Artificial barrier for autonomous floor cleaner
AssigneeBISSELL Inc.
InventorsAndrew J. Brouwers, David VanKampen, Jeffery Swan, Eric D. Buehler
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A system providing a barrier for an autonomous floor cleaner includes an artificial barrier generator that radiates one or more infrared signals. An autonomous floor cleaner can be configured to detect the infrared signals, and can react by altering course. Methods for containing an autonomous floor cleaner within a user-determined boundary are disclosed.
Claims20
An autonomous cleaning system comprising:
- an autonomous floor cleaner;
- an artificial barrier generator comprising a plurality of infrared transmitters, wherein a first one of the plurality of infrared transmitters is configured to emit a first signal and a second one of the plurality of infrared transmitters is configured to emit a second signal;
- a first keep out setting in which the autonomous floor cleaner alters course upon detection of the first signal and does not alter course upon detection of the second signal;
- a second keep out setting in which the autonomous floor cleaner alters course upon detection of the second signal and does not alter course upon detection of the first signal;
- and
- a third keep out setting in which the autonomous floor cleaner alters course upon detection of either one of the first signal and the second signal.
An artificial barrier generator for containing an autonomous floor cleaning within a user-determined boundary, the artificial barrier generator comprising:
- a housing having a bottom configured to stand upon a floor surface to be cleaned by an autonomous floor cleaner;
- a plurality of infrared transmitters within the housing, a first one of the plurality of infrared transmitters configured to emit a first signal and a second one of the plurality of infrared transmitters configured to emit a second signal;
- a first keep out setting in which the autonomous floor cleaner alters course upon detection of the first signal and does not alter course upon detection of the second signal;
- a second keep out setting in which the autonomous floor cleaner alters course upon detection of the second signal and does not alter course upon detection of the first signal;
- and
- a third keep out setting in which the autonomous floor cleaner alters course upon detection of either one of the first signal and the second signal.
A method of containing an autonomous floor cleaner within a user-determined boundary by an artificial barrier generator comprising a plurality of infrared transmitters, comprising:
- emitting a first signal from a first one of the plurality of infrared transmitters;
- emitting a second signal from a second one of the plurality of infrared transmitters;
- detecting at least one of the first signal or second signal with a receiver of the autonomous floor cleaner;
- in a first keep out setting, altering the course of the autonomous floor cleaner upon detection of the first signal and maintaining the course of the autonomous floor cleaner upon detection of the second signal;
- in a second keep out setting, altering the course of the autonomous floor cleaner upon detection of the second signal and maintaining the course of the autonomous floor cleaner upon detection of the first signal;
- and
- in a third keep out setting, altering the course of the autonomous floor cleaner upon detection of either one of the first signal and the second signal.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.