Patent · US Expired

Autonomous machine

US7053580B2 · kind B2 · utility

44Cited by
3References
21Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventor

Key dates

Filing dateOct 31, 2002
Grant dateMay 30, 2006
Priority date
Expiry dateOct 31, 2022

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC G)Physics
  • CPC primaryG05D1/0242
  • WIPO fieldControl
  • WIPO sectorInstruments

Abstract

An autonomous machine comprises driving means for moving the machine along a surface of an area, and a navigation system. The navigation system causes the machine to follow a boundary of the area, storing path information on the path travelled by the machine as the machine follows the boundary and compares when the machine has returned to a previously visited position in the area. The navigation system compares the latest section of the path travelled by the machine with information representing a section of the path previously stored in the memory and decides when the new path information and previously stored path information are substantially the same.

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