Patents Assigned to IROBOT
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Patent number: 9801518Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: June 7, 2016Date of Patent: October 31, 2017Assignee: iRobot CorporationInventors: Michael J. Dooley, James Philip Case, Nikolai Romanov
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Patent number: 9796078Abstract: A mobile robot that includes a robot body, a drive system having one or more wheels supporting the robot body to maneuver the robot across a floor surface, and a riser having a proximal end and a distal end. The proximal end of the riser disposed on the robot body. The robot also includes a head disposed on the distal end of the riser. The head includes a display and a camera disposed adjacent the display.Type: GrantFiled: October 2, 2013Date of Patent: October 24, 2017Assignee: iRobot CorporationInventors: Colin Angle, Clara Vu, Matthew Cross, Tony L. Campbell
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Patent number: 9798328Abstract: A cleaning robot includes a chassis, a drive system connected to the chassis and configured to drive the robot, a signal generator and sensor carried by the chassis, and a controller in communication with the drive system and the sensor. The signal generator directs a signal toward the floor surface. The sensor is responsive to reflected signals from the floor surface. The controller controls the drive system to alter direction of the robot responsive to a reflected signal indicating an edge of the floor surface.Type: GrantFiled: October 10, 2014Date of Patent: October 24, 2017Assignee: iRobot CorporationInventor: Jasper Vicenti
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Patent number: 9789612Abstract: A method of operating a robot includes electronically receiving images and augmenting the images by overlaying a representation of the robot on the images. The robot representation includes user-selectable portions. The method includes electronically displaying the augmented images and receiving an indication of a selection of at least one user-selectable portion of the robot representation. The method also includes electronically displaying an intent to command the selected at least one user-selectable portion of the robot representation, receiving an input representative of a user interaction with at least one user-selectable portion, and issuing a command to the robot based on the user interaction.Type: GrantFiled: March 13, 2017Date of Patent: October 17, 2017Assignee: IROBOT DEFENSE HOLDINGS, INC.Inventors: Orin P. F. Hoffman, Peter Keefe, Eric Smith, John Wang, Andrew Labrecque, Brett Ponsler, Susan Macchia, Brian J. Madge
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Patent number: 9791860Abstract: A method of operating a remote vehicle configured to communicate with an operator control unit (OCU) includes executing a click-to-drive behavior, a cruise control behavior, and a retro-traverse behavior on a computing processor. The click-to-drive behavior includes receiving a picture or a video feed and determining a drive destination in the received picture or video feed. The cruise control behavior includes receiving an absolute heading and velocity commands from the OCU and computing a drive heading and a drive velocity. The a retro-traverse behavior includes generating a return path interconnecting at least two previously-traversed waypoints of a list of time-stamped waypoints, and executing a retro-traverse of the return path by navigating the remote vehicle successively to previous time-stamped waypoints in the waypoints list until a control signal is received from the operator control unit.Type: GrantFiled: October 1, 2013Date of Patent: October 17, 2017Assignee: IROBOT DEFENSE HOLDINGS INC.Inventors: Emilie Phillips, Aaron Powers, Andrew Shein, Josef P. Jamieson, Tyson Sawyer
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Patent number: 9788698Abstract: A robot floor cleaning system features a mobile floor cleaning robot and an evacuation station. The robot includes: a chassis with at least one drive wheel operable to propel the robot across a floor surface; a cleaning bin disposed within the robot and arranged to receive debris ingested by the robot during cleaning; and a robot vacuum configured to pull debris into the cleaning bin from an opening on an underside of the robot. The evacuation station is configured to evacuate debris from the cleaning bin of the robot, and includes: a housing defining a platform arranged to receive the cleaning robot in a position in which the opening on the underside of the robot aligns with a suction opening defined in the platform; and an evacuation vacuum in fluid communication with the suction opening and operable to draw air into the evacuation station housing through the suction opening.Type: GrantFiled: December 10, 2014Date of Patent: October 17, 2017Assignee: iRobot CorporationInventors: Russell Walter Morin, Harold Boeschenstein, Faruk Bursal, Chris Grace
