Communication robot control system

• US 20060293787A1
• Filed: 08/12/2004
• Published: 12/28/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 08/12/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Advanced Telecommunications Research Institute International
• Original Assignee: Advanced Telecommunications Research Institute International
• Inventors: Ishiguro, Hiroshi, Miyashita, Takahiro, Kanda, Takayuki, Kogure, Kiyoshi
• Granted Patent: US 7,689,319 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 700/245
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 9/1671 characterised by simulation, either to verify existing program or to create and verify new program, CAD/CAM oriented, graphic oriented programming systems
• 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

Abstract

A communication robot control system displays a selection input screen for supporting input of actions of a communication robot. The selection input screen displays in a user-selectable manner a list of a plurality of behaviors including not only spontaneous actions but also reactive motions (reflex behaviors) in response to behavior of a person as a communication partner, and a list of emotional expressions to be added to the behaviors. According to a user'"'"'s operation, the behavior and the emotional expression to be performed by the communication robot are selected and decided. Then, reproductive motion information for interactive actions including reactive motions and emotional interactive actions, is generated based on input history of the behavior and the emotional expression.

Claims

1. A control system for communication robot for supporting input of interactive actions to be performed by a communication robot, comprising:

a storage means for storing in advance information on a plurality of behaviors associated with a plurality of behavior programs including a spontaneous behavior program for performing a spontaneous behavior and a reflex behavior program prepared with inclusion of determination of a precondition and for performing a reflex behavior in response to behavior of a person when the precondition is satisfied;

a display means for displaying a list of said plurality of behaviors in a user-selectable manner based on said information stored in said storage means;

a behavior decision means for deciding a behavior to be performed by said communication robot from said list of behaviors displayed by said display means according to a user'"'"'s operation; and

a generation means for generating reproductive motion information for interactive actions to be performed by said communication robot, based on a history of the behavior decided by said behavior decision means.

2. A control system for communication robot as set forth in claim 1, wherein

said display means further displays a list of a plurality of emotional expressions in a user-selectable manner;

said behavior decision means further decides an emotional expression which is to be added to the behavior to be performed by said communication robot, from said list of emotional expressions according to the user'"'"'s operation; and

said generation means generates said reproductive motion information based on the history of the behavior and emotional expression decided by said behavior decision means.

3. A control system for communication robot as set forth in claim 2, wherein said behavior decision means further includes a determination means for determining whether or not the emotional expression selected by the user is appropriate to the selected behavior, and does not permit said emotional expression to be added to said behavior if said determination means determines that said emotional expression is not appropriate to said behavior.

4. A control system for communication robot as set forth in claim 1, further comprising a transmission means for, when said behavior decision means has decided the behavior to be performed by said communication robot, transmitting an execution instruction for said behavior to said communication robot.

5. A control system for communication robot as set forth claim 1, wherein said display means displays said list of behaviors classified by region of said communication robot.

6. A control system for communication robot as set forth in claim 1, wherein when the behavior is selected from said list of behaviors by the user'"'"'s operation, said display means displays an image of an appearance of said communication robot performing said behavior.

16. A control system for communication robot as set forth in claim 2, wherein

when said emotional expression is added to said behavior, said generation means corrects control data for performing the behavior according to the emotional expression and generates reproductive motion information including the corrected control data.

20. A control system for communication robot as set forth in claim 2, further comprising a transmission means for, when said behavior decision means has decided the behavior to be performed by said communication robot, transmitting an execution instruction for said behavior to said communication robot.

7. An action input support program for supporting input of interactive actions to be performed by a communication robot, on a control system for communication robot comprising a storage means for storing in advance information on a plurality of behaviors associated with a plurality of behavior programs including a spontaneous behavior program for performing a spontaneous behavior of said communication robot and a reflex behavior program prepared with inclusion of determination of a precondition and for performing a reflex behavior in response to behavior of a person when the precondition is satisfied, causing a processor of said control system for communication robot to execute:

a display step of displaying a list of said plurality of behaviors in a user-selectable manner based on said information stored in said storage means;

a behavior decision step of deciding a behavior to be performed by said communication robot from said list of behaviors displayed by said display step according to a user'"'"'s operation; and

a generation step of generating reproductive motion information for interactive actions to be performed by said communication robot, based on a history of the behavior decided by said behavior decision step.

