# US 11,115,798 B2 · Pairing a beacon with a mobile robot > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 11,115,798 B2 - Document ID: US11115798B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 14/807,485 - Filed: 2015-07-23 - Published: 2017-01-26 - Granted: 2021-09-07 - Earliest claimed: 2015-07-23 - Assignees: iRobot Corporation - Applicants: iRobot Corporation - Inventors: Andrew Beaulieu; Brian Yamauchi; Erik Steltz - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11115798B2 ## CPC - H04W 8/005: {Discovery of network devices, e.g. terminals} - A01D 34/008: {for automated or remotely controlled operation} - G01S 1/024: {of beacon transmitters} - G01S 1/68: Marker, boundary, call-sign, or like beacons transmitting signals not carrying directional information - G05D 1/028: {using a RF signal} - A01D 2101/00: Lawn-mowers - H04W: WIRELESS COMMUNICATION NETWORKS (broadcast communication H04H; communication systems using wireless links for non-selective communication, e.g. wireless extensions H04M1/72) - A01D: HARVESTING; MOWING - G01S: RADIO DIRECTION-FINDING; RADIO NAVIGATION; DETERMINING DISTANCE OR VELOCITY BY USE OF RADIO WAVES; LOCATING OR PRESENCE-DETECTING BY USE OF THE REFLECTION OR RERADIATION OF RADIO WAVES; ANALOGOUS ARRANGEMENTS USING OTHER WAVES - G05D: SYSTEMS FOR CONTROLLING OR REGULATING NON-ELECTRIC VARIABLES ## Abstract A method performed by a mobile lawn mowing robot includes pairing a beacon with the mobile lawn mowing robot. Pairing the beacon with the mobile lawn mowing robot includes determining a distance between the beacon and the mobile lawn mowing robot and confirming that the beacon is within a pairing distance from the mobile lawn mowing robot based on a comparison of the determined distance to a pairing distance. Pairing the beacon with the mobile robot lawn mowing robot further includes, subsequent to confirming that the beacon is within the pairing distance from the mobile lawn mowing robot, pairing the beacon with the mobile lawn mowing robot, and, following pairing, detecting wideband or ultra-wideband signals from the beacon, and using the wideband or ultra-wideband signals to enable navigation over an area. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method performed by a mobile lawn mowing robot, the method comprising: pairing a beacon with the mobile lawn mowing robot, wherein pairing the beacon with the mobile lawn mowing robot comprises: determining a distance between the beacon and the mobile lawn mowing robot; comparing the determined distance to a pairing distance, and outputting a request to position the beacon closer to the mobile lawn mowing robot when the determined distance is greater than the pairing distance; and determining that the beacon is within the pairing distance from the mobile lawn mowing robot; subsequent to pairing, detecting wideband or ultra-wideband signals from the beacon, and using the wideband or ultra-wideband signals to enable navigation over an area; identifying an error associated with the beacon; and outputting an indication of the error via a user interface, wherein outputting the indication of the error via the user interface comprises causing the user interface to present a map indicating a location of the beacon. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising: outputting a request for confirmation, via the user interface, that the beacon is among a number of beacons to which the mobile lawn mowing robot is to communicate; and receiving, in response to the request for confirmation, the confirmation that the beacon is among the number of beacons to which the mobile lawn mowing robot is to communicate; wherein pairing is performed following receiving of the confirmation. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein pairing the beacon with the mobile lawn mowing robot further comprises: before determining the distance between the beacon and the mobile lawn mowing robot, identifying a broadcast from the beacon, the broadcast comprising a beacon address for the beacon and a predefined address not specific to any beacon; in response to the broadcast, sending, to the beacon at the beacon address, a robot address for the mobile lawn mowing robot; and receiving, from the beacon, a message from which the distance between the beacon and the mobile lawn mowing robot is determined. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The method of claim 3, wherein pairing the beacon with the mobile lawn mowing robot further comprises: storing, in memory on the mobile lawn mowing robot, the beacon address in association with one or more other addresses for one or more other beacons paired with the mobile lawn mowing robot. ### Claim 5 (depends on 3) The method of claim 3, wherein the message from the beacon is received following output of the request to position the beacon closer to the mobile lawn mowing robot. ### Claim 6 (depends on 3) The method of claim 3, further comprising, following pairing: sending the beacon address to one or more other beacons; and sending, to the beacon, one or more other addresses for the one or more other beacons. ### Claim 7 (depends on 3) The method of claim 3, further comprising: transmitting the beacon address and the robot address to a server for storage in association with a user account. ### Claim 8 (depends on 3) The method of claim 3, wherein the user interface comprises a feature for indicating that the error is being addressed by replacing the beacon; and wherein the method further comprises: in response to the indication that the error is being addressed by replacing the beacon, causing the mobile lawn mowing robot to listen for the predefined address not specific to any beacon. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising: receiving a passcode from the beacon; and comparing the passcode from the beacon to a passcode associated with the mobile lawn mowing lawn mowing robot; wherein pairing is performed following confirmation that the passcode from the beacon matches the passcode associated with the mobile lawn mowing robot. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The method of claim 9, further comprising comparing the passcode from the beacon to a user input, wherein pairing is performed following confirmation that the passcode from the beacon matches the user input. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising: receiving a status signal indicative of a battery level of the beacon; and outputting, via the user interface, a representation of the battery level of the beacon. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising, after pairing the beacon with the mobile lawn mowing robot, determining a position of the beacon relative to the area based on distances between the beacon and at least three other beacons paired with the mobile lawn mowing robot. ### Claim 13 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising determining that a location of the beacon corresponds to a location of a previously paired beacon, wherein using the wideband or ultra-wideband signals to enable navigation over the area comprises localizing the mobile lawn mowing robot based on the location of the previously paired beacon. ### Claim 14 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising after pairing the beacon with the mobile lawn mowing robot, storing information indicative of a perimeter of the area based on a location of the beacon. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The method of claim 14, further comprising, before pairing the beacon with the mobile lawn mowing robot, storing other information indicative of the perimeter of the area based on a location of a previously paired beacon, wherein storing the information indicative of the perimeter of the area comprises storing the information indicative of the perimeter of the area after determining a lack of correspondence between the location of the beacon and the location of the previously paired beacon. ### Claim 16 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein using the wideband or ultra-wideband signals comprises localizing the mobile lawn mowing robot based on the wideband or ultra-wideband signals. ### Claim 17 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising, before using the wideband or ultra-wideband signals to enable navigation over the area, initiating a beacon check based on a number of the detected wideband or ultra-wideband signals. ### Claim 18 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the distance at which the beacon is detectable is greater than the pairing distance. ### Claim 19 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein determining the distance between the beacon and the mobile lawn mowing robot comprises receiving a wireless signal emitted by the beacon being received by the mobile lawn mowing robot. ### Claim 20 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein outputting the request to position the beacon closer to the mobile lawn mowing robot comprises outputting the request, via the user interface, to instruct a user to reposition the beacon relative to the mobile lawn mowing robot. ### Claim 21 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein outputting the request to position the beacon closer to the mobile lawn mowing robot comprises outputting a request to manually reposition the beacon. ### Claim 22 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein outputting the request to position the beacon closer to the mobile lawn mowing robot comprises outputting the request, via a mobile user device, to instruct a user to reposition the beacon relative to the mobile lawn mowing robot.