Pet robot charging system

• US 6,859,682 B2
• Filed: 03/27/2003
• Issued: 02/22/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 03/28/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Fujifilm Corporation (Fujifilm Holdings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Fuji Photo Film Co Limited (Fujifilm Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: Ito, Yoshihiro, Endo, Hiroshi, Naka, Yoji
• Primary Examiner(s): Black, Thomas G.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Marc, McDieunel, Marc, McDieunel
• Application Number:
  US10/397,531
• Publication Number:
  US 20030187547A1
• Time in Patent Office: 698 Days
• Field of Search: 700/245, 700/258, 700/259, 700/250, 700/253, 700/255, 318/568.11, 318/568.12, 318/568.21, 701/23, 345/156, 345/184, 901/1, 901/15
• US Class Current: 700/245
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0225 involving docking at a fixed facility, e.g. base station or loading bay parking aids B62D15/027
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0246 using a video camera in combination with image processing means
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/26 Power supply means, e.g. regulation thereof for memories G11C
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/263 Arrangements for using multiple switchable power supplies, e.g. battery and AC G06F1/30 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

Abstract

Image data obtained by image-capturing by a pet robot is stored in a memory, and any of conditions whether the memory capacity is scarce, a captured image transfer instruction is made, or the battery capacity of the pet robot is scarce is satisfied, the pet robot is controlled to move to the charging apparatus. When the pet robot arrives at the charging apparatus, the image data is transferred to the charging apparatus. When the completion of transfer of the image data is detected, the image data already transferred is erased depending upon selection by the user.

Claims

1. A pet robot charging system comprising a pet robot and a charging apparatus,

said pet robot comprising:

an image-capturing section for capturing an image of an object;

an image-capturing control section for controlling image-capturing by said image-capturing section in response to a predetermined image-capturing instruction;

a storage section for storing image data obtained by image-capturing by said image-capturing section;

a moving portion for autonomously traveling in a work space,

a battery as a power source;

a communication section for transmitting said image data, and for receiving charging position information representing a position to charge said battery, and a reception completion signal for transmission of said image data;

a setting section for setting an erasure confirmation state in order to input confirmation for erasure of the image data corresponding to the reception completion signal from the storage section, when said reception completion signal has been received; and

a control section for controlling said communication section to transmit said image data after said moving portion is controlled based on said charging position information, and for controlling the erasure of said image data from said storage section based on said reception completion signal and the confirmation input by said setting section, when a predetermined condition is satisfied,

and said charging apparatus comprising;

a transmitting/receiving section transmitting said charging position information, receiving said image data transmitted from said communication section, and transmitting said reception completion signal expressing the completion of reception of the image data;

a charging section for charging said battery; and

a storage section for storing the image data received by said transmitting/receiving section.

2. The pet robot charging system according to claim 1, further comprising in said charging apparatus a recording section for recording an image on a recording material based on said image data.

3. The pet robot charging system according to claim 1, further comprising at the pet robot a detecting section for detecting a storage capacity of said storage section, said detecting section detecting, as said predetermined condition, whether or not said storage capacity is smaller than a predetermined amount.

4. The pet robot charging system according to claim 1, further comprising at the pet robot a detecting section for detecting a storage capacity of said storage section, wherein said control section controls said moving portion based on said charging position information when said detecting section detects that said storage capacity is smaller than a predetermined amount and then controls said communication section to transmit said image data, so that said image data corresponding to said reception completion signal is erased from said storage section based on said transmission completion signal.

5. The pet robot charging system according to claim 1, further comprising a remaining capacity detecting section for detecting a remaining capacity of said battery in the pet robot, wherein said remaining capacity detecting section detects, as said predetermined condition, whether or not said battery remaining capacity is smaller than a predetermined amount.

6. The pet robot charging system according to claim 1, further comprising at said charging apparatus for displaying a display section a captured image based on said image data received by said transmitting/receiving section.

7. The pet robot charging system according to claim 2, further comprising at said charging apparatus an image selection section for selecting said image data on which the image to be recorded by said recording section is based.

8. A robot comprising:

an image-capturing section for capturing an image of an object;

an image-capturing control section for controlling image-capturing by said image-capturing section in response to a predetermined image-capturing instruction;

a storage section for storing image data obtained by image-capturing by said image-capturing section;

a moving portion for autonomously moving;

a communication section for transmitting said image data;

a control section for controlling said moving portion to move to a predetermined output position to output said image data when a predetermined condition is satisfied, and then controlling said communication section to transmit said image data; and

a detecting section for detecting a storage capacity of said storage section, wherein said control section determines that said predetermined condition has been satisfied when said storage capacity is smaller than a predetermined amount as the result of detection by said detecting section.

10. The robot according to claim 8, wherein:

said communication section receives positional information representing said output position; and

said control section controls said moving portion to move to the output position based on the received positional information.

9. A robot comprising:

an image-capturing section for capturing an image of an object;

an image-capturing control section for controlling image-capturing by said image-capturing section in response to a predetermined image-capturing instruction;

a storage section for storing image data obtained by image-capturing by said image-capturing section;

a moving portion for autonomously moving;

a communication section for transmitting said image data;

a control section for controlling said moving portion to move to a predetermined output position to output said image data when a predetermined condition is satisfied, and then controlling said communication section to transmit said image data; and

a transmission instruction section for instructing said communication section to transmit said image data, wherein said control section determines that said predetermined condition is satisfied when a transmission instruction is made by said transmission instruction section.

11. A robot comprising:

an image-capturing section for capturing an image of an object;

an image-capturing control section for controlling image-capturing by said image-capturing section in response to a predetermined image-capturing instruction;

a storage section for storing image data obtained by image-capturing by said image-capturing section;

a moving portion for autonomously moving;

a communication section for transmitting said image data; and

a control section for controlling said moving portion to move to a predetermined output position to output said image data when a predetermined condition is satisfied, and then controlling said communication section to transmit said image data; and

a self position detecting section for detecting the position of itself, wherein said control section controls said moving portion based on the position of itself and said output position.

12. A robot comprising:

an image-capturing section for capturing an image of an object;

an image-capturing control section for controlling image-capturing by said image-capturing section in response to a predetermined image-capturing instruction;

a storage section for storing image data obtained by image-capturing by said image-capturing section;

a moving portion for autonomously moving;

a communication section for transmitting said image data; and

a control section for controlling said moving portion to move to a predetermined output position to output said image data when a predetermined condition is satisfied, and then controlling said communication section to transmit said image data; and

a remaining capacity detecting section for detecting a remaining capacity of a battery provided as a power source, wherein said control section determines that said predetermined condition is satisfied when the remaining capacity of said battery is smaller than a predetermined amount as the detection result of said remaining capacity detecting section.

13. The robot according to claim 12, wherein said output position is at a charging position for charging said battery.

14. The robot according to claim 12, wherein said communication section receives charging position information representing said charging position.

15. A robot comprising:

an image-capturing section for capturing an image of an object;

an image-capturing control section for controlling image-capturing by said image-capturing section in response to a predetermined image-capturing instruction;

a storage section for storing image data obtained by image-capturing by said image-capturing section;

a moving portion for autonomously moving;

a communication section for transmitting said image data; and

a control section for controlling said moving portion to move to a predetermined output position to output said image data when a predetermined condition is satisfied, and then controlling said communication section to transmit said image data;

wherein said communication section receives a reception completion signal for transmission of said image data; and

said control section erases said image data corresponding to said reception completion signal from said storage section.