IP Library › Granted Patent US 12,461,528
Granted Patent B2
US 12,461,528 · App. 18/237,117 · Granted Nov 4, 2025

Cleaning prioritization for mobile cleaning robot

Inventors: Steven J. Baron (Nashua, NH); Matthew Weyant (Medford, MA); Ryan Schneider (Burlington, MA); Michael Foster (Stoneham, MA); Clifton Eric Smith (Stow, MA); Ajay Changulani (Boxborough, MA); Collin Prather (Westfield, IN); Laura Tramontozzi (Charleston, MA); Jonathan Sanjeev Withers (Quincy, MA)
Assignee: iRobot Corporation
G05D1/0212A47L9/2842A47L9/2847A47L9/2852A47L11/4011A47L2201/04A47L2201/06
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,461,528
App. No.
18/237,117
Granted
Nov 4, 2025
Kind
B2
Abstract

A method of prioritizing cleaning of rooms of an environment for a mobile cleaning robot can include generating a cleanliness score for each room of the environment using a controller. Each of the cleanliness scores can be indicative of an amount of debris expected in each respective room by the mobile cleaning robot. The method can also include generating a room cleaning priority based at least partially on the cleanliness score of each of the rooms. The method can also include scheduling operations of the mobile cleaning robot for a planned mission based on the room cleaning priority of each of the rooms of the environment.

Claims (57)

1 . A method of prioritizing cleaning of rooms of an environment for a mobile cleaning robot, the method comprising:

generating, using a controller, a cleanliness score for each room of the environment, each of the cleanliness scores indicative of an amount of debris expected in each respective room by the mobile cleaning robot;

generating a room cleaning priority based at least partially on the cleanliness score of each of the rooms;

scheduling operations of the mobile cleaning robot for a planned mission based on the room cleaning priority of each of the rooms of the environment;

updating a cleaning report including the cleanliness score for each room cleaned by the mobile cleaning robot; and

updating the cleanliness score for each room based on historical degradation of each respective room of the environment, the historical degradation of each respective room based on historical cleaning data and an amount of time since the mobile cleaning robot cleaned the respective room.

2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the cleaning report comprises location data of the mobile cleaning robot during one or more cleaning operations within each respective room, and wherein the method comprises:

determining portions of rooms that were not cleaned by the mobile cleaning robot based on the location data of the mobile cleaning robot from the cleaning report; and

updating the cleanliness score for each room based on the portions of rooms not cleaned by the mobile cleaning robot.

3 . The method of claim 2 , wherein generating a room cleaning ranking comprises:

updating the room cleaning ranking based on one or more of the updated cleanliness score, a room type of each room of the environment, a room size of each room of the environment, a floor type of each room of the environment, and a mission type of each room of the environment.

4 . The method of claim 3 , wherein the room cleaning priority comprises the cleanliness score and a mission command for each respective room, wherein the mission command includes one or more operating parameters for the mobile cleaning robot, and wherein the one or more operating parameters comprises one or more of:

a mission type of a planned mission by the mobile cleaning robot;

cleaning parameters for the mission type; and

an estimated runtime for the mission.

5 . The method of claim 4 , wherein the mission type includes a vacuum mission, a mopping mission, or a vacuum and mopping mission.

6 . The method of claim 4 , wherein the one or more cleaning parameters include one or more of suction power of a vacuum, rotational speed of a cleaning roller, rotational speed of side brushes, liquid dispense amount, liquid dispense rate, scrubbing, mission type, or pattern of cleaning suggested for the mobile cleaning robot.

7 . A mobile cleaning robot comprising:

a drive system configured to move the mobile cleaning robot about an environment;

a cleaning system;

a memory device including instructions; and

one or more processors coupled to the memory device, the one or more processors including processing circuitry that, when in operation, is configured by the instructions to:

generate a cleanliness score for each room of the environment, each of the cleanliness scores indicative of an amount of debris expected in each respective room by the mobile cleaning robot;

generate a room cleaning priority based at least partially on the cleanliness score of each of the rooms;

schedule operations of the mobile cleaning robot for a planned mission based on the room cleaning priority of each of the rooms of the environment;

update a cleaning report including the cleanliness score for each room cleaned by the mobile cleaning robot; and

update the cleanliness score for each room based on historical degradation of each respective room of the environment, the historical degradation of each respective room based on historical cleaning data and an amount of time since the mobile cleaning robot cleaned the respective room.

