Patents by Inventor Paul E. Sandin
Paul E. Sandin has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).
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Patent number: 8671507Abstract: A floor cleaning robot includes a housing having an underside, a substantially semi-circular front portion, and a substantially semi-circular rear portion. A displaceable bumper of a substantially semi-circular leading edge is located along a front portion of the housing. A leading wheel is mounted on the underside of the housing located adjacent to a mid-point of the semi-circular leading edge, and a battery pack cover is positioned rearwardly of the leading wheel and covers a battery pack that supplies power to the robot. At least two drive wheels are positioned rearwardly of the leading wheel, and at least one main brush is positioned rearwardly of the at least two drive wheels and is configured to rotate about an axis substantially parallel to the underside.Type: GrantFiled: June 28, 2010Date of Patent: March 18, 2014Assignee: iRobot CorporationInventors: Joseph L. Jones, Newton E. Mack, David M. Nugent, Paul E. Sandin
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Patent number: 8676425Abstract: A system is provided for processing container-grown plants positioned in a given area. The system includes a processing station positioned in the area for processing the container-grown plants. It also includes one or more autonomous mobile container handling robots configured to: (i) travel to a source location in the area and pick up a container-grown plant, (ii) transport the container-grown plant to the processing station where a process is performed on the container-grown plant, (iii) transport the container-grown plant from the processing station to a destination location in the area, (iv) deposit the container-grown plant at the destination location, and (v) repeat (i) through (iv) for a set of container-grown plants in the source location.Type: GrantFiled: November 2, 2011Date of Patent: March 18, 2014Assignee: Harvest Automation, Inc.Inventors: Joseph L. Jones, Clara Vu, Paul E. Sandin, Charles M. Grinnell
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Patent number: 8656550Abstract: A floor-cleaning robot includes a wheeled housing having a perimeter, a motor drive operably connected to wheels of the housing to move the robot across a floor surface, and a bumper responsive to obstacles encountered by the robot. A controller is in electrical communication with both the bumper and the motor drive and is configured to control the motor drive to maneuver the robot to avoid detected obstacles across the floor surface during a floor-cleaning operation. A driven cleaning brush, rotatable about an axis substantially parallel to an underside of the housing, is disposed substantially across a central region of the underside and is positioned to brush the floor surface as the robot is moved across the floor surface. Additionally, a driven side brush extending beyond the perimeter is positioned to brush floor surface debris from beyond the perimeter toward a projected path of the driven cleaning brush.Type: GrantFiled: June 28, 2010Date of Patent: February 25, 2014Assignee: iRobot CorporationInventors: Joseph L. Jones, Newton E. Mack, David M. Nugent, Paul E. Sandin
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Publication number: 20140026354Abstract: A coverage robot including a chassis, multiple drive wheel assemblies disposed on the chassis, and a cleaning assembly carried by the chassis. Each drive wheel assembly including a drive wheel assembly housing, a wheel rotatably coupled to the housing, and a wheel drive motor carried by the drive wheel assembly housing and operable to drive the wheel. The cleaning assembly including a cleaning assembly housing, a cleaning head rotatably coupled to the cleaning assembly housing, and a cleaning drive motor carried by cleaning assembly housing and operable to drive the cleaning head. The wheel assemblies and the cleaning assembly are each separately and independently removable from respective receptacles of the chassis as complete units.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 25, 2013Publication date: January 30, 2014Inventors: Chikyung Won, Paul E. Sandin, Scott Thomas Burnett, Deepak Ramesh Kapoor, Stephen A. Hickey, Robert Rizzari, Zivthan A. Dubrovsky, Selma Svendsen
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Patent number: 8634960Abstract: A robot lawnmower includes a body and a drive system carried by the body and configured to maneuver the robot across a lawn. The robot also includes a grass cutter and a swath edge detector, both carried by the body. The swath edge detector is configured to detect a swath edge between cut and uncut grass while the drive system maneuvers the robot across the lawn while following a detected swath edge. The swath edge detector includes a calibrator that monitors uncut grass for calibration of the swath edge detector. In some examples, the calibrator comprises a second swath edge detector.Type: GrantFiled: March 19, 2007Date of Patent: January 21, 2014Assignee: iRobot CorporationInventors: Paul E. Sandin, Joseph L. Jones, Daniel N. Ozick, David A. Cohen, David M. Lewis, Jr., Clara Vu, Zivthan A. Dubrovsky, Joshua B. Preneta, Jeffrey W. Mammen, Duane L. Gilbert, Jr., Tony L. Campbell, John Bergman
