Robot control system

• US 10,226,866 B2
• Filed: 06/24/2016
• Issued: 03/12/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 02/22/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Fujifilm Business Innovation Corp. (Fujifilm Holdings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Fuji Xerox Company Limited (Fujifilm Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: Thapliya, Roshan
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Bao Long T
• Application Number:
  US15/192,104
• Publication Number:
  US 20170239812A1
• Time in Patent Office: 991 Days
• Field of Search: 700246, 700248, 700258, 700259, 901 46- 47, 706 45, 706 50, 706 62
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 9/0003 Home robots, i.e. small robots for domestic use
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 9/163 learning, adaptive, model based, rule based expert control
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 9/1694 characterised by use of sensors other than normal servo-feedback from position, speed or acceleration sensors, perception control, multi-sensor controlled systems, sensor fusion
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/40411 Robot assists human in non-industrial environment like home or office
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/40414 Man robot interface, exchange of information between operator and robot
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/5838 using colour
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/5846 using extracted text
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/5854 using shape and object relationship
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/35 Discourse or dialogue representation
• CPC Class Codes: G10L 25/63 for estimating an emotional state

Abstract

A robot control system includes: a plurality of conversation-type robots including an acquiring unit configured to acquire conversation information including conversation content during conversation with the user, background information during the conversation with the sure, and information on emotional reaction of a user during the conversation with the user; a collector configured to collect the acquired conversation information; and a generator configured to generate control information for controlling the plurality of conversation-type robots by using the collected conversation information. The plurality of conversation-type robots have a conversation with the user by using the control information to acquire new conversation information from the user.

Claims

1. A robot comprising:

an acquiring unit configured to acquire conversation information including background information and information on emotional reaction of a user during a conversation with the user; and

an operation control unit configured to control the conversation with the user based on circumstances where the emotional reaction occurred in response to a reply from the robot to a prior inquiry by the user and affective state information that is generated by way of the acquired conversation information, which includes the information on the emotional reaction of the user, accumulated in a memory.

2. The robot of claim 1, wherein if the acquired conversation information indicates that the user is in difficulty, the operation control unit is further configured to seek for and determine a cause of the difficulty from content of the conversation.

3. The robot of claim 1, wherein the operation control unit is further configured to estimate an age of the user.

4. The robot of claim 1, wherein the controlling of the conversation with the user comprises responding to the user or expressing facial expression or behavior.

5. A robot system, comprising:

the robot of claim 1, which performs an essential task; and

a slave robot that performs an indirect task.

6. A robot comprising:

an acquiring unit configured to acquire conversation information including background information and information on emotional reaction of a user during a conversation with the user; and

an operation control unit configured to control the conversation with the user based on circumstances where the emotional reaction occurred and affective state information that is generated by way of the acquired conversation information, wherein;

if the acquired conversation information differs from conversation information previously accumulated in a memory, the acquired conversation information is accumulated in the memory, and

if the acquired conversation information is equal to the conversation information previously accumulated in the memory, the previously accumulated conversation information is updated by adding information about frequency of its appearance.

7. The robot of claim 6, wherein if the acquired conversation information indicates that the user is in difficulty, the operation control unit is further configured to seek for and determine a cause of the difficulty from content of the conversation.

8. The robot of claim 6, wherein the operation control unit is further configured to estimate an age of the user.

9. The robot of claim 6, wherein the controlling of the conversation with the user comprises responding to the user or expressing facial expression or behavior.

10. A robot system, comprising:

the robot of claim 6, which performs an essential task; and

a slave robot that performs an indirect task.