Paul Kafadar 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: 11681281
    Abstract: Examples described herein involve a playback device performing one or more playback device actions based on locations of one or more physical contacts on an external surface of the playback device. A processor of the playback device may receive from an array of proximity sensors underlying an external surface of the playback device, location data indicating a physical contact at a location on the external surface. Based on at least the location, the processor may identify a playback device action from a plurality of playback device actions, and cause at least the playback device to perform the identified playback device action. The playback device may further include at least one orientation sensor from which the processor may also receive orientation data indicating an orientation of the playback device. The processor may identify the playback device action also based on the orientation of the playback device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2020
    Date of Patent: June 20, 2023
    Assignee: Sonos, Inc.
    Inventors: Neil Griffiths, Chris Bierbower, Matt Nelson, Paul Kafadar
  • Publication number: 20220124399
    Abstract: Examples provided herein are directed to social-media playback queues. In one example, a computing system may be configured to (i) receive an identifier of a media playback system, (ii) link the identifier with a social-media account, (iii) based at least on linking the identifier with the social-media account, generate a social-media playback queue that is fillable with one or more media items playable by the media playback system, (iv) establish access permissions to the social-media playback queue, where the access permissions indicate at least one additional social media account that (a) is within a social-media network of the social-media account, and (b) has access to the social-media playback queue, (v) receive, from a computing device affiliated with the at least one additional social-media account, an indication of a media item to be added to the social-media playback queue, and (vi) add the media item to the social-media playback queue.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 27, 2021
    Publication date: April 21, 2022
    Inventors: Keith Corbin, Paul Kafadar, Abhishek Kumar, Ron Kuper, Gregory Paul Ramsperger, Andrej Sarkic
  • Patent number: 11134291
    Abstract: Examples provided herein are directed to social-media playback queues. In one example, a computing system may be configured to (i) receive an identifier of a media playback system, (ii) link the identifier with a social-media account, (iii) based at least on linking the identifier with the social-media account, generate a social-media playback queue that is Tillable with one or more media items playable by the media playback system, (iv) establish access permissions to the social-media playback queue, where the access permissions indicate at least one additional social media account that (a) is within a social-media network of the social-media account, and (b) has access to the social-media playback queue, (v) receive, from a computing device affiliated with the at least one additional social-media account, an indication of a media item to be added to the social-media playback queue, and (vi) add the media item to the social-media playback queue.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 15, 2017
    Date of Patent: September 28, 2021
    Assignee: Sonos, Inc.
    Inventors: Keith Corbin, Paul Kafadar, Abhishek Kumar, Ron Kuper, Gregory Paul Ramsperger, Andrej Sarkic
  • Publication number: 20210181729
    Abstract: Examples described herein involve a playback device performing one or more playback device actions based on locations of one or more physical contacts on an external surface of the playback device. A processor of the playback device may receive from an array of proximity sensors underlying an external surface of the playback device, location data indicating a physical contact at a location on the external surface. Based on at least the location, the processor may identify a playback device action from a plurality of playback device actions, and cause at least the playback device to perform the identified playback device action. The playback device may further include at least one orientation sensor from which the processor may also receive orientation data indicating an orientation of the playback device. The processor may identify the playback device action also based on the orientation of the playback device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 21, 2020
    Publication date: June 17, 2021
    Applicant: Sonos, Inc.
    Inventors: Neil Griffiths, Chris Bierbower, Matt Nelson, Paul Kafadar
  • Patent number: 10877469
    Abstract: Examples described herein involve a playback device performing one or more playback device actions based on locations of one or more physical contacts on an external surface of the playback device. A processor of the playback device may receive from an array of proximity sensors underlying an external surface of the playback device, location data indicating a physical contact at a location on the external surface. Based on at least the location, the processor may identify a playback device action from a plurality of playback device actions, and cause at least the playback device to perform the identified playback device action. The playback device may further include at least one orientation sensor from which the processor may also receive orientation data indicating an orientation of the playback device. The processor may identify the playback device action also based on the orientation of the playback device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 10, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 29, 2020
    Assignee: Sonos, Inc.
