Robot confinement

• US 8,868,237 B2
• Filed: 03/19/2007
• Issued: 10/21/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 03/17/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: iRobot Corporation
• Original Assignee: iRobot Corporation
• Inventors: Sandin, Paul E., Jones, Joseph L., Ozick, Daniel N., Cohen, David A., Lewis, David M. Jr., Vu, Clara, Dubrovsky, Zivthan A., Preneta, Joshua B., Mammen, Jeffrey W., Gilbert, Duane L. Jr., Campbell, Tony L., Bergman, John, Chiappetta, Mark J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Black, Thomas G
• Assistant Examiner(s): LI, CE LI
• Application Number:
  US11/688,213
• Publication Number:
  US 20080039974A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,773 Days
• Field of Search: 701/245, 701/258, 701/261, 700/245, 700/258, 700/261
• US Class Current: 700/258
• CPC Class Codes: A01D 34/008 for automated or remotely controlled operation
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2200/40 Working vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2210/30 AC to DC converters
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2210/40 DC to AC converters
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/36 Temperature of vehicle components or parts
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/425 Temperature
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/662 Temperature
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2250/16 by display
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2260/32 Auto pilot mode
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2270/145 Structure borne vibrations
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 3/0023 Detecting, eliminating, remedying or compensating for drive train abnormalities, e.g. failures within the drive train
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 50/51 characterised by AC-motors
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 50/52 characterised by DC-motors
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 50/62 charged by low-power generators primarily intended to support the batteries, e.g. range extenders
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 50/66 Arrangements of batteries
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/14 Conductive energy transfer
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0225 involving docking at a fixed facility, e.g. base station or loading bay parking aids B62D15/027
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0255 using acoustic signals, e.g. ultra-sonic singals sonar systems designed for anti-collision purposes G01S15/93
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0259 using magnetic or electromagnetic means
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0261 using magnetic plots
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0265 : using buried wires
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/028 : using a RF signal
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/62 : Hybrid vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/64 : Electric machine technologies in electromobility
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/70 : Energy storage systems for electromobility, e.g. batteries
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/7072 : Electromobility specific charging systems or methods for batteries, ultracapacitors, supercapacitors or double-layer capacitors
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/72 : Electric energy management in electromobility
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/12 : Electric charging stations
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/14 : Plug-in electric vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/16 : Information or communication technologies improving the operation of electric vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 901/01 : Mobile robot
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 901/09 : Closed loop, sensor feedback controls arm movement

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.

Claims

1. An autonomous coverage robot system comprising:

at least one passive boundary responder configured to allow the passive boundary responder to be disposed below a surface within a property interior region and along an intended non-closed loop path; 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 manual handle configured to be attached to the body;

a handle connector carried by the body, the handle connector configured to detect if the manual handle is extended relative to the body;

a signal emitter emitting a signal, the passive boundary responder responsive to the signal; and

a boundary detection system carried by the body configured to generate a map including a closed loop property boundary which defines the perimeter of the property interior region when the handle connector detects that the manual handle is extended relative to the body, and configured to detect the at least one passive boundary responder when the robot is located above the passive boundary responder, and any detectable natural boundaries within the property interior, the drive system configured to redirect the robot when the handle connector detects that the manual handle is not extended relative to the body to move within the closed loop of the property boundary and among the at least one passive boundary responder and the detectable natural boundaries in response to the boundary detection system detecting any one of the robot being located at the property boundary, a passive boundary responder, and a detectable natural boundary.

2. The autonomous coverage robot system of claim 1 wherein the boundary detector system comprises:

an emitter comprising an emitter antennae loop configured as a figure-eight and in communication with an emitter circuit;

a receiver comprising a receiver antennae loop circumscribing and coplanar with the emitter antennae loop, the receiver antennae loop in communication with a receiver circuit; and

a control circuit controlling the emitter and receiver and in communication with the drive system.

3. The autonomous coverage robot system of claim 1 wherein upon recognizing the passive boundary responder, the robot maneuvers away from the boundary responder.

4. The autonomous coverage robot system of claim 1 wherein upon recognizing the passive boundary responder, the robot maneuvers over and follows the passive boundary responder.

5. The autonomous coverage robot system of claim 1 wherein the passive boundary responder comprises a tank circuit to set a resonant frequency.

6. The autonomous coverage robot system of claim 1 wherein the passive boundary responder comprises a radio frequency identification unit.

7. The autonomous coverage robot system of claim 1 wherein the passive boundary responder comprises a responder body, the responder body comprising a substantially flat length of tape carrying at least one excitable circuit.

8. The autonomous coverage robot system of claim 1 wherein the passive boundary responder comprises a plurality of discrete responder bodies bounded to one another by a flexible substrate, each discrete responder body carrying at least one excitable circuit.

9. The autonomous coverage robot of claim 8 wherein at least one discrete responder body comprises a spike.

10. The autonomous coverage robot system of claim 1 wherein the robot further comprises a hard surface detector carried by the body and responsive to hard surfaces, wherein the drive system is configured to redirect the robot in response to the hard surface detector detecting a hard surface.