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Patent number: 8606401Abstract: A navigation beacon controls movement of a mobile robot in first and second areas. The navigation beacon includes a portable housing, a power source, and an emitter. The emitter is operable to emit a gateway marking emission when the robot is within a field of detection that extends between the areas. The gateway marking emission is detectable by the robot and prevents the robot from moving from one of the areas, through the field of detection, to the other of the areas. A switch is operable to switch the navigation beacon to be in an OFF mode in which the gateway beacon emitter is in an OFF state, a confinement mode in which the gateway beacon emitter is in an ON state, and a navigation mode in which the gateway beacon emitter is in the ON state and automatically switches to the OFF state in response to a predetermined condition.Type: GrantFiled: July 1, 2010Date of Patent: December 10, 2013Assignee: iRobot CorporationInventors: Daniel N. Ozick, Andrea M. Okerholm, Jeffrey W. Mammen, Michael J. Halloran, Paul E. Sandin, Chikyung Won
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Patent number: 8584307Abstract: A coverage robot including a chassis, multiple drive wheel assemblies disposed on the chassis, and a cleaning assembly carried by the chassis. Each drive wheel assembly including a drive wheel assembly housing, a wheel rotatably coupled to the housing, and a wheel drive motor carried by the drive wheel assembly housing and operable to drive the wheel. The cleaning assembly including a cleaning assembly housing, a cleaning head rotatably coupled to the cleaning assembly housing, and a cleaning drive motor carried by cleaning assembly housing and operable to drive the cleaning head. The wheel assemblies and the cleaning assembly are each separately and independently removable from respective receptacles of the chassis as complete units.Type: GrantFiled: December 8, 2011Date of Patent: November 19, 2013Assignee: iRobot CorporationInventors: Chikyung Won, Selma Svendsen, Paul E. Sandin, Scott Thomas Burnett, Deepak Ramesh Kapoor, Stephen A. Hickey, Robert Rizzari, Zivthan A. C. Dubrovsky
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Patent number: 8584305Abstract: A coverage robot including a chassis, multiple drive wheel assemblies disposed on the chassis, and a cleaning assembly carried by the chassis. Each drive wheel assembly including a drive wheel assembly housing, a wheel rotatably coupled to the housing, and a wheel drive motor carried by the drive wheel assembly housing and operable to drive the wheel. The cleaning assembly including a cleaning assembly housing, a cleaning head rotatably coupled to the cleaning assembly housing, and a cleaning drive motor carried by cleaning assembly housing and operable to drive the cleaning head. The wheel assemblies and the cleaning assembly are each separately and independently removable from respective receptacles of the chassis as complete units.Type: GrantFiled: December 4, 2006Date of Patent: November 19, 2013Assignee: iRobot CorporationInventors: Chikyung Won, Selma Svendsen, Paul E. Sandin, Scott Thomas Burnett, Deepak Ramesh Kapoor, Stephen A. Hickey, Robert Rizzari, Zivthan A. C. Dubrovsky
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Publication number: 20130253701Abstract: A power-saving robot system includes at least one peripheral device and a mobile robot. The peripheral device includes a controller having an active mode and a hibernation mode, and a wireless communication component capable of activation in the hibernation mode. A controller of the robot has an activating routine that communicates with and temporarily activates the peripheral device, via wireless communication, from the hibernation mode. In another aspect, a robot system includes a network data bridge and a mobile robot. The network data bridge includes a broadband network interface, a wireless command interface, and a data bridge component. The data bridge component extracts serial commands received via the broadband network interface from an internet protocol, applies a command protocol thereto, and broadcasts the serial commands via the wireless interface. The mobile robot includes a wireless command communication component that receives the serial commands transmitted from the network data bridge.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 14, 2013Publication date: September 26, 2013Applicant: iRobot CorporationInventors: Michael J. Halloran, Jeffrey W. Mammen, Tony L. Campbell, Jason S. Walker, Paul E. Sandin, John N. Billington, JR., Daniel N. Ozick
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Patent number: 8516651Abstract: An autonomous floor-cleaning robot comprising a housing infrastructure including a chassis, a power subsystem; for providing the energy to power the autonomous floor-cleaning robot, a motive subsystem operative to propel the autonomous floor-cleaning robot for cleaning operations, a command and control subsystem operative to control the autonomous floor-cleaning robot to effect cleaning operations, and a self-adjusting cleaning head subsystem that includes a deck mounted in pivotal combination with the chassis, a brush assembly mounted in combination with the deck and powered by the motive subsystem to sweep up particulates during cleaning operations, a vacuum assembly disposed in combination with the deck and powered by the motive subsystem to ingest particulates during cleaning operations, and a deck adjusting subassembly mounted in combination with the motive subsystem for the brush assembly, the deck, and the chassis that is automatically operative in response to an increase in brush torque in said brushType: GrantFiled: December 17, 2010Date of Patent: August 27, 2013Assignee: iRobot CorporationInventors: Joseph L. Jones, Newton E. Mack, David M. Nugent, Paul E. Sandin
