Patents by Inventor Mark Steven Schnittman
Mark Steven Schnittman 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: 11672399Abstract: An autonomous coverage robot includes a chassis, a drive system configured to maneuver the robot, and a cleaning assembly. The cleaning assembly includes a cleaning assembly housing and at least one driven sweeper brush. The robot includes a controller and a removable sweeper bin configured to receive debris agitated by the driven sweeper brush. The sweeper bin includes an emitter disposed on an interior surface of the bin and a receiver disposed remotely from the emitter on the interior surface of the bin and configured to receive an emitter signal. The emitter and the receiver are disposed such that a threshold level of accumulation of debris in the sweeper bin blocks the receiver from receiving emitter emissions. The robot includes a bin controller disposed in the sweeper bin and monitoring a detector signal and initiating a bin full routine upon determining a bin debris accumulation level requiring service.Type: GrantFiled: February 14, 2022Date of Patent: June 13, 2023Assignee: iRobot CorporationInventors: Mark Steven Schnittman, Daniel N. Ozick, Gregg W. Landry
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Publication number: 20220167821Abstract: An autonomous coverage robot includes a chassis, a drive system configured to maneuver the robot, and a cleaning assembly. The cleaning assembly includes a cleaning assembly housing and at least one driven sweeper brush. The robot includes a controller and a removable sweeper bin configured to receive debris agitated by the driven sweeper brush. The sweeper bin includes an emitter disposed on an interior surface of the bin and a receiver disposed remotely from the emitter on the interior surface of the bin and configured to receive an emitter signal. The emitter and the receiver are disposed such that a threshold level of accumulation of debris in the sweeper bin blocks the receiver from receiving emitter emissions. The robot includes a bin controller disposed in the sweeper bin and monitoring a detector signal and initiating a bin full routine upon determining a bin debris accumulation level requiring service.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 14, 2022Publication date: June 2, 2022Inventors: Mark Steven Schnittman, Daniel N. Ozick, Gregg W. Landry
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Patent number: 11246466Abstract: An autonomous coverage robot includes a chassis, a drive system configured to maneuver the robot, and a cleaning assembly. The cleaning assembly includes a cleaning assembly housing and at least one driven sweeper brush. The robot includes a controller and a removable sweeper bin configured to receive debris agitated by the driven sweeper brush. The sweeper bin includes an emitter disposed on an interior surface of the bin and a receiver disposed remotely from the emitter on the interior surface of the bin and configured to receive an emitter signal. The emitter and the receiver are disposed such that a threshold level of accumulation of debris in the sweeper bin blocks the receiver from receiving emitter emissions. The robot includes a bin controller disposed in the sweeper bin and monitoring a detector signal and initiating a bin full routine upon determining a bin debris accumulation level requiring service.Type: GrantFiled: February 6, 2019Date of Patent: February 15, 2022Assignee: iRobot CorporationInventors: Mark Steven Schnittman, Daniel N. Ozick, Gregg W. Landry
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Patent number: 11157015Abstract: A method of navigating an autonomous coverage robot on a floor includes controlling movement of the robot across the floor in a cleaning mode. A sensor signal indicative of an obstacle is received. The robot is rotated away from the sensed obstacle. A change in the received sensor signal during at least a portion of the rotation of the robot away from the sensed obstacle is determined. The sensed obstacle is identified based at least in part on the determined change in the received sensor signal.Type: GrantFiled: November 5, 2018Date of Patent: October 26, 2021Assignee: iRobot CorporationInventor: Mark Steven Schnittman
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Patent number: 11014460Abstract: An autonomous coverage robot includes a chassis having forward and rearward portions and a drive system carried by the chassis. The forward portion of the chassis defines a substantially rectangular shape. The robot includes a cleaning assembly mounted on the forward portion of the chassis and a bin disposed adjacent the cleaning assembly and configured to receive debris agitated by the cleaning assembly. A bin cover is pivotally attached to a lower portion of the chassis and configured to rotate between a first, closed position providing closure of an opening defined by the bin and a second, open position providing access to the bin opening. The robot includes a body attached to the chassis and a handle disposed on an upper portion of the body. A bin cover release is actuatable from substantially near the handle.Type: GrantFiled: September 4, 2018Date of Patent: May 25, 2021Assignee: iRobot CorporationInventors: Mark Steven Schnittman, Zivthan A. Dubrovsky, Jeffrey W. Mammen, Aaron Solochek
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Patent number: 10991108Abstract: A densely composited single camera signal may be formed from a panoramic video signal having an aspect ratio of substantially 2.4:1 or greater, captured from a wide camera. Two or more sub-scene video signals are subsampled at respective bearings of interest, and may be composited side-by-side to form a stage scene video signal having an aspect ratio of substantially 2:1 or less. 80% or more of the area of the stage scene video signal may be subsampled from the panoramic video signal.Type: GrantFiled: April 1, 2016Date of Patent: April 27, 2021Assignee: OWL LABS, INCInventors: Mark Steven Schnittman, Maksim Makeev
