Patents by Inventor William Sowerwine

William Sowerwine 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: 20240011313
    Abstract: A pool cleaner is provided. The pool cleaner includes a housing and an imaging device mounted to the housing. The imaging device is configured to acquire at least one image of an aquatic environment. The pool cleaner also includes a controller in communication with the imaging device. The controller identifies candidate debris from the at least one image, determines an optimal cleaning pathway, and navigates the pool cleaner to the candidate debris along the optimal cleaning pathway. The pool cleaner further includes a scrub brush disposed on the housing and configured to move the candidate debris, and a removable filter canister configured to collect the candidate debris.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 25, 2023
    Publication date: January 11, 2024
    Inventors: Kevin J. Braidic, John Rotundo, Daniel B. Freve, William Sowerwine
  • Patent number: 11767679
    Abstract: A pool cleaner control system is provided. The pool cleaner control system includes a pool cleaner having an imaging device and a controller. The imaging device is configured to acquire at least one image of an aquatic environment. The controller is in communication with the imaging device. The controller identifies candidate debris from the at least one image, analyzes at least two potential candidate debris-containing pathways, and determines which of the at least two potential candidate debris-containing pathways is an optimal cleaning pathway.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 24, 2022
    Date of Patent: September 26, 2023
    Assignee: Pentair Water Pool and Spa, Inc.
    Inventors: Kevin J. Braidic, John Rotundo, Daniel B. Freve, William Sowerwine
  • Publication number: 20220316228
    Abstract: A pool cleaner control system is provided. The pool cleaner control system includes a pool cleaner having an imaging device and a controller. The imaging device is configured to acquire at least one image of an aquatic environment. The controller is in communication with the imaging device. The controller identifies candidate debris from the at least one image, analyzes at least two potential candidate debris-containing pathways, and determines which of the at least two potential candidate debris-containing pathways is an optimal cleaning pathway.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 24, 2022
    Publication date: October 6, 2022
    Inventors: Kevin J. Braidic, John Rotundo, Daniel B. Freve, William Sowerwine
  • Patent number: 11339580
    Abstract: Embodiments of the invention provide a pool cleaner control system to locate and remove debris from an aquatic environment. The control system comprises an imaging device configured to be mounted on a housing of a pool cleaner and a controller in communication with the imaging device and configured to control the imaging device to acquire one or more primary images from the imaging device. The primary image is received by the controller from the imaging device. Debris is identified within the aquatic environment and a path score is calculated for at least two potential paths having debris within the aquatic environment. The pool cleaner is navigated along a selected path, the selected path being the one of the at least two potential paths having a highest path score.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 22, 2018
    Date of Patent: May 24, 2022
    Assignee: PENTAIR WATER POOL AND SPA, INC.
    Inventors: Kevin Braidic, John Rotundo, Daniel B. Freve, William Sowerwine
  • Publication number: 20190085579
    Abstract: Embodiments of the invention provide a pool cleaner control system to locate and remove debris from an aquatic environment. The control system comprises an imaging device configured to be mounted on a housing of a pool cleaner and a controller in communication with the imaging device and configured to control the imaging device to acquire one or more primary images from the imaging device. The primary image is received by the controller from the imaging device. Debris is identified within the aquatic environment and a path score is calculated for at least two potential paths having debris within the aquatic environment. The pool cleaner is navigated along a selected path, the selected path being the one of the at least two potential paths having a highest path score.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 22, 2018
    Publication date: March 21, 2019
    Inventors: Kevin Braidic, John Rotundo, Dan Freve, William Sowerwine