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Publication number: 20130174371Abstract: A floor cleaning robot comprises a housing, wheels, and a motor driving the wheels to move the robot across a floor, a control module disposed within the housing and directing movement of the robot across the floor, a sensor for detecting and communicating obstacle information to the control module so that the control module can cause the robot to react to the obstacle, a removable bin disposed at least partially within the housing and receiving particulates, a first rotating member directing particulates toward the bin, and a second rotating member cooperating with the first rotating member to direct particulates toward the bin. The removable bin receives particulates directed thereto by the first and second rotating members and the particulates pass from the first rotating member to the removable bin without passing through a filter.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 14, 2012Publication date: July 11, 2013Applicant: IRobot CorporationInventors: Joseph L. Jones, Newton E. Mack, David M. Nugent, Paul E. Sandin
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Patent number: 8474090Abstract: A floor cleaning robot comprises a housing, wheels, and a motor driving the wheels to move the robot across a floor, a control module disposed within the housing and directing movement of the robot across the floor, a sensor for detecting and communicating obstacle information to the control module so that the control module can cause the robot to react to the obstacle, a removable bin disposed at least partially within the housing and receiving particulates, a first rotating member directing particulates toward the bin, and a second rotating member cooperating with the first rotating member to direct particulates toward the bin. The removable bin receives particulates directed thereto by the first and second rotating members and the particulates pass from the first rotating member to the removable bin without passing through a filter.Type: GrantFiled: August 29, 2008Date of Patent: July 2, 2013Assignee: iRobot CorporationInventors: Joseph L. Jones, Newton E. Mack, David M. Nugent, Paul E. Sandin
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Publication number: 20130110341Abstract: A system is provided for processing container-grown plants positioned in a given area. The system includes a processing station positioned in the area for processing the container-grown plants. It also includes one or more autonomous mobile container handling robots configured to: (i) travel to a source location in the area and pick up a container-grown plant, (ii) transport the container-grown plant to the processing station where a process is performed on the container-grown plant, (iii) transport the container-grown plant from the processing station to a destination location in the area, (iv) deposit the container-grown plant at the destination location, and (v) repeat (i) through (iv) for a set of container-grown plants in the source location.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 2, 2011Publication date: May 2, 2013Applicant: Harvest Automation, Inc.Inventors: Joseph L. Jones, Clara Vu, Paul E. Sandin, Charles M. Grinnell
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Publication number: 20130110281Abstract: An automated system for transporting items between variable endpoints includes a guidance system for identifying the endpoints and at least one autonomous mobile robot interacting with the guidance system for automatically moving items between the endpoints. The at least one robot is configured to (a) collect an item to be transported at a source end point, (b) travel to a destination endpoint utilizing the guidance system to locate the destination endpoint, (c) deliver the item to the destination endpoint, and (d) repeat (a) through (c) for a given set of items. The guidance system is dynamically reconfigurable to identify new endpoints.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 31, 2011Publication date: May 2, 2013Applicant: Harvest Automation, Inc.Inventors: Joseph L. Jones, Clara Vu, Paul E. Sandin, Charles M. Grinnell
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Patent number: 8380350Abstract: An autonomous mobile robot system for bounded areas including a navigation beacon and an autonomous coverage robot. The navigation beacon has a gateway beacon emitter arranged to transmit a gateway marking emission with the navigation beacon disposed within a gateway between the first bounded area and an adjacent second bounded area. The autonomous coverage robot includes a beacon emission sensor responsive to the beacon emission, and a drive system configured to maneuver the robot about the first bounded area in a cleaning mode in which the robot is redirected in response to detecting the gateway marking emission. The drive system is also configured to maneuver the robot through the gateway into the second bounded area in a migration mode.Type: GrantFiled: December 23, 2008Date of Patent: February 19, 2013Assignee: iRobot CorporationInventors: Daniel N. Ozick, Andrea M. Okerholm, Jeffrey W. Mammen, Michael J. Halloran, Paul E. Sandin, Chikyung Won