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Publication number: 20210082131Abstract: With reference to panoramic video, sub-scenes at bearings of interest within a wide or panoramic video signal substantially coincident with an acoustic sensor array are associated with bearings of interest identified localization of acoustic recognitions and visual recognitions, and widths of the sub-scene video signals may be set according to a signal characteristic of the acoustic recognition or the visual recognition.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 27, 2020Publication date: March 18, 2021Inventors: Mark Steven Schnittman, Maksim Makeev
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Publication number: 20210030244Abstract: A cleaning robot system including a robot and a robot maintenance station. The robot includes a robot body, a drive system, a cleaning assembly, and a cleaning bin carried by the robot body and configured to receive debris agitated by the cleaning assembly. The robot maintenance station includes a station housing configured to receive the robot for maintenance. The station housing has an evacuation passageway exposed to a top portion of the received robot. The robot maintenance station also includes an air mover in pneumatic communication with the evacuation passageway and a collection bin carried by the station housing and in pneumatic communication with the evacuation passageway. The station housing and the robot body fluidly connect the evacuation passageway to the cleaning bin of the received robot. The air mover evacuates debris held in the robot cleaning bin to the collection bin through the evacuation passageway.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 16, 2020Publication date: February 4, 2021Inventors: Chikyung Won, Stephen A. Hickey, Mark Steven Schnittman, Zivthan A. Dubrovsky, Selma Svendsen, Jed Lowry, David Orrin Swett, John Devlin
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Patent number: 10758104Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: March 29, 2019Date of Patent: September 1, 2020Assignee: iRobot CorporationInventors: Mark Steven Schnittman, Michael Todd Rosenstein
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Publication number: 20200163518Abstract: A cleaning robot system including a robot and a robot maintenance station. The robot includes a robot body, a drive system, a cleaning assembly, and a cleaning bin carried by the robot body and configured to receive debris agitated by the cleaning assembly. The robot maintenance station includes a station housing configured to receive the robot for maintenance. The station housing has an evacuation passageway exposed to a top portion of the received robot. The robot maintenance station also includes an air mover in pneumatic communication with the evacuation passageway and a collection bin carried by the station housing and in pneumatic communication with the evacuation passageway. The station housing and the robot body fluidly connect the evacuation passageway to the cleaning bin of the received robot. The air mover evacuates debris held in the robot cleaning bin to the collection bin through the evacuation passageway.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 28, 2020Publication date: May 28, 2020Inventors: Chikyung Won, Stephen A. Hickey, Mark Steven Schnittman, Zivthan A. Dubrovsky, Selma Svendsen, Jed Lowry, David Orrin Swett, John Devlin
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Publication number: 20200163519Abstract: A cleaning robot system including a robot and a robot maintenance station. The robot includes a robot body, a drive system, a cleaning assembly, and a cleaning bin carried by the robot body and configured to receive debris agitated by the cleaning assembly. The robot maintenance station includes a station housing configured to receive the robot for maintenance. The station housing has an evacuation passageway exposed to a top portion of the received robot. The robot maintenance station also includes an air mover in pneumatic communication with the evacuation passageway and a collection bin carried by the station housing and in pneumatic communication with the evacuation passageway. The station housing and the robot body fluidly connect the evacuation passageway to the cleaning bin of the received robot. The air mover evacuates debris held in the robot cleaning bin to the collection bin through the evacuation passageway.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 31, 2020Publication date: May 28, 2020Inventors: Chikyung Won, Stephen A. Hickey, Mark Steven Schnittman, Zivthan A. Dubrovsky, Selma Svendsen, Jed Lowry, David Orrin Swett, John Devlin
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Patent number: 10646091Abstract: An autonomous coverage robot includes a chassis, a drive system configured to maneuver the robot, and a cleaning assembly. The cleaning assembly includes a cleaning assembly housing and at least one driven sweeper brush. The robot includes a controller and a removable sweeper bin configured to receive debris agitated by the driven sweeper brush. The sweeper bin includes an emitter disposed on an interior surface of the bin and a receiver disposed remotely from the emitter on the interior surface of the bin and configured to receive an emitter signal. The emitter and the receiver are disposed such that a threshold level of accumulation of debris in the sweeper bin blocks the receiver from receiving emitter emissions. The robot includes a bin controller disposed in the sweeper bin and monitoring a detector signal and initiating a bin full routine upon determining a bin debris accumulation level requiring service.Type: GrantFiled: September 5, 2019Date of Patent: May 12, 2020Assignee: iRobot CorporationInventors: Mark Steven Schnittman, Daniel N. Ozick, Gregg W. Landry
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Patent number: 10636154Abstract: With reference to panoramic video, sub-scenes at bearings of interest within a wide or panoramic video signal substantially coincident with an acoustic sensor array are associated with bearings of interest identified localization of acoustic recognitions and visual recognitions, and widths of the sub-scene video signals may be set according to a signal characteristic of the acoustic recognition or the visual recognition.Type: GrantFiled: April 1, 2016Date of Patent: April 28, 2020Assignee: OWL LABS, INC.Inventors: Mark Steven Schnittman, Maksim Makeev
