Patents by Inventor Ping-Hong Lu
Ping-Hong Lu 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: 11957286Abstract: An autonomous floor cleaning robot includes a robot body defining a forward drive direction, a controller supported by the robot body, a drive supporting the robot body and configured to maneuver the robot across a surface in response to commands from the controller, a pad holder disposed on an underside of the robot body and configured to retain a removable cleaning pad during operation of the cleaning robot; and a pad sensor arranged to sense a feature of a cleaning pad held by the pad holder and generate a corresponding signal. The controller is responsive to the signal generated by the pad sensor, and configured to control the robot according to a cleaning mode selected from a set of multiple robot cleaning modes as a function of the signal generated by the pad sensor.Type: GrantFiled: April 28, 2022Date of Patent: April 16, 2024Assignee: iRobot CorporationInventors: Ping-Hong Lu, Dan Foran, Marcus Williams, Joe Johnson, Andrew Graziani
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Patent number: 11860638Abstract: A mobile cleaning robot can include a robot body, a bumper, and a bumper impact system. The bumper can be connected to and supported by the robot body. The bumper impact system can include a first sensor connected to the body in a first orientation with respect to the body and the bumper. The bumper impact system can include a second sensor connected to the body in a second orientation with respect to the body and the bumper different from the first orientation. The first sensor and the second sensor can together be configured to sense an impact region of the bumper based on a magnitude and a direction of movement of the bumper relative to the robot body.Type: GrantFiled: October 8, 2020Date of Patent: January 2, 2024Assignee: iRobot CorporationInventors: Dexter Bautista, Isaac Fowler, Andrew Graziani, Marcus R. Williams, Ping-Hong Lu, Erik Schembor
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Publication number: 20230064687Abstract: A robot includes a body that is movable relative to a surface one or more measurement devices within the body to output information based on an orientation of the body at an initial location on the surface, and a controller within the body to determine an orientation of the body based on the information and to restrict movement of the body to an area by preventing movement of the body beyond a barrier that is based on the orientation of the body and the initial location.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 3, 2022Publication date: March 2, 2023Inventors: Marcus Williams, Ping-Hong Lu, Joseph M. Johnson, Fabrizio Santini
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Patent number: 11547264Abstract: A method of operating an autonomous cleaning robot includes presenting, on a display of a mobile device, a representation of each of multiple cleaning levels, each cleaning level corresponding to a respective rank overlap parameter for a wet cleaning mission of the autonomous cleaning robot. The method includes receiving, at the mobile device, an input indicative of a selection of one of the cleaning levels; and controlling the autonomous cleaning robot to execute a wet cleaning mission according to the rank overlap parameter corresponding to the selected one of the cleaning levels.Type: GrantFiled: August 9, 2019Date of Patent: January 10, 2023Assignee: iRobot CorporationInventors: Ping-Hong Lu, Marcus Williams, Adam Goss, Melissa O'Dea
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Patent number: 11465284Abstract: A robot includes a body that is movable relative to a surface one or more measurement devices within the body to output information based on an orientation of the body at an initial location on the surface, and a controller within the body to determine an orientation of the body based on the information and to restrict movement of the body to an area by preventing movement of the body beyond a barrier that is based on the orientation of the body and the initial location.Type: GrantFiled: April 15, 2020Date of Patent: October 11, 2022Assignee: iRobot CorporationInventors: Marcus Williams, Ping-Hong Lu, Joseph M. Johnson, Fabrizio Santini
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Publication number: 20220257080Abstract: An autonomous floor cleaning robot includes a robot body defining a forward drive direction, a controller supported by the robot body, a drive supporting the robot body and configured to maneuver the robot across a surface in response to commands from the controller, a pad holder disposed on an underside of the robot body and configured to retain a removable cleaning pad during operation of the cleaning robot; and a pad sensor arranged to sense a feature of a cleaning pad held by the pad holder and generate a corresponding signal. The controller is responsive to the signal generated by the pad sensor, and configured to control the robot according to a cleaning mode selected from a set of multiple robot cleaning modes as a function of the signal generated by the pad sensor.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 28, 2022Publication date: August 18, 2022Inventors: Ping-Hong Lu, Daniel Foran, Marcus R. Williams, Joe Johnson, Andrew Graziani
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Patent number: 11324376Abstract: An autonomous floor cleaning robot includes a robot body defining a forward drive direction, a controller supported by the robot body, a drive supporting the robot body and configured to maneuver the robot across a surface in response to commands from the controller, a pad holder disposed on an underside of the robot body and configured to retain a removable cleaning pad during operation of the cleaning robot; and a pad sensor arranged to sense a feature of a cleaning pad held by the pad holder and generate a corresponding signal. The controller is responsive to the signal generated by the pad sensor, and configured to control the robot according to a cleaning mode selected from a set of multiple robot cleaning modes as a function of the signal generated by the pad sensor.Type: GrantFiled: October 25, 2019Date of Patent: May 10, 2022Assignee: iRobot CorporationInventors: Ping-Hong Lu, Dan Foran, Marcus Williams, Joe Johnson, Andrew Graziani
