Patent · US Expired

Autonomous vehicular appliance, especially vacuum cleaner

US6671592B1 · kind B1 · utility

245Cited by
6References
26Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateJun 18, 2001
Grant dateDec 30, 2003
Priority date—
Expiry dateJun 18, 2021

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC A)Human Necessities
  • CPC primaryA47L2201/04
  • WIPO fieldControl
  • WIPO sectorInstruments

Abstract

Portable threshold locators (32B, 32C, 32D) are placed in a room (120) at locations to define at least part of a boundary within which an autonomous vehicular appliance is to be confined. Typically, the threshold locator is placed in a doorway (32B) or at the top of a staircase (32D). The vehicle has a detection system which allows the autonomous vehicular appliance to detect the presence of the portable threshold locator. The detection system receives a signal from the threshold locator and the autonomous vehicular appliance uses the received signal to avoid the threshold marked by the locator (32B, 32C, 32D). The autonomous vehicular appliance is preferably a robotic floor cleaning appliance, such as a robotic vacuum cleaner.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.