Patents by Inventor Ron Kuper
Ron Kuper 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).
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Patent number: 11979622Abstract: Example techniques describe may facilitate a playback device applying a determined audio setting. An example implementation involves a first playback device receiving, over an unsecure network, a message indicating that a second playback device is available to join a playback network, wherein the first playback device is connected to the playback network. Based on a pre-existing configuration table, the first playback device determines an audio setting corresponding to a playback configuration for the second playback device, the playback configuration including the second playback device playing back audio synchronously with the first playback device in the playback network. The first playback device transmits, to the second playback device, one or more messages instructing the second playback device to apply the determined audio setting upon joining the playback network.Type: GrantFiled: December 19, 2022Date of Patent: May 7, 2024Assignee: Sonos, Inc.Inventors: Steven Beckhardt, Andrew Schulert, Ron Kuper, Jonathan Lang
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Publication number: 20240134594Abstract: Embodiments described herein involve providing media item preferences according to a user account of a user providing the preference, rather than a user account providing the media item. When a user indicates a preference for a media item, the preference are associated with that particular user, rather than with another user whose account the media item may have been accessed and played through when the particular user indicated the preference. As a result, a media preference history associated with the account providing the media item will not be disrupted by other users indicating preferences for the media item. Further, users may build on their respective media preference histories even when listening to music provided by someone else.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 9, 2023Publication date: April 25, 2024Inventors: Abhishek Kumar, Ron Kuper
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Publication number: 20240111481Abstract: Techniques are provided for a playback device to play a media item using an audio setting corresponding to the media item and characteristics of the playback device. An example implementation involves a first playback device transmitting, to a first computing device, information indicating one or more characteristics of the first playback device and queue information indicating one or more media items in a playback queue to be played by the first playback device. The example implementation may further involve receiving, from the first computing device, one or more audio settings associated with the one or more media items, the one or more audio settings corresponding to the one or more media items and the one or more characteristics of the first playback device and playing a first media item of the one or more media items according to a first audio setting of the one or more audio settings.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 18, 2023Publication date: April 4, 2024Inventor: Ron Kuper
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Patent number: 11948205Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for providing media content based on playback zone awareness. In one aspect, a computing system receives, via a network interface, zone data from the media playback system, wherein the zone data includes an indication of a particular zone of the media playback system, and wherein the particular zone comprises at least one playback device. The computing system identifies audio content based on (i) the indication of the particular zone and (ii) contextual data associated with the particular zone, and provides, via the network interface, an indication of the identified audio content to the media playback system.Type: GrantFiled: January 13, 2023Date of Patent: April 2, 2024Assignee: Sonos, Inc.Inventors: Kristen Bender, Ron Kuper
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Publication number: 20240103800Abstract: Example techniques may involve tuning a music discovery dial. An implementation may include displaying, on the touch-sensitive circular graphical display, a circular graphical user interface including multiple wedge-shaped selectable regions arranged around the circumference of the circular graphical user interface, each wedge-shaped selectable region corresponding to a respective streaming audio channel. The implementation may include detecting a touch input in a circular motion to the touch-sensitive circular graphical display and causing a paired playback device to play back an audio content snippet corresponding to each selectable regions that the touch input enters. The implementation may further include switching the playback device from playing back a given pre-cached audio content snippet to playing back the full audio track from one or more servers of a streaming audio service.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 26, 2023Publication date: March 28, 2024Inventors: Christopher Alexis Kotelly, Dayn Wilberding, Ron Kuper, Heather Mendonca
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Publication number: 20240064209Abstract: Examples described herein involve switching between two user accounts of a streaming media service. In an example implementation, a playback device stores data representing credentials for multiple user accounts including a first user account of a first streaming audio service and a second user account of the first streaming audio service. The playback device receives instructions to play first audio content from the first streaming audio service and plays back the first audio content by streaming data representing the first audio content from one or more servers of the first streaming audio service using credentials of the first user account. The playback device detects a trigger associated with the first user account of the first streaming audio service and switches from streaming data representing the first audio content using credentials of the first user account to streaming data representing the first audio content using credentials of the second user account.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 21, 2023Publication date: February 22, 2024Inventors: Abhishek Kumar, Ron Kuper, Jason Kendall, Emilio Arce
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Patent number: 11889160Abstract: Embodiments described herein include systems and methods for providing a management interface for controlling multiple households. The management interface may be provided as an application on a mobile device or as an Internet webpage. An example implementation involves a device displaying representations of: a plurality of households; an indication of a selected household; one or more zones within the selected household; and a representation of media being played by a selected zone of the one or more zones. While displaying the representations, the device receives, from a server, data indicating updated information associated with the plurality of households; and, in response, updates the graphical display to display at least an updated representation of media being played by the selected zone.Type: GrantFiled: September 9, 2022Date of Patent: January 30, 2024Assignee: Sonos, Inc.Inventors: Ron Kuper, Arthur L. Coburn, IV, John Meyer, Mike Delaney
