Enhancements to mechanical robot

• US 20060184277A1
• Filed: 02/15/2005
• Published: 08/17/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 02/15/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.), Sony Electronics Inc. (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.), Sony Electronics Inc. (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Orii, Satoshi, Gates, Otis James, Decuir, John David, Kozuki, Todd Gen
• Granted Patent: US 8,588,979 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 700/245
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/37 using biometric data, e.g. fingerprints, iris scans or voice recognition
• CPC Class Codes: G10L 17/00 Speaker identification or verification techniques

Abstract

A mechanical robot can have a GPS receiver for localization, to enable it to navigate and/or perform location-specific functions. Also, the robot can be caused to ambulate in a location, taking pictures of guests and/or sounding an alarm if an unknown person is imaged by a camera on the robot. Further, the robot can be given a voice message for a recipient, and then ambulate around until, using face or voice recognition, it recognizes the intended recipient and delivers the message, e.g., aurally using a speaker.

Claims

1. A mechanical robot, comprising:

a body;

at least one processor mounted on the body;

at least one electromechanical mechanism controlled by the processor to cause the body to ambulate; and

at least one localization beacon receiver mounted on the body and electrically connected to the processor to communicate localization data thereto, wherein the processor executes logic comprising;

receiving the localization data from the beacon receiver; and

based on the localization data, establishing at least one function.

2. The robot of claim 1, wherein the function is a navigation function.

3. The robot of claim 1, wherein the function is a language selection function.

4. The robot of claim 1, wherein the receiver is a GPS receiver.

5. The robot of claim 1, wherein the receiver is an rf identification receiver.

6. The robot of claim 1, wherein the robot includes at least one camera mounted on the body and electrically connected to the processor, and the logic further comprises:

imaging at least one person using the camera to render a visual and/or aural image; and

processing the image using face and/or voice recognition techniques.

7. The robot of claim 6, wherein the logic comprises, based on the processing act, determining whether the image matches a stored image stored in the robot.

8. The robot of claim 7, wherein if the image does not match a stored image, actuating a security alarm.

9. The robot of claim 7, wherein if the image does not match a stored image, storing the image in the robot.

10. The robot of claim 6, wherein the logic further comprises:

receiving a message having a recipient;

determining whether the visual and/or aural image correlates to an authorized recipient, and if so, displaying the message on at least one display on the robot, and otherwise causing the robot to ambulate and repeat the imaging, processing, and determining acts.

11. A mechanical robot, comprising:

a body;

at least one processor mounted on the body and executing logic;

at least one electromechanical mechanism controlled by the processor to cause the body to ambulate; and

at least one camera mounted on the body and electrically connected to the processor, and the logic comprises;

imaging at least one person using the camera to render a visual and/or aural image; and

processing the image using face and/or voice recognition techniques.

12. The robot of claim 11, wherein the logic comprises, based on the processing act, determining whether the image matches a stored image stored in the robot.

13. The robot of claim 12, wherein if the image does not match a stored image, actuating a security alarm.

14. The robot of claim 12, wherein if the image does not match a stored image, storing the image in the robot.

15. The robot of claim 11, wherein the logic further comprises:

receiving a message having a recipient;

determining whether the visual and/or aural image correlates to an authorized recipient, and if so, displaying the message on at least one display on the robot, and otherwise causing the robot to ambulate and repeat the imaging, processing, and determining acts.

16. The robot of claim 11, comprising at least one localization beacon receiver mounted on the body and electrically connected to the processor to communicate localization data thereto, the logic further comprising:

receiving the localization data from the beacon receiver; and

based on the localization data, establishing at least one function.

17. A mechanical robot, comprising:

a body;

at least one processor mounted on the body and executing logic;

at least one electromechanical mechanism controlled by the processor to cause the body to ambulate; and

at least one camera mounted on the body and electrically connected to the processor, and the logic comprises;

receiving a message having a recipient;

imaging at least one person using the camera to render a visual and/or aural image;

recognition-processing the visual and/or aural image to determine whether the visual and/or aural image correlates to an authorized recipient, and if so, displaying the message on at least one display on the robot, and otherwise causing the robot to ambulate and repeat the imaging and recognition-processing acts.

18. The robot of claim 17, wherein the logic comprises, based on the processing act, determining whether the image matches a stored image stored in the robot.

19. The robot of claim 18, wherein if the image does not match a stored image, actuating a security alarm, and/or storing the image in the robot.

20. The robot of claim 17, comprising at least one localization beacon receiver mounted on the body and electrically connected to the processor to communicate localization data thereto, the logic further comprising:

receiving the localization data from the beacon receiver; and

based on the localization data, establishing at least one function.