Patents by Inventor Jens-Steffen Gutmann

Jens-Steffen Gutmann 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).

  • Publication number: 20220176987
    Abstract: Aspects of the disclosure provide a of generating and following planned trajectories for an autonomous vehicle. For instance, a baseline for a planned trajectory that the autonomous vehicle can use to follow a route to a destination may be determined. A stopping point corresponding to a traffic control that will cause the autonomous vehicle to come to a stop using the baseline may be determined. Sensor data identifying objects and their locations may be received. A plurality of constraints may be generated based on the sensor data. A planned trajectory may be generated using the baseline, the stopping point, and the plurality of constraints, wherein constraints beyond the stopping point are ignored.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 9, 2020
    Publication date: June 9, 2022
    Inventors: Jared Russell, Jens-Steffen Gutmann, Ioan-Alexandru Sucan
  • Patent number: 10335004
    Abstract: A mobile robot system is provided that includes a docking station having at least two pose-defining fiducial markers. The pose-defining fiducial markers have a predetermined spatial relationship with respect to one another and/or to a reference point on the docking station such that a docking path to the base station can be determined from one or more observations of the at least two pose-defining fiducial markers. A mobile robot in the system includes a pose sensor assembly. A controller is located on the chassis and is configured to analyze an output signal from the pose sensor assembly. The controller is configured to determine a docking station pose, to locate the docking station pose on a map of a surface traversed by the mobile robot and to path plan a docking trajectory.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 23, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 2, 2019
    Assignee: iRobot Corporation
    Inventors: Philip Fong, Jason Meltzer, Jens-Steffen Gutmann, Vazgen Karapetyan, Mario E. Munich
  • Publication number: 20170105592
    Abstract: A mobile robot system is provided that includes a docking station having at least two pose-defining fiducial markers. The pose-defining fiducial markers have a predetermined spatial relationship with respect to one another and/or to a reference point on the docking station such that a docking path to the base station can be determined from one or more observations of the at least two pose-defining fiducial markers. A mobile robot in the system includes a pose sensor assembly. A controller is located on the chassis and is configured to analyze an output signal from the pose sensor assembly. The controller is configured to determine a docking station pose, to locate the docking station pose on a map of a surface traversed by the mobile robot and to path plan a docking trajectory.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 23, 2016
    Publication date: April 20, 2017
    Inventors: Philip Fong, Jason Meltzer, Jens-Steffen Gutmann, Vazgen Karapetyan, Mario E. Munich
  • Patent number: 9534899
    Abstract: Vector Field SLAM is a method for localizing a mobile robot in an unknown environment from continuous signals such as WiFi or active beacons. Disclosed is a technique for localizing a robot in relatively large and/or disparate areas. This is achieved by using and managing more signal sources for covering the larger area. One feature analyzes the complexity of Vector Field SLAM with respect to area size and number of signals and then describe an approximation that decouples the localization map in order to keep memory and run-time requirements low. A tracking method for re-localizing the robot in the areas already mapped is also disclosed. This allows to resume the robot after is has been paused or kidnapped, such as picked up and moved by a user. Embodiments of the invention can comprise commercial low-cost products including robots for the autonomous cleaning of floors.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 9, 2012
    Date of Patent: January 3, 2017
    Assignee: iRobot Corporation
    Inventors: Jens-Steffen Gutmann, Philip Fong, Mario E. Munich
  • Patent number: 9468349
    Abstract: A mobile robot system is provided that includes a docking station having at least two pose-defining fiducial markers. The pose-defining fiducial markers have a predetermined spatial relationship with respect to one another and/or to a reference point on the docking station such that a docking path to the base station can be determined from one or more observations of the at least two pose-defining fiducial markers. A mobile robot in the system includes a pose sensor assembly. A controller is located on the chassis and is configured to analyze an output signal from the pose sensor assembly. The controller is configured to determine a docking station pose, to locate the docking station pose on a map of a surface traversed by the mobile robot and to path plan a docking trajectory.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 20, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 18, 2016
    Assignee: iRobot Corporation
    Inventors: Philip Fong, Jason Meltzer, Jens-Steffen Gutmann, Vazgen Karapetyan, Mario Munich
  • Publication number: 20160143500