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Patent number: 9785149Abstract: A telepresence robot may include a drive system, a control system, an imaging system, and a mapping module. The mapping module may access a map of an area and tags associated with the area. In various embodiments, each tag may include tag coordinates and tag information, which may include a tag annotation. A tag identification system may identify tags within a predetermined range of the current position and the control system may execute an action based on an identified tag whose tag information comprises a telepresence robot action modifier. The telepresence robot may rotate an upper portion independent from a lower portion. A remote terminal may allow an operator to control the telepresence robot using any combination of control methods, including by selecting a destination in a live video feed, by selecting a destination on a map, or by using a joystick or other peripheral device.Type: GrantFiled: April 26, 2016Date of Patent: October 10, 2017Assignees: INTOUCH TECHNOLOGIES, INC., IROBOT CORPORATIONInventors: Yulun Wang, Charles S. Jordan, Tim Wright, Michael Chan, Marco Pinter, Kevin Hanrahan, Daniel Sanchez, James Ballantyne, Cody Herzog, Blair Whitney, Fuji Lai, Kelton Temby, Eben Christopher Rauhut, Justin H. Kearns, Cheuk Wah Wong, Timothy Sturtevant Farlow
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Patent number: 9776327Abstract: Devices, systems, and methods for social behavior of a telepresence robot are disclosed herein. A telepresence robot may include a drive system, a control system, an object detection system, and a social behaviors component. The drive system is configured to move the telepresence robot. The control system is configured to control the drive system to drive the telepresence robot around a work area. The object detection system is configured to detect a human in proximity to the telepresence robot. The social behaviors component is configured to provide instructions to the control system to cause the telepresence robot to operate according to a first set of rules when a presence of one or more humans is not detected and operate according to a second set of rules when the presence of one or more humans is detected.Type: GrantFiled: November 3, 2015Date of Patent: October 3, 2017Assignees: INTOUCH TECHNOLOGIES, INC., IROBOT CORPORATIONInventors: Marco Pinter, Fuji Lai, Daniel Steven Sanchez, James Ballantyne, David Bjorn Roe, Yulun Wang, Charles S. Jordan, Orjeta Taka, Cheuk Wah Wong
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Patent number: 9770823Abstract: The present teachings provide a method of controlling a remote vehicle having an end effector and an image sensing device. The method includes obtaining an image of an object with the image sensing device, determining a ray from a focal point of the image to the object based on the obtained image, positioning the end effector of the remote vehicle to align with the determined ray, and moving the end effector along the determined ray to approach the object.Type: GrantFiled: April 9, 2015Date of Patent: September 26, 2017Assignee: IROBOT DEFENSE HOLDINGS, INC.Inventors: Wesley Hanan Huang, Emilie A. Phillips
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Patent number: 9757004Abstract: An autonomous floor-traversing robot includes: a wheeled body including a chassis and at least one motorized wheel configured to propel the chassis across a floor, the chassis defining an interior compartment disposed beneath a chassis ceiling; a cover extending across at least a central area of the chassis ceiling; and a graspable handle connected to the chassis and located outside the cover so as to be accessible from above the robot, the handle arranged to enable lifting of the robot. The chassis ceiling defines drainage channels configured to conduct the liquid away from the central area of the chassis ceiling.Type: GrantFiled: February 12, 2015Date of Patent: September 12, 2017Assignee: iRobot CorporationInventors: Rogelio Manfred Neumann, Adam Daniel Leech, David Orrin Swett
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Patent number: 9751210Abstract: The present invention provides a mobile robot configured to navigate an operating environment, that includes a machine vision system comprising a camera that captures images of the operating environment using a machine vision system; detects the presence of an occlusion obstructing a portion of the field of view of a camera based on the captured images, and generate a notification when an occlusion obstructing the portion of the field of view of the camera is detected, and maintain occlusion detection data describing occluded and unobstructed portions of images being used by the SLAM application.Type: GrantFiled: September 16, 2015Date of Patent: September 5, 2017Assignee: iRobot CorporationInventors: Philip Fong, Jason Meltzer, Marc Barnada Rius
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Patent number: 9744670Abstract: Systems and methods for use of optical odometry sensor systems in a mobile robot. The optical odometry sensor system is positioned within a recessed structure on an underside of the mobile robot body and configured to output optical odometry data. The optical odometry sensor system includes an optical odometry camera that includes a telecentric lens configured to capture images of a tracking surface beneath the body and having a depth of field that provides a range of viewing distances at which a tracking surface is captured in focus from a first distance within the recessed structure to a second distance below the underside of the mobile robot body.Type: GrantFiled: September 16, 2015Date of Patent: August 29, 2017Assignee: iRobot CorporationInventors: Nikolai Romanov, James Philip Case, Kenneth Griest, David O. Swett