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Patent number: 8374721Abstract: A power-saving robot system includes at least one peripheral device and a mobile robot. The peripheral device includes a controller having an active mode and a hibernation mode, and a wireless communication component capable of activation in the hibernation mode. A controller of the robot has an activating routine that communicates with and temporarily activates the peripheral device, via wireless communication, from the hibernation mode. In another aspect, a robot system includes a network data bridge and a mobile robot. The network data bridge includes a broadband network interface, a wireless command interface, and a data bridge component. The data bridge component extracts serial commands received via the broadband network interface from an internet protocol, applies a command protocol thereto, and broadcasts the serial commands via the wireless interface. The mobile robot includes a wireless command communication component that receives the serial commands transmitted from the network data bridge.Type: GrantFiled: December 4, 2006Date of Patent: February 12, 2013Assignee: iRobot CorporationInventors: Michael J. Halloran, Jeffrey W. Mammen, Tony L. Campbell, Jason S. Walker, Paul E. Sandin, John N. Billington, Jr., Daniel N. Ozick
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Patent number: 8271129Abstract: A power-saving robot system includes at least one peripheral device and a mobile robot. The peripheral device includes a controller having an active mode and a hibernation mode, and a wireless communication component capable of activation in the hibernation mode. A controller of the robot has an activating routine that communicates with and temporarily activates the peripheral device, via wireless communication, from the hibernation mode. In another aspect, a robot system includes a network data bridge and a mobile robot. The network data bridge includes a broadband network interface, a wireless command interface, and a data bridge component. The data bridge component extracts serial commands received via the broadband network interface from an internet protocol, applies a command protocol thereto, and broadcasts the serial commands via the wireless interface. The mobile robot includes a wireless command communication component that receives the serial commands transmitted from the network data bridge.Type: GrantFiled: December 4, 2006Date of Patent: September 18, 2012Assignee: iRobot CorporationInventors: Michael J. Halloran, Jeffrey W. Mammen, Tony L. Campbell, Jason S. Walker, Paul E. Sandin, John N. Billington, Jr., Daniel N. Ozick
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Publication number: 20120173064Abstract: A coverage robot including a chassis, multiple drive wheel assemblies disposed on the chassis, and a cleaning assembly carried by the chassis. Each drive wheel assembly including a drive wheel assembly housing, a wheel rotatably coupled to the housing, and a wheel drive motor carried by the drive wheel assembly housing and operable to drive the wheel. The cleaning assembly including a cleaning assembly housing, a cleaning head rotatably coupled to the cleaning assembly housing, and a cleaning drive motor carried by cleaning assembly housing and operable to drive the cleaning head. The wheel assemblies and the cleaning assembly are each separately and independently removable from respective receptacles of the chassis as complete units.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 8, 2011Publication date: July 5, 2012Inventors: Chikyung Won, Selma Svendsen, Paul E. Sandin, Scott Thomas Burnett, Deepak Ramesh Kapoor, Stephen A. Hickey, Robert Rizzari, Zivhthan A.C. Dubrovsky
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Publication number: 20110131741Abstract: An autonomous floor-cleaning robot comprising a housing infrastructure including a chassis, a power subsystem; for providing the energy to power the autonomous floor-cleaning robot, a motive subsystem operative to propel the autonomous floor-cleaning robot for cleaning operations, a command and control subsystem operative to control the autonomous floor-cleaning robot to effect cleaning operations, and a self-adjusting cleaning head subsystem that includes a deck mounted in pivotal combination with the chassis, a brush assembly mounted in combination with the deck and powered by the motive subsystem to sweep up particulates during cleaning operations, a vacuum assembly disposed in combination with the deck and powered by the motive subsystem to ingest particulates during cleaning operations, and a deck adjusting subassembly mounted in combination with the motive subsystem for the brush assembly, the deck, and the chassis that is automatically operative in response to an increase in brush torque in said brushType: ApplicationFiled: December 17, 2010Publication date: June 9, 2011Inventors: Joseph L. Jones, Newton E. Mack, David M. Nugent, Paul E. Sandin
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Publication number: 20110077802Abstract: A power-saving robot system includes at least one peripheral device and a mobile robot. The peripheral device includes a controller having an active mode and a hibernation mode, and a wireless communication component capable of activation in the hibernation mode. A controller of the robot has an activating routine that communicates with and temporarily activates the peripheral device, via wireless communication, from the hibernation mode. In another aspect, a robot system includes a network data bridge and a mobile robot. The network data bridge includes a broadband network interface, a wireless command interface, and a data bridge component. The data bridge component extracts serial commands received via the broadband network interface from an internet protocol, applies a command protocol thereto, and broadcasts the serial commands via the wireless interface. The mobile robot includes a wireless command communication component that receives the serial commands transmitted from the network data bridge.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 3, 2010Publication date: March 31, 2011Inventors: Michael J. Halloran, Jeffrey W. Mammen, Tony L. Campbell, Jason S. Walker, Paul E. Sandin, John N. Billington, JR., Daniel N. Ozick