Patents Assigned to IROBOT
  • Patent number: 9901236
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: January 27, 2017
    Date of Patent: February 27, 2018
    Assignee: iRobot Corporation
    Inventors: Michael J. Halloran, Jeffrey W. Mammen, Tony L. Campbell, Jason S. Walker, Paul E. Sandin, John N. Billington, Jr., Daniel N. Ozick
  • Patent number: 9902069
    Abstract: A robot system includes a mobile robot having a controller executing a control system for controlling operation of the robot, a cloud computing service in communication with the controller of the robot, and a remote computing device in communication with the cloud computing service. The remote computing device communicates with the robot through the cloud computing service.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 19, 2015
    Date of Patent: February 27, 2018
    Assignee: iRobot Corporation
    Inventors: Timothy S. Farlow, Michael T. Rosenstein, Michael Halloran, Chikyung Won, Steven V. Shamlian, Mark Chiappetta
  • Patent number: 9895808
    Abstract: A robot configured to navigate a surface, the robot comprising a movement mechanism; a logical map representing data about the surface and associating locations with one or more properties observed during navigation; an initialization module configured to establish an initial pose comprising an initial location and an initial orientation; a region covering module configured to cause the robot to move so as to cover a region; an edge-following module configured to cause the robot to follow unfollowed edges; a control module configured to invoke region covering on a first region defined at least in part based at least part of the initial pose, to invoke region covering on least one additional region, to invoke edge-following, and to invoke region covering cause the mapping module to mark followed edges as followed, and cause a third region covering on regions discovered during edge-following.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 12, 2015
    Date of Patent: February 20, 2018
    Assignee: iRobot Corporation
    Inventors: Michael S. Stout, Gabriel Francis Brisson, Enrico Di Bernardo, Paolo Pirjanian, Dhiraj Goel, James Philip Case, Michael Dooley
  • Patent number: 9888818
    Abstract: A cleaning system includes a robotic cleaner and an evacuation station. The robotic cleaner can dock with the evacuation station to have debris evacuated by the evacuation station. The robotic cleaner includes a bin to store debris, and the bin includes a port door through which the debris can be evacuated into the evacuation station. The evacuation station includes a vacuum motor to evacuate the bin of the robotic cleaner.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 27, 2015
    Date of Patent: February 13, 2018
    Assignee: iRobot Corporation
    Inventors: Tucker Kuhe, Jennifer Smith, Sam Duffley
  • Patent number: 9886037
    Abstract: The invention is related to methods and apparatus that use a visual sensor and dead reckoning sensors to process Simultaneous Localization and Mapping (SLAM). These techniques can be used in robot navigation. Advantageously, such visual techniques can be used to autonomously generate and update a map. Unlike with laser rangefinders, the visual techniques are economically practical in a wide range of applications and can be used in relatively dynamic environments, such as environments in which people move. One embodiment further advantageously uses multiple particles to maintain multiple hypotheses with respect to localization and mapping. Further advantageously, one embodiment maintains the particles in a relatively computationally-efficient manner, thereby permitting the SLAM processes to be performed in software using relatively inexpensive microprocessor-based computer systems.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 28, 2016
    Date of Patent: February 6, 2018
    Assignee: IROBOT CORPORATION
    Inventors: L. Niklas Karlsson, Paolo Pirjanian, Luis Filipe Domingues Goncalves, Enrico Di Bernardo
  • Patent number: 9884423
    Abstract: A method for energy management in a robotic device includes providing a base station for mating with the robotic device, determining a quantity of energy stored in an energy storage unit of the robotic device, and performing a predetermined task based at least in part on the quantity of energy stored. Also disclosed are systems for emitting avoidance signals to prevent inadvertent contact between the robot and the base station, and systems for emitting homing signals to allow the robotic device to accurately dock with the base station.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 19, 2017
    Date of Patent: February 6, 2018
    Assignee: iRobot Corporation
    Inventors: David A. Cohen, Daniel N. Ozick, Clara Vu, James Lynch, Philip R. Mass
  • Patent number: 9883783
    Abstract: A piezoelectric debris sensor and associated signal processor responsive to debris strikes enable an autonomous or non-autonomous cleaning device to detect the presence of debris and in response, to select a behavioral mode, operational condition or pattern of movement, such as spot coverage or the like. Multiple sensor channels (e.g., left and right) can be used to enable the detection or generation of differential left/right debris signals and thereby enable an autonomous device to steer in the direction of debris.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 30, 2017
    Date of Patent: February 6, 2018
    Assignee: iRobot Corporation
    Inventors: Gregg W. Landry, David A. Cohen, Daniel N. Ozick
  • Patent number: 9877630
