Communication robot

• US 10,366,689 B2
• Filed: 10/29/2015
• Issued: 07/30/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 10/29/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Kyocera Corporation
• Original Assignee: Kyocera Corporation
• Inventors: Kimura, Masami
• Primary Examiner(s): Blankenagel, Bryan S
• Application Number:
  US15/521,225
• Publication Number:
  US 20170352351A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,370 Days
• CPC Class Codes: A63H 11/00 Self-movable toy figures
• CPC Class Codes: A63H 2200/00 Computerized interactive toys, e.g. dolls
• CPC Class Codes: A63H 3/28 Arrangements of sound-producing means in dolls; Means in dolls for producing sounds
• CPC Class Codes: A63H 5/00 Musical or noise- producing devices for additional toy effects other than acoustical musical tops A63H1/28; sound-producing dolls A63H3/28; musical toy vehicles A63H17/268; acoustical vehicle-signalling devices A63H17/32; whistling toy locomotive arrangements A63H19/14; music, sound or noise production in general G10
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 11/001 with emotions simulating means
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 13/089 Determining the position of the robot with reference to its environment
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 19/023 including video camera means
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/011 Emotion or mood input determined on the basis of sensed human body parameters such as pulse, heart rate or beat, temperature of skin, facial expressions, iris, voice pitch, brain activity patterns
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0412 Digitisers structurally integrated in a display
• CPC Class Codes: G06N 3/008 based on physical entities controlled by simulated intelligence so as to replicate intelligent life forms, e.g. based on robots replicating pets or humans in their appearance or behaviour
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 19/06 Foreign languages with audible presentation of material to be studied G09B5/04
• CPC Class Codes: G10L 13/00 Speech synthesis; Text to speech systems
• CPC Class Codes: G10L 15/22 Procedures used during a speech recognition process, e.g. man-machine dialogue
• CPC Class Codes: G10L 17/00 Speaker identification or verification techniques
• CPC Class Codes: G10L 17/04 Training, enrolment or model building
• CPC Class Codes: G10L 25/63 for estimating an emotional state
• CPC Class Codes: G10L 25/78 Detection of presence or absence of voice signals switching of direction of transmission by voice frequency in two-way loud-speaking telephone systems H04M9/10
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 1/025 Arrangements for fixing loudspeaker transducers, e.g. in a box, furniture
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 1/028 associated with devices performing functions other than acoustics, e.g. electric candles

Abstract

A communication robot includes a housing and a speaker. The communication robot performs a motion of emitting a sound including a particular phoneme. With such a configuration, it is possible to provide a new communication robot that contributes to the development of the listening ability of languages. For example, the communication robot may include a storage. The communication robot may be configured to determine a motion to be performed based on the information of the storage.

Claims

1. A communication robot comprising:

a housing;

a speaker;

a storage; and

a controller, wherein

the storage is configured to store first information including information for a native language of a user and information regarding a country of residence, and second information indicating a plurality of intensity levels of the user'"'"'s response corresponding to a plurality of motions of the communication robot, respectively, and

when a motion of the communication robot is a motion of emitting a sound including a particular phoneme that is based on a language of the country of residence that is not found in the native language of the user, the controller is configured to increase an intensity level corresponding to the motion of emitting a sound including the particular phoneme, and perform the motion of emitting a sound including the particular phoneme at an increased number of repeats based on the increased intensity level.

2. The communication robot according to claim 1, wherein the motion is determined based on information of the storage.

3. The communication robot according to claim 1, wherein the storage stores user'"'"'s name information and user'"'"'s age information, or stores user'"'"'s name information and age information.

4. The communication robot according to claim 1, wherein the storage stores user'"'"'s emotional information.

5. The communication robot according to claim 1, wherein the storage stores environmental information on environment around a user.

6. The communication robot according to claim 1, wherein the storage stores user'"'"'s face information.

7. The communication robot according to claim 1, wherein the storage stores user'"'"'s voice information.

8. The communication robot according to claim 1, wherein the storage stores voice(s) of either one of or both of a user'"'"'s guardian and user'"'"'s brother and sister.

9. The communication robot according to claim 1 comprising:

a sensor, wherein

the motion of emitting a sound including a particular phoneme is performed according to information from the sensor,

wherein the intensity level is an emotional intensity level, and

wherein the emotional intensity level of a reaction of a person is determined from among a plurality of levels of emotional intensity other than no indication of a particular emotion.

