[Closi]

> System and method for synchronizing operations among a plurality of independently clocked digital data processing devices - https://patents.google.com/patent/US9195258B2/en

This one in particular seems way too broad. So... they have a patent on the concept of deducting latency from a message to synchronize clocks? (and then sending data with a timestamp for when it will play?)

[laserbeam]

Irrespective of the patent details, this is actually a fun and not at all straightforward hardware project to implement. I had a failed attempt at this in uni, and synchronizing audio across multiple computers (rasps) is a really cool challenge.

[izacus]

But did you pay the rent to Sonos while you were doing that project? It's, after all, their intelectual property now.

[texasbigdata]

You don't know the year he/she went to University.

[boondaburrah]

you do know that raspis were involved, so it can't be before 2012. However, AirFoil/AirPlay existed before that and could do this.

[yccs27]

Interesingly, none of the specific claims referenced in the decision have to do with clock synchronization, they all focus on the act of grouping speakers in some way and controlling them together.

[koolba]

I wonder if they keep their server times in sync with ntp.