8 . The mobile cleaning robot of claim 7 , wherein the cleaning report comprises location data of the mobile cleaning robot during one or more cleaning operations within each respective room, and wherein the instructions configure the processing circuitry to:

determine portions of rooms that were not cleaned by the mobile cleaning robot based on the location data of the mobile cleaning robot from the cleaning report; and

update the cleanliness score for each room based on the portions of rooms not cleaned by the mobile cleaning robot.

9 . The mobile cleaning robot of claim 8 , wherein generating a room cleaning ranking comprises the instructions configuring the processing circuitry to:

update the room cleaning ranking based on one or more of the updated cleanliness score, a room type of each room of the environment, a room size of each room of the environment, a floor type of each room of the environment, and a mission type of each room of the environment.

10 . The mobile cleaning robot of claim 9 , wherein the room cleaning priority comprises the cleanliness score and a mission command for each respective room, wherein the mission command includes one or more operating parameters for the mobile cleaning robot, and wherein the one or more operating parameters comprises one or more of:

a mission type of a planned mission by the mobile cleaning robot;

cleaning parameters for the mission type; and

an estimated runtime for the mission.

11 . A mobile robot system for prioritizing cleaning of rooms of an environment comprising:

a mobile cleaning robot including:

a drive system configured to move the mobile cleaning robot about an environment; and

a cleaning system;

a mobile device operably in communication with the mobile cleaning robot;

a memory device including instructions; and

one or more processors coupled to the memory device, the one or more processors including processing circuitry that, when in operation, is configured by the instructions to:

generate a cleanliness score for each room of the environment, each of the cleanliness scores indicative of an amount of debris expected in each respective room by the mobile cleaning robot;

generate a room cleaning priority based at least partially on the cleanliness score of each of the rooms;

schedule operations of the mobile cleaning robot for a planned mission based on the room cleaning priority of each of the rooms of the environment;

update a cleaning report including the cleanliness score for each room cleaned by the mobile cleaning robot; and

update the cleanliness score for each room based on historical degradation of each respective room of the environment, the historical degradation of each respective room based on historical cleaning data and an amount of time since the mobile cleaning robot cleaned the respective room.

12 . The mobile robot system of claim 11 , wherein the cleaning report comprises location data of the mobile cleaning robot during one or more cleaning operations within each respective room, and wherein the instructions configure the processing circuitry to:

determine portions of rooms that were not cleaned by the mobile cleaning robot based on the location data of the mobile cleaning robot from the cleaning report; and

update the cleanliness score for each room based on the portions of rooms not cleaned by the mobile cleaning robot.

13 . The mobile robot system of claim 12 , wherein generating a room cleaning ranking comprises the instructions configuring the processing circuitry to:

update the room cleaning ranking based on one or more of the updated cleanliness score, a room type of each room of the environment, a room size of each room of the environment, a floor type of each room of the environment, and a mission type of each room of the environment.

14 . The mobile robot system of claim 13 , wherein the room cleaning priority comprises the cleanliness score and a mission command for each respective room, wherein the mission command includes one or more operating parameters for the mobile cleaning robot, and wherein the one or more operating parameters comprises one or more of:

a mission type of a planned mission by the mobile cleaning robot;

cleaning parameters for the mission type; and

an estimated runtime for the mission.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Nov 21, 2023
From: BARON, STEVEN J.; WEYANT, MATTHEW; SCHNEIDER, RYAN; FOSTER, MICHAEL; SMITH, CLIFTON ERIC; CHANGULANI, AJAY; PRATHER, COLLIN; TRAMONTOZZI, LAURA; WITHERS, JONATHAN SANJEEV
To: IROBOT CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 065658/0546 →
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20250068161A1 · Feb 27, 2025
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