• CEPro_logo_blue-new
  • TOPICS
      • News
        • People & Places
        • Product Briefs
      • Projects
      • Events
      • Control
        • Central Vac
        • Energy/Power
        • HVAC/IAQ
        • Interfaces/Devices
        • Lighting
        • Motorized Shades
        • Whole House Systems
      • Audio/Video
        • Audio/Video
        • AV Accessories
        • AV Racks
        • Cabling
        • Displays
        • Furniture
        • Headphones
        • Home Theater
        • Media
        • Mounts/Lifts
        • Multiroom AV
        • Projectors/Screens
        • Speakers/Subwoofers
        • Wireless AV
      • Security
        • Access Control
        • Alarms/Sensors
        • Services/Platforms
        • Surveillance/Cameras
      • Business Support
        • Associations/Buying Groups
        • Cell Phone Boosters
        • Distributors/Reps
        • Operations
        • Recurring Revenue
        • Research
        • Sales/Marketing
        • Software Services
        • Tools/Testers
      • Networking
        • Cellular
        • Devices/Equipment
        • Wireless
        • Wired/Installation
      • Markets
        • Builders
        • Commercial
        • Design
        • Europe
        • Outdoors
        • Resimercial
        • Wellness
      • CE Pro Hub Pages
        • Bose
        • Savant
        • Inside Sound United
  • PRODUCTS
  • RESOURCES
    • Reports/Downloads
    • Buyer’s Guide
    • Webcasts
    • Podcasts
    • Integrator Jobs
    • Digital Edition
    • CE Pro-iQ
  • SUBSCRIBE
    • CEDIA SHOW UPDATES
    • CEPRO PRINT EDITION
    • CEPRO DIGITAL EDITION
    • CEPRO NEWSLETTERS
  • DISCOVER
    • CEDIA Expo
      • September 29 – October 1
        Dallas, TX
      • VISIT SITE
    • KBIS
      • February 8 – 10
        Orlando, FL
      • VISIT SITE
    • Total Tech Summit
      • October 26 – 28
        Orlando, FL
      • VISIT SITE
    • Commercial Integrator
      • VISIT SITE
    • Security Sales
      • VISIT SITE
    • Tech Decisions
      • VISIT SITE
    • Campus Safety
      • VISIT SITE
    • Design Well
      • VISIT SITE
    • KBB Online
      • VISIT SITE
    • AV-iQ
      • VISIT SITE
    • CE Pro-iQ
      • VISIT SITE
  • Search
  • TOPICS
    • News
      • People & Places
      • Product Briefs
    • Projects
    • Events
    • Control
      • Central Vac
      • Energy/Power
      • HVAC/IAQ
      • Interfaces/Devices
      • Lighting
      • Motorized Shades
      • Whole House Systems
    • Audio/Video
      • Audio/Video
      • AV Accessories
      • AV Racks
      • Cabling
      • Displays
      • Furniture
      • Headphones
      • Home Theater
      • Media
      • Mounts/Lifts
      • Multiroom AV
      • Projectors/Screens
      • Speakers/Subwoofers
      • Wireless AV
    • Security
      • Access Control
      • Alarms/Sensors
      • Services/Platforms
      • Surveillance/Cameras
    • Business Support
      • Associations/Buying Groups
      • Cell Phone Boosters
      • Distributors/Reps
      • Operations
      • Recurring Revenue
      • Research
      • Sales/Marketing
      • Software Services
      • Tools/Testers
    • Networking
      • Cellular
      • Devices/Equipment
      • Wireless
      • Wired/Installation
    • Markets
      • Builders
      • Commercial
      • Design
      • Europe
      • Outdoors
      • Resimercial
      • Wellness
    • CE Pro Hub Pages
      • Savant
      • Bose
      • Inside Sound United
  • PRODUCTS
  • RESOURCES
    • Reports/Downloads
    • Buyer’s Guide
    • Webcasts
    • Podcasts
    • Integrator Jobs
    • Digital Edition
    • CE Pro-IQ
  • SUBSCRIBE
    • CEPRO PRINT EDITION
    • CEPRO DIGITAL EDITION
    • CEPRO NEWSLETTERS
    • CEDIA SHOW UPDATES
  • DISCOVER
    • Cedia Expo
      VISIT SITE
    • Commercial Integrator
      VISIT SITE
    • Security Sales
      VISIT SITE
    • Tech Decisions
      VISIT SITE
    • Campus Safety
      VISIT SITE
    • Design Well
      VISIT SITE
    • Total Tech Summit
      VISIT SITE
    • KBB Online
      VISIT SITE
    • AV-iQ
    • CE Pro-iQ
M
POPULAR SEARCHES
News
Projects
Control
Audio Video
Security
Business Support
Markets
SUBSCRIBE CEDIA EXPO CEPro-iQ
Audio/Video | Multiroom AV | News | Speakers/Subwoofers | Wireless AV
January 8, 2020

Sonos Sues Google Over Patents Infringement

Leading wireless multiroom audio company Sonos alleges Google infringed upon five of its 750+ U.S. patents.
Arlen Schweiger  

Sonos states in its lawsuit it has issued warnings of infringement to Google in recent years over patents on its wireless multiroom audio technology.

