Patents by Inventor Erik Steltz
Erik Steltz 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: 12114595Abstract: A method of mowing with an autonomous robot lawnmower includes traversing a mowable area with the autonomous robot lawnmower carrying a cutter and a vegetation characteristic sensor. The vegetation characteristic sensor is configured to generate sensor data in response to detecting a vegetation characteristic of the mowable area. The vegetation characteristic is selected from the group consisting of a moisture content, a grass height, and a color. The method includes storing position-referenced data representing the vegetation characteristic detected across the mowable area. The position-referenced data is based at least in part on the sensor data and position data. The method includes sending data to a remote device to cause the remote device to display a map including information based on the position-referenced data.Type: GrantFiled: September 28, 2020Date of Patent: October 15, 2024Assignee: iRobot CorporationInventors: Brian Doughty, Andrew Beaulieu, Brian Yamauchi, Alec Likhite, Erik Steltz
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Publication number: 20230152817Abstract: A user device, such as a smartphone or a tablet computer, can provide a user with information pertaining to operations of an autonomous robotic lawnmower to assist the user with monitoring the operations of the robotic lawnmower and with setting up the autonomous robotic lawnmower. For example, the user device can present example lawn shapes and recommended locations of beacons suitable for these lawn shapes, can indicate the quantity of beacons detected by the autonomous robotic lawnmower, can be used to establish a region on a lawn where the autonomous robotic lawnmower performs a particular behavior, can be used to select a grass height that the autonomous robotic lawnmower cuts the lawn, and can be taught a particular path to take when returning to a docking station to charge the autonomous robotic lawnmower.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 22, 2021Publication date: May 18, 2023Inventors: Qunxi Huang, Wesley Johnson, Mark Edward Piana, Erik Steltz, Benjamin Axelrod, Ira Renfrew
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Patent number: 11115798Abstract: A method performed by a mobile lawn mowing robot includes pairing a beacon with the mobile lawn mowing robot. Pairing the beacon with the mobile lawn mowing robot includes determining a distance between the beacon and the mobile lawn mowing robot and confirming that the beacon is within a pairing distance from the mobile lawn mowing robot based on a comparison of the determined distance to a pairing distance. Pairing the beacon with the mobile robot lawn mowing robot further includes, subsequent to confirming that the beacon is within the pairing distance from the mobile lawn mowing robot, pairing the beacon with the mobile lawn mowing robot, and, following pairing, detecting wideband or ultra-wideband signals from the beacon, and using the wideband or ultra-wideband signals to enable navigation over an area.Type: GrantFiled: July 23, 2015Date of Patent: September 7, 2021Assignee: iRobot CorporationInventors: Andrew Beaulieu, Brian Yamauchi, Erik Steltz
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Publication number: 20210076562Abstract: A method of mowing with an autonomous robot lawnmower includes traversing a mowable area with the autonomous robot lawnmower carrying a cutter and a vegetation characteristic sensor. The vegetation characteristic sensor is configured to generate sensor data in response to detecting a vegetation characteristic of the mowable area. The vegetation characteristic is selected from the group consisting of a moisture content, a grass height, and a color. The method includes storing position-referenced data representing the vegetation characteristic detected across the mowable area. The position-referenced data is based at least in part on the sensor data and position data. The method includes sending data to a remote device to cause the remote device to display a map including information based on the position-referenced data.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 28, 2020Publication date: March 18, 2021Inventors: Brian Doughty, Andrew Beaulieu, Brian Yamauchi, Alec Likhite, Erik Steltz
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Patent number: 10785907Abstract: A method of mowing with an autonomous robot lawnmower includes traversing a mowable area with the autonomous robot lawnmower carrying a cutter and a vegetation characteristic sensor. The vegetation characteristic sensor is configured to generate sensor data in response to detecting a vegetation characteristic of the mowable area. The vegetation characteristic is selected from the group consisting of a moisture content, a grass height, and a color. The method includes storing position-referenced data representing the vegetation characteristic detected across the mowable area. The position-referenced data is based at least in part on the sensor data and position data. The method includes sending data to a remote device to cause the remote device to display a map including information based on the position-referenced data.Type: GrantFiled: July 17, 2018Date of Patent: September 29, 2020Assignee: iRobot CorporationInventors: Brian Doughty, Andrew Beaulieu, Brian Yamauchi, Alec Likhite, Erik Steltz
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Patent number: 10459063Abstract: A mobile robot includes a chassis, a shell moveably mounted on the chassis, and a cutting assembly mounted to the chassis. The mobile robot also includes a communication system that includes an antenna module disposed on a rear portion of the mobile robot. The antenna module includes a base assembly, and an antenna assembly mounted to the base assembly by a spring. The antenna assembly includes a ranging antenna, and at least three angle antennas arranged axisymmetrically about the ranging antenna, such that the ranging antenna and the three angle antennas define a tetrahedral geometry for determining an angle of arrival for one or more incident signals.Type: GrantFiled: February 16, 2017Date of Patent: October 29, 2019Assignee: iRobot CorporationInventors: Erik Steltz, Scott Lenser, Steven Shamlian, Brian Doughty, Heath Dube
