Robot system

US8374721B2 · kind B2 · utility

Assignee

• iRobot Corporation · US

Inventors

• Michael J. Halloran · Bedford, US
• Jeffrey W. Mammen · Westford, US
• Tony L. Campbell · Pepperell, US
• Jason S. Walker · Medford, US
• Paul E. Sandin · Brookline, US
• John N. Billington, Jr. · Georgetown, US
• Daniel N. Ozick · Newton, US

Key dates

• Filing date: Dec 4, 2006
• Grant date: Feb 12, 2013
• Expiry date: Jun 8, 2029

Classification

• Technology area (CPC Y): Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
• CPC primary: Y10S901/50
• WIPO field: Furniture, games
• WIPO sector: Other fields

Abstract

A power-saving robot system includes at least one peripheral device and a mobile robot. The peripheral device includes a controller having an active mode and a hibernation mode, and a wireless communication component capable of activation in the hibernation mode. A controller of the robot has an activating routine that communicates with and temporarily activates the peripheral device, via wireless communication, from the hibernation mode. In another aspect, a robot system includes a network data bridge and a mobile robot. The network data bridge includes a broadband network interface, a wireless command interface, and a data bridge component. The data bridge component extracts serial commands received via the broadband network interface from an internet protocol, applies a command protocol thereto, and broadcasts the serial commands via the wireless interface. The mobile robot includes a wireless command communication component that receives the serial commands transmitted from the network data bridge.