Article:
Audio/Video | Multiroom AV | News | Speakers/Subwoofers | Wireless AV
January 8, 2020

Sonos Sues Google Over Patents Infringement

Wireless multiroom audio provider Sonos has filed suit against Google, claiming the company infringed on multiple patents.

In case No. 2:20-cv-00169 filed on Jan. 7 in U.S. District Court for the Central District of California, Sonos alleges that Google infringed upon five of the 750+ patents the audio company has been granted since its founding in 2002.

Specifically, the “patents in-suit” Sonos alleges that Google infringed upon are: nos. 8,588,949; 9,195,258; 9,129,959; 10,209,953; and 10,439,896.

As briefly described per the 95-page lawsuit, the patents cover prominent aspects of wireless multiroom audio products and system setup such as “how to set up a playback device on a wireless local area network, how to manage and control groups of playback devices (e.g. how to adjust group volume of playback devices and how to pair playback devices together for stereo sound), and how to synchronize the playback of audio within groups of playback devices.”


View the full lawsuit here:Download

The companies worked together to integrate Google’s Play Music service into Sonos’ platform back in 2013, which is when Google became familiar with Sonos’ patented technology, it notes in the filing.

Cast Your Vote for the 2023 CE Pro Quest for Quality Awards!

CE Pro urges integrators to recognize their suppliers that go above and beyond to deliver premium support and service. Cast your vote today to recognize the services (not the products) from your favorite manufacturers and distributors.

Cast your vote today!

Two years later in 2015 – and a decade after Sonos brought its first products to market – Google came out with its Chromecast Audio wireless multiroom device and since that time, “Google’s misappropriation of Sonos’s patented technology has only proliferated,” Sonos claims.

Sonos says it warned Google about infringement activities back in 2016, yet the company continues to roll out products. Google’s wireless multiroom audio lineup includes products such as the Google Home Mini, Google Home Max, Google Home as well as its Pixel devices that facilitate the technology, Sonos notes.

Previous Patent Infringement Lawsuits

The suit filed against Google is the latest legal action taken by Sonos to protect against infringement of its intellectual property.

The pioneering audio company, which has dominated both the mainstream consumer audio market as well as the custom integration channel (incredibly, last year it ranked no. 1 in the categories of wireless speakers, floorstanding/bookshelf speakers, soundbars, audio amplifiers, media servers, subwoofers and multiroom AV systems among the CE Pro 100 Brand Analysis), has engaged in lawsuits against multibrand audio companies Sound United and Lenbrook in recent years.

A settlement for an undisclosed amount was reached with Sound United in 2018 following a legal process that included Sonos suing over four alleged patent infringements by Sound United company Denon’s HEOS wireless multiroom audio brand dating back to 2014. A jury had ruled against Denon on three of the claims in December 2017 and ordered it to pay Sonos $2 million.

Meanwhile, an ongoing legal matter between Sonos and Lenbrook involves seven patents that Sonos alleges willful infringement upon by the parent company to brands that include Bluesound, NAD Electronics and PSB Speakers plus the BluOS wireless platform and app. Lenbrook offered a pointed response to the suit, for which the parties have a March court date (you can read the full document here).

Multiroom Functionality Added ‘Popular Audio Feature’

“Over the years, we have had numerous ongoing conversations with Sonos about both companies’ IP [intellectual property] rights and we are disappointed that Sonos brought these lawsuits instead of continuing negotiations in good faith,” a Google spokeswoman told Bloomberg Law. “We dispute these claims and will defend them vigorously.”

Sonos notes in its suit that while Google’s original Chromecast Audio launch did not include multiroom functionality, a software update made available soon after added the capability.


Related: Sonos Acquires AI Voice Platform Snips for $37.5M

“Google clearly understood the importance of this popular audio feature,” the lawsuit states, adding that media outlets such as Variety’s coverage of the software update prominently included comparison’s to Sonos.

Among its examples of infringement, Sonos points to language used by Google to tout the multiroom update to Chromecast Audio, in which the company “proclaimed that ‘[n]ow you can easily fill every room in your home – bedroom, kitchen, living room, or wherever you have a Chromecast Audio connected – with synchronous music. Multi-room lets you group Chromecast Audio devices together so you can listen to the same song on multiple speakers …”

It’s something Sonos had offered for a decade through products such as its Play speakers, soundbar and subwoofer.

