Patents by Inventor Joseph L. Jones
Joseph L. Jones 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: 11490563Abstract: An autonomous garden weeding robot includes a chassis, a motorized cutting subsystem, and a drive subsystem for maneuvering the chassis. A weed sensor subsystem is located on the chassis at a first elevation from the ground and a crop/obstacle sensor subsystem is located on the chassis at a second, higher elevation from the ground. The drive subsystem is controlled to maneuver the chassis about a garden. Upon detection of a weed, the motorized cutting subsystem is energized to cut the weed. The motorized cutting subsystem is de-energized after the chassis has moved a predetermined distance and/or after a predetermined period of time. Upon detection of a crop or obstacle, the drive subsystem is controlled to maneuver the chassis away from the obstacle.Type: GrantFiled: January 7, 2021Date of Patent: November 8, 2022Assignee: Franklin Robotics, Inc.Inventors: Rory MacKean, Joseph L. Jones, James T. Francis, Jr.
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Patent number: 11278173Abstract: An autonomous floor-cleaning robot comprising a housing infrastructure including a chassis, a power subsystem, a motive subsystem to propel the robot for cleaning operations, a command and control subsystem to control the 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 to sweep up particulates during cleaning operations, a vacuum assembly 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 brush assembly to pivot the deck with respect to said chassis. The robot includes a side brush assembly to entrain particulates outside the periphery of the housing infrastructure and to direct such particulates towards the self-adjusting cleaning head system.Type: GrantFiled: September 5, 2019Date of Patent: March 22, 2022Assignee: iRobot CorporationInventors: Joseph L. Jones, Newton E. Mack, David M. Nugent, Paul E. Sandin
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Patent number: 11194342Abstract: 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: July 27, 2018Date of Patent: December 7, 2021Assignee: 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: 11084172Abstract: A robot obstacle detection system including a robot housing which navigates with respect to a surface and a sensor subsystem aimed at the surface for detecting the surface. The sensor subsystem includes an emitter which emits a signal having a field of emission and a photon detector having a field of view which intersects the field of emission at a region. The subsystem detects the presence of an object proximate the mobile robot and determines a value of a signal corresponding to the object. It compares the value to a predetermined value, moves the mobile robot in response to the comparison, and updates the predetermined value upon the occurrence of an event.Type: GrantFiled: August 18, 2016Date of Patent: August 10, 2021Assignee: iRobot CorporationInventors: Christopher M. Casey, Matthew Cross, Daniel N. Ozick, Joseph L. Jones
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Publication number: 20210145234Abstract: An autonomous cleaning apparatus includes a chassis, a drive system disposed on the chassis and operable to enable movement of the cleaning apparatus, and a controller in communication with the drive system. The controller includes a processor operable to control the drive system to steer movement of the cleaning apparatus. The autonomous cleaning apparatus includes a cleaning head system disposed on the chassis and a sensor system in communication with the controller. The sensor system includes a debris sensor for generating a debris signal, a bump sensor for generating a bump signal, and an obstacle following sensor disposed on a side of the autonomous cleaning apparatus for generating an obstacle signal. The processor executes a prioritized arbitration scheme to identify and implement one or more dominant behavioral modes based upon at least one signal received from the sensor system.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 26, 2020Publication date: May 20, 2021Inventors: Gregg W. Landry, David A. Cohen, Daniel N. Ozick, Mark J. Chiappetta, Joseph L. Jones
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Publication number: 20210137003Abstract: An autonomous garden weeding robot includes a chassis, a motorized cutting subsystem, and a drive subsystem for maneuvering the chassis. A weed sensor subsystem is located on the chassis at a first elevation from the ground and a crop/obstacle sensor subsystem is located on the chassis at a second, higher elevation from the ground. The drive subsystem is controlled to maneuver the chassis about a garden. Upon detection of a weed, the motorized cutting subsystem is energized to cut the weed. The motorized cutting subsystem is de-energized after the chassis has moved a predetermined distance and/or after a predetermined period of time. Upon detection of a crop or obstacle, the drive subsystem is controlled to maneuver the chassis away from the obstacle.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 7, 2021Publication date: May 13, 2021Inventors: Rory MacKean, Joseph L. Jones, James T. Francis, JR.
