Robot Confinement
First Claim
1. An autonomous coverage robot system comprising:
- an active boundary responder comprising a wire powered with a modulated current placed along a perimeter of a property;
at least one passive boundary responder placed on a property interior circumscribed by the active boundary responder; and
an autonomous coverage robot comprising;
a body;
a drive system carried by the body and configured to maneuver the robot across the property interior;
a signal emitter emitting a signal, the passive boundary responder responsive to the signal; and
a boundary responder detection system carried by the body and configured to detect both the active and passive boundary responders, the drive system configured to redirect the robot both in response to the responder detection system detecting an active boundary responder and in response to detecting a passive boundary responder.
3 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
An autonomous coverage robot system includes an active boundary responder comprising a wire powered with a modulated current placed along a perimeter of a property, at least one passive boundary responder placed on a property interior circumscribed by the active boundary responder, and an autonomous coverage robot. The robot includes a drive system carried by a body and configured to maneuver the robot across the property interior. The robot includes a signal emitter emitting a signal, where the passive boundary responder is responsive to the signal and a boundary responder detection system carried by the body. The boundary responder detector is configured to redirect the robot both in response to the responder detection system detecting an active boundary responder and in response to detecting a passive boundary responder.
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Citations
16 Claims
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1. An autonomous coverage robot system comprising:
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an active boundary responder comprising a wire powered with a modulated current placed along a perimeter of a property;
at least one passive boundary responder placed on a property interior circumscribed by the active boundary responder; and
an autonomous coverage robot comprising;
a body;
a drive system carried by the body and configured to maneuver the robot across the property interior;
a signal emitter emitting a signal, the passive boundary responder responsive to the signal; and
a boundary responder detection system carried by the body and configured to detect both the active and passive boundary responders, the drive system configured to redirect the robot both in response to the responder detection system detecting an active boundary responder and in response to detecting a passive boundary responder. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. A method of navigating a property with an autonomous coverage robot, the method comprising:
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placing an active boundary responder along at least a portion of a perimeter of the property;
powering the active boundary responder with an electrical voltage;
placing at least one passive boundary responder within the property; and
placing the robot within the property, the robot comprising;
a body;
a drive system carried by the body and configured to maneuver the robot across the property interior;
a signal emitter emitting a signal, the passive boundary responder responsive to the signal; and
a boundary responder detector system carried by the body and configured to detect both the active and passive boundary responders, the drive system configured to redirect the robot in response to detecting an active boundary responder and in response to detecting a passive boundary responder; and
permitting the robot to navigate the property while the drive system redirects the robot in response to encountering the active boundary responder to keep the robot within the property, and redirects the robot in response to encountering the passive boundary responder within the property. - View Dependent Claims (11)
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12. An autonomous coverage robot comprising:
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a body;
a drive system carried by the body and configured to maneuver the robot across a surface; and
an acoustic surface sensor carried by the body and comprising;
a sensor housing defining emitter and receiver receptacles;
an audio transmitter carried in the emitter receptacle and transmitting an audio emission;
a receiver carried in the receiver receptacle and configured to receiver an audio emission reflected from the surface; and
a controller monitoring a received reflected audio emission and comparing a maximum receive energy with a threshold energy to classify the surface. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16)
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Specification