Patent ID: 8113304

Claim:
A method for operating a robotic platform to climb a set of stairs, the method comprising: approaching the set of stairs with right and left front arms, mounted on a corresponding side of right and left main tracks disposed on corresponding sides of a main body, in a stowed position, in which the front arms are next to the right and left main tracks, each main track trained about a corresponding main drive pulley and a corresponding rear idler pulley; rotating right and left front arms from the stowed position downward and away from the right and left main tracks, raising and supporting the main body on the front arms; rotating the front arms to drive the upright main body past a vertical position, causing the robot to fall over and thereby invert the main body onto the set of stairs; driving the main tracks to ascend the set of stairs; and maintaining a center of mass of the robotic platform within an envelope of 360 degree rotation of the front arms.