PERSONAL ROBOT

• US 20150336276A1
• Filed: 08/28/2013
• Published: 11/26/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 12/28/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Future Robot Co., Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Future Robot Co., Ltd.
• Inventors: SONG, Se Kyong, LEE, Sang Ki
• Granted Patent: US 9,873,200 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A63H 11/00 Self-movable toy figures
• CPC Class Codes: A63H 30/04 using wireless transmission
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 11/001 with emotions simulating means
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 13/00 Controls for manipulators programme controls B25J9/16; control in general G05
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 13/006 by means of a wireless system for controlling one or several manipulators
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 13/081 Touching devices, e.g. pressure-sensitive
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 13/088 with position, velocity or acceleration sensors
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 9/0003 Home robots, i.e. small robots for domestic use
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 9/1666 Avoiding collision or forbidden zones
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 9/1694 characterised by use of sensors other than normal servo-feedback from position, speed or acceleration sensors, perception control, multi-sensor controlled systems, sensor fusion
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0011 associated with a remote control arrangement
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0238 using obstacle or wall sensors G05D1/0246 and G05D1/0289 take precedence; lidar systems designed for anti-collision purposes G01S17/93
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/04 Supports for telephone transmitters or receivers
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72415 for remote control of appliances
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 901/01 Mobile robot

Abstract

A personal robot including a first smart device, a robot main body, and a second smart device is implemented as a first type where the first smart device is wirelessly connected to the robot main body, as a second type where the first smart device is mounted on and connected to the robot main body in a wired manner, or as a third type where the second smart device is wirelessly connected to the robot main body where the first smart device is mounted on and connected to the robot main body in a wired manner. In the third type, the robot main body is connected to the first smart device in a wired manner and wirelessly connected to the second smart device, and a robot main body control unit controls the robot main body according to simultaneously processed data from the first and second smart devices.

Claims

1. A personal robot comprising:

first and second smart devices (110 and 310) respectively including;

a display unit (111 or 311) for displaying information,

a near field wireless communication unit (117 or 317) for performing near field wireless communication,

a touch screen (113 or 313) for inputting information,

a connection unit (119 or 319) for electrically connecting to and exchanging signals with other devices, and

a control unit (118 or 318) for controlling operation; and

a robot main body (200) including;

a smart device mounting unit (221) placed on a front surface to mount the first smart device (110),

a wired and wireless communication unit (210) for performing wired and wireless communication with the first and second smart devices (110 and 310),

an emotion expression unit (227) for generating an output signal of a form which can be recognized by a user,

a sensor unit (222) for sensing movement of an external object or the user,

a driving unit (232) for running the robot main body, and

a robot control unit (235) for controlling operation of the robot main body, wherein;

the robot main body (200) is selectably connected to the first or second smart device (110 or 310) in a wired or wireless manner, and when the robot main body (200) is wiredly connected to the first smart device (110) and wirelessly connected to the second smart device (310), the robot main body control unit (235) simultaneously processes data received from the first and second smart devices (110 and 310) and controls operation of the robot main body according to the processing, and the wired and wireless communication unit (210) determines whether a source of the transmitted and received data is wired or wireless, and the robot control unit (235) includes;

a data processing unit (260) for analyzing data received through the wired and wireless communication unit (210) or data to be transmitted through the wired and wireless communication unit (210) and including an input data processing unit (262) for processing the received data and an output data processing unit (264) for processing the data to be transmitted; and

a robot service processing unit (270) for transmitting a control signal for controlling operation of the robot main body according to a result of analyzing the data performed through the data processing unit (260).

2. The personal robot according to claim 1, wherein the robot control unit (235) further includes an additional function extension unit (278) installed in a motherboard, in which the robot control unit is implemented, to have a plug-in structure for extension of an additional function.

3. The personal robot according to claim 1, wherein the connection unit (119) of the first smart device (110) is a USB port, and the wired and wireless communication unit (210) of the robot main body (200) includes a USB cable (239) connected to the USB connection port of the first smart device (110).

4. The personal robot according to claim 3, wherein a USB cable penetration hole (242) for passing the USB cable (239) is formed at a circumferential edge of the smart device mounting unit (221) of the robot main body (200), and an edge cover (241) is detachably combined at the circumferential edge of the smart device mounting unit (221).

5. The personal robot according to claim 1, wherein the emotion expression unit (227) includes a speaker (228) for outputting a sound, a lamp (229) for generating light, and a motion unit (231) for moving a predetermined portion of the robot main body (200).

6. The personal robot according to claim 1, wherein the sensor unit (222) includes an obstacle detecting sensor (225) installed on a front surface and a rear surface of the robot main body (200) to sense objects placed in front of and behind the robot main body (200), a fall prevention sensor (224) installed on a bottom surface of the robot main body (200) to sense an object placed under the robot main body (200), and a touch sensor (226) installed in the robot main body (200) to sense a predetermined stimulus.

7. The personal robot according to claim 1, wherein the robot main body (200) further includes a beam project module (280) for performing a beam project function, and when an HDMI cable connected to the robot control unit (235) is connected to an HDMI terminal formed in the first smart device (110), the robot main body (200) receives an image and a voice of the first smart device through the HDMI cable and operates the beam project module.