The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Dec. 10, 2013
Filed:
Jul. 01, 2010
Daniel N. Ozick, Newton, MA (US);
Andrea M. Okerholm, Lexington, MA (US);
Jeffrey W. Mammen, Westford, MA (US);
Michael J. Halloran, Waltham, MA (US);
Paul E. Sandin, Brookline, MA (US);
Chikyung Won, Tewksbury, MA (US);
Daniel N. Ozick, Newton, MA (US);
Andrea M. Okerholm, Lexington, MA (US);
Jeffrey W. Mammen, Westford, MA (US);
Michael J. Halloran, Waltham, MA (US);
Paul E. Sandin, Brookline, MA (US);
Chikyung Won, Tewksbury, MA (US);
iRobot Corporation, Bedford, MA (US);
Abstract
A navigation beacon controls movement of a mobile robot in first and second areas. The navigation beacon includes a portable housing, a power source, and an emitter. The emitter is operable to emit a gateway marking emission when the robot is within a field of detection that extends between the areas. The gateway marking emission is detectable by the robot and prevents the robot from moving from one of the areas, through the field of detection, to the other of the areas. A switch is operable to switch the navigation beacon to be in an OFF mode in which the gateway beacon emitter is in an OFF state, a confinement mode in which the gateway beacon emitter is in an ON state, and a navigation mode in which the gateway beacon emitter is in the ON state and automatically switches to the OFF state in response to a predetermined condition.