    Inventors: Neil Griffiths, Chris Bierbower, Matt Nelson, Paul Kafadar
  • Publication number: 20190332099
    Abstract: Examples described herein involve a playback device performing one or more playback device actions based on locations of one or more physical contacts on an external surface of the playback device. A processor of the playback device may receive from an array of proximity sensors underlying an external surface of the playback device, location data indicating a physical contact at a location on the external surface. Based on at least the location, the processor may identify a playback device action from a plurality of playback device actions, and cause at least the playback device to perform the identified playback device action. The playback device may further include at least one orientation sensor from which the processor may also receive orientation data indicating an orientation of the playback device. The processor may identify the playback device action also based on the orientation of the playback device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 10, 2019
    Publication date: October 31, 2019
    Applicant: Sonos, Inc.
    Inventors: Neil Griffiths, Chris Bierbower, Matt Nelson, Paul Kafadar
  • Patent number: 10386830
    Abstract: Examples described herein involve a playback device having capacitive sensors. In an example implementation, an enclosure of a playback device includes: a first external surface comprising a speaker grille; a second external surface substantially orthogonal to the first external surface; and an array of capacitive sensors underlying the second external surface of the playback device. The array of capacitive sensors includes a first subset of capacitive sensors underlying a first region of the second external surface, a second subset of capacitive sensors underlying a second region of the second external surface, and a third subset of capacitive sensors underlying a third region of the second external surface. The enclosure and sensors may be arranged such that a particular side of the first region is adjacent to a first side of the second region, a particular side of the third region is adjacent to a second side of the second region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 2, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 20, 2019
    Assignee: Sonos, Inc.
    Inventors: Neil Griffiths, Chris Bierbower, Matt Nelson, Paul Kafadar
  • Patent number: 10241504
    Abstract: Examples described herein involve a playback device with an enclosure including a first external surface where out-ward facing speakers of the playback device are positioned and a second external surface substantially orthogonal to the first external surface, an array of proximity sensors underlying the second external surface of the playback device; and an orientation sensor. The playback device receives data user input, the user input comprising a first physical contact at a first location on the array of proximity sensors followed by a second physical contact at a second location on the array of proximity sensors; and in response to receiving the data, causes a playback volume of the playback device to change. The playback volume increases if the orientation sensor indicates that the enclosure is in a first orientation and decrease if the orientation sensor indicates that the enclosure is in a second orientation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 21, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 26, 2019
    Assignee: Sonos, Inc.
    Inventors: Neil Griffiths, Chris Bierbower, Matt Nelson, Paul Kafadar
  • Publication number: 20180210433
    Abstract: Examples described herein involve a playback device with an enclosure including a first external surface where out-ward facing speakers of the playback device are positioned and a second external surface substantially orthogonal to the first external surface, an array of proximity sensors underlying the second external surface of the playback device; and an orientation sensor. The playback device receives data user input, the user input comprising a first physical contact at a first location on the array of proximity sensors followed by a second physical contact at a second location on the array of proximity sensors; and in response to receiving the data, causes a playback volume of the playback device to change. The playback volume increases if the orientation sensor indicates that the enclosure is in a first orientation and decrease if the orientation sensor indicates that the enclosure is in a second orientation.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 21, 2018
    Publication date: July 26, 2018
    Inventors: Neil Griffiths, Chris Bierbower, Matt Nelson, Paul Kafadar
  • Publication number: 20170269579
    Abstract: Examples described herein involve a playback device having capacitive sensors. In an example implementation, an enclosure of a playback device includes: a first external surface comprising a speaker grille; a second external surface substantially orthogonal to the first external surface; and an array of capacitive sensors underlying the second external surface of the playback device. The array of capacitive sensors includes a first subset of capacitive sensors underlying a first region of the second external surface, a second subset of capacitive sensors underlying a second region of the second external surface, and a third subset of capacitive sensors underlying a third region of the second external surface. The enclosure and sensors may be arranged such that a particular side of the first region is adjacent to a first side of the second region, a particular side of the third region is adjacent to a second side of the second region.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 2, 2017
    Publication date: September 21, 2017
    Inventors: Neil Griffiths, Chris Bierbower, Matt Nelson, Paul Kafadar
