US6690134B1
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Method and system for robot localization and confinement
Assignee: iRobot Corp
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Filing: 2002-01-24
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Granted: 2004-02-10
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Expires: 2022-01-24
Abstract
Abstract The present invention discloses a system and method for confining a robot to a particular space. The system includes a portable barrier signal transmitter that produces a barrier signal primarily along an axis, and a mobile robot capable of avoiding the barrier signal upon detection of the barrier signal. In the preferred embodiment the barrier signal is emitted in an infrared frequency and the robot includes an omni-directional signal detector. Upon detection of the signal, the robot turns in a direction selected by a barrier avoidance algorithm until the barrier signal is no longer detected.
Inventors
- 👤 Joseph L. Jones
- 👤 Philip R. Mass
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-02 21:00
CPC Classifications
G; G05; G05D; G05D1/00; G05D1/02; G05D1/021; G05D1/0276; G05D1/028; A; A47; A47L; A47L9/00; A47L9/009; G05D1/0212; G05D1/0225; G05D1/0227; G05D1/0231; G05D1/0234; G05D1/0238; G05D1/0242; G05D1/0268; G05D1/0272; A47L2201/00; A47L2201/04
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 22
Claim 1
Independent Claim
141 words
A robot confinement system, comprising: a. a portable barrier signal transmitting device that includes at least a primary emitter, said primary emitter being operative to emit a confinement beam primarily along an axis, said axis of said emitted confinement beam defining a directed barrier; b. a mobile robot; c. said mobile robot comprising: means for turning in at least one direction; a detector operative to detect said directed barrier formed by said emitted confinement beam; and a control unit controlling said means for turning; d. whereby the control unit runs an algorithm for avoiding said directed barrier formed by said emitted confinement beam upon detection of said directed barrier formed by said emitted confinement beam, said algorithm being operative to turn the robot in a chosen direction until said directed barrier formed by said emitted confinement beam is no longer detected.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
141 words
A robot confinement system, comprising: a. a portable barrier signal transmitting device that includes at least a primary emitter, said primary emitter being operative to emit a confinement beam primarily along an axis, said axis of said emitted confinement beam defining a directed barrier; b. a mobile robot; c. said mobile robot comprising: means for turning in at least one direction; a detector operative to detect said directed barrier formed by said emitted confinement beam; and a control unit controlling said means for turning; d. whereby the control unit runs an algorithm for avoiding said directed barrier formed by said emitted confinement beam upon detection of said directed barrier formed by said emitted confinement beam, said algorithm being operative to turn the robot in a chosen direction until said directed barrier formed by said emitted confinement beam is no longer detected.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
43 words
The robot confinement system of claim 1 , wherein said algorithm is further operative to continue to turn the robot in the chosen direction at least a predetermined amount after said directed barrier formed by said emitted confinement beam is no longer detected.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
25 words
The robot confinement system of claim 2 , wherein said chosen direction of turning implemented by said algorithm is a generally clockwise or counterclockwise direction.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
24 words
The robot confinement system of claim 3 , wherein said chosen direction of turning implemented by said algorithm is a random direction selection function.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
36 words
The robot confinement system of claim 4 , wherein said chosen direction of turning implemented by said algorithm further comprises turning in the same direction at least twice before a final turning direction is chosen randomly.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
46 words
The robot confinement system of claim 3 , wherein the generally clockwise or counterclockwise direction comprising the chosen direction of turning implemented by said algorithm is based upon detecting gradient levels of the directed barrier formed by said emitted confinement beam at a plurality of orientations.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
36 words
The robot confinement system of claim 6 wherein the chosen direction of turning implemented by said algorithm is the orientation of the detected directed barrier formed by said emitted confinement beam with the smallest gradient level.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
49 words
The robot confinement system of claim 1 , wherein said portable barrier signal transmitting device further comprises a secondary emitter, wherein the primary emitter is operative to transmit a collimated confinement beam to form said directed barrier and the secondary emitter is operative to transmit a substantially omni-directional beam.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
31 words
The robot confinement system of claim 1 , wherein the directed barrier formed by said emitted confinement beam emitted by said primary emitter is a modulated signal in an infrared frequency.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
19 words
The robot confinement system of claim 9 , wherein operation of said signal directed barrier detector is substantially omni-directional.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
49 words
