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).

  • Publication number: 20190008351
    Abstract: 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: Application
    Filed: September 4, 2018
    Publication date: January 10, 2019
    Inventors: Mark Steven Schnittman, Zivthan A. Dubrovsky, Jeffrey W. Mammen, Aaron Solochek
  • Patent number: 10152062
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 11, 2018
    Assignee: iRobot Corporation
    Inventor: Mark Steven Schnittman
  • Patent number: 10070764
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: October 24, 2016
    Date of Patent: September 11, 2018
    Assignee: iRobot Corporation
    Inventors: Mark Steven Schnittman, Zivthan A. Dubrovsky, Jeffrey W. Mammen, Aaron Solochek
  • Publication number: 20180199784
    Abstract: 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: Application
    Filed: October 26, 2017
    Publication date: July 19, 2018
    Inventors: Mark Steven Schnittman, Michael Todd Rosenstein
  • Patent number: 9955841
    Abstract: A cleaning robot system includes a robot and a robot maintenance station. The robot includes a chassis, a drive system configured to maneuver the robot as directed by a controller, and a cleaning assembly including a cleaning assembly housing and a driven cleaning roller. The robot maintenance station includes a station housing and a docking platform configured to support the robot when docked. A mechanical agitator engages the roller of the robot with the robot docked. The agitator includes an agitator comb having multiple teeth configured to remove accumulated debris from the roller as the agitator comb and roller are moved relative to one another. The robot maintenance station includes a collection bin arranged to receive and hold debris removed by the mechanical agitator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 1, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 1, 2018
    Assignee: iRobot Corporation
    Inventors: Chikyung Won, Stephen A. Hickey, Mark Steven Schnittman, Zivthan A. Dubrovsky, Selma Svendsen, Jed Lowry, David Swett, John Devlin
  • Patent number: 9826872
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: December 31, 2015
    Date of Patent: November 28, 2017
    Assignee: iRobot Corporation
    Inventors: Mark Steven Schnittman, Michael Todd Rosenstein
  • Publication number: 20170079499
    Abstract: 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: Application
    Filed: October 24, 2016
    Publication date: March 23, 2017
    Inventors: Mark Steven Schnittman, Zivthan A. Dubrovsky, Jeffrey W. Mammen, Aaron Solochek
  • Publication number: 20170055796
    Abstract: 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: Application
    Filed: September 28, 2016
    Publication date: March 2, 2017
    Inventors: Chikyung Won, Stephen A. Hickey, Mark Steven Schnittman, Zivthan A. Dubrovsky, Selma Svendsen, Jed Lowry, David Orrin Swett, John Devlin
  • Publication number: 20160334791
    Abstract: 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: Application
    Filed: June 29, 2016
    Publication date: November 17, 2016
    Inventor: Mark Steven Schnittman
  • Patent number: 9492048
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: December 24, 2013
    Date of Patent: November 15, 2016
    Assignee: iRobot Corporation
    Inventors: Chikyung Won, Stephen A. Hickey, Mark Steven Schnittman, Zivthan A. Dubrovsky, Selma Svendsen, Jed Lowry, David Swett, John Devlin
  • Patent number: 9480381
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: August 11, 2014
    Date of Patent: November 1, 2016
    Assignee: iRobot Corporation
    Inventors: Mark Steven Schnittman, Zivthan A. Dubrovsky, Jeffrey W. Mammen, Aaron Solochek
  • Publication number: 20160295128
    Abstract: 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: Application
    Filed: April 1, 2016
    Publication date: October 6, 2016
    Inventors: Mark Steven Schnittman, Maksim Makeev
  • Publication number: 20160292884
    Abstract: 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: Application
    Filed: April 1, 2016
    Publication date: October 6, 2016
    Inventors: Mark Steven Schnittman, Maksim Makeev
  • Patent number: 9436185
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: December 30, 2011
    Date of Patent: September 6, 2016
    Assignee: iRobot Corporation
    Inventor: Mark Steven Schnittman
  • Publication number: 20160113469
    Abstract: 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: Application
    Filed: December 31, 2015
    Publication date: April 28, 2016
    Inventors: Mark Steven Schnittman, Michael Todd Rosenstein
  • Patent number: 9233471
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: April 22, 2014
    Date of Patent: January 12, 2016
    Assignee: iRobot Corporation
    Inventors: Mark Steven Schnittman, Michael Todd Rosenstein
  • Publication number: 20150020326
    Abstract: 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: Application
    Filed: August 11, 2014
    Publication date: January 22, 2015
    Inventors: Mark Steven Schnittman, Zivthan A. Dubrovsky, Jeffrey W. Mammen, Aaron Solochek
  • Patent number: 8839477
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 2012
    Date of Patent: September 23, 2014
    Assignee: iRobot Corporation
    Inventors: Mark Steven Schnittman, Zivthan A. Dubrovsky, Jeffrey W. Mammen, Aaron Solochek
  • Publication number: 20140229008
    Abstract: 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: Application
    Filed: April 22, 2014
    Publication date: August 14, 2014
    Applicant: iRobot Corporation
    Inventors: Mark Steven Schnittman, Michael Todd Rosenstein
  • Patent number: 8741013
    Abstract: A dust bin for a robotic vacuum comprises a dust bin frame having a cavity defined therein to receive debris, a filter frame disposed within the dust bin frame and defining two filter openings at opposite sides thereof, and a central impeller disposed adjacent to or under the filter frame to draw air from outside of the dust bin into the dust bin. The dust bin also comprises two air filters, one air filter being located on each side of the central impeller, each air filter being inserted into one of the filter openings, each filter having an overhang around a perimeter thereof that includes a sealing face to form a vacuum-assisted seal with the filter frame when air is drawn into the dust bin.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 30, 2011
    Date of Patent: June 3, 2014
    Assignee: iRobot Corporation
    Inventors: David Orrin Swett, Mark Steven Schnittman