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Patent number: 9744677Abstract: A robotic end effector includes a finger and at least one actuator. The finger extends from a proximal end to a distal end along a finger axis. The finger includes a first phalanx proximate the proximal end, a second phalanx proximate the distal end, and a knuckle joint including at least one vertebra interposed between and separating the first and second phalanxes. The knuckle joint is configured to permit the second phalanx to pivot relative to the first phalanx about a pivot axis transverse to the finger axis. Each vertebra has an axial thickness extending along the finger axis and a lateral width extending perpendicular to its axial thickness, and its lateral width is greater than its axial thickness. The at least one actuator is operable to move the second phalanx relative to the first phalanx about the pivot axis.Type: GrantFiled: November 5, 2015Date of Patent: August 29, 2017Assignee: iRobot CorporationInventors: Timothy R. Ohm, Mark R. Claffee, Erik Amaral, Steven V. Shamlian, Annan M. Mozeika
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Patent number: 9725013Abstract: A robotic cleaner includes a cleaning assembly for cleaning a surface and a main robot body. The main robot body houses a drive system to cause movement of the robotic cleaner and a microcontroller to control the movement of the robotic cleaner. The cleaning assembly is located in front of the drive system and a width of the cleaning assembly is greater than a width of the main robot body. A robotic cleaning system includes a main robot body and a plurality of cleaning assemblies for cleaning a surface. The main robot body houses a drive system to cause movement of the robotic cleaner and a microcontroller to control the movement of the robotic cleaner. The cleaning assembly is located in front of the drive system and each of the cleaning assemblies is detachable from the main robot body and each of the cleaning assemblies has a unique cleaning function.Type: GrantFiled: December 22, 2010Date of Patent: August 8, 2017Assignee: iRobot CorporationInventors: Nikolai Romanov, Michael Dooley, Paolo Pirjanian
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Patent number: 9725012Abstract: A robotic cleaner includes a cleaning assembly for cleaning a surface and a main robot body. The main robot body houses a drive system to cause movement of the robotic cleaner and a microcontroller to control the movement of the robotic cleaner. The cleaning assembly is located in front of the drive system and a width of the cleaning assembly is greater than a width of the main robot body. A robotic cleaning system includes a main robot body and a plurality of cleaning assemblies for cleaning a surface. The main robot body houses a drive system to cause movement of the robotic cleaner and a microcontroller to control the movement of the robotic cleaner. The cleaning assembly is located in front of the drive system and each of the cleaning assemblies is detachable from the main robot body and each of the cleaning assemblies has a unique cleaning function.Type: GrantFiled: December 22, 2010Date of Patent: August 8, 2017Assignee: iRobot CorporationInventors: Nikolai Romanov, Michael Dooley, Paolo Pirjanian
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Patent number: 9713302Abstract: An autonomous coverage robot system includes an active boundary responder comprising a wire powered with a modulated current placed along a perimeter of a property, at least one passive boundary responder placed on a property interior circumscribed by the active boundary responder, and an autonomous coverage robot. The robot includes a drive system carried by a body and configured to maneuver the robot across the property interior. The robot includes a signal emitter emitting a signal, where the passive boundary responder is responsive to the signal and a boundary responder detection system carried by the body. The boundary responder detector is configured to redirect the robot both in response to the responder detection system detecting an active boundary responder and in response to detecting a passive boundary responder.Type: GrantFiled: September 18, 2014Date of Patent: July 25, 2017Assignee: 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, Mark J. Chiappetta
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Patent number: 9706891Abstract: An autonomous floor cleaning robot includes a transport drive and control system arranged for autonomous movement of the robot over a floor for performing cleaning operations. The robot chassis carries a first cleaning zone comprising cleaning elements arranged to suction loose particulates up from the cleaning surface and a second cleaning zone comprising cleaning elements arraigned to apply a cleaning fluid onto the surface and to thereafter collect the cleaning fluid up from the surface after it has been used to clean the surface. The robot chassis carries a supply of cleaning fluid and a waste container for storing waste materials collected up from the cleaning surface.Type: GrantFiled: August 16, 2016Date of Patent: July 18, 2017Assignee: iRobot CorporationInventors: Andrew Ziegler, Christopher John Morse, Duane L. Gilbert, Jr., Andrew Jones, Scott Pratt, Paul E. Sandin, Nancy Dussault-Smith
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Patent number: 9704043Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: December 16, 2014Date of Patent: July 11, 2017Assignee: iRobot CorporationInventor: Mark S. Schnittman
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Patent number: D790141Type: GrantFiled: February 12, 2015Date of Patent: June 20, 2017Assignee: iRobot CorporationInventor: Derek Verhoorn
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Patent number: D796757Type: GrantFiled: February 12, 2015Date of Patent: September 5, 2017Assignee: iRobot CorporationInventors: Derek Verhoorn, Stuart Jang