10. The communication robot according to claim 9, wherein the sensor includes a touch sensor arranged on a side portion of the housing.

11. The communication robot according to claim 9, wherein the sensor is an image system sensor and detects presence of the person or identifies the person according to information of the image system sensor.

12. The communication robot according to claim 9, wherein the sensor includes one or more microphones, and detects presence of the person by the microphone.

13. The communication robot according to claim 12, wherein the person is identified based on a sound collected by the microphone.

14. The communication robot according to claim 12, wherein the microphone is provided on the left and right sides of the housing, a display is provided on the front face of the housing, a sound source direction is specified by the left and right microphones, and the sound is emitted toward the direction.

15. The communication robot according to claim 9, wherein the reaction of the person after emission of the sound is captured by the sensor.

16. The communication robot according to claim 15, wherein the captured reaction of the person is classified by type.

17. The communication robot according to claim 16, wherein the type includes “

happy” and

“

sad”

as emotions.

18. The communication robot according to claim 9, wherein the sensor includes a microphone, and the emotional intensity level is determined from a sound collected by the microphone.

19. The communication robot according to claim 18, wherein the emotional intensity level is determined by content of a voice of the person collected by the microphone.

20. The communication robot according to claim 9, wherein the sensor includes a camera, and the emotional intensity level is determined from an image captured by the camera.

21. The communication robot according to claim 20, wherein a facial expression of the person is analyzed from the image of the camera, and the emotional intensity level is determined from the facial expression.

22. The communication robot according to claim 20, wherein a behavior of the person is analyzed from the image of the camera, and the emotional intensity level is determined from the behavior.

23. The communication robot according to claim 9, wherein the sensor includes a sensor for measuring a distance and measures a speed at which the person is approaching after the sound is emitted, and the emotional intensity level is determined according to the speed.

24. The communication robot according to claim 9, wherein a response of the person, to the motion, in a plurality of different elements is captured by the sensor, and each emotional intensity level of the elements is determined.

25. The communication robot according to claim 24, wherein a score with respect to the motion is determined from the emotional intensity levels of the elements.

26. The communication robot according to claim 1, comprising:

a sensor, wherein

the sensor is an image system sensor, the motion is a first motion, and a second motion is performed only when it is determined that a person looks at the communication robot itself according to information of the image system sensor.

27. The communication robot according to claim 26, wherein the speaker is a directional speaker, the sensor includes a microphone, and the second motion is performed in a direction in which the person detected by the microphone is present.

28. The communication robot according to claim 26, wherein the sensor includes an acceleration sensor, and when an act in which the communication robot itself is lifted is detected according to information of the acceleration sensor, a sound is emitted.

29. The communication robot according to claim 26, wherein the sensor includes a touch sensor, and when a contact is detected by the touch sensor, the second motion is performed.

30. The communication robot according to claim 26, wherein the sensor includes a touch sensor provided on the left and right sides of the housing, and when contacts on both of the left and right sides are detected by the touch sensors, the second motion is performed.

31. The communication robot according to claim 26, wherein the sensor includes a plurality of types of sensors selected from among a microphone, a touch sensor, and an acceleration sensor, and different second motions are performed according to the types of the sensors and detection contents of the sensors.

32. The communication robot according to claim 26, wherein the sensor includes a microphone, and immediately after collecting a person-generated sound, the generated sound is reproduced from the speaker to imitate the person.

33. The communication robot according to claim 26, further comprising a motor, wherein the sensor includes a microphone, and a motion of swinging the housing is performed by the motor immediately after collecting a person-generated sound by the microphone.

34. The communication robot according to claim 26, wherein an approach of the person is monitored and a type of the approach is determined according to information of the image system sensor, and a second motion selected according to the type is performed.

35. A communication robot comprising:

a first sensor for detecting presence of a person and emitting a first sound when the first sensor detects the person; and

a second sensor for detecting an act of the person after the first sound is emitted and emitting a second sound when the second sensor detects a specific act, wherein

at least one of the first sound and the second sound includes a particular phoneme, and

the specific act is an act classified into joy or surprise of emotions of the person, and when the specific act can be classified as two reactions, the specific act selected is the specific act associated with a smaller number of motions.