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Publication number: 20180332765Abstract: A method of mowing with an autonomous robot lawnmower includes traversing a mowable area with the autonomous robot lawnmower carrying a cutter and a vegetation characteristic sensor. The vegetation characteristic sensor is configured to generate sensor data in response to detecting a vegetation characteristic of the mowable area. The vegetation characteristic is selected from the group consisting of a moisture content, a grass height, and a color. The method includes storing position-referenced data representing the vegetation characteristic detected across the mowable area. The position-referenced data is based at least in part on the sensor data and position data. The method includes sending data to a remote device to cause the remote device to display a map including information based on the position-referenced data.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 17, 2018Publication date: November 22, 2018Inventors: Brian Doughty, Andrew Beaulieu, Brian Yamauchi, Alex Likhite, Erik Steltz
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Patent number: 10034421Abstract: A method of mowing with an autonomous robot lawnmower includes traversing a mowable area with the autonomous robot lawnmower carrying a cutter and a vegetation characteristic sensor. The vegetation characteristic sensor is configured to generate sensor data in response to detecting a vegetation characteristic of the mowable area. The vegetation characteristic is selected from the group consisting of a moisture content, a grass height, and a color. The method includes storing position-referenced data representing the vegetation characteristic detected across the mowable area. The position-referenced data is based at least in part on the sensor data and position data. The method includes sending data to a remote device to cause the remote device to display a map including information based on the position-referenced data.Type: GrantFiled: July 24, 2015Date of Patent: July 31, 2018Assignee: iRobot CorporationInventors: Brian Doughty, Andrew Beaulieu, Brian Yamauchi, Alec Likhite, Erik Steltz
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Publication number: 20170234961Abstract: A mobile robot includes a chassis, a shell moveably mounted on the chassis, and a cutting assembly mounted to the chassis. The mobile robot also includes a communication system that includes an antenna module disposed on a rear portion of the mobile robot. The antenna module includes a base assembly, and an antenna assembly mounted to the base assembly by a spring. The antenna assembly includes a ranging antenna, and at least three angle antennas arranged axisymmetrically about the ranging antenna, such that the ranging antenna and the three angle antennas define a tetrahedral geometry for determining an angle of arrival for one or more incident signals.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 16, 2017Publication date: August 17, 2017Inventors: Erik Steltz, Scott Lenser, Steven Shamlian, Brian Doughty, Heath Dube
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Publication number: 20170020064Abstract: A method of mowing with an autonomous robot lawnmower includes traversing a mowable area with the autonomous robot lawnmower carrying a cutter and a vegetation characteristic sensor. The vegetation characteristic sensor is configured to generate sensor data in response to detecting a vegetation characteristic of the mowable area. The vegetation characteristic is selected from the group consisting of a moisture content, a grass height, and a color. The method includes storing position-referenced data representing the vegetation characteristic detected across the mowable area. The position-referenced data is based at least in part on the sensor data and position data. The method includes sending data to a remote device to cause the remote device to display a map including information based on the position-referenced data.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 24, 2015Publication date: January 26, 2017Inventors: Brian Doughty, Andrew Beaulieu, Brian Yamauchi, Alec Likhite, Erik Steltz
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Publication number: 20170026818Abstract: A method performed by a mobile lawn mowing robot includes pairing a beacon with the mobile lawn mowing robot. Pairing the beacon with the mobile lawn mowing robot includes determining a distance between the beacon and the mobile lawn mowing robot and confirming that the beacon is within a pairing distance from the mobile lawn mowing robot based on a comparison of the determined distance to a pairing distance. Pairing the beacon with the mobile robot lawn mowing robot further includes, subsequent to confirming that the beacon is within the pairing distance from the mobile lawn mowing robot, pairing the beacon with the mobile lawn mowing robot, and, following pairing, detecting wideband or ultra-wideband signals from the beacon, and using the wideband or ultra-wideband signals to enable navigation over an area.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 23, 2015Publication date: January 26, 2017Inventors: Andrew Beaulieu, Brian Yamauchi, Erik Steltz
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Patent number: 8195939Abstract: Methods and systems are disclosed for protecting sensitive data. In one implementation, a message is received that includes a plurality of information elements, at least one of the plurality of information elements having message information and belonging to at least one of a plurality of predefined classes of information elements. At least one of the plurality of information elements may be selected that belongs to a predefined class corresponding to a target class, the target class including classes of information elements selected for removal. Further, any message information corresponding to the selected information elements may be removed to protect sensitive data.Type: GrantFiled: January 12, 2007Date of Patent: June 5, 2012Assignee: SAP AGInventors: Manfred Reinart, Jan-Erik Steltz