Robot device, information processing method, and program

• US 20060247825A1
• Filed: 03/18/2004
• Published: 11/02/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 04/01/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Omote, Masanori
• Granted Patent: US 7,885,727 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 700/245
• CPC Class Codes: G10L 13/00 Speech synthesis; Text to speech systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 24/00 Supervisory, monitoring or testing arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/12 WLAN [Wireless Local Area Networks]

Abstract

The present invention relates to a robot apparatus capable of notifying a user of the state of communication with an access point, an information processing method and a program therefor. A humanoid robot 5, which independently determines an action in accordance with an instruction from a user or a surrounding environment, communicates with an access point 2 based on IEEE 802.11b. For example, the robot 5 controls a household electrical appliance 4-1 through a network 3 and receives a command from a personal computer 4-2 over the network 3 to execute a predetermined process. The robot 5 measures the quality of communication with the access point 2 at regular intervals. When the communication quality of a predetermined level or lower is continued for a predetermined period, the robot 5 generates speech, e.g., “I cannot see the access point. What should I do?” and waits for an instruction from the user. When receiving an instruction from the user, the robot 5 takes an action according to the instruction.

Claims

1. An autonomous robot apparatus which communicates with a communication apparatus by radio and independently determines an action in accordance with an instruction from a user or a surrounding environment, the robot apparatus comprising:

measuring means for measuring the quality of communication of radio signals received from the communication apparatus;

determining means for determining the action on the basis of the communication quality measured by the measuring means; and

processing means for performing a process of allowing the robot apparatus to take the action determined by the determining means.

2. The robot apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the determining means determines the action on the basis of the details of the current action of the robot apparatus and the communication quality measured by the measuring means.

3. The robot apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

the determining means determines the generation of predetermined speech, and

the processing means outputs the speech through a speaker.

4. A information processing method for an autonomous robot apparatus which communicates with a communication apparatus by radio and independently determines an action in accordance with an instruction from a user or a surrounding environment, the method comprising:

a measuring step of measuring the quality of communication of radio signals received from the communication apparatus;

a determining step of determining the action on the basis of the communication quality measured in the measuring step; and

a processing step of performing a process of allowing the robot apparatus to take the action determined in the determining step.

5. A program for an autonomous robot apparatus which communicates with a communication apparatus by radio and independently determines an action in accordance with an instruction from a user or a surrounding environment, the program allowing a computer to execute a process comprising:

a measuring step of measuring the quality of communication of radio signals received from the communication apparatus;

a determining step of determining the action on the basis of the communication quality measured in the measuring step; and

a processing step of performing a process of allowing the robot apparatus to take the action determined in the determining step.