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Patent number: 10888045Abstract: An autonomous garden weeding robot includes a chassis, a motorized cutting subsystem, and a drive subsystem for maneuvering the chassis. A weed sensor subsystem is located on the chassis at a first elevation from the ground and a crop/obstacle sensor subsystem is located on the chassis at a second, higher elevation from the ground. The drive subsystem is controlled to maneuver the chassis about a garden. Upon detection of a weed, the motorized cutting subsystem is energized to cut the weed. The motorized cutting subsystem is de-energized after the chassis has moved a predetermined distance and/or after a predetermined period of time. Upon detection of a crop or obstacle, the drive subsystem is controlled to maneuver the chassis away from the obstacle.Type: GrantFiled: February 17, 2017Date of Patent: January 12, 2021Assignee: Franklin Robotics, Inc.Inventors: Rory MacKean, Joseph L. Jones, James T. Francis, Jr.
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Patent number: 10824165Abstract: A method of confining a robot in a work space includes providing a portable barrier signal transmitting device including a primary emitter emitting a confinement beam primarily along an axis defining a directed barrier. A mobile robot including a detector, a drive motor and a control unit controlling the drive motor is caused to avoid the directed barrier upon detection by the detector on the robot. The detector on the robot has an omnidirectional field of view parallel to the plane of movement of the robot. The detector receives confinement light beams substantially in a plane at the height of the field of view while blocking or rejecting confinement light beams substantially above or substantially below the plane at the height of the field of view.Type: GrantFiled: March 21, 2018Date of Patent: November 3, 2020Assignee: iRobot CorporationInventors: Joseph L. Jones, Philip R. Mass
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Patent number: 10813517Abstract: An autonomous cleaning apparatus includes a chassis, a drive system disposed on the chassis and operable to enable movement of the cleaning apparatus, and a controller in communication with the drive system. The controller includes a processor operable to control the drive system to steer movement of the cleaning apparatus. The autonomous cleaning apparatus includes a cleaning head system disposed on the chassis and a sensor system in communication with the controller. The sensor system includes a debris sensor for generating a debris signal, a bump sensor for generating a bump signal, and an obstacle following sensor disposed on a side of the autonomous cleaning apparatus for generating an obstacle signal. The processor executes a prioritized arbitration scheme to identify and implement one or more dominant behavioral modes based upon at least one signal received from the sensor system.Type: GrantFiled: March 9, 2018Date of Patent: October 27, 2020Assignee: iRobot CorporationInventors: Gregg W. Landry, David A. Cohen, Daniel N. Ozick, Mark J. Chiappetta, Joseph L. Jones
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Patent number: 10517454Abstract: 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: March 7, 2017Date of Patent: December 31, 2019Assignee: iRobot CorporationInventors: Joseph L. Jones, Newton E. Mack, David M. Nugent, Paul E. Sandin
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Publication number: 20190387941Abstract: 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: September 5, 2019Publication date: December 26, 2019Inventors: Joseph L. Jones, Newton E. Mack, David M. Nugent, Paul E. Sandin
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Patent number: 10433692Abstract: An autonomous floor-cleaning robot comprising a housing infrastructure including 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, a brush assembly mounted in combination with the deck and powered by the motive subsystem to sweep up particulates during cleaning operations, and a vacuum assembly disposed in combination with the deck and powered by the motive subsystem to ingest particulates during cleaning operations. The autonomous floor-cleaning robot also includes a side brush assembly powered by the motive subsystem to entrain particulates outside the periphery of the housing infrastructure and to direct such particulates towards the self-adjusting cleaning head subsystem.Type: GrantFiled: April 14, 2017Date of Patent: October 8, 2019Assignee: iRobot CorporationInventors: Joseph L. Jones, Newton E. Mack, David M. Nugent, Paul E. Sandin
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Patent number: 10420447Abstract: 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: April 14, 2017Date of Patent: September 24, 2019Assignee: iRobot CorporationInventors: Joseph L. Jones, Newton E. Mack, David M. Nugent, Paul E. Sandin
