Pairing a beacon with a mobile robot

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2017026818-A1
Application number	US-201514807485-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Jul 23, 2015
Priority date	Jul 23, 2015
Publication date	Jan 26, 2017
Grant date	—

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.

First claim

What is claimed is:

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;
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; and
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.

2 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
outputting a request, via a user interface, for confirmation 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, 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 receipt of the confirmation.

3 . The method of claim 1 , wherein pairing the beacon with the mobile lawn mowing robot further comprises:
prior to 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.

4 . 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.

5 . The method of claim 3 , wherein pairing the beacon with the mobile lawn mowing robot further comprises:
outputting a request to move the beacon toward the mobile lawn mowing robot, wherein the message from the beacon is received following output of the request to move the beacon.

6 . 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.

7 . 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.

8 . The method of claim 3 , further comprising:
identifying an error associated with the beacon; and outputting an indication of the error via a user interface.

9 . The method of claim 8 , 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.

10 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
receiving a passcode from the beacon; and comparing the passcode 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.

11 - 23 . (canceled)

24 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
receiving a status signal indicative of a battery level of the beacon; and outputting on a user interface a low battery level indication associated with the beacon.

25 . The method of claim 8 , 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.

26 . 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.

27 . 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.

28 . 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.

29 . The method of claim 28 , 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 a location of the beacon and the location of the previously paired beacon.

30 . 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.

31 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising, before using the wideband or ultra-wideband signals to enable navigation over the area, outputting a beacon check based on a number of the received wideband or ultra-wideband signals.

32 . The method of claim 10 , further comprising comparing the passcode to a user input, wherein pairing is performed following confirmation that the passcode from the beacon matches the user input.

Assignees

• Irobot Corp

Inventors

• Beaulieu Andrew
• Yamauchi Brian
• Steltz Erik

Classifications

• H04W8/005 Primary

  Discovery of network devices, e.g. terminals · CPC title

• A01D34/008

  for automated or remotely controlled operation · CPC title

• G01S1/68

  Marker, boundary, call-sign, or like beacons transmitting signals not carrying directional information · CPC title

• G01S1/024

  of beacon transmitters · CPC title

• A01D2101/00

  Lawn-mowers · CPC title