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Patent number: 11278175Abstract: An example robot includes a body that is movable relative to a surface, a bumper mounted on the body to enable movement of the bumper relative to the body, a sensor to produce a signal in response to the movement of the bumper relative to the body caused by contact between the bumper and the surface, and a controller to control movement of the body to cause the body to track the surface based on a value. The bumper is movable between an uncompressed position relative to the body and a compressed position relative to the body. The signal varies linearly with the movement of the bumper relative to the body. The value is based on the signal and indicates that the bumper in a partially compressed position has a compression range between the uncompressed position and the compressed position.Type: GrantFiled: January 10, 2020Date of Patent: March 22, 2022Assignee: iRobot CorporationInventors: Brian Wolfe, Ping-Hong Lu
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Publication number: 20210267429Abstract: An autonomous floor cleaning robot includes a body, a controller supported by the body, a drive supporting the body to maneuver the robot across a floor surface in response to commands from the controller, and a pad holder attached to an underside of the body to hold a removable cleaning pad during operation of the robot. The pad includes a mounting plate and a mounting surface. The mounting plate is attached to the mounting surface. The robot includes a pad sensor to sense a feature on the pad and to generate a signal based on the feature, which is defined in part by a cutout on the card backing. The mounting plate enables the pad sensor to detect the feature. The controller is responsive to the signal to perform operations including selecting a cleaning mode based on the signal, and controlling the robot according to a selected cleaning mode.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 22, 2021Publication date: September 2, 2021Inventors: Ping-Hong Lu, Joseph M. Johnson, Daniel Foran, Marcus Williams, Andrew Graziani
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Patent number: 10952585Abstract: An autonomous floor cleaning robot includes a body, a controller supported by the body, a drive supporting the body to maneuver the robot across a floor surface in response to commands from the controller, and a pad holder attached to an underside of the body to hold a removable cleaning pad during operation of the robot. The pad includes a mounting plate and a mounting surface. The mounting plate is attached to the mounting surface. The robot includes a pad sensor to sense a feature on the pad and to generate a signal based on the feature, which is defined in part by a cutout on the card backing. The mounting plate enables the pad sensor to detect the feature. The controller is responsive to the signal to perform operations including selecting a cleaning mode based on the signal, and controlling the robot according to a selected cleaning mode.Type: GrantFiled: August 30, 2018Date of Patent: March 23, 2021Assignee: Robot CorporationInventors: Ping-Hong Lu, Joseph M. Johnson, Daniel Foran, Marcus Williams, Andrew Graziani
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Publication number: 20210026365Abstract: A mobile robot can include a robot body; a drive system supporting the robot body above a floor surface for maneuvering the robot across the floor surface; a bumper frame on a front periphery of the robot body, the bumper frame supported by the robot body; and a bumper impact system comprising: a first sensor at a first orientation with respect to the bumper frame that is configured to generate a first signal in response to a magnitude and a direction of movement of the bumper frame relative to the robot body; a second sensor at a second orientation with respect to the bumper frame that is configured to generate a second signal in response to a magnitude and a direction of movement of the bumper frame relative to the robot body, the second orientation being different from the first orientation; and a processor.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 8, 2020Publication date: January 28, 2021Inventors: Dexter Bautista, Isaac Fowler, Andrew Granziani, Marcus R. Williams, Ping-Hong Lu, Erik Schembor
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Publication number: 20200345193Abstract: A method of operating an autonomous cleaning robot includes presenting, on a display of a mobile device, a representation of each of multiple cleaning levels, each cleaning level corresponding to a respective rank overlap parameter for a wet cleaning mission of the autonomous cleaning robot. The method includes receiving, at the mobile device, an input indicative of a selection of one of the cleaning levels; and controlling the autonomous cleaning robot to execute a wet cleaning mission according to the rank overlap parameter corresponding to the selected one of the cleaning levels.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 9, 2019Publication date: November 5, 2020Inventors: Ping-Hong Lu, Marcus Williams, Adam Goss, Melissa O'Dea
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Patent number: 10824159Abstract: A mobile robot can include a robot body; a drive system supporting the robot body above a floor surface for maneuvering the robot across the floor surface; a bumper frame on a front periphery of the robot body, the bumper frame supported by the robot body; and a bumper impact system comprising: a first sensor at a first orientation with respect to the bumper frame that is configured to generate a first signal in response to a magnitude and a direction of movement of the bumper frame relative to the robot body; a second sensor at a second orientation with respect to the bumper frame that is configured to generate a second signal in response to a magnitude and a direction of movement of the bumper frame relative to the robot body, the second orientation being different from the first orientation; and a processor.Type: GrantFiled: September 7, 2018Date of Patent: November 3, 2020Assignee: iRobot CorporationInventors: Dexter Bautista, Isaac Fowler, Andrew Graziani, Marcus R. Williams, Ping-Hong Lu, Erik Schembor