    Abstract: A mobile robot system is provided that includes a docking station having at least two pose-defining fiducial markers. The pose-defining fiducial markers have a predetermined spatial relationship with respect to one another and/or to a reference point on the docking station such that a docking path to the base station can be determined from one or more observations of the at least two pose-defining fiducial markers. A mobile robot in the system includes a pose sensor assembly. A controller is located on the chassis and is configured to analyze an output signal from the pose sensor assembly. The controller is configured to determine a docking station pose, to locate the docking station pose on a map of a surface traversed by the mobile robot and to path plan a docking trajectory.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 20, 2015
    Publication date: May 26, 2016
    Inventors: Philip Fong, Jason Meltzer, Jens-Steffen Gutmann, Vazgen Karapetyan, Mario E. Munich
  • Patent number: 9250081
    Abstract: Vector Field SLAM is a method for localizing a mobile robot in an unknown environment from continuous signals such as WiFi or active beacons. Disclosed is a technique for localizing a robot in relatively large and/or disparate areas. This is achieved by using and managing more signal sources for covering the larger area. One feature analyzes the complexity of Vector Field SLAM with respect to area size and number of signals and then describe an approximation that decouples the localization map in order to keep memory and run-time requirements low. A tracking method for re-localizing the robot in the areas already mapped is also disclosed. This allows to resume the robot after is has been paused or kidnapped, such as picked up and moved by a user. Embodiments of the invention can comprise commercial low-cost products including robots for the autonomous cleaning of floors.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 9, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 2, 2016
    Assignee: iRobot Corporation
    Inventors: Jens-Steffen Gutmann, Dhiraj Goel, Mario E. Munich
  • Publication number: 20140031980
    Abstract: Vector Field SLAM is a method for localizing a mobile robot in an unknown environment from continuous signals such as WiFi or active beacons. Disclosed is a technique for localizing a robot in relatively large and/or disparate areas. This is achieved by using and managing more signal sources for covering the larger area. One feature analyzes the complexity of Vector Field SLAM with respect to area size and number of signals and then describe an approximation that decouples the localization map in order to keep memory and run-time requirements low. A tracking method for re-localizing the robot in the areas already mapped is also disclosed. This allows to resume the robot after is has been paused or kidnapped, such as picked up and moved by a user. Embodiments of the invention can comprise commercial low-cost products including robots for the autonomous cleaning of floors.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 9, 2012
    Publication date: January 30, 2014
    Inventors: Jens-Steffen Gutmann, Dhiraj Goel, Mario E. Munich
  • Publication number: 20130138246
    Abstract: Vector Field SLAM is a method for localizing a mobile robot in an unknown environment from continuous signals such as WiFi or active beacons. Disclosed is a technique for localizing a robot in relatively large and/or disparate areas. This is achieved by using and managing more signal sources for covering the larger area. One feature analyzes the complexity of Vector Field SLAM with respect to area size and number of signals and then describe an approximation that decouples the localization map in order to keep memory and run-time requirements low. A tracking method for re-localizing the robot in the areas already mapped is also disclosed. This allows to resume the robot after is has been paused or kidnapped, such as picked up and moved by a user. Embodiments of the invention can comprise commercial low-cost products including robots for the autonomous cleaning of floors.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 9, 2012
    Publication date: May 30, 2013
    Inventors: Jens-Steffen Gutmann, Dhiraj Goel, Mario E. Munich
  • Publication number: 20130138247
    Abstract: Vector Field SLAM is a method for localizing a mobile robot in an unknown environment from continuous signals such as WiFi or active beacons. Disclosed is a technique for localizing a robot in relatively large and/or disparate areas. This is achieved by using and managing more signal sources for covering the larger area. One feature analyzes the complexity of Vector Field SLAM with respect to area size and number of signals and then describe an approximation that decouples the localization map in order to keep memory and run-time requirements low. A tracking method for re-localizing the robot in the areas already mapped is also disclosed. This allows to resume the robot after is has been paused or kidnapped, such as picked up and moved by a user. Embodiments of the invention can comprise commercial low-cost products including robots for the autonomous cleaning of floors.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 9, 2012
    Publication date: May 30, 2013
    Inventors: Jens-Steffen Gutmann, Philip Fong, Mario E. Munich