Autonomous robot localization

US9510505B2 · kind B2 · utility

Assignee

• iRobot Corporation · US

Inventors

• Michael J. Halloran · Bedford, US
• Jamie Milliken · Waltham, US
• Travis Pierce · Bedford, US
• Eric C. Peters · Carlisle, US

Key dates

• Filing date: Oct 10, 2014
• Grant date: Dec 6, 2016
• Expiry date: Oct 10, 2034

Classification

• Technology area (CPC A): Human Necessities
• CPC primary: A01D2101/00
• WIPO field: Measurement
• WIPO sector: Instruments

Abstract

A location estimation system for use with an autonomous lawn mowing robot, comprises a plurality of synthetic surfaces positioned with respect to a mowable space in an environment, a radiation source coupled to the lawn mowing robot, a detector coupled to the lawn mowing robot and configured to detect radiation reflected by objects in the environment, and a controller configured to controllably direct radiation from the radiation source to scan the environment, and to vary at least one of an output power of the directed radiation and a scan rate of the directed radiation, as a function of detected radiation reflected from one or more of the synthetic surfaces.