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Publication number: 20200238520Abstract: A robot includes a body that is movable relative to a surface one or more measurement devices within the body to output information based on an orientation of the body at an initial location on the surface, and a controller within the body to determine an orientation of the body based on the information and to restrict movement of the body to an area by preventing movement of the body beyond a barrier that is based on the orientation of the body and the initial location.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 15, 2020Publication date: July 30, 2020Inventors: Marcus Williams, Ping-Hong Lu, Joseph M. Johnson, Fabrizio Santini
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Publication number: 20200146525Abstract: An example robot includes a body that is movable relative to a surface, a bumper mounted on the body to enable movement of the bumper relative to the body, a sensor to produce a signal in response to the movement of the bumper relative to the body caused by contact between the bumper and the surface, and a controller to control movement of the body to cause the body to track the surface based on a value. The bumper is movable between an uncompressed position relative to the body and a compressed position relative to the body. The signal varies linearly with the movement of the bumper relative to the body. The value is based on the signal and indicates that the bumper in a partially compressed position has a compression range between the uncompressed position and the compressed position.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 10, 2020Publication date: May 14, 2020Inventors: Brian Wolfe, Ping-Hong Lu
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Patent number: 10639793Abstract: A robot includes a body that is movable relative to a surface one or more measurement devices within the body to output information based on an orientation of the body at an initial location on the surface, and a controller within the body to determine an orientation of the body based on the information and to restrict movement of the body to an area by preventing movement of the body beyond a barrier that is based on the orientation of the body and the initial location.Type: GrantFiled: October 30, 2017Date of Patent: May 5, 2020Assignee: iRobot CorporationInventors: Marcus Williams, Ping-Hong Lu, Joseph M. Johnson, Fabrizio Santini
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Publication number: 20200081447Abstract: A mobile robot can include a robot body; a drive system supporting the robot body above a floor surface for maneuvering the robot across the floor surface; a bumper frame on a front periphery of the robot body, the bumper frame supported by the robot body; and a bumper impact system comprising: a first sensor at a first orientation with respect to the bumper frame that is configured to generate a first signal in response to a magnitude and a direction of movement of the bumper frame relative to the robot body; a second sensor at a second orientation with respect to the bumper frame that is configured to generate a second signal in response to a magnitude and a direction of movement of the bumper frame relative to the robot body, the second orientation being different from the first orientation; and a processor.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 7, 2018Publication date: March 12, 2020Inventors: Dexter Bautista, Isaac Fowler, Andrew Graziani, Marcus R. Williams, Ping-Hong Lu, Erik Schembor
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Publication number: 20200060500Abstract: An autonomous floor cleaning robot includes a robot body defining a forward drive direction, a controller supported by the robot body, a drive supporting the robot body and configured to maneuver the robot across a surface in response to commands from the controller, a pad holder disposed on an underside of the robot body and configured to retain a removable cleaning pad during operation of the cleaning robot; and a pad sensor arranged to sense a feature of a cleaning pad held by the pad holder and generate a corresponding signal. The controller is responsive to the signal generated by the pad sensor, and configured to control the robot according to a cleaning mode selected from a set of multiple robot cleaning modes as a function of the signal generated by the pad sensor.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 25, 2019Publication date: February 27, 2020Inventors: Ping-Hong Lu, Dan Foran, Marcus Williams, Joe Johnson, Andrew Graziani
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Patent number: 10537221Abstract: An example robot includes a body that is movable relative to a surface, a bumper mounted on the body to enable movement of the bumper relative to the body, a sensor to produce a signal in response to the movement of the bumper relative to the body caused by contact between the bumper and the surface, and a controller to control movement of the body to cause the body to track the surface based on a value. The bumper is movable between an uncompressed position relative to the body and a compressed position relative to the body. The signal varies linearly with the movement of the bumper relative to the body. The value is based on the signal and indicates that the bumper in a partially compressed position has a compression range between the uncompressed position and the compressed position.Type: GrantFiled: February 7, 2018Date of Patent: January 21, 2020Assignee: iRobot CorporationInventors: Brian Wolfe, Ping-Hong Lu
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Patent number: 10499783Abstract: An autonomous floor cleaning robot includes a robot body defining a forward drive direction, a controller supported by the robot body, a drive supporting the robot body and configured to maneuver the robot across a surface in response to commands from the controller, a pad holder disposed on an underside of the robot body and configured to retain a removable cleaning pad during operation of the cleaning robot; and a pad sensor arranged to sense a feature of a cleaning pad held by the pad holder and generate a corresponding signal. The controller is responsive to the signal generated by the pad sensor, and configured to control the robot according to a cleaning mode selected from a set of multiple robot cleaning modes as a function of the signal generated by the pad sensor.Type: GrantFiled: October 31, 2017Date of Patent: December 10, 2019Assignee: iRobot CorporationInventors: Ping-Hong Lu, Dan Foran, Marcus Williams, Joe Johnson, Andrew Graziani