# US 2014/0207282 A1 · Mobile Robot Providing Environmental Mapping for Household Environmental Control > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2014/0207282 A1 - Document ID: US20140207282A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 14/160,299 - Filed: 2014-01-21 - Published: 2014-07-24 - Earliest claimed: 2013-01-18 - Assignees: iRobot Corporation - Applicants: iRobot Corporation - Inventors: Colin Angle; David Snelling; Melissa O'Dea; Timothy S. Farlow; Samuel Duffley; Jeffrey W. Mammen; Michael J. Halloran - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20140207282A1 ## CPC - B25J 13/006: {by means of a wireless system for controlling one or several manipulators} - B25J 5/007: {mounted on wheels} - B25J 9/0003: {Home robots, i.e. small robots for domestic use} - B25J 11/0085: {Cleaning} - G05D 1/0022: {characterised by the communication link (data switching networks in general H04L12/00)} - G06Q 10/1093: Calendar-based scheduling for persons or groups - H04B 5/20: characterised by the transmission technique; characterised by the transmission medium - H04B 5/70: specially adapted for specific purposes - H04L 12/2809: {indicating that an appliance service is present in a home automation network (monitoring functionality H04L43/0817; discovery or management thereof, e.g. service location protocol [SLP] or web services, H04L67/51)} - H04L 12/282: {based on user interaction within the home (receiver circuitry for displaying additional information being controlled by a remote control apparatus H04N21/42204)} - H04L 67/125: involving control of end-device applications over a network - H04L 67/62: Establishing a time schedule for servicing the requests - H04W 4/30: Services specially adapted for particular environments, situations or purposes - A47L 2201/00: Robotic cleaning machines, i.e. with automatic control of the travelling movement or the cleaning operation - G05B 2219/2642: Domotique, domestic, home control, automation, smart house - G05D 1/2245: {providing the operator with a purely computer-generated representation of the environment of the vehicle, e.g. virtual reality} - H04L 2012/2841: {Wireless} - H04L 2012/285: {Generic home appliances, e.g. refrigerators} - Y10S 901/01: Mobile robot - B25J: MANIPULATORS; CHAMBERS PROVIDED WITH MANIPULATION DEVICES ({manipulators specially adapted for use in surgery A61B34/70; manipulators used in cleaning hollow articles B08B9/04}; manipulators associated with rolling mills B21B39/20; manipulators associated with forging machines B21J13/10; {manipulators associated with picking-up and placing mechanisms B23P19/007}; means for holding wheels or parts thereof B60B30/00; {vehicles with ground-engaging propulsion means, e.g. walking members B62D57/02, B62D57/032; devices for picking-up and depositing articles or materials between conveyors B65G47/90, B65G47/91; manipulators with gripping or holding means for transferring packages B65H67/065}; cranes B66C; {manipulators used in the protection or supervision of pipe-line installations F17D5/00; walking equipment adapted for nuclear steam-generators F22B37/006}; manipulators specially adapted for, or associated with, nuclear reactors G21C; {apparatus used for handling wafers during manufacture or treatment of semiconductor H10P72/50}) - G05D: SYSTEMS FOR CONTROLLING OR REGULATING NON-ELECTRIC VARIABLES - G06Q: INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY [ICT] SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR ADMINISTRATIVE, COMMERCIAL, FINANCIAL, MANAGERIAL OR SUPERVISORY PURPOSES; SYSTEMS OR METHODS SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR ADMINISTRATIVE, COMMERCIAL, FINANCIAL, MANAGERIAL OR SUPERVISORY PURPOSES, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR - H04B: TRANSMISSION - H04L: TRANSMISSION OF DIGITAL INFORMATION, e.g. TELEGRAPHIC COMMUNICATION (arrangements common to telegraphic and telephonic communication H04M) - H04W: WIRELESS COMMUNICATION NETWORKS (broadcast communication H04H; communication systems using wireless links for non-selective communication, e.g. wireless extensions H04M1/72) - A47L: DOMESTIC WASHING OR CLEANING (brushes A46B; cleaning quantities of bottles or of other hollow articles of one kind B08B9/00; laundry D06F); SUCTION CLEANERS IN GENERAL (cleaning in general B08) - G05B: CONTROL OR REGULATING SYSTEMS IN GENERAL; FUNCTIONAL ELEMENTS OF SUCH SYSTEMS; MONITORING OR TESTING ARRANGEMENTS FOR SUCH SYSTEMS OR ELEMENTS (systems for controlling or regulating non-electric variables G05D; systems for regulating electric or magnetic variables G05F; control devices or systems insofar as characterised by mechanical features only G05G) - Y10S: TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS ## Abstract A mobile robot includes a processor connected to a memory and a wireless network circuit, for executing routines stored in the memory and commands generated by the routines and received via the wireless network circuit. The processor drives the mobile robot to a multiplicity of accessible two dimensional locations within a household, and commands an end effector, including at least one motorized actuator, to perform mechanical work in the household. A plurality of routines include a first routine which monitors a wireless local network and detects a presence of a network entity on the wireless local network, a second routine which receives a signal from a sensor detecting an action state of one of the network entities, the action state changeable between waiting and active, and a third routine which commands the end effector to change state of performing mechanical work based on the presence and on the action state. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A mobile robot, comprising: a processor connected to a memory and a wireless network circuit, for executing routines stored in the memory and commands generated by the routines and received via the wireless network circuit; driven wheels commandable by the processor to reach a multiplicity of accessible two dimensional locations within a household; and an end effector, including at least one motorized actuator, commandable by the processor to perform mechanical work in the household, the processor executing a plurality of routines including: a first routine which monitors a wireless local network by communicating with the wireless network circuit, and detects a presence state of one or more network entities on the wireless local network, a second routine which receives a signal from a sensor, the sensor detecting an action state of one of the network entities, the action state changeable between waiting and active, and a third routine which commands the end effector to change state of performing mechanical work based on the presence state and on the action state detected by the first and second routines. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The mobile robot of claim 1, wherein: the first routine detects the presence state of a mobile device on the wireless local network, and the second routine receives a signal from a call state sensor in the mobile device, the sensor detecting the call state of the mobile device as the action state, the call state changeable between call readiness and call received. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The mobile robot of claim 2, wherein the end effector is the cleaning head of the mobile robot, and the third routine commands the cleaning head of the robot to change state of cleaning based on the presence of the mobile device on the wireless local network and on the call state of the mobile device as the action state. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The mobile robot of claim 3, wherein the change of state of cleaning includes commanding all noise-generating actuators of the mobile robot, including driven wheel actuators, to stop and/or idle pending call completion. ### Claim 5 (depends on 3) The mobile robot of claim 3, wherein change of the state of cleaning includes commanding actuators to restart the cleaning head of the mobile robot following a change in the call state of the mobile device from call-in-progress to call-ended. ### Claim 6 (depends on 3) The mobile robot of claim 3, wherein change of the state of cleaning includes commanding actuators to restart the cleaning head of the mobile robot following a change in the presence of the mobile device on the wireless local network from present to absent. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The mobile robot of claim 6, wherein the mobile robot processor and wireless network circuit monitor a local wireless network of approximately 5-20 meters maximum range for a change from presence to absence of the mobile device as a departure from the household, and once determining the mobile device has departed, wait for a time period to verify departure of the mobile device from the household before restarting a cleaning mission within the household. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The mobile robot of claim 1, wherein the mobile robot processor and wireless network circuit monitor a local wireless network of approximately 5-20 meters maximum range for a unique identity of a handheld and portable mobile device to determine that the handheld and portable mobile device is present in the household. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The mobile robot of claim 1, wherein the first routine detects the presence state of a mobile device on the wireless local network; the second routine receives a signal from a cleaning readiness sensor in the mobile robot the sensor detecting the cleaning readiness of the mobile robot as the action state, the cleaning readiness state changeable between cleaning readiness and cleaning active. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The mobile robot of claim 9, wherein the third routine commands the cleaning head of the robot to change state of cleaning based on the presence of the mobile device on the wireless local network and on the cleaning readiness state of the mobile robot as the action state. