Assignment history

Inventors

• Nicholas A. J. Millington: Employed by Sonos Inc. at the time of filing, as Sonos Inc. is listed as the original assignee. No unusual patterns of inventors departing the original assignee were observed.

Original assignee

The original assignee on the issued patent is Sonos Inc. Sonos Inc. is an operating company that designs, develops, and manufactures multi-room audio products, and actively ships products embodying the claims. Its primary line of business is consumer electronics, specifically networked audio systems. The company is currently operating.

Assignment timeline

• 2013-04-17 (executed) / recorded 2013-05-09 — Reel 030311/0309

  • Conveyance: ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNORS INTEREST
  • Assignor: MILLINGTON, NICHOLAS A.J.
  • Assignee: RINCON NETWORKS, INC.
  • Correspondent: KNOBBE, MARTENS, OLSON & BEAR, LLP, 2040 MAIN STREET, 14TH FLOOR, IRVINE, CA 92614. This correspondent recurs in this chain.
  • Context: Initial assignment from the inventor to an intermediate holding company, likely related to the formation or early structure of Sonos Inc.

• 2013-05-24 (executed) / recorded 2013-06-05 — Reel 030635/0501

  • Conveyance: ASSIGNMENT OF ASSOR'S INT.
  • Assignor: RINCON NETWORKS, INC.
  • Assignee: SONOS, INC.
  • Correspondent: KNOBBE, MARTENS, OLSON & BEAR LLP, 2040 MAIN ST. 14TH FLOOR, IRVINE, CA 92614. This correspondent recurs in this chain.
  • Context: Transfer of interest from the intermediate entity Rincon Networks, Inc. to Sonos Inc., likely a corporate restructuring or consolidation.

• 2016-04-01 (executed) / recorded 2016-04-07 — Reel 037042/0692

  • Conveyance: SECURITY INTEREST
  • Assignor: SONOS, INC.
  • Assignee: GORDON BROTHERS FINANCE COMPANY
  • Correspondent: KIRKLAND & ELLIS LLP, 601 LEXINGTON AVENUE, NEW YORK, NY 10022. This correspondent recurs in this chain.
  • Context: Grant of a security interest by Sonos Inc. to Gordon Brothers Finance Company, typically for financing.

• 2018-07-25 (executed) / recorded 2018-08-01 — Reel 040188/0628

  • Conveyance: RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST
  • Assignor: GORDON BROTHERS FINANCE COMPANY
  • Assignee: SONOS, INC.
  • Correspondent: KIRKLAND & ELLIS LLP, 601 LEXINGTON AVENUE, NEW YORK, NY 10022. This correspondent recurs in this chain.
  • Context: Release of the security interest held by Gordon Brothers Finance Company, returning full rights to Sonos Inc.

• 2018-08-23 (executed) / recorded 2018-09-06 — Reel 040375/0284

  • Conveyance: SECURITY INTEREST
  • Assignor: SONOS, INC.
  • Assignee: JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A.
  • Correspondent: ARNOLD & PORTER KAYE SCHOLER LLP, 250 WEST 55TH STREET, NEW YORK, NY 10019. This correspondent recurs in this chain.
  • Context: Grant of a security interest by Sonos Inc. to JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A., typically for financing.

• 2021-10-06 (executed) / recorded 2021-10-15 — Reel 043681/0621

  • Conveyance: SECURITY AGREEMENT
  • Assignor: SONOS, INC.
  • Assignee: JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A.
  • Correspondent: ARNOLD & PORTER KAYE SCHOLER LLP, 250 WEST 55TH STREET, NEW YORK, NY 10019. This correspondent recurs in this chain.
  • Context: Grant of another security interest by Sonos Inc. to JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A.

• 2021-10-18 (executed) / recorded 2021-10-18 — Reel 043681/0627

  • Conveyance: RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST
  • Assignor: JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A.
  • Assignee: SONOS, INC.
  • Correspondent: ARNOLD & PORTER KAYE SCHOLER LLP, 250 WEST 55TH STREET, NEW YORK, NY 10019. This correspondent recurs in this chain.
  • Context: Release of the security interest held by JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A., returning full rights to Sonos Inc.

Timeline diagram

timeline
    title Ownership of US 10031715
    2013 : Filed by Sonos Inc
         : Assigned from inventor to Rincon
         : Assigned from Rincon to Sonos
    2016 : Security interest to Gordon Bros
    2018 : Released by Gordon Bros
         : Security interest to JPMorgan
    2021 : Security agreement to JPMorgan
         : Released by JPMorgan

NPE / troll-pattern signals

1. Shell-entity transfer — Unclear. The transfer from inventor Nicholas A. J. Millington to Rincon Networks, Inc. (Reel 030311/0309) and then to Sonos, Inc. (Reel 030635/0501) might suggest an intermediate holding entity. However, Google Patents indicates a "CHANGE OF NAME" for Rincon Networks, Inc. to Sonos, Inc., suggesting it was an internal restructuring or evolution of the operating company rather than a shell for assertion.
2. Known asserter in the chain — Not present. None of the assignees (Rincon Networks, Inc., Sonos Inc., Gordon Brothers Finance Company, JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A.) are known patent assertion entities.
3. Repeat correspondent across the chain — Present.
   • KNOBBE, MARTENS, OLSON & BEAR, LLP appears on Reel 030311/0309 and Reel 030635/0501.
   • KIRKLAND & ELLIS LLP appears on Reel 037042/0692 and Reel 040188/0628.
   • ARNOLD & PORTER KAYE SCHOLER LLP appears on Reel 040375/0284, Reel 043681/0621, and Reel 043681/0627.
     These recurrences are associated with specific types of transactions (e.g., initial corporate setup or financial security interests) and indicate consistent legal counsel rather than a pattern of NPE activity.
4. Cascading transfers — Not present. While there are a few assignments in 2013, they appear to be part of an initial corporate structuring for Sonos Inc. rather than rapid transfers through chained LLCs to facilitate assertion. The subsequent events are security interests.
5. Pre-litigation transfer — Not present. The latest security interest release was recorded on 2021-10-18 (Reel 043681/0627). The IPR was filed on 2025-10-13, which is well outside the 6-month window before litigation. No district court litigation has been explicitly tied to this patent.
6. Bankruptcy fire-sale — Not present. There is no indication that Sonos Inc. has filed for bankruptcy or that the patent was sold as part of bankruptcy proceedings. The finance company assignments are security interests, not outright sales due to distress.
7. Privateering — Unclear. There is no public information in the provided context to suggest privateering, as the patent has remained with the operating company, Sonos Inc., which is actively engaged in litigation against a competitor (Google LLC) related to its audio technology.
8. Defensive aggregator (anti-NPE) — Not present. The patent is currently assigned to Sonos Inc. and is not held by a defensive aggregator.

Verdict

Operating-company assertion
The assignment timeline indicates the patent originated with an inventor and was assigned to Sonos Inc., an operating company that produces products embodying the claims. The subsequent assignments are primarily security interests granted for corporate financing, which were later released, confirming Sonos Inc.'s continued ownership. There are no definitive signals of NPE involvement.

USPTO Assignment Center search for 10031715