Lawn care robot

US8954193B2 · kind B2 · utility

Assignee

• iRobot Corporation · US

Inventors

• Paul E. Sandin · Brookline, US
• Joseph L. Jones · Acton, US
• Daniel N. Ozick · Newton, US
• David A. Cohen · Briarcliff Manor, US
• David M. Lewis, Jr. · Tyngsborough, US
• Clara Vu · Cambridge, US
• Zivthan A. Dubrovsky · Lexington, US
• Joshua B. Preneta · Billerica, US
• Jeffrey W. Mammen · Westford, US
• Duane L. Gilbert, Jr. · Goffstown, US
• Tony L. Campbell · Pepperell, US
• John Bergman · River Falls, US

Key dates

• Filing date: Dec 12, 2013
• Grant date: Feb 10, 2015
• Expiry date: Dec 12, 2033

Classification

• Technology area (CPC Y): Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
• CPC primary: Y10S901/09
• WIPO field: Control
• WIPO sector: Instruments

Abstract

A robot lawnmower includes a body and a drive system carried by the body and configured to maneuver the robot across a lawn. The robot also includes a grass cutter and a swath edge detector, both carried by the body. The swath edge detector is configured to detect a swath edge between cut and uncut grass while the drive system maneuvers the robot across the lawn while following a detected swath edge. The swath edge detector includes a calibrator that monitors uncut grass for calibration of the swath edge detector. In some examples, the calibrator comprises a second swath edge detector.