Abstract:
An autonomous coverage robot system (5) includes an active boundary responder (600, 6012) comprising a wire (600, 6012) powered with a modulated current placed along a perimeter (1006A, 1006B) of a property (1001), at least one passive boundary responder (600, 600A, 600B, 600C, 600D, 600E, 600F, 600G, 600H, 600I, 6010A, 6010B, 6010C) placed on a property interior (1001A) circumscribed by the active boundary responder (600, 6012), and an autonomous coverage robot (10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19). The robot (10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19) includes drive system (400) carried by a body (100) and configured to maneuver the robot (10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19) across the property interior (1001A). A signal emitter (1510) emits a signal, where the passive boundary responder (600, 600A, 600B, 600C, 600D, 600E, 600F, 600G, 600H, 600I, 6010A, 6010B, 6010C) responsive to the signal. A boundary responder detection system (1500, 1520) is carried by the body (100) and configured to detect both the active (600, 6012) and passive (600, 600A, 600B, 600C, 600D, 600E, 600F, 600G, 600H, 600I, 6010A, 6010B, 6010C) boundary responders. The drive system (400) is configured to redirect the robot (10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19) both in response to the responder detection system (1500, 1520) detecting an active boundary responder (600, 6012) and in response to detecting a passive boundary responder (600, 600A, 600B, 600C, 600D, 600E, 600F, 600G, 600H, 600I, 6010A, 6010B, 6010C).
Abstract:
The invention relates to a robotic cleaning device comprising a chassis and an outer shell secured to the chassis to define a structural envelope of a height to enable movement of the robotic cleaning device under furniture, left and right main drive wheel assemblies and respective independent electric motors, independently mounted in pivotally-biased combination with the chassis for pivotal motion with respect thereto at opposed ends of the transverse diameter of the chassis, and movable between a retracted position under the weight of the robotic cleaning device during operation and an extended position wherein their axes of rotation are below the bottom plane of the chassis, a navigational control system operative to monitor movement activity of the robotic cleaning device within a defined working area, the monitored movement activity including at least one of a position history of the robotic cleaning device and an instantaneous position of the robotic cleaning device, and a transmitting subsystem including a transmitter laser. The transmitter laser is configured to redirect a transmitting element of the transmitter laser, to cover the defined working area by transmitting a beam substantially parallel to a surface of the defined working area, and is integrated in combination with a high point of a housing infrastructure of the robotic cleaning device so that none of the structural features of the robotic cleaning device interfere with operation of the transmitting element of the transmitter laser.
Abstract:
The invention relates to a robotic cleaning device (100) comprising a chassis (102) and an outer shell (104) secured to the chassis to define a structural envelope of a height to enable movement of the robotic cleaning device under furniture, left and right main drive wheel assemblies (112L, 112R) and respective independent electric motors (114L, 114R), independently mounted in pivotally-biased combination with the chassis for pivotal motion with respect thereto at opposed ends of the transverse diameter of the chassis, and movable between a retracted position under the weight of the robotic cleaning device during operation and an extended position wherein their axes of rotation are below the bottom plane of the chassis, a navigational control system operative to monitor movement activity of the robotic cleaning device within a defined working area, the monitored movement activity including at least one of a position history of the robotic cleaning device and an instantaneous position of the robotic cleaning device, and a transmitting subsystem (12) including a transmitter laser. The transmitter laser is configured to redirect a transmitting element of the transmitter laser, to cover the defined working area by transmitting a beam substantially parallel to a surface of the defined working area, and is integrated in combination with a high point of a housing infrastructure of the robotic cleaning device so that none of the structural features of the robotic cleaning device interfere with operation of the transmitting element of the transmitter laser.