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Publication number: 20240015358Abstract: Example techniques relate to a soundbar that provides information associated with a media item. In an example implementation, the soundbar plays back audio associated with the particular media item. The soundbar also sends instructions to cause a mobile device to display graphical representations of first information associated with the particular media item while the soundbar playing back the particular media item. The soundbar further sends a request for second information associated with the particular media item, receives, from a server of a cloud computing service, data representing the requested second information associated with the particular media item, causes a television to display graphical representations of the requested second information associated with the particular media item on a display of the television while the sound-bar playback device is playing back the audio associated with the particular media item.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 10, 2023Publication date: January 11, 2024Inventor: Ron Kuper
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Publication number: 20240015439Abstract: Examples described herein relate to transitioning a playback session between portable playback devices such as “smart” headphones, earbuds, and handheld speakers with playback devices of a zone-based media playback system. Exemplary techniques facilitate continuity of playback when transitioning between locations (e.g., from at home to on-the-go or vice versa) or between listening paradigms (e.g., personal or out-loud playback of audio content). An example implementation includes detecting a swap trigger, determining the source playback device(s) and target playback device(s), and performing a playback session swap between the source playback device(s) and target playback device(s).Type: ApplicationFiled: July 12, 2023Publication date: January 11, 2024Inventors: Dayn Wilberding, Youjin Nam, Tadeo T. Toulis, Jonathan Cole Harris, Patrick Devine, Nicholas A.J. Millington, Jodi Vautrin, Maria-Jose Ramos, Richard Bannon, Michael Sheldon, Ted Lin, Ron Kuper, Kirsten Lewis, Jake Harwood, Jonathan Herbst
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Patent number: 11829682Abstract: Example techniques may involve tuning a music discovery dial. An implementation may include displaying, on the touch-sensitive circular graphical display, a circular graphical user interface including multiple wedge-shaped selectable regions arranged around the circumference of the circular graphical user interface, each wedge-shaped selectable region corresponding to a respective streaming audio channel. The implementation may include detecting a touch input in a circular motion to the touch-sensitive circular graphical display and causing a paired playback device to play back an audio content snippet corresponding to each selectable regions that the touch input enters. The implementation may further include switching the playback device from playing back a given pre-cached audio content snippet to playing back the full audio track from one or more servers of a streaming audio service.Type: GrantFiled: February 21, 2023Date of Patent: November 28, 2023Assignee: Sonos, Inc.Inventors: Christopher Alexis Kotelly, Dayn Wilberding, Ron Kuper, Heather Mendonca
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Publication number: 20230359427Abstract: Examples described herein relate to transitioning a playback session between portable playback devices such as “smart” headphones, earbuds, and handheld speakers with playback devices of a zone-based media playback system. Exemplary techniques facilitate continuity of playback when transitioning between locations (e.g., from at home to on-the-go or vice versa) or between listening paradigms (e.g., personal or out-loud playback of audio content). An example implementation includes detecting a swap trigger, determining the source playback device(s) and target playback device(s), and performing a playback session swap between the source playback device(s) and target playback device(s).Type: ApplicationFiled: November 23, 2021Publication date: November 9, 2023Inventors: Dayn Wilberding, Youjin Nam, Tadeo T. Toulis, Jonathan Cole Harris, Patrick Devine, Nicholas A.J. Millington, Jodi Vautrin, Maria-Jose Ramos, Richard Bannon, Michael Sheldon, Ted Lin, Ron Kuper, Kirsten Lewis, Jake Harwood, Jonathan Herbst, Daniel Jones, Henry Sia
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Patent number: 11803349Abstract: Techniques are provided for a playback device to play a media item using an audio setting corresponding to the media item and characteristics of the playback device. An example implementation involves a first playback device transmitting, to a first computing device, information indicating one or more characteristics of the first playback device and queue information indicating one or more media items in a playback queue to be played by the first playback device. The example implementation may further involve receiving, from the first computing device, one or more audio settings associated with the one or more media items, the one or more audio settings corresponding to the one or more media items and the one or more characteristics of the first playback device and playing a first media item of the one or more media items according to a first audio setting of the one or more audio settings.Type: GrantFiled: August 27, 2018Date of Patent: October 31, 2023Assignee: Sonos, Inc.Inventor: Ron Kuper
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Patent number: 11775163Abstract: Examples involve a control device using a social networking service to facilitate registration of a streaming media service with a media playback system. An example implementation receives (i) data indicating login credentials for a given account of a social networking service, and (ii) input data to configure streaming media services with a media playback system. Based on receiving the input data to configure the media playback system, the implementation queries the social networking service for streaming media services associated with the given account, and in response to the query, receives data indicating a first streaming media service associated with the given account. The implementation configures the media playback system to playback audio content from the first streaming media service that is associated with the given account and causes the media playback system to playback audio content from the first streaming media service.Type: GrantFiled: September 5, 2022Date of Patent: October 3, 2023Assignee: Sonos, Inc.Inventors: Andrej Sarkic, Danielle Storlie, Diane Roberts, Ron Kuper, Dayn Wilberding, Carl Fristrom