The robot confinement system of claim 10 , wherein said mobile robot includes a shell and wherein said directed barrier detector is located on top of the shell of said robot such that operation of said directed barrier detector is not substantially affected by the shell of said robot.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
19 words
The robot confinement system of claim 1 , where said robot further comprises a plurality of directed barrier detectors.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
58 words
The robot confinement system of claim 1 wherein said portable barrier signal transmitting device further comprises a reflection detector, wherein said primary emitter is operative to emit at least first and second confinement beams, said primary emitter being operative to emit the second confinement beam upon failure of said reflection detector to detect the first emitted confinement beam.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
41 words
The robot confinement system of claim 1 , wherein the robot has a predetermined turning radius, and wherein said directed barrier formed by said emitted confinement beam has a width as least as wide as the turning radius of the robot.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
143 words
A robot confinement system, comprising: a. a portable barrier signal transmitting device that includes at least a primary emitter, said primary emitter being operative to emit a confinement beam primarily along an axis, said axis of said emitted confinement beam defining a directed barrier; b. a mobile robot; c. said mobile robot comprising: means for turning in at least one direction; a detector operative to detect said directed barrier formed by said emitted confinement beam; and a control unit controlling said means for turning; d. whereby the control unit runs an algorithm for avoiding said directed barrier formed by said emitted confinement beam upon detection of said directed barrier formed by said emitted confinement beam, said algorithm being operative to reverse direction at which the robot most recently traveled until said directed barrier formed by said emitted confinement beam is no longer detected.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
143 words
A robot confinement system, comprising: a. a portable barrier signal transmitting device that includes at least a primary emitter, said primary emitter being operative to emit a confinement beam primarily along an axis, said axis of said emitted confinement beam defining a directed barrier; b. a mobile robot; c. said mobile robot comprising: means for turning in at least one direction; a detector operative to detect said directed barrier formed by said emitted confinement beam; and a control unit controlling said means for turning; d. whereby the control unit runs an algorithm for avoiding said directed barrier formed by said emitted confinement beam upon detection of said directed barrier formed by said emitted confinement beam, said algorithm being operative to reverse direction at which the robot most recently traveled until said directed barrier formed by said emitted confinement beam is no longer detected.
Claim 18
Independent Claim
124 words
A method of confining a robot using a directed barrier, comprising the steps of: a. providing a portable barrier signal transmitting device that includes a primary emitter that is operative to emit a confinement beam to provide said directed barrier that is primarily linear; b. providing a sensor positioned on the robot, said sensor being operative to detect said directed barrier formed by said emitted confinement beam; c. providing mobility means on the robot, such that the robot can turn in at least one direction; d. avoiding said directed barrier formed by said emitted confinement beam upon detection of said said directed barrier formed by said emitted confinement beam by said sensor by implementing an algorithm to move the robot in a chosen direction.
Claim 19
Independent Claim
124 words
A method of confining a robot using a directed barrier, comprising the steps of: a. providing a portable barrier signal transmitting device that includes a primary emitter that is operative to emit a confinement beam to provide said directed barrier that is primarily linear; b. providing a sensor positioned on the robot, said sensor being operative to detect said directed barrier formed by said emitted confinement beam; c. providing mobility means on the robot, such that the robot can turn in at least one direction; d. avoiding said directed barrier formed by said emitted confinement beam upon detection of said said directed barrier formed by said emitted confinement beam by said sensor by implementing an algorithm to move the robot in a chosen direction.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
30 words
The method according to claim 16 , wherein said directed barrier formed by said emitted confinement beam emitted by said primary emitter is a modulated signal in an infrared frequency.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
17 words
The method according to claim 17 , wherein operation of said directed barrier sensor is substantially omni-directional.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
40 words
The method according to claim 18 , wherein the robot has a predetermined turning radius and wherein said directed barrier formed by said emitted confinement beam has a width at least as wide as the turning radius of the robot.
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| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
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| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 2007-02-09 | 2007-08-11 | 2008-02-10 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2011-02-09 | 2011-08-11 | 2012-02-10 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2015-02-09 | 2015-08-11 | 2016-02-10 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |