Device for controlling robot behavior and method for controlling it

• US 7,099,742 B2
• Filed: 10/19/2001
• Issued: 08/29/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 10/20/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Tajima, Shigeru, Rekimoto, Junichi, Ayatsuka, Yuji, Matsushita, Nobuyuki, Karasawa, Hidenori, Sciammarella, Eduardo A., Hasegawa, Tota
• Primary Examiner(s): Black, Thomas G.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Marc, McDieunel
• Application Number:
  US10/168,225
• Publication Number:
  US 20030109959A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,775 Days
• Field of Search: 700/245, 700/246, 700/247, 700/248, 700/249, 700/250, 700/253, 700/257, 700/258, 700/262, 700/275, 318/568.1, 901/46, 901/47
• US Class Current: 700/245
• 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

An apparatus that controls the action of a pet robot. The apparatus includes a portable terminal (3) having an electrode that may contact a user (2). When the user touches the electrode provided on the head of the robot (1), the user ID stored in the memory section of the portable terminal (3) is transmitted to the robot (1) through the user (2). The robot (1) retrieves the information associated with the user ID it has received, thereby identifying the user (2). The robot (1) may determine that the user (2) touched it in the past. In this case, the robot (1) performs an action in accordance with the information about what the user (2) did to it in the past.

Claims

1. An action control apparatus for controlling the actions of a pet robot, comprising:

an exposed electrically conductive electrode arranged for contact with at least a portion of a human being;

transmitting means for transmitting control data which controls the actions of the pet robot; and

transfer means for contacting the electrically conductive electrode of the pet robot through a transfer medium, thereby electrically transmitting the control data to the pet robot from the transmitting means,

wherein the transfer medium is the human being; and

wherein the control data includes identifying data which identifies the human being who contacts said conductive electrode.

2. An action control apparatus according to claim 1, which is located at a prescribed position within an area where the pet robot walks and move around, and in which the transmitting means transmits control data related to the position at which the action control apparatus is located.

3. An action control apparatus to claim 1, which is configured to be mounted on an arm of a human being.

4. An action control apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising input means for inputting the control data, memory means for storing the control data input from the input means, and display means for displaying the control data stored in the memory means.

5. An action control apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the control data includes dynamic data items and static data items concerning the human being.

6. An action control apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising receiving means for receiving predetermined information transmitted from the pet robot.

7. A method of controlling an action apparatus for controlling the actions of a pet robot, comprising:

a step of providing an exposed electrically conductive electrode on the pet robot arranged for contact with at least a portion of a human being;

a step of transmitting control data which controls the action of the pet robot; and

a step of contacting the electrically conductive electrode of the pet robot through a transfer medium, thereby transmitting the control data to the pet robot from the transmitting means,

wherein the transfer medium is the human being; and

wherein the control data includes identifying data which identifies the human being who contacts said conductive electrode.

8. A recording medium storing a computer-readable program for controlling an action control apparatus for controlling the actions of a pet robot, the robot including an exposed electrically conductive electrode on the pet robot arranged for contact with at least a portion of a human being, said program describing:

a step of transmitting control data which controls the action of the pet robot; and

a step of contacting an electrically conductive electrode of the pet robot through a transfer medium, thereby transmitting the control data to the pet robot from the transmitting means,

wherein the transfer medium is the human being; and

wherein the control data includes identifying data which identifies the human being who contacts said conductive electrode.

9. An autonomous pet robot comprising:

an exposed electrically conductive electrode arranged for contact with at least a portion of a human being;

receiving means for receiving control data from an external device;

action data acquiring means for acquiring action data corresponding to the control data received by the receiving means; and

action control means for controlling actions in accordance with the action data acquired by the action data acquiring means,

wherein the receiving means is connected to the exposed electrically conductive electrode permitting contact with the human being, and said receiving means is configured to receive the control data electrically transferred through the human being to the electronically conductive member; and

wherein the control data includes identifying data which identifies the human being who contacts said conductive electrode.

10. A pet robot according to claim 9, further comprising memory means for storing the action data which has been acquired by the action data acquiring means and which action control means uses to control the actions.

11. A pet robot according to claim 9, wherein a plurality of electrically conductive members of the type described are provided, and the action control means controls the actions in accordance with which electrically conductive member has received the control data.

12. A pet robot according to claim 9, further comprising detecting means for detecting a pressure that the human being applies to the electrically conductive member when contacting the member, and in which the action data acquiring means acquires action data corresponding to the pressure detected by the detecting means.