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The mobile robot of claim 10, wherein the end effector is the cleaning head of the mobile robot, wherein the cleaning readiness is a stasis state, and the motorized actuator is stationary in a stasis state. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The mobile robot of claim 1, wherein the mobile robot processor and wireless network circuit monitor a local wireless network of approximately 5-20 meters maximum range for a unique identity of a handheld and portable mobile device to determine that the handheld and portable mobile device is present in the household. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The mobile robot of claim 12, wherein the mobile robot processor and wireless network adapter scan for a unique media access control address of a handheld and portable mobile device to determine that the handheld and portable mobile device is present in the household. ### Claim 14 (depends on 12) The mobile robot of claim 12, wherein the mobile robot processor and wireless network circuit scan for an internet protocol address on a private internet protocol subnet, and compare medial access control addresses of newly scanned internet protocol addresses to at least one previously stored unique media access control addresses corresponding to known handheld and portable mobile devices to determine that the handheld and portable mobile device has arrived at the household. ### Claim 15 (depends on 1) The mobile robot of claim 1, wherein the mobile robot processor and wireless network circuit monitor a local wireless network of approximately 5-20 meters maximum range for a target network entity, and once determining a new target network entity has arrived on a private internet protocol subnet, ping the target network entity at a private subnet address and unique media access control address to verify the target network entity has arrived at the household. ### Claim 16 (depends on 1) The mobile robot of claim 1, further comprising a localization circuit including a localization sensor, and once determining a target network entity has arrived on a private internet protocol subnet, the mobile robot processor records a location where the state of cleaning is changed and a cleaning mission terminated. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The mobile robot of claim 16, wherein the mobile robot returns to the location where the state of cleaning was changed to resume a cleaning mission following a re-initiation of the cleaning mission. ### Claim 18 (depends on 1) The mobile robot of claim 1, wherein the mobile robot processor and wireless network circuit monitor a local wireless network of approximately 5-20 meters maximum range for a change from presence to absence of a known network entity as a departure from the household, and once determining the network entity has departed, waits for a time period to verify departure before initiating a cleaning mission within the household. ### Claim 19 (depends on 9) The mobile robot of claim 9, wherein the cleaning readiness includes a battery charge state of the mobile robot. ### Claim 20 A mobile robot, comprising: a processor connected to a memory and a wireless network circuit, for executing routines stored in the memory and commands generated by the routines and received via the wireless network circuit; driven wheels commandable by the processor to reach a multiplicity of accessible two dimensional locations within a household; an environmental sensor readable by the processor, the processor executing a plurality of routines including: a first routine which commands the driven wheels to move the robot about the household, a second routine which takes environmental sensor readings at a plurality of the accessible two dimensional locations within the household, a third routine which, based on the sensor readings throughout the household, sends data to a network entity having a dedicated environmental sensor resulting in the activation of a motorized actuator on the network entity to perform mechanical work in the household, despite the dedicated environmental sensor reading alone determining otherwise. ### Claim 21 (depends on 20) The mobile robot of claim 20, wherein the sensor readings taken at the plurality of accessible two dimensional locations within the household are environmental sensor readings and the environmental sensor is an air quality sensor, and wherein the network entity is an air purifier. ### Claim 22 (depends on 20) The mobile robot of claim 20, wherein the sensor readings taken at the plurality of accessible two dimensional locations within the household are environmental sensor readings and the environmental sensor is a humidity sensor, and wherein the network entity is a humidifier. ### Claim 23 (depends on 20) The mobile robot of claim 20, wherein the sensor readings taken at the plurality of two dimensional locations within the household populate a two dimensional map of sensor readings within the household, the two dimensional map displayed on a human machine interface device in communication with the mobile robot over the network. ### Claim 24 (depends on 20) The mobile robot of claim 20, wherein the sensor readings taken at