US 11,771,283 B2
Method and system for manual control of autonomous floor cleaner
Adam Brown, Holland, MI (US); Eric D. Buehler, Grand Rapids, MI (US); Derek E. Smith, Grand Rapids, MI (US); and David VanKampen, Grand Rapids, MI (US)
Assigned to BISSELL , Inc., Grand Rapids, MI (US)
Filed by BISSELL Inc., Grand Rapids, MI (US)
Filed on Dec. 6, 2018, as Appl. No. 16/211,323.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/595,313, filed on Dec. 6, 2017.
Prior Publication US 2019/0167059 A1, Jun. 6, 2019
Int. Cl. A47L 9/28 (2006.01); A47L 5/00 (2006.01); A47L 9/04 (2006.01); G05B 19/416 (2006.01); G05D 1/00 (2006.01)
CPC A47L 9/2857 (2013.01) [A47L 5/00 (2013.01); A47L 9/0411 (2013.01); A47L 9/2805 (2013.01); A47L 9/2826 (2013.01); A47L 9/2842 (2013.01); A47L 9/2852 (2013.01); A47L 9/2894 (2013.01); G05B 19/416 (2013.01); G05D 1/00 (2013.01); G05D 1/0016 (2013.01); G05D 1/0033 (2013.01); A47L 2201/04 (2013.01); A47L 2201/06 (2013.01); G05B 2219/45098 (2013.01); G05D 2201/0203 (2013.01)] 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A method for manually controlling an autonomous floor cleaner, comprising:
wirelessly connecting a smartphone to an autonomous floor cleaner comprising an autonomously moveable housing, a controller carried by the housing, a drive system, and an airflow path through the autonomously moveable housing comprising an air inlet and an air outlet, a suction nozzle positioned to confront a floor surface and defining the air inlet, a collection chamber, and a suction source for generating a working air stream through the airflow path;
selecting a user-determined boundary of the floor surface;
detecting a touch on a touchscreen display of the smartphone;
fixing the relative position of the autonomous floor cleaner with respect to the smartphone via a virtual tether upon the detection of the touch on the touchscreen display;
activating the suction source of the autonomous floor cleaner upon the detection of the touch on the touchscreen display;
detecting acceleration of the smartphone representing a gesture by a user holding the smartphone, wherein detecting acceleration of the smartphone comprises detecting a pose of the smartphone, wherein detecting acceleration includes detecting a first acceleration of the smartphone in a direction away from the user and detecting a second acceleration of the smartphone representing the user directing the autonomous floor to initially extend away from the smartphone then return;
transforming the detected acceleration of the smartphone into movement instructions, including transforming the detected acceleration of the smartphone into movement instructions that emulate a handle to an upright vacuum cleaner wherein interaction between the smartphone and the autonomous floor cleaner automatically relaxes such that the virtual tether stretches to enhance coverage area of the autonomous floor cleaner;
adjusting the movement instructions in response to the user-determined boundary of the floor surface;
executing the movement instructions by the controller and driving the autonomous floor cleaner over the floor surface, while simultaneously maintaining the fixed relative position of the autonomous floor cleaner with respect to the smartphone via the virtual tether and respecting the user-determined boundary of the floor surface.