11. The autonomous coverage robot system of claim 10 wherein the robot further comprises an obstacle detector carried by the body and responsive to obstacles within the property interior, wherein the drive system is configured to redirect the robot in response to the obstacle detector detecting an obstacle.

12. The autonomous coverage robot system of claim 11 wherein the drive system is configured to redirect the robot such that a forward direction of travel of the robot is pointed towards a substantially open space within the property interior in response to any one of

the boundary detection system detecting a boundary;

the boundary detection system detecting a passive boundary responder;

the boundary detection system detecting a natural boundary;

the hard surface detector detecting a hard surface; and

the obstacle detector detecting an obstacle.

13. The autonomous coverage robot system of claim 1 wherein the robot further comprises a grass cutter carried by the body and configured to establish a cut grass edge as the robot is maneuvered across the property interior, and wherein the drive system is configured to navigate the robot within the property interior based on feedback from a number of detection components carried by the body, such that the robot

follows the cut grass edge established by the grass cutter;

remains on a grass surface within the property interior;

remains within the property interior;

remains within a selected range of a specified location; and

maneuvers to an end location prior to powering off.

14. The autonomous coverage robot of claim 1 wherein the passive boundary responder is placed adjacent a detectable natural boundary such that a protected area is substantially circumscribed by the passive boundary responder and the detectable natural boundary.

15. The autonomous coverage robot of claim 1, further comprising a controller configured to operate the drive system in an autonomous mode when the handle connector detects that the manual handle is not extended relative to the body and to redirect the robot in response to the boundary detection system detecting any one of the robot being located at the property boundary, a passive boundary responder, and a detectable natural boundary, and configured to operate the drive system in a manual mode when the handle connector detects that the manual handle is extended relative to the body and to not redirect the robot lawnmower in response to the boundary detection system detecting any one of the robot being located at the property boundary, a passive boundary responder, and a detectable natural boundary.

16. The autonomous coverage robot of claim 15, wherein the controller is configured to switch the robot to manual mode when the handle connector detects that the manual handle is attached to the body to and to switch the robot to autonomous mode when the handle connector detects that the manual handle is not attached to the body.

17. The autonomous coverage robot of claim 15, wherein the manual handle comprises a kill switch in communication with the drive system, the kill switch configured to send a signal to turn off the robot when the kill switch is not activated.

18. The autonomous coverage robot of claim 17, wherein the drive system is configured to operate in the manual mode when the kill switch is manually depressed.

19. The autonomous coverage robot of claim 1, wherein the manual handle is rigid and configured to rigidly transmit a force from a user to steer the robot.

20. A method of navigating a property with an autonomous coverage robot, the method comprising:

delineating a property boundary, the property boundary corresponding to a perimeter within the property such that the property boundary circumscribes a property interior to form a property interior region;

placing at least one flexible, passive boundary responder having a first end and a second end and extending between the first and second ends along an intended non-closed loop path within the property interior;

the at least one passive boundary responder being flexible between the first and second ends;

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 manual handle configured to be attached to the body;

a handle connector carried by the body, the handle connector configured to detect if the manual handle is extended relative to the body;

a signal emitter emitting a signal, the passive boundary responder responsive to the signal; and

a boundary detection system carried by the body and configured to detect the at least one passive boundary responder when the robot is located over the passive boundary responder, as well as any detectable natural boundaries within the property interior, the drive system configured to redirect the robot within the property boundary and among the at least one passive boundary responder and the detectable natural boundaries in response to the boundary detection system detecting any one of the property boundary, a passive boundary responder, and a detectable natural boundary;

circumscribing the property boundary when the handle connector detects that the manual handle is extended relative to the body by manually displacing the robot along the property boundary; and

permitting the robot to navigate the property interior autonomously when the handle connector detects that the manual handle is not extended relative to the body while the drive system redirects the robot in response to encountering the property boundary to keep the robot within the property interior, and redirects the robot in response to encountering the passive boundary responder or a detectable natural boundary within the property interior.

21. The method of claim 20 wherein the boundary responder detector system comprises:

an emitter comprising an emitter antennae loop configured as a figure-eight and in communication with an emitter circuit;

a receiver comprising a receiver antennae loop circumscribing and coplanar with the emitter antennae loop, the receiver antennae loop in communication with a receiver circuit; and

a control circuit controlling the emitter and receiver and in communication with the drive system.

22. The method of claim 20 wherein placing a passive boundary responder comprises placing the passive boundary responder adjacent a natural boundary such that a protected area is substantially circumscribed by the passive boundary responder and the detectable natural boundary.

23. The method of claim 20, comprising placing the robot in a manual mode when the handle connector detects that the manual handle is extended relative to the body, wherein in the manual mode the drive system does not redirect the robot in response to encountering the passive boundary responder or a detectable natural boundary within the property interior.

24. The method of claim 23, comprising placing the robot in an autonomous mode by repositioning the manual handle from being extended relative to the body to not being extended relative to the body.

25. The method of claim 24, wherein repositioning the manual handle comprises folding the manual handle relative to the body.

26. The method of claim 23, wherein repositioning the manual handle comprises detaching the manual handle from the body.

27. The method of claim 23, wherein circumscribing the property boundary comprises pushing the manual handle to manually steer the robot along the property boundary.