In a comment to The Verge regarding the lawsuit, Sonos CEO Patrick Spence says: “Google is an important partner with whom we have collaborated successfully for years, including bringing the Google Assistant to the Sonos platform last year. However, Google has been blatantly and knowingly copying our patented technology in creating its audio products. Despite our repeated and extensive efforts over the last few years, Google has not shown any willingness to work with us on a mutually beneficial solution.”

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Follow
Arlen Schweiger:
Arlen Schweiger is executive editor of CE Pro and former managing editor of sister publications Commercial Integrator and Security Sales & Integration. Arlen contributes installation features, business profiles, manufacturer news and product reviews.
View Arlen Schweiger's complete profile

ARTICLE TOPICS

Audio/Video • Multiroom AV • News • Speakers/Subwoofers • Wireless AV

ARTICLE TAGS

Google • Lawsuit • Multi-room Audio • Sonos • Wireless Audio

SHARE

Share On Facebook
Share On Twitter
Share On Linkedin
Share On Whatsapp
Share Via Email
Copy URL
← Previous Article Next Article →
Article Amplifiers/ReceiversAV AccessoriesCablingControlDevices/EquipmentDisplaysEnergy/PowerEventsHome TheaterHVAC/IAQInterfaces/DevicesISELightingMotorized ShadesMultiroom AVNetworkingNewsProductsProjectors/ScreensResimercialSlideshowSpeakers/SubwoofersWhole-House SystemsWireless

2023 Top New Technology (TNT) Awards Announced at ISE

This year’s batch of Top New Technologies (TNT) Awards@ISE honored winners in the Residential segment, unveiled in conjunction with ISE 2023.
Article ControlInterfaces/DevicesNetworkingWhole-House SystemsWireless

Beyond Matter: The Past, Present and Future of Home Standards

Dave Kaufman reflects on the potential standards have to benefit consumers, professionals and the smart home industry at large.
Article Amplifiers/ReceiversAV AccessoriesCablingControlDevices/EquipmentDisplaysEnergy/PowerEventsHome TheaterHVAC/IAQInterfaces/DevicesISELightingMotorized ShadesMultiroom AVNetworkingNewsProductsProjectors/ScreensResimercialSlideshowSpeakers/SubwoofersWhole-House SystemsWireless

2023 Top New Technology (TNT) Awards Announced at ISE

This year’s batch of Top New Technologies (TNT) Awards@ISE honored winners in the Residential segment, unveiled in conjunction with ISE 2023.
Article Amplifiers/ReceiversAudio/VideoDistributors/RepsHome TheaterMediaMultiroom AVProductsSpeakers/SubwoofersWhole-House SystemsWireless AV

I Previewed the New 8K Sony ES Receiver Lineup (and Was Blown Away)

The latest models of Sony's professional grade receiver line offer range, versatility, and most importantly to installers, simplicity.

SHOW NEWSLETTER

Sign Up

CE Pro

Subscribe Sign Up

Content Types

News
Products
Projects
Companies
Downloads
Webcasts
Podcasts
Events

Specials

IntegratorJobs
CEDIA EXPO
CE Pro 100
CE Pro Summit
Awards Programs

Company Info

About
Contact Us
Customer Service
Media Solutions & Advertising

Subscribe

Magazine
Newsletters
Digital Edition

Connect

Twitter
Facebook
LinkedIn
YouTube
RSS Feed

Categories

AUDIO/VIDEO
AV Accessories
AV Racks
Amplifiers/Receivers
Cabling
Displays
Furniture
Mounts/Lifts
Multiroom AV
Projector Screens
Speakers/Subwoofers
Wireless AV
CONTROL
Central Vac
Energy/Power
Interfaces/Devices
HVAC/IAQ
Lighting
Motorized Shades
Whole-House Systems
NETWORKING
Cellular
Devices/Equipment
Wireless
Wiring/Installation
SECURITY
Access Control
Alarms/Sensors
Services/Platforms
Surveillance Cameras
BUSINESS SUPPORT
Associations/Buying Groups
Distributors/Reps
Operations
Recurring Revenue
Research
Sales/Marketing
Software/Services
Tools/Testers
MARKETS
Builders
Commercial
Design
Europe
Outdoors
Wellness
FOLLOW US ON
  • Follow
  • Follow
  • Follow
  • Follow
  • Follow

© 2023 Emerald X, LLC. All Rights Reserved.

  • ABOUT
  • CAREERS
  • TERMS OF USE
  • PRIVACY POLICY

McIntosh Labs

McIntosh Labs