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Publication number: 20230308698Abstract: Example techniques describe may facilitate a playback device applying a determined audio setting. An example implementation involves a first playback device receiving, over an unsecure network, a message indicating that a second playback device is available to join a playback network, wherein the first playback device is connected to the playback network. Based on a preexisting configuration table, the first playback device determines an audio setting corresponding to a playback configuration for the second playback device, the playback configuration including the second playback device playing back audio synchronously with the first playback device in the playback network. The first playback device transmits, to the second playback device, one or more messages instructing the second playback device to apply the determined audio setting upon joining the playback network.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 19, 2022Publication date: September 28, 2023Inventors: Steven Beckhardt, Andrew Schulert, Ron Kuper, Jonathan Lang
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Patent number: 11758005Abstract: Examples described herein involve switching between two user accounts of a streaming media service. In an example implementation, a playback device stores data representing credentials for multiple user accounts including a first user account of a first streaming audio service and a second user account of the first streaming audio service. The playback device receives instructions to play first audio content from the first streaming audio service and plays back the first audio content by streaming data representing the first audio content from one or more servers of the first streaming audio service using credentials of the first user account. The playback device detects a trigger associated with the first user account of the first streaming audio service and switches from streaming data representing the first audio content using credentials of the first user account to streaming data representing the first audio content using credentials of the second user account.Type: GrantFiled: December 15, 2022Date of Patent: September 12, 2023Assignee: Sonos, Inc.Inventors: Abhishek Kumar, Ron Kuper, Jason Kendall, Emilio Arce
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Patent number: 11757866Abstract: An example system is configured to (i) receive, from a user device over a WAN, a request for an authorization code corresponding to a media application on the user device, (ii) based on the request transmit, to the user device over the WAN, the authorization code, (iii) receive, from a media playback system over the WAN, an authorization request that includes the authorization code, (iv) determine that the authorization code in the authorization request is valid, (v) based on determining that the authorization code is valid, generate an authorization token, (vi) transmit, to the media playback system over the WAN, the authorization token, (vii) receive, from the media playback system over the WAN, a media request including the authorization token, and (viii) responsive to the media request and a determination that the authorization token is valid, transmit, over the WAN, media content to the media playback system.Type: GrantFiled: January 18, 2023Date of Patent: September 12, 2023Assignee: Sonos, Inc.Inventors: Ron Kuper, Sherwin Liu, Emilio Arce, Arthur L. Coburn, IV
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Publication number: 20230280967Abstract: Example techniques may involve tuning a music discovery dial. An implementation may include displaying, on the touch-sensitive circular graphical display, a circular graphical user interface including multiple wedge-shaped selectable regions arranged around the circumference of the circular graphical user interface, each wedge-shaped selectable region corresponding to a respective streaming audio channel. The implementation may include detecting a touch input in a circular motion to the touch-sensitive circular graphical display and causing a paired playback device to play back an audio content snippet corresponding to each selectable regions that the touch input enters. The implementation may further include switching the playback device from playing back a given pre-cached audio content snippet to playing back the full audio track from one or more servers of a streaming audio service.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 21, 2023Publication date: September 7, 2023Inventors: Christopher Alexis Kotelly, Dayn Wilberding, Ron Kuper, Heather Mendonca
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Patent number: 11740855Abstract: Embodiments described herein involve providing media item preferences according to a user account of a user providing the preference, rather than a user account providing the media item. When a user indicates a preference for a media item, the preference are associated with that particular user, rather than with another user whose account the media item may have been accessed and played through when the particular user indicated the preference. As a result, a media preference history associated with the account providing the media item will not be disrupted by other users indicating preferences for the media item. Further, users may build on their respective media preference histories even when listening to music provided by someone else.Type: GrantFiled: January 27, 2020Date of Patent: August 29, 2023Assignee: Sonos, Inc.Inventors: Abhishek Kumar, Ron Kuper
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Patent number: 11743533Abstract: Example techniques relate to a soundbar that provides information associated with a media item. In an example implementation, the soundbar plays back audio associated with the particular media item. The soundbar also sends instructions to cause a mobile device to display graphical representations of first information associated with the particular media item while the soundbar playing back the particular media item. The soundbar further sends a request for second information associated with the particular media item, receives, from a server of a cloud computing service, data representing the requested second information associated with the particular media item, causes a television to display graphical representations of the requested second information associated with the particular media item on a display of the television while the sound-bar playback device is playing back the audio associated with the particular media item.Type: GrantFiled: October 25, 2021Date of Patent: August 29, 2023Assignee: Sonos, Inc.Inventor: Ron Kuper
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Publication number: 20230260050Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for providing media content based on playback zone awareness. In one aspect, a computing system receives, via a network interface, zone data from the media playback system, wherein the zone data includes an indication of a particular zone of the media playback system, and wherein the particular zone comprises at least one playback device. The computing system identifies audio content based on (i) the indication of the particular zone and (ii) contextual data associated with the particular zone, and provides, via the network interface, an indication of the identified audio content to the media playback system.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 13, 2023Publication date: August 17, 2023Inventors: Kristen Bender, Ron Kuper