    Abstract: An example robot includes a body that is movable relative to a surface, a bumper mounted on the body to enable movement of the bumper relative to the body, a sensor to produce a signal in response to the movement of the bumper relative to the body caused by contact between the bumper and the surface, and a controller to control movement of the body to cause the body to track the surface based on a value. The bumper is movable between an uncompressed position relative to the body and a compressed position relative to the body. The signal varies linearly with the movement of the bumper relative to the body. The value is based on the signal and indicates that the bumper in a partially compressed position has a compression range between the uncompressed position and the compressed position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 19, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 30, 2018
    Assignee: iRobot Corporation
    Inventors: Brian Wolfe, Ping-Hong Lu
  • Patent number: 9878445
    Abstract: A mobile robot guest for interacting with a human resident performs a room-traversing search procedure prior to interacting with the resident, and may verbally query whether the resident being sought is present. Upon finding the resident, the mobile robot may facilitate a teleconferencing session with a remote third party, or interact with the resident in a number of ways. For example, the robot may carry on a dialog with the resident, reinforce compliance with medication or other schedules, etc. In addition, the robot incorporates safety features for preventing collisions with the resident; and the robot may audibly announce and/or visibly indicate its presence in order to avoid becoming a dangerous obstacle. Furthermore, the mobile robot behaves in accordance with an integral privacy policy, such that any sensor recording or transmission must be approved by the resident.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 27, 2013
    Date of Patent: January 30, 2018
    Assignee: iRobot Corporation
    Inventors: Colin Angle, Clara Vu, Matthew Cross, Tony L. Campbell
  • Patent number: 9874873
    Abstract: A mobile robot includes a microprocessor connected to a memory and a wireless network circuit, for executing routines stored in the memory and commands generated by the routines and received via the wireless network circuit. The microprocessor drives the mobile robot to a multiplicity of accessible two dimensional locations within a household, and commands an end effector, including at least one motorized actuator, to perform mechanical work in the household. A plurality of routines include a first routine which monitors a wireless local network and detects a presence of a network entity on the wireless local network, a second routine which receives a signal from a sensor detecting an action state of one of the network entities, the action state changeable between waiting and active, and a third routine which commands the end effector to change state of performing mechanical work based on the presence and on the action state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 24, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 23, 2018
    Assignee: iRobot Corporation
    Inventors: Colin Angle, David Snelling, Melissa O'Dea, Timothy S. Farlow, Samuel Duffley, Jeffrey W. Mammen, Michael J. Halloran
  • Patent number: 9868211
    Abstract: A robot includes a body that is movable relative to a surface one or more measurement devices within the body to output information based on an orientation of the body at an initial location on the surface, and a controller within the body to determine an orientation of the body based on the information and to restrict movement of the body to an area by preventing movement of the body beyond a barrier that is based on the orientation of the body and the initial location.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 9, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 16, 2018
    Assignee: iRobot Corporation
    Inventors: Marcus Williams, Ping-Hong Lu, Joseph M. Johnson, Fabrizio Santini
  • Patent number: 9866035
    Abstract: A rotatable coupling includes an input housing rotatably coupled to an output housing by a tube fixed to the output housing and on which tube the input housing rotates. The coupling includes two magnetic flux concentrators disposed about the tube and defining therebetween an annular cavity, a first concentrator fixed to the input housing and a second concentrator fixed to the output housing, such that relative rotation of the housings causes relative rotation of the concentrators on either side of the annular cavity. The coupling includes concentric coils disposed within the annular cavity that permit power transfer across the coupling, a first coil fixed to the input housing and a second coil fixed to the output housing; an emitter fixed to the input housing; and a receiver fixed to the output housing and positioned to receive the signals from the emitter during the relative rotation of the housings.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 27, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 9, 2018
    Assignee: iRobot Corporation
    Inventors: Brian Doughty, Steven Shamlian, Jeffrey Curtis
  • Patent number: 9854737
    Abstract: A method of mowing an area with an autonomous mowing robot comprises storing, in non-transient memory of the robot, a set of geospatially referenced perimeter data corresponding to positions of the mowing robot as the mowing robot is guided about a perimeter of an area to be mowed, removing from the set of perimeter data one or more data points thereby creating a redacted data set and controlling the mowing robot to autonomously mow an area bounded by a boundary corresponding to the redacted data set, including altering direction of the mowing robot at or near a position corresponding to data in the redacted data set so as to redirect the robot back into the bounded area.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 7, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 2, 2018