the plurality of two dimensional locations within the household populate a three dimensional map of sensor readings within the household, the two dimensional map displayed on a human machine interface device in communication with the mobile robot over the network. ### Claim 25 A mobile robot, comprising: a processor connected to a memory and a wireless network circuit, for executing routines stored in the memory and commands generated by the routines and received via the wireless network circuit; driven wheels commandable by the processor to reach a multiplicity of accessible two dimensional locations within a household; a localizing circuit, with at least one localizing sensor that observes sensor readings from objects within the household, for determining a current pose of the mobile robot with reference to the observed objects, the processor executing a plurality of routines including: a navigation routine which commands the driven wheels to move the robot about the household, a surface mapping routine that accumulates observations from the localizing circuit to record a two dimensional array representing possible locations of the mobile robot; a mission time estimate routine that accumulates timed readings from the localizing circuit and determines at least one estimated completion time span for the mobile robot to substantially cover a surface area corresponding to a contiguous set of possible locations within the two dimensional array, and a mission pre-planning routine that compares a target completion time to the at least one estimate completion time span, and commands the driven wheels to begin covering a the surface area sufficiently in advance of the target completion time for the at least one estimated completion time to pass, so that the surface area is substantially covered before the target completion time. ### Claim 26 (depends on 25) The mobile robot of claim 25, wherein the mission pre-planning routine further comprises identifying a target completion time and launching the robot autonomously based on an occupancy schedule of the household. ### Claim 27 (depends on 26) The mobile robot of claim 26, wherein the occupancy schedule is directly input to the mobile robot at user interface display. ### Claim 28 (depends on 26) The mobile robot of claim 26, wherein the occupancy schedule is wirelessly transmitted to the mobile robot from a remote human machine interface in wireless communication with the robot. ### Claim 29 (depends on 26) The mobile robot of claim 26, wherein the occupancy schedule is wirelessly transmitted to the mobile robot through native calendar integration. ### Claim 30 (depends on 25) The mobile robot of claim 25, wherein the mobile robot monitors and learns an occupancy schedule of the household over a period or periods of time sets the target completion time based on the learned occupancy schedule. ### Claim 31 (depends on 25) The mobile robot of claim 25, wherein the mobile robot learns an occupancy schedule of the household over a period of time, identifies one or more occupancy patterns and sets the target completion time based on the one or more learned occupancy patterns. ### Claim 32 A mobile robot, comprising: a processor connected to a memory and a wireless network circuit, for executing routines stored in the memory and commands generated by the routines and received via the wireless network circuit; driven wheels commandable by the processor to reach a multiplicity of accessible two dimensional locations within a household; an environmental sensor readable by the processor to take current readings of an environmental quality; a localizing circuit, with at least one localizing sensor that observes sensor readings from objects within the household, for determining a current pose of the mobile robot with reference to the observed objects, the processor executing a plurality of routines including: a navigation routine which commands the driven wheels to move the robot about the household, a surface mapping routine that accumulates observations from the localizing circuit to record a two dimensional array representing possible locations of the mobile robot; an environmental mapping routine that takes and accumulates readings from the environmental sensor at a plurality of the accessible two dimensional locations within the household and causes the memory to store a three dimensional array based on the readings and on the two dimensional array representing possible locations of the mobile robot; and a location-responsive environmental control routine which correlates the three dimensional array to locations of a plurality of home environmental control nodes, each home environmental control node having a dedicated environmental sensor and a control channel to actuate a motorized actuator to perform mechanical work within the household, and based on a proximity of at least one control node to an environmental mapping location represented in the three dimensional array, sends data to cause the at least one environmental control node to command a motorized actuator to perform mechanical work in the household.