  • Publication number: 20170251237
    Abstract: Examples provided herein are directed to social-media playback queues. In one example, a computing system may be configured to (i) receive an identifier of a media playback system, (ii) link the identifier with a social-media account, (iii) based at least on linking the identifier with the social-media account, generate a social-media playback queue that is Tillable with one or more media items playable by the media playback system, (iv) establish access permissions to the social-media playback queue, where the access permissions indicate at least one additional social media account that (a) is within a social-media network of the social-media account, and (b) has access to the social-media playback queue, (v) receive, from a computing device affiliated with the at least one additional social-media account, an indication of a media item to be added to the social-media playback queue, and (vi) add the media item to the social-media playback queue.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 15, 2017
    Publication date: August 31, 2017
    Inventors: Keith Corbin, Paul Kafadar, Abhishek Kumar, Ron Kuper, Gregory Paul Ramsperger, Andrej Sarkic
  • Patent number: 9690540
    Abstract: Examples provided herein are directed to social-media playback queues. In one example, a computing system may be configured to (i) receive an identifier of a media playback system, (ii) link the identifier with a social-media account, (iii) based at least on linking the identifier with the social-media account, generate a social-media playback queue that is fillable with one or more media items playable by the media playback system, (iv) establish access permissions to the social-media playback queue, where the access permissions indicate at least one additional social media account that (a) is within a social-media network of the social-media account, and (b) has access to the social-media playback queue, (v) receive, from a computing device affiliated with the at least one additional social-media account, an indication of a media item to be added to the social-media playback queue, and (vi) add the media item to the social-media playback queue.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 24, 2014
    Date of Patent: June 27, 2017
    Assignee: Sonos, Inc.
    Inventors: Keith Corbin, Paul Kafadar, Abhishek Kumar, Ron Kuper, Gregory Paul Ramsperger, Andrej Sarkic
  • Patent number: 9671780
    Abstract: Examples described herein involve a playback device performing one or more playback device actions based on locations of one or more physical contacts on an external surface of the playback device. A processor of the playback device may receive from an array of proximity sensors underlying an external surface of the playback device, location data indicating a physical contact at a location on the external surface. Based on at least the location, the processor may identify a playback device action from a plurality of playback device actions, and cause at least the playback device to perform the identified playback device action. The playback device may further include at least one orientation sensor from which the processor may also receive orientation data indicating an orientation of the playback device. The processor may identify identify the playback device action also based on the orientation of the playback device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 29, 2014
    Date of Patent: June 6, 2017
    Assignee: Sonos, Inc.
    Inventors: Neil Griffiths, Chris Bierbower, Matt Nelson, Paul Kafadar
  • Publication number: 20160085499
    Abstract: Examples provided herein are directed to social-media playback queues. In one example, a computing system may be configured to (i) receive an identifier of a media playback system, (ii) link the identifier with a social-media account, (iii) based at least on linking the identifier with the social-media account, generate a social-media playback queue that is fillable with one or more media items playable by the media playback system, (iv) establish access permissions to the social-media playback queue, where the access permissions indicate at least one additional social media account that (a) is within a social-media network of the social-media account, and (b) has access to the social-media playback queue, (v) receive, from a computing device affiliated with the at least one additional social-media account, an indication of a media item to be added to the social-media playback queue, and (vi) add the media item to the social-media playback queue.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 24, 2014
    Publication date: March 24, 2016
    Inventors: Keith Corbin, Paul Kafadar, Abhishek Kumar, Ron Kuper, Gregory Paul Ramsperger, Andrej Sarkic
  • Publication number: 20160011590
    Abstract: Examples described herein involve a playback device performing one or more playback device actions based on locations of one or more physical contacts on an external surface of the playback device. A processor of the playback device may receive from an array of proximity sensors underlying an external surface of the playback device, location data indicating a physical contact at a location on the external surface. Based on at least the location, the processor may identify a playback device action from a plurality of playback device actions, and cause at least the playback device to perform the identified playback device action. The playback device may further include at least one orientation sensor from which the processor may also receive orientation data indicating an orientation of the playback device. The processor may identify identify the playback device action also based on the orientation of the playback device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 29, 2014
    Publication date: January 14, 2016
    Inventors: Neil Griffiths, Chris Bierbower, Matt Nelson, Paul Kafadar