Sonos, Inc. (20240251128). Managing Content Quality and Related Characteristics of a Media Playback System simplified abstract

Managing Content Quality and Related Characteristics of a Media Playback System

Organization Name

Sonos, Inc.

Inventor(s)

Brandon Wright of Santa Barbara CA (US)

Ryan Edward Kitson of Tillamook OR (US)

Won So of Boston MA (US)

Ted Lin of Ayer MA (US)

Jeffrey M. Peters of Cambridge MA (US)

Michael Sheldon of San Francisco CA (US)

Managing Content Quality and Related Characteristics of a Media Playback System - A simplified explanation of the abstract

This abstract first appeared for US patent application 20240251128 titled 'Managing Content Quality and Related Characteristics of a Media Playback System

Simplified Explanation: The patent application describes a system where two playback devices can play audio content in synchrony, with one device switching to a different version of the content if the quality of its connection to a network device is below a certain threshold, and then switching back when the connection quality improves.

Key Features and Innovation:

• Synchronizing playback of audio content between two devices.
• Dynamic switching between different versions of audio content based on connection quality.
• Seamless transition back to the original version when connection quality improves.

Potential Applications: This technology could be used in multi-room audio systems, live event streaming, and online gaming where maintaining synchrony between devices is crucial.

Problems Solved: This technology addresses issues related to maintaining audio synchrony between devices in varying network conditions.

Benefits:

• Improved user experience with seamless audio playback.
• Enhanced reliability in maintaining synchrony between devices.
• Adaptive response to changing network conditions.

Commercial Applications: The technology could be applied in smart home audio systems, virtual concerts, and multiplayer online gaming platforms to ensure a consistent audio experience across multiple devices.

Prior Art: Prior art related to this technology may include research on audio synchronization in networked systems and adaptive streaming technologies.

Frequently Updated Research: Researchers may be exploring advancements in network protocols, audio codecs, and synchronization algorithms to further enhance the performance of this technology.

Questions about the Technology: 1. How does this technology impact the overall user experience in multi-device audio setups? 2. What are the potential challenges in implementing this technology in real-time applications?

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Original Abstract Submitted

an example first playback device is configured to: while the first playback device is in a synchrony group with a second playback device, play back a first version of audio content in synchrony with the second playback device; in response to identifying that a quality of a connection between the second playback device and a network device is below a threshold criterion, cause the second playback device to play back a second version of the audio content in synchrony with the first version of the audio content playing back by the first playback device; and in response to detecting a change in the quality of the connection between the second playback device and the network device such that the quality of the connection meets the threshold criterion, cause the second playback device to play back the first version of the audio content in synchrony with the first playback device.