HUMANOID ROBOT PROVIDED WITH A MANAGER FOR THE PHYSICAL AND VIRTUAL RESOURCES THEREOF, AND METHODS FOR USE AND PROGRAMMING

• US 20140316566A1
• Filed: 11/22/2011
• Published: 10/23/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 12/17/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: SoftBank Robotics Europe SAS
• Original Assignee: Aldebaran Robotics S.A. (SoftBank Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Monceaux, Jrme, Mazel, Alexandre, Houssin, David
• Granted Patent: US 9,975,246 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 700/250
• 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: B62D 57/032 with alternately or sequentially lifted supporting base and legs; with alternately or sequentially lifted feet or skid B62D57/024 takes precedence
• 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: Y10S 901/01 Mobile robot

Abstract

A humanoid robot is provided with a manager for its physical and virtual resources, a method of use and a method for programming said manager. Said resources (140, 1410, 1420) are requested so as to execute behaviors. The resources and the behaviors are organized into hierarchical subsets, optionally defined in object trees. Conflicts of use of the resources by the behaviors are resolved locally, the behavior reserving resources being able to be programmed so as to offer options to the user of locking the resources by the reserving behavior, of release in favor of the first other requesting behavior, of partial execution of the behavior in progress or of pausing. A software toolkit makes it possible to program the Resource manager of the invention in a graphical manner in the development environment which allows the programming of the behaviors.

Claims

1. A humanoid robot able to execute a plurality of behaviors under the control of an onboard management module comprising a sub-module for managing a plurality of resources which can be assigned to the execution of said behaviors, wherein said plurality of behaviors and said plurality of resources are each organized into hierarchical subsets, and said sub-module for managing the resources is programmable to reserve at least one resource in at least one subset of resources for the execution of at least one behavior in at least one subset of behaviors, said reservation being programmable to be inherited by said subset of behaviors and/or to be applied to said subset of resources.

2. The humanoid robot of claim 1, wherein said sub-module for managing the plurality of resources is programmed to respond, when a first behavior is being executed, to a resource request by a second behavior with at least one of the following actions:

refusing to make said resource available to said second behavior, immediately making available of said resource to said second behavior, executing at least one additional action and subsequently making available said resource to said second behavior, pausing of the first behavior being executed and subsequently making available of said resource to said second behavior.

3. The humanoid robot of claim 2, wherein said sub-module for managing the plurality of resources is programmed to, when the action of refusal to make available said resource requested by said second behavior is executed, said second behavior again executes a request to make available according to a predefined frequency until expiry of a likewise predefined expiry period.

4. The humanoid robot of claim 1, wherein said sub-module for managing the plurality of resources is programmed so that, when at least two behaviors execute a request to make one and the same resource available, the first of the at least two behaviors has priority in the reservation of said same resource when the latter is released.

5. The humanoid robot of claim 1, wherein said sub-module for managing the plurality of resources is programmed so that, when at least one behavior executes a request to make at least two resources available, said at least two resources are grouped into a new resource treated as a single resource, said grouping being ordered in a unique manner for all the behaviors executing identical resources requests.

6. The humanoid robot of claim 1, wherein said sub-module for managing the plurality of resources is programmed so that, when a parent behavior reserves at least one resource without using it, said at least one resource can be used by a child behavior of said parent behavior.

7. The humanoid robot of claim 6, wherein said sub-module for managing the plurality of resources is programmed so that, when a first child behavior uses a resource reserved by said parent behavior, a second child behavior of the same parent must, so as to be able to use said resource, perform a request to make said resource available with the first child behavior.

8. The humanoid robot of claim 6, wherein said sub-module for managing the plurality of resources is programmed so that, when a parent behavior releases a resource of which it has previously reserved, said resource must be released by any child behavior of said parent.

9. The humanoid robot of claim 1, wherein said sub-module for managing the plurality of resources is programmed so as, when a subset of resources has reduced availability, to carry out a reservation of said resources for a virtual behavior defined as a function of said reduction in availability.

10. The humanoid robot of claim 9, wherein said sub-module for managing the plurality of resources is programmed so as to release said reservation as a function of the evolution of the state of said reduction in availability.

11. The humanoid robot of claim 1, wherein the plurality of resources comprises at least one state variable, said at least one variable having to be in a predefined state so as to be reserved, said reservation being necessary for the execution of at least one behavior.

12. The humanoid robot of claim 1, wherein the plurality of resources comprises at least one accumulative resource and in that a rate of use of the latter is assigned to the behaviors programmed so as to use said at least one resource.

13. The humanoid robot of claim 1, wherein the plurality of resources comprises at least one essential resource and one non-essential resource, any behavior having to call upon the at least one essential resource being unable to execute if said essential resource is not available and being able to execute if it must call upon said at least one non-essential resource, even if the latter is not available.

14. A method for managing the resources of a humanoid robot able to execute a plurality of behaviors under the control of an onboard management module, said method comprising a step of reservation of a plurality of resources which can be assigned to the execution of said behaviors, wherein said plurality of behaviors and said plurality of resources are each organized into hierarchical subsets, and said reservation step assigns at least one resource in at least one subset of resources to the execution of at least one behavior in at least one subset of behaviors, said reservation being programmable to be inherited by said subset of behaviors and/or to be applied to said subset of resources.

15. A computer program comprising program code instructions allowing the execution of a method for managing the resources of a humanoid robot able to execute a plurality of behaviors under the control of an onboard management subroutine, said subroutine comprising a module configured to execute a function for a reservation of a plurality of resources which can be assigned to the execution of said behaviors, wherein said plurality of behaviors and said plurality of resources are each organized into hierarchical subsets and said reservation function assigns at least one resource belonging to at least one subset of resources to the execution of at least one behavior in at least one subset of behaviors, said reservation being programmable to be inherited by said subset of behaviors and/or to be applied to said subset of resources.

16. The computer program of claim 15, wherein said subsets of behaviors and of resources are defined as classes of objects.

17. A method for developing a module for managing the resources of a humanoid robot able to execute a plurality of behaviors under the control of an onboard management subroutine, said subroutine being configured to execute a function for reserving a plurality of resources which can be assigned to the execution of said behaviors, wherein said plurality of behaviors and said plurality of resources are each organized into hierarchical subsets and in that said reservation function assigns at least one resource in at least one subset of resources to the execution of at least one behavior in at least one subset of behaviors, said reservation function being programmable to be inherited by said subset of behaviors and/or to be applied to said subset of resources.

18. A computer program comprising program code instructions configured for allowing, by interaction with a remote module for managing the resources of a humanoid robot configured to execute a plurality of behaviors, the parameterization of an onboard management subroutine aboard said robot, said subroutine comprising a module configured to execute a function for reserving a plurality of resources which can be assigned to the execution of said behaviors, wherein said plurality of behaviors and said plurality of resources are each organized into hierarchical subsets and said reservation function assigns at least one resource in at least one subset of resources to the execution of at least one behavior in at least one subset of behaviors, said reservation function being programmable to be inherited by said subset of behaviors and/or to be applied to said subset of resources.