IP Library › Granted Patent US 11,730,328
Granted Patent B2
US 11,730,328 · App. 16/993,643 · Granted Aug 22, 2023

Visual fiducial for behavior control zone

Inventors: Eric J. Burbank (Lexington, MA); Oliver Lewis (Waltham, MA)
Assignee: iRobot Corporation
A47L9/2852A47L9/009A47L9/2805G01C21/383G01C21/3837G05D1/0214G05D1/0221G05D1/0234A47L2201/04G05D1/0088G05D2201/0203G05D2201/0215
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 11,730,328
App. No.
16/993,643
Filed
Aug 14, 2020
Granted
Aug 22, 2023
Kind
B2
Examiner
OH, HARRY Y
Art Unit
3664
USPC
701/28
Abstract

A mobile cleaning robot system can include a mobile cleaning robot and processing circuitry. The mobile cleaning robot can include a camera and can be operable to clean a floor surface of an environment. The processing circuitry can be in communication with the mobile cleaning robot and the camera, the processing circuitry configured to produce an image output based on an optical field of view of the camera. The processing circuitry can also detect a visual fiducial in the image output and can determine a behavior modification based on the visual fiducial. The processing circuitry can modify movement of the mobile cleaning robot based on the behavior modification.

Claims (32)

1. A method of operating a mobile cleaning robot, the method comprising:

providing a passive, three-dimensional indicator formed from mobile cleaning robot packing materials;

navigating the mobile cleaning robot about an environment;

detecting the three-dimensional indicator; and

adjusting a cleaning behavior of the mobile cleaning robot based on the detection of the three-dimensional indicator.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the three-dimensional indicator indicates a behavioral control zone.

3. The method of claim 2 , wherein the three-dimensional indicator indicates a size of the behavioral control zone.

4. The method of claim 3 , wherein the size of the behavioral control zone is mechanically selectable by a user.

5. The method of claim 2 , wherein the three-dimensional indicator indicates a shape of the behavioral control zone.

6. The method of claim 3 , wherein a shape of the behavioral control zone is mechanically selectable by a user.

7. A method of operating a mobile cleaning robot, the method comprising:

providing a three-dimensional indicator formed from packing materials of the mobile cleaning robot, the three-dimensional indicator indicative of a location of a behavioral control zone;

navigating the mobile cleaning robot about an environment;

detecting the three-dimensional indicator; and

adjusting a cleaning behavior of the mobile cleaning robot based on the detection of the three-dimensional indicator.

8. The method of claim 7 , wherein the three-dimensional indicator indicates a size of the behavioral control zone.

9. The method of claim 8 , wherein the size of the behavioral control zone is mechanically selectable by a user.

10. The method of claim 7 , wherein the three-dimensional indicator indicates a shape of the behavioral control zone.

11. The method of claim 7 , wherein a shape of the behavioral control zone is mechanically selectable by a user.

12. A method of operating a mobile cleaning robot, the method comprising:

providing a passive three-dimensional visual fiducial configured to be formed from packaging materials of the mobile cleaning robot;

navigating the mobile cleaning robot about an environment;

detecting the passive three-dimensional visual fiducial; and

adjusting a cleaning behavior of the mobile cleaning robot based on the detection of the passive three-dimensional visual fiducial.

13. The method of claim 12 , wherein the passive three-dimensional visual fiducial indicates, to the mobile cleaning robot, existence of a behavioral control zone.

14. The method of claim 13 , wherein the passive three-dimensional visual fiducial indicates to the mobile cleaning a size of the behavioral control zone.

15. The method of claim 14 , wherein the size of the behavioral control zone is selectable by a user.

16. The method of claim 13 , wherein the passive three-dimensional visual fiducial indicates a shape of the behavioral control zone.

17. The method of claim 16 , wherein a shape of the behavioral control zone is selectable by a user.

18. The method of claim 12 , wherein the passive three-dimensional visual fiducial indicates, to the mobile cleaning robot, existence of a linear barrier that the mobile cleaning robot will not cross.

19. The method of claim 18 , wherein a direction of the linear barrier is perpendicular to the visual fiducial.

20. The method of claim 12 , wherein the passive three-dimensional visual fiducial indicates, to the mobile cleaning robot, existence of a keep-out zone for the mobile cleaning robot.

Assignments (5)
NOTICE OF ASSIGNMENT OF SECURITY INTEREST IN INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY Recorded Nov 25, 2025
From: TCG SENIOR FUNDING L.L.C., AS COLLATERAL AGENT
To: SANTRUM HONG KONG CO., LIMITED, AS SUCCESSOR COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 073707/0516 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Aug 9, 2023
From: IROBOT CORPORATION
To: TCG SENIOR FUNDING L.L.C., AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 064532/0856 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Jul 31, 2023
From: BANK OF AMERICA, N.A., AS ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT
To: IROBOT CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 064430/0001 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Nov 3, 2022
From: IROBOT CORPORATION
To: BANK OF AMERICA, N.A., AS ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT
Reel/Frame 061878/0097 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jan 29, 2021
From: BURBANK, ERIC J.; LEWIS, OLIVER
To: IROBOT CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 055080/0334 →
Continuity (1)
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