Patents by Inventor Stefan Zickler

Stefan Zickler 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).

  • Patent number: 11467599
    Abstract: Described herein are systems, devices, and methods for localizing and recognizing an object in an environment. In an example, a mobile cleaning robot comprises a drive system to move the mobile cleaning robot about an environment, an imaging sensor to take images of an object in the environment from different perspectives. The multiple observations include images of the object that is at least partially occluded by an obstacle. A controller circuit of the mobile robot can, for multiple different locations in a map of the environment, calculate respective fractional visibility values using the plurality of images. The fractional visibility values each represent a probability of the object being visible through the corresponding location. The controller circuit can localize and recognize the object based on the fractional visibility values at the multiple locations on the map.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 15, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 11, 2022
    Assignee: iRobot Corporation
    Inventors: Douglas Ferrer, Stefan Zickler, Sung-Yee Guo, Danielle O'Connor Dean
  • Publication number: 20220083074
    Abstract: Described herein are systems, devices, and methods for localizing and recognizing an object in an environment. In an example, a mobile cleaning robot comprises a drive system to move the mobile cleaning robot about an environment, an imaging sensor to take images of an object in the environment from different perspectives. The multiple observations include images of the object that is at least partially occluded by an obstacle. A controller circuit of the mobile robot can, for multiple different locations in a map of the environment, calculate respective fractional visibility values using the plurality of images. The fractional visibility values each represent a probability of the object being visible through the corresponding location. The controller circuit can localize and recognize the object based on the fractional visibility values at the multiple locations on the map.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 15, 2020
    Publication date: March 17, 2022
    Inventors: Douglas Ferrer, Stefan Zickler, Sung-Yee Guo, Danielle O'Connor Dean
  • Publication number: 20210373558
    Abstract: Described herein are systems, devices, and methods for scheduling and controlling a mobile robot using a textual and user experienced-based mission routine. In an example, a mobile cleaning robot comprises a drive system to move the mobile cleaning robot about an environment, a sensor circuit to detect an object in the environment, and a controller circuit to receive a mission routine including data representing an editable schedule including at least one of time or order for performing one or more cleaning tasks with respect to a semantically annotated object that include spatial or contextual information of the detected object, or with respect to user experience or user behavior. The controller circuit navigates the mobile cleaning robot to conduct a mission in accordance with the mission routine.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 29, 2020
    Publication date: December 2, 2021
    Inventors: Ryan Schneider, Craig Michael Butterworth, Sam Hong, Stefan Zickler, Steven Kordell, Hyun Woo Paik, Frank Judge, Nat Jabbawy, Jacki Holcomb, Shannon Amelia Case, David M. McSweeney, Brandon Rohrer, Rick Hoobler, Ottillia Shirhan Ni
  • Publication number: 20210224579
    Abstract: A mobile cleaning robot includes a cleaning head configured to clean a floor surface in an environment, and at least one camera having a field of view that extends above the floor surface. The at least one camera is configured to capture images that include portions of the environment above the floor surface. The robot includes a recognition module is configured to recognize objects in the environment based on the images captured by the at least one camera, in which the recognition module is trained at least in part using the images captured by the at least one camera. The robot includes a storage device is configured to store a map of the environment. The robot includes a control module configured to control the mobile cleaning robot to navigate in the environment using the map and operate the cleaning head to perform cleaning tasks taking into account of the objects recognized by the recognition module.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 28, 2020
    Publication date: July 22, 2021
    Inventors: Christopher V. Jones, Gary Ellis Hall, Steven J. Baron, Brent Hild, Stefan Zickler, John Sinnigen
  • Patent number: 10878294
    Abstract: A mobile cleaning robot includes a cleaning head configured to clean a floor surface in an environment, and at least one camera having a field of view that extends above the floor surface. The at least one camera is configured to capture images that include portions of the environment above the floor surface. The robot includes a recognition module is configured to recognize objects in the environment based on the images captured by the at least one camera, in which the recognition module is trained at least in part using the images captured by the at least one camera. The robot includes a storage device is configured to store a map of the environment. The robot includes a control module configured to control the mobile cleaning robot to navigate in the environment using the map and operate the cleaning head to perform cleaning tasks taking into account of the objects recognized by the recognition module.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 5, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 29, 2020
    Assignee: iRobot Corporation
    Inventors: Christopher V. Jones, Gary Ellis Hall, Steven J. Baron, Brent Hild, Stefan Zickler, John Sinnigen
  • Publication number: 20190213438
    Abstract: A mobile cleaning robot includes a cleaning head configured to clean a floor surface in an environment, and at least one camera having a field of view that extends above the floor surface. The at least one camera is configured to capture images that include portions of the environment above the floor surface. The robot includes a recognition module is configured to recognize objects in the environment based on the images captured by the at least one camera, in which the recognition module is trained at least in part using the images captured by the at least one camera. The robot includes a storage device is configured to store a map of the environment. The robot includes a control module configured to control the mobile cleaning robot to navigate in the environment using the map and operate the cleaning head to perform cleaning tasks taking into account of the objects recognized by the recognition module.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 5, 2018
    Publication date: July 11, 2019
    Inventors: Christopher V. Jones, Gary Ellis Hall, Steven J. Baron, Brent Hild, Stefan Zickler, John Sinnigen