    Assignee: iRobot Corporation
    Inventors: Brian Yamauchi, Andrew Beaulieu, Paul C. Balutis
  • Patent number: 9845850
    Abstract: A robot includes a support, a movable member coupled to the support to permit gimbal rotation about a pitch axis and a yaw axis, and first and second linear actuators connected to each of the support and the movable member and operable to rotate the movable member about the pitch axis and the yaw axis. The first linear actuator is pivotally attached to the movable member at a first pivot point. The second linear actuator is pivotally attached to the movable member at a second pivot point. The first and second pivot points are each angularly offset from the pitch axis and the yaw axis by about 45 degrees and are located on the same side of the pitch axis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 30, 2015
    Date of Patent: December 19, 2017
    Assignee: iRobot Corporation
    Inventors: Mark R. Claffee, Timothy R. Ohm, Erik Amaral, Annan M. Mozeika
  • Patent number: 9836653
    Abstract: The present teachings provide an autonomous mobile robot that includes a drive configured to maneuver the robot over a ground surface within an operating environment; a camera mounted on the robot having a field of view including the floor adjacent the mobile robot in the drive direction of the mobile robot; a frame buffer that stores image frames obtained by the camera while the mobile robot is driving; and a memory device configured to store a learned data set of a plurality of descriptors corresponding to pixel patches in image frames corresponding to portions of the operating environment and determined by mobile robot sensor events.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 29, 2017
    Date of Patent: December 5, 2017
    Assignee: iRobot Corporation
    Inventor: Mark S. Schnittman
  • Patent number: 9826872
    Abstract: A debris monitoring system includes a receptacle, a first and a second emitter, and a first receiver. The receptacle defines an opening to receive debris into the receptacle. The first and second emitter are each arranged to emit a signal across at least a portion of the opening. The first receiver is proximate to the first emitter to receive reflections of the signal emitted by the first emitter, and the first receiver is disposed toward the opening to receive an unreflected portion of the signal emitted by the second emitter across at least a portion of the opening.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 31, 2015
    Date of Patent: November 28, 2017
    Assignee: iRobot Corporation
    Inventors: Mark Steven Schnittman, Michael Todd Rosenstein
  • Patent number: 9826678
    Abstract: A method of mowing multiple areas includes training a robotic mower to mow at least two areas separated by a space, including moving the robotic mower about the areas while storing data indicative of location of boundaries of each area relative to boundary markers, training the robotic mower to move across the space separating the areas, and initiating a mowing operation. Training the robotic mower to move across the space separating the areas includes moving the robotic mower to a traversal launch point of a first of the areas and moving the robotic mower to a traversal landing point of a second of the areas. The mowing operation causes the robotic mower to move to the traversal launch point, move from the traversal launch point across the space to the traversal landing point, and then mow the second of the areas.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 1, 2016
    Date of Patent: November 28, 2017
    Assignee: iRobot Corporation
    Inventors: Paul C. Balutis, Andrew Beaulieu, Brian Yamauchi
  • Patent number: 9807930
    Abstract: An autonomous robot lawnmower includes a chassis, a drive supporting the chassis above a lawn and configured to maneuver the robot lawnmower about the lawn, and a motorized lawn cutting assembly including one or more blades. The robot lawnmower further includes a first blade guard movably mounted to a first lateral side of the chassis and extending from the chassis toward the lawn, and a second blade guard movably mounted to a second lateral side of the chassis and extending from the chassis toward the lawn.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 25, 2016
    Date of Patent: November 7, 2017
    Assignee: iRobot Corporation
    Inventors: Peter J. Lydon, Brian W. Doughty
  • Patent number: 9801518
    Abstract: A mobile robot configured to travel across a residential floor or other surface while cleaning the surface with a cleaning pad and cleaning solvent is disclosed. The robot includes a controller for managing the movement of the robot as well as the treatment of the surface with a cleaning solvent. The movement of the robot can be characterized by a class of trajectories that achieve effective cleaning. The trajectories include sequences of steps that are repeated, the sequences including forward and backward motion and optional left and right motion along arcuate paths.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 7, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 31, 2017
    Assignee: iRobot Corporation
    Inventors: Michael J. Dooley, James Philip Case, Nikolai Romanov
  • Patent number: D809115
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 5, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 30, 2018
    Assignee: IROBOT CORPORATION
    Inventor: Russell Walter Morin