13. A pet robot according to claim 9, further comprising:

communication means for communicating with a data processing apparatus connected to a network, by way of the electrically conductive member;

program acquiring means for acquiring a control program for the action control means, from the network as the communication means performs communication; and

updating means for updating the control program for the action control means.

14. A pet robot according to claim 9, which further comprises a data processing apparatus located at a prescribed position within an area where the pet robot walks and moves around the communication means for communicating with the data processing apparatus through the electrically conductive member, and in which the receiving means receives, from the data processing apparatus, control data corresponding to the position of the data processing apparatus.

15. A method of controlling an autonomous pet robot, comprising;

a step of providing an exposed electrically conductive electrode on the pet robot arranged for contact with at least a portion of a human being;

a step of receiving control data transmitted from an external device;

a step of acquiring action data corresponding to the control data received at the step of receiving control data;

and a step of controlling actions in accordance with the action data acquired in the step of acquiring action data,

wherein at the step of receiving control data, the control data is electrically transmitted through the human being and is received by an electrically conductive electrode; and

wherein the control data includes identifying data which identifies the human being who contacts said conductive electrode.

16. A recording medium recording a program for controlling an autonomous pet robot, said robot including an exposed electrically conductive electrode on the pet robot arranged for contact with at least a portion of a human being, said program describing:

a step of receiving control data transmitted from an external device;

a step of acquiring action data corresponding to the control data received at the step of receiving control data; and

a step of controlling actions in accordance with the action data acquired in the step of acquiring action data,

whereby, at the step of receiving control data, the control data electrically is transmitted through the human being and is received by an electrically conductive electrode at the step of receiving control data, the control data is received through an electrically conductive electrode member exposed for contact with the human being; and

wherein the control data includes identifying data which identifies the human being who contacts said conductive electrode.

17. A robot control system comprising an autonomous pet robot and an action control apparatus for controlling actions of the pet robot, wherein said action control apparatus comprises:

transmitting means for transmitting control data for controlling the pet robot; and

transfer means for contacting an electrically conductive member of the pet robot through a transfer medium, thereby transmitting the control data to the pet robot from the transmitting means,

wherein the transfer medium is a human being, and wherein said pet robot comprises;

an exposed electrically conductive electrode arranged for contact with at least a portion of a human being;

receiving means for receiving the control data transmitted from the action control apparatus;

action data acquiring means for acquiring action data corresponding to the control data received by the receiving means; and

action control means for controlling actions in accordance with the action data acquired by the action data acquiring means,

wherein the receiving means includes the exposed electrically conductive electrode permitting contact with said transfer medium and is configured to electrically receive the control data through the electrically conductive electrode; and

wherein the control data includes identifying data which identifies the human being who contacts said conductive electrode.

18. An action control system for controlling the actions of a pet robot, comprising:

an exposed electrically conductive electrode arranged for contact with at least a portion of a human being;

transmitting means, attachable to the human being, for electrically transmitting control data through the human being to control the actions of the pet robot; and

transfer means, arranged on the pet robot and including the electrically conductive electrode, for receiving the electrically transmitted control data from the human being, thereby transmitting the control data to the pet robot,

wherein the control data includes identifying data which identifies the human being who contacts said conductive electrode.

19. A method of controlling an action system for controlling the actions of a pet robot, comprising:

a step of providing an exposed electrically conductive electrode on the pet robot arranged for contact with at least a portion of a human being;

a step of electrically transmitting control data, which controls the action of the pet robot, through the human being from a transmitting means attachable to the human being; and

a step of contacting the electrically conductive electrode, thereby transmitting the control data to the pet robot,

wherein the control data includes identifying data which identities the human being who touches the conductive electrode.

20. A recording medium storing a computer-readable program for controlling an action control system for controlling the actions of a pet robot said robot including an exposed electrically conductive electrode arranged for contact with at least a portion of a human being, said program describing:

a step of electrically transmitting control data which controls the action of the pet robot, through the human being from a transmitting means attachable to the human being; and

a step of contacting an electrically conductive electrode, arranged on the pet robot thereby transmitting the control data to the pet robot,

wherein the control data includes identifying data which identifies the human being who contacts said conductive electrode.

21. An action control apparatus for controlling the actions of a pet robot, comprising:

means for generating control data for controlling the actions of the pet robot; and

means, operable to be directly coupled to a human being, for enabling the control data to be electrically transferred to an electrically conductive member of the pet robot through the human being,

wherein the control data includes identifying data which identifies the human being who contacts said conductive electrode.