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Publication number: 20190054621Abstract: A weeding robot includes a chassis, a motorized cutting subsystem, a drive subsystem for maneuvering the chassis, a weed sensor subsystem on the chassis, and an acceleration sensing subsystem mounted to the chassis. The drive subsystem is controlled to maneuver the chassis about a garden by modulating the velocity of the chassis. Upon detection of a weed, the motorized cutting subsystem is energized to cut the weed. The acceleration of the chassis is determined based on an output of the acceleration sensing subsystem. The drive subsystem is controlled according to one or more preprogrammed behaviors if the determined acceleration of the chassis falls below a predetermined level.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 14, 2018Publication date: February 21, 2019Inventors: Rory MacKean, Joseph L. Jones, John Chase, Jeffrey Vandegrift, Noel Allain
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Publication number: 20180348787Abstract: 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: ApplicationFiled: July 27, 2018Publication date: December 6, 2018Inventors: 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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Publication number: 20180292828Abstract: A method of confining a robot in a work space includes providing a portable barrier signal transmitting device including a primary emitter emitting a confinement beam primarily along an axis defining a directed barrier. A mobile robot including a detector, a drive motor and a control unit controlling the drive motor is caused to avoid the directed barrier upon detection by the detector on the robot. The detector on the robot has an omnidirectional field of view parallel to the plane of movement of the robot. The detector receives confinement light beams substantially in a plane at the height of the field of view while blocking or rejecting confinement light beams substantially above or substantially below the plane at the height of the field of view.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 21, 2018Publication date: October 11, 2018Inventors: Joseph L. Jones, Philip R. Mass
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Publication number: 20180263454Abstract: An autonomous cleaning apparatus includes a chassis, a drive system disposed on the chassis and operable to enable movement of the cleaning apparatus, and a controller in communication with the drive system. The controller includes a processor operable to control the drive system to steer movement of the cleaning apparatus. The autonomous cleaning apparatus includes a cleaning head system disposed on the chassis and a sensor system in communication with the controller. The sensor system includes a debris sensor for generating a debris signal, a bump sensor for generating a bump signal, and an obstacle following sensor disposed on a side of the autonomous cleaning apparatus for generating an obstacle signal. The processor executes a prioritized arbitration scheme to identify and implement one or more dominant behavioral modes based upon at least one signal received from the sensor system.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 9, 2018Publication date: September 20, 2018Inventors: Gregg W. Landry, David A. Cohen, Daniel N. Ozick, Mark J. Chiappetta, Joseph L. Jones
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Patent number: 10037038Abstract: 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: April 28, 2015Date of Patent: July 31, 2018Assignee: 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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Publication number: 20180125320Abstract: An apparatus in one embodiment comprises a processing platform that includes one or more processing devices each comprising a processor coupled to a memory. The processing platform is configured to implement at least a portion of at least a first floor-care system. The processing platform further comprises a floor-care input variable monitoring module configured to monitor, during run-time of a floor-care operation in connection with a given space, multiple floor-care variables input by at least the first floor-care system, a floor-care execution adjustment module configured to adjust one or more of multiple floor-care execution outputs in response to the monitoring of the multiple floor-care variables, and a floor-care output module configured to execute at least a portion of the multiple floor-care execution outputs during at least a portion of the floor-care operation based on the one or more adjusted floor-care execution outputs.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 9, 2017Publication date: May 10, 2018Inventors: Michael Peck, Joseph L. Jones, Paul Cappa
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Patent number: 9958871Abstract: A method of confining a robot in a work space includes providing a portable barrier signal transmitting device including a primary emitter emitting a confinement beam primarily along an axis defining a directed barrier. A mobile robot including a detector, a drive motor and a control unit controlling the drive motor is caused to avoid the directed barrier upon detection by the detector on the robot. The detector on the robot has an omnidirectional field of view parallel to the plane of movement of the robot. The detector receives confinement light beams substantially in a plane at the height of the field of view while blocking or rejecting confinement light beams substantially above or substantially below the plane at the height of the field of view.Type: GrantFiled: December 15, 2016Date of Patent: May 1, 2018Assignee: iRobot CorporationInventors: Joseph L. Jones, Philip R. Mass