Abstract:
A robot lawnmower comprises a body, a drive system carried by the body and configured to maneuver the robot a cross a lawn, a controller carried by the body and in communication with the drive system, and at least one obstacle sensor carried by the body and configured to detect a potential obstacle proximate the robot. The controller is configured to operate in a check setup mode in which a user maneuvers the robot to circumnavigate and approach boundaries, obstacles and/or marked guarded areas while the robot is in a manual mode and permit operation of the robot in an autonomous mode only after the check setup mode is completed.
Abstract:
A robot lawnmower comprises a body, a drive system carried by the body and configured to maneuver the robot a cross a lawn, a controller carried by the body and in communication with the drive system, and at least one obstacle sensor carried by the body and configured to detect a potential obstacle proximate the robot. The controller is configured to operate in a check setup mode in which a user maneuvers the robot to circumnavigate and approach boundaries, obstacles and/or marked guarded areas while the robot is in a manual mode and permit operation of the robot in an autonomous mode only after the check setup mode is completed.
Abstract:
A robot lawnmower (10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19) includes a drive system (400) carried by a body (100) and configured to maneuver the robot (10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19) across a lawn (20, 1020). The robot (10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19) includes a grass cutter (200, 200A, 200B, 2000A, 2050, 2100, 2200) carried by the body (100) and a swath edge detector (310A, 310B, 310C, 310D, 310E, 310F, 310G, 310H, 310I) carried by the body (100) and configured to detect a swath edge (26) between cut grass (24) and uncut grass (22) while the drive system (400) maneuvers the robot (10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19) across the lawn (20, 1020) while following a detected swath edge (26). The swath edge detector (310, 310A, 310B, 310C, 310D, 310E, 310F, 310G, 310H, 310I) includes a calibrator (320, 320A, 320B) that monitors uncut grass (22) adjacent the swath edge (26) for calibration of the swath edge detector (310, 310A, 310B, 310C, 310D, 310E, 310F, 310G, 310H, 310I).
Abstract:
The invention relates to a robotic cleaning device (100) comprising a chassis (102) and an outer shell (104) secured to the chassis to define a structural envelope of a height to enable movement of the robotic cleaning device under furniture, left and right main drive wheel assemblies (112L, 112R) and respective independent electric motors (114L, 114R), independently mounted in pivotally-biased combination with the chassis for pivotal motion with respect thereto at opposed ends of the transverse diameter of the chassis, and movable between a retracted position under the weight of the robotic cleaning device during operation and an extended position wherein their axes of rotation are below the bottom plane of the chassis, a navigational control system operative to monitor movement activity of the robotic cleaning device within a defined working area, the monitored movement activity including at least one of a position history of the robotic cleaning device and an instantaneous position of the robotic cleaning device, and a transmitting subsystem (12) including a transmitter laser. The transmitter laser is configured to redirect a transmitting element of the transmitter laser, to cover the defined working area by transmitting a beam substantially parallel to a surface of the defined working area, and is integrated in combination with a high point of a housing infrastructure of the robotic cleaning device so that none of the structural features of the robotic cleaning device interfere with operation of the transmitting element of the transmitter laser.
Abstract:
A robot lawnmower comprises a body, a drive system carried by the body and configured to maneuver the robot a cross a lawn, a controller carried by the body and in communication with the drive system, and at least one obstacle sensor carried by the body and configured to detect a potential obstacle proximate the robot. The controller is configured to operate in a check setup mode in which a user maneuvers the robot to circumnavigate and approach boundaries, obstacles and/or marked guarded areas while the robot is in a manual mode and permit operation of the robot in an autonomous mode only after the check setup mode is completed.
Abstract:
A robot lawnmower comprises a body, a drive system carried by the body and configured to maneuver the robot a cross a lawn, a controller carried by the body and in communication with the drive system, and at least one obstacle sensor carried by the body and configured to detect a potential obstacle proximate the robot. The controller is configured to operate in a check setup mode in which a user maneuvers the robot to circumnavigate and approach boundaries, obstacles and/or marked guarded areas while the robot is in a manual mode and permit operation of the robot in an autonomous mode only after the check setup mode is completed.