8. An action input support program as set forth in claim 7, wherein

said display step further displays a list of a plurality of emotional expressions in a user-selectable manner;

said behavior decision step further decides an emotional expression which is to be added to the behavior to be performed by said communication robot, from said list of emotional expressions according to a user'"'"'s operation; and

said generation step generates said reproductive motion information based on the history of the behavior and emotional expression decided by said behavior decision step.

9. An action input support program as set forth in claim 8, wherein said behavior decision step further includes a determination step of determining whether or not the emotional expression selected by the user is appropriate to the selected behavior, and does not permit said emotional expression to be added to said behavior if said determination step determines that said emotional expression is not appropriate to said behavior.

17. An action input support program as set forth in claim 8, wherein

when said emotional expression is added to said behavior, said generation step corrects control data for performing the behavior according to the emotional expression and generates reproductive motion information including the corrected control data.

10. A storage medium storing a program for supporting input of interactive actions to be performed by a communication robot, on a control system for communication robot comprising a storage means for storing in advance information on a plurality of behaviors associated with a plurality of behavior programs including a spontaneous behavior program for performing a spontaneous behavior and a reflex behavior program prepared with inclusion of determination of a precondition and for performing a reflex behavior in response to behavior of a person when the precondition is satisfied, wherein

said program causes a processor of said control system for communication robot to execute:

a display step of displaying a list of said plurality of behaviors in a user-selectable manner based on said information stored in said storage means;

a behavior decision step of deciding a behavior to be performed by said communication robot from said list of behaviors displayed by said display step according to a user'"'"'s operation; and

a generation step of generating reproductive motion information for interactive actions to be performed by said communication robot, based on a history of the behavior decided by said behavior decision step.

11. A storage medium storing a program as set forth in claim 10, wherein

said display step further displays a list of a plurality of emotional expressions in a user-selectable manner;

said behavior decision step further decides an emotional expression which is to be added to the behavior to be performed by said communication robot, from said list of emotional expressions according to the user'"'"'s operation;

said generation step generates said reproductive motion information based on the history of the behavior and emotional expression decided by said behavior decision step.

12. A storage medium storing a program as set forth in claim 11, wherein

said behavior decision step further includes a determination step of determining whether or not the emotional expression selected by the user is appropriate to the selected behavior, and does not permit said emotional expression to be added to said behavior if said determination step determines that the emotional expression is not appropriate to the behavior.

18. A storage medium storing a program as set forth in claim 11, wherein

when said emotional expression is added to said behavior, said generation step corrects control data for performing the behavior according to the emotional expression and generates reproductive motion information including the corrected control data.

13. An action input support method for supporting input of interactive actions to be performed by a communication robot, on a control system for communication robot comprising a storage means for storing in advance information on a plurality of behaviors associated with a plurality of behavior programs including a spontaneous behavior program for performing a spontaneous behavior and a reflex behavior program prepared with inclusion of determination of a precondition and for performing a reflex behavior in response to behavior of a person when the precondition is satisfied, including:

a display step of displaying a list of said plurality of behaviors in a user-selectable manner based on said information stored in said storage means;

a behavior decision step of deciding a behavior to be performed by said communication robot from said list of behaviors displayed by said display step according to a user'"'"'s operation; and

a generation step of generating reproductive motion information for interactive actions to be performed by said communication robot, based on a history of the behavior decided by said behavior decision step.

14. An action input support method as set forth in claim 13, wherein

said display step further displays a list of a plurality of emotional expressions in a user-selectable manner;

said behavior decision step further decides an emotional expression which is to be added to the behavior to be performed by said communication robot, from said list of emotional expressions according to the user'"'"'s operation; and

said generation step generates said reproductive motion information based on the history of the behavior and emotional expression decided by said behavior decision step.

15. An action input support method as set forth in claim 14, wherein said behavior decision step further includes a determination step of determining whether or not the emotional expression selected by the user is appropriate to the selected behavior, and does not permit said emotional expression to be added to said behavior if said determination step determines that said emotional expression is not appropriate to said behavior.

19. An action input support method as set forth in claim 14, wherein

when said emotional expression is added to said behavior, said generation step corrects control data for performing the behavior according to the emotional expression and generates reproductive motion information including the corrected control data.