System and method for simulating conciousness

• US 20020138246A1
• Filed: 03/08/2001
• Published: 09/26/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 03/08/2001
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Blue Oak Mountain Technologies Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Blue Oak Mountain Technologies Incorporated
• Inventors: Czora, Gregory J.
• Application Number:
  US09/802,505
• Publication Number:
  US 20020138246A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 703/22
• CPC Class Codes: G06N 3/004 Artificial life, i.e. computing arrangements simulating life

Abstract

A simulated consciousness method (10) for an improved human/computer interface. A computer system (12) is programmed to have a Digital Life Form (32) possessing a plurality of attributes (65). A plurality of actions (64) taken relative to objects (60) in the environment (30) contribute to simulated feelings (76) which ultimately control the viability of the Digital Life Form (32). When there are not sufficient energy packets (66) to sustain the Digital Life Form (32) then simulated death 52 results. Therefore, only actions (64) which contribute to the viability of the Digital Life Form (32) are repeated in the long-run. Some of those actions (64) include perception of reality, concept formation, and natural language processing.

Claims

1. A computer generated entity, comprising:

a plurality of attributes, wherein at least one such attribute defines the vitality of the entity; and

a plurality of actions, at least one of which will affect the vitality of the entity.

2. The computer generated entity of claim 1, wherein:

said actions simulate actions by the entity on objects in an environment.

3. The computer generated entity of claim 2, wherein:

the environment is a computer generated simulated environment.

4. The computer generated entity of claim 1, wherein:

simulated death occurs when the actions result in a reduction of vitality below a preset level.

5. The computer generated entity of claim 1, wherein:

vitality level is determined by a quantity of energy packets.

6. A computer interface, comprising:

a digital form having a plurality of attributes;

a plurality of actions which may be accomplished by the digital life form; and

a selection criteria for selecting from said plurality of actions;

wherein repeated selection of actions which do not contribute to the vitality of the digital life form will result in the simulated death of the digital life form

7. The computer interface of claim 6, and further including:

a birth process wherein experience from the digital life form is passed on to a next generation of the digital life form.

8. The computer interface of claim 6, wherein:

said digital life form perceives a plurality of objects in an environment; and

said actions are selected to optimize vitality dependant upon the particular objects perceived.

9. The computer interface of claim 6, wherein:

said actions are taken to optimize at least one of a plurality of simulated feelings.

10. The computer interface of claim 9, wherein:

at least one of the simulated feelings is a feeling of fullness.

11. The computer interface of claim 10, wherein:

the feeling of fullness is represented by a quantity of energy packets.

13. The computer program product of claim 12, wherein:

said actions are selected form a list of actions programmed into the computer.

14. The computer program product of claim 12, wherein:

at least one consequence of the selection of said actions is the termination of the digital life form.

15. The computer program product of claim 12, wherein:

at least one of the attributes of the digital life form is a simulated feeling.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein:

said digital life form includes a plurality of attributes.

18. The method of claim 16, wherein:

said environment is a computer generated simulated environment.

19. The method of claim 16, wherein:

at least one of said actions includes EAT.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein:

EAT is defined as assimilating energy packets to increase the vitality of said digital life form.

21. The method of claim 16, wherein:

at least one consequences of said actions is the simulated death of said digital life form.

22. The method of claim 16, and further including:

providing a strategy for selecting from said plurality of actions.

24. The method of claim 23, and further including:

identifying at least ?? of said objects by comparison to said lists of said characteristics.

25. The method of claim 23, and further including:

acting on at least one of said objects according to the characteristics of that object.

26. The method of claim 23, wherein:

said lists are percepts.

28. The method of claim 27, wherein:

said actions are initially selected in a random manner.

30. The method of claim 29, wherein:

concepts are compared to form conceptual chains.

31. The method of claim 29, wherein:

concepts are associated with natural language words.

12. A computer program product comprising a computer usable medium having a computer readable program code embodied thereon configured to operate on a computer, comprising:

code to cause the computer to keep track of a list of attributes of a digital life form;

code to cause the computer to cause the digital life form to take actions to maintain its own vitality.

16. A method for creating a digital life form, comprising:

defining a digital life form;

providing access for the digital life form to an environment;

defining a plurality of potential actions for the digital life form; and

providing consequences to the digital life form for such actions.

23. A method for simulating consciousness, comprising;

identifying characteristics of objects in an environment; and

storing lists of said characteristics.

27. A method for obtaining information valuable for survival, comprising:

performing a plurality of optional behaviors; and

storing information relative to such actions for future reference.

29. A method for forming concepts in a Digital Life Form, wherein:

percepts are compared to form concepts.