IP Library › Granted Patent US 12,382,125
Granted Patent B2
US 12,382,125 · App. 18/615,546 · Granted Aug 5, 2025

Playback of synthetic media content via multiple devices

Inventors: Nicholas D'Amato (Santa Barbara, CA); Dayn Wilberding (Portland, OR); Aurelio Ramos (Jamaica Plain, MA); Daniel Jones (London, GB); Steven Beckhardt (Boston, MA); Gregory McAllister (London, GB)
Assignee: Sonos, Inc.
H04N21/43076H04N21/436
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,382,125
App. No.
18/615,546
Granted
Aug 5, 2025
Kind
B2
Abstract

Generative media content (e.g., generative audio) can be played back across multiple playback devices concurrently. A coordinator device can receive a multi-channel stream of media content, with at least some channels comprising generative media content. The coordinator device transmits each of the channels to a plurality of playback devices. A first playback device plays back a first subset of the channels according to first playback responsibilities and a second playback device plays back a second subset of the channels according to second playback responsibilities. The first and/or second playback responsibilities can be dynamically modified over time, for example in response to one or more input parameters.

Claims (63)

1. A first playback device comprising:

a network interface;

one or more audio transducers;

one or more processors; and

data storage having instructions stored thereon that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the first playback device to perform operations comprising:

receiving one or more input parameters,

determining that the first playback device and a second playback device are grouped together for synchronous playback,

generating, via one or more generative machine learning models, a first media content stream and a second media content stream differing from the first media content stream, each media content stream comprising synthetic media content generated based on input data that includes at least one of the one or more input parameters, and

causing, via the network interface, the second playback device to play back the second media content stream in substantial synchrony with playback of the first media content stream via the one or more audio transducers.

2. The first playback device of claim 1 , wherein the one or more input parameters comprises one or more of:

physiological sensor data;

networked device sensor data;

environmental data;

playback device capability data;

playback device state; or

user data.

3. The first playback device of claim 1 , the operations further comprising:

providing timing data to the second playback device.

4. The first playback device of claim 3 , wherein the timing data comprises at least one of: clock data or one or more synchronization signals.

5. The first playback device of claim 1 , wherein generating the first media content stream and the second media content stream comprises generating the first media content stream and the second media content stream according to a generative media model, the operations further comprising dynamically modifying the generative media model.

6. The first playback device of claim 5 , wherein the dynamically modifying is responsive to user input via a controller device.

7. The first playback device of claim 1 , wherein generating the first media content stream and the second media content stream comprises:

accessing a library storing pre-existing media segments; and

arranging a selection of the pre-existing media segments from the library for playback based at least in part on the one or more input parameters.

8. The first playback device of claim 1 , wherein the first playback device comprises a first display device and wherein the second playback device comprises a second display device, the operations further comprising:

causing at least one of the first display device or the second display device to display generative visual content accompanying at least one of the first media content stream or the second media content stream.

9. The first playback device of claim 1 , the operations further comprising:

causing, via the network interface, a display device to display generative visual content accompanying at least one of the first media content stream or the second media content stream in substantial synchrony with playback of at least one of the first media content stream or the second media content stream.

10. A method, performed by a first playback device comprising one or more audio transducers, the method comprising:

receiving, at the first playback device, one or more input parameters;

determining that the first playback device and a second playback device are grouped together for synchronous playback;

generating, via one or more generative machine learning models, a first media content stream and a second media content stream differing from the first media content stream, each media content stream comprising synthetic media content generated based on input data that includes at least one of the one or more input parameters; and

causing, via a network interface, the second playback device to play back the second media content stream in substantial synchrony with playback of the first media content stream via the one or more audio transducers.

11. The method of claim 10 , wherein the one or more input parameters comprises one or more of:

physiological sensor data;

networked device sensor data;

environmental data;

playback device capability data;

playback device state; or

user data.

12. The method of claim 10 , further comprising:

providing timing data from the first playback device to the second playback device.

13. The method of claim 12 , wherein the timing data comprises at least one of: clock data or one or more synchronization signals.

14. The method of claim 10 , wherein generating the first media content stream and the second media content stream comprises generating the first media content stream and the second media content stream according to a generative media model.

15. The method of claim 14 , further comprising:

dynamically modifying the generative media model in response to user input via a controller device.

16. The method of claim 10 , wherein generating the first media content stream comprises:

accessing a library storing pre-existing media segments; and

arranging a selection of the pre-existing media segments from the library for playback based at least in part on the one or more input parameters.

17. Tangible, non-transitory, computer-readable media storing instructions that, when executed by one or more processors of a first playback device comprising one or more audio transducers, cause the first playback device to perform operations comprising:

receiving one or more input parameters;

generating, via one or more generative machine learning models, a first media content stream and a second media content stream differing from the first media content stream; and

causing, via a network interface, a second playback device to play back the second media content stream in substantial synchrony with playback of the first media content stream via the one or more audio transducers.

18. The computer-readable media of claim 17 , wherein the one or more input parameters comprises one or more of:

physiological sensor data;

networked device sensor data;

environmental data;

playback device capability data;

playback device state; or

user data.

19. The computer-readable media of claim 17 , the operations further comprising:

providing timing data to the second playback device, wherein the timing data comprises at least one of: clock data or one or more synchronization signals.

20. The computer-readable media of claim 17 , wherein generating the first media content stream and the second media content stream comprises generating the first media content stream and the second media content stream according to a generative media model, the operations further comprising dynamically modifying the generative media model in response to user input via a controller device.

Assignments (2)
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Jan 30, 2026
From: SONOS, INC.
To: JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A., AS ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT
Reel/Frame 074533/0615 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Mar 25, 2024
From: D'AMATO, NICHOLAS; WILBERDING, DAYN; RAMOS, AURELIO; JONES, DANIEL; BECKHARDT, STEVEN; MCALLISTER, GREGORY
To: SONOS, INC.
Reel/Frame 066890/0824 →
Continuity (6)
Continuation 18181727 · Mar 10, 2023
Continuation PCTUS2021072454 · Nov 17, 2021
Continuation In Part 17302690 · May 10, 2021
Provisional Application 63261893 · Sep 30, 2021
Provisional Application 63198866 · Nov 18, 2020
Related Publication 20240298060A1 · Sep 5, 2024
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