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Publication number: 20190387946Abstract: An autonomous coverage robot includes a chassis, a drive system configured to maneuver the robot, and a cleaning assembly. The cleaning assembly includes a cleaning assembly housing and at least one driven sweeper brush. The robot includes a controller and a removable sweeper bin configured to receive debris agitated by the driven sweeper brush. The sweeper bin includes an emitter disposed on an interior surface of the bin and a receiver disposed remotely from the emitter on the interior surface of the bin and configured to receive an emitter signal. The emitter and the receiver are disposed such that a threshold level of accumulation of debris in the sweeper bin blocks the receiver from receiving emitter emissions. The robot includes a bin controller disposed in the sweeper bin and monitoring a detector signal and initiating a bin full routine upon determining a bin debris accumulation level requiring service.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 5, 2019Publication date: December 26, 2019Inventors: Mark Steven Schnittman, Daniel N. Ozick, Gregg W. Landry
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Publication number: 20190365187Abstract: A cleaning robot system including a robot and a robot maintenance station. The robot includes a robot body, a drive system, a cleaning assembly, and a cleaning bin carried by the robot body and configured to receive debris agitated by the cleaning assembly. The robot maintenance station includes a station housing configured to receive the robot for maintenance. The station housing has an evacuation passageway exposed to a top portion of the received robot. The robot maintenance station also includes an air mover in pneumatic communication with the evacuation passageway and a collection bin carried by the station housing and in pneumatic communication with the evacuation passageway. The station housing and the robot body fluidly connect the evacuation passageway to the cleaning bin of the received robot. The air mover evacuates debris held in the robot cleaning bin to the collection bin through the evacuation passageway.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 19, 2019Publication date: December 5, 2019Inventors: Chikyung Won, Stephen A. Hickey, Mark Steven Schnittman, Zivthan A. Dubrovsky, Selma Svendsen, Jed Lowry, David Orrin Swett, John Devlin
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Publication number: 20190223679Abstract: 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: ApplicationFiled: March 29, 2019Publication date: July 25, 2019Inventors: Mark Steven Schnittman, Michael Todd Rosenstein
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Publication number: 20190167060Abstract: An autonomous coverage robot includes a chassis, a drive system configured to maneuver the robot, and a cleaning assembly. The cleaning assembly includes a cleaning assembly housing and at least one driven sweeper brush. The robot includes a controller and a removable sweeper bin configured to receive debris agitated by the driven sweeper brush. The sweeper bin includes an emitter disposed on an interior surface of the bin and a receiver disposed remotely from the emitter on the interior surface of the bin and configured to receive an emitter signal. The emitter and the receiver are disposed such that a threshold level of accumulation of debris in the sweeper bin blocks the receiver from receiving emitter emissions. The robot includes a bin controller disposed in the sweeper bin and monitoring a detector signal and initiating a bin full routine upon determining a bin debris accumulation level requiring service.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 6, 2019Publication date: June 6, 2019Inventors: Mark Steven Schnittman, Daniel N. Ozick, Gregg W. Landry
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Patent number: 10244915Abstract: An autonomous coverage robot includes a chassis, a drive system configured to maneuver the robot, and a cleaning assembly. The cleaning assembly includes a cleaning assembly housing and at least one driven sweeper brush. The robot includes a controller and a removable sweeper bin configured to receive debris agitated by the driven sweeper brush. The sweeper bin includes an emitter disposed on an interior surface of the bin and a receiver disposed remotely from the emitter on the interior surface of the bin and configured to receive an emitter signal. The emitter and the receiver are disposed such that a threshold level of accumulation of debris in the sweeper bin blocks the receiver from receiving emitter emissions. The robot includes a bin controller disposed in the sweeper bin and monitoring a detector signal and initiating a bin full routine upon determining a bin debris accumulation level requiring service.Type: GrantFiled: May 13, 2013Date of Patent: April 2, 2019Assignee: iRobot CorporationInventors: Mark Steven Schnittman, Daniel N. Ozick, Gregg W. Landry
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Patent number: 10244913Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: October 26, 2017Date of Patent: April 2, 2019Assignee: iRobot CorporationInventors: Mark Steven Schnittman, Michael Todd Rosenstein
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Publication number: 20190072963Abstract: A method of navigating an autonomous coverage robot on a floor includes controlling movement of the robot across the floor in a cleaning mode, receiving a sensor signal indicative of an obstacle, rotating the robot away from the sensed obstacle, determining a change in the received sensor signal during at least a portion of the rotation of the robot away from the sensed obstacle, and identifying the sensed obstacle based at least in part on the determined change in the received sensor signal.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 5, 2018Publication date: March 7, 2019Inventor: Mark Steven Schnittman