US 12221196

US Patent 12221196, titled "Controllable sinking and floating swimming pool robot and sinking and floating control method for swimming pool robot," was filed on September 2, 2024, by Aiper Global Pte Ltd. The inventors are Xiaofeng Liu and Yongfei Hua. It was granted and published on February 11, 2025.

Abstract:
The patent describes a controllable sinking and floating swimming pool robot and its control method. The robot includes a sinking and floating control unit, a waterline detection unit, and a main control unit. The main control unit enables the robot to find a side wall or slope, crawl along it, detect its positional relationship with the waterline, and then control the sinking and floating unit to enter a floating state. This mechanism aims to provide faster sinking and floating speeds compared to methods relying on water absorption and drainage, and simplifies internal components.

Plain-Language Overview of Independent Claims:

• Independent Claim 1: Controllable Sinking and Floating Swimming Pool Robot
  This claim describes a swimming pool robot with three main components:

  1. A sinking and floating control unit that manages the robot's buoyancy to make it sink or float.
  2. A waterline detection unit that senses where the robot is in relation to the water's surface (the waterline).
  3. A main control unit that oversees the sinking and floating control unit.
     The main control unit performs the following actions:
  • It directs the robot to locate a side wall or slope based on operational needs (e.g., user commands, task progress, power levels).
  • It makes the robot crawl along that surface.
  • It uses the waterline detection unit to determine the robot's position relative to the waterline.
  • Based on these detections, it commands the sinking and floating control unit to activate a floating state.
    Crucially, the sinking and floating control unit is programmed to stop working after it has been in the floating state for a specific, predetermined amount of time.

• Independent Claim 15: Sinking and Floating Control Method for a Swimming Pool Robot
  This claim outlines a method for controlling a swimming pool robot's sinking and floating, comprising these steps:

  1. The robot is instructed to find a side wall or slope based on its operational needs, and then to crawl along that surface.
  2. The robot detects its position relative to the waterline of the pool's liquid surface.
  3. A sinking and floating control unit is commanded to enter a floating working state based on the detection results, causing the robot to float.
  4. The sinking and floating control unit is then stopped after it has been in the floating working state for a predetermined duration.

CAFC 2026 Dockets:
A search of the CAFC 2026 dockets did not return any cases specifically mentioning US patent 12221196. The search results provided general information about CAFC patent cases in 2026, including affirmations of summary judgment of invalidity for other patents and discussions on patent eligibility and IPR proceedings. Therefore, there is no authoritative information to suggest litigation for this specific patent number in the CAFC dockets as of April 26, 2026.