Robot

• US 8,272,466 B2
• Filed: 01/17/2007
• Issued: 09/25/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 05/16/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Murata Machinery Limited (Muratec)
• Original Assignee: Murata Machinery Limited (Muratec)
• Inventors: Moriguchi, Toshiki, Nakano, Tsuyoshi
• Primary Examiner(s): PHAN, HAU VAN
• Application Number:
  US12/300,954
• Publication Number:
  US 20090173561A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,078 Days
• Field of Search: 180/168, 180/8.1, 180/7.1, 180/212, 180/20, 180/65.1, 180/167, 422/65, 422/63, 422/64, 700/245, 700/225, 700/250, 700/258, 700/259
• US Class Current: 180/167
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 5/007 mounted on wheels

Abstract

A robot capable of traveling while constantly directing a predetermined part of a main body to a detection target. In the robot, a main body is jointed to a traveling unit so that relative rotation is possible between the main body and the traveling unit. Based on position information of a detection target detected by a position detection sensor, a control device controls, while the traveling unit is traveling, a body drive motor so that a front surface of the main body constantly faces the detection target and rotates the main body relative to the traveling unit. Accordingly, a CCD camera, a microphone, a speaker, display or the like provided on the front surface of the main body constantly face the detection target. Thus, the robot can reliably communicate with the detection target even during traveling, through mutual transmission of information between the robot and the detection target.

Claims

1. A robot for guiding a person to a destination comprising:

a main body;

a traveling unit including a pedestal and a running wheel at a lower portion of the traveling unit, the traveling unit jointed to the main body by a joint shaft so that the pedestal of the traveling unit and the main body are rotatable relative to each other;

travel drive means for driving the running wheel;

rotation drive means for performing relative rotation of the main body relative to the traveling unit;

control means for controlling the travel drive means and the rotation drive means, respectively; and

position detection means for detecting a position of the person in the surrounding area, wherein

the control means controls the rotation drive means based on a position of the person detected by the position detection means so that a predetermined part of the main body constantly faces the person while the traveling unit is traveling to guide the person to the destination, for all directions of travel of the traveling unit when guiding the person to the destination, so as to be able to guide the person to the destination while carrying on a conversation with the person.

2. The robot according to claim 1, further comprising:

information obtaining means for obtaining information from the person,

wherein at least a part of the information obtaining means is provided to the predetermined part of the main body.

3. The robot according to claim 2, further comprising:

information transmit means for transmitting information to the person,

wherein at least a part of the information transmit means is provided to the predetermined part of the main body.

4. The robot according to claim 3, wherein the control means controls the travel drive means based on a position of the person detected by the position detection means, so that the traveling unit travels while maintaining a distance to the person within a predetermined range.

5. The robot according to claim 3, wherein the main body includes:

a body jointed to the traveling unit so that relative rotation is possible between the body and the traveling unit;

a head rotatably provided to an upper end part of the body; and

two arms which are provided in a swingable manner to both sides of the body, respectively.

6. The robot according to claim 4, wherein the main body includes:

a body jointed to the traveling unit so that relative rotation is possible between the body and the traveling unit;

a head rotatably provided to an upper end part of the body; and

two arms which are provided in a swingable manner to both sides of the body, respectively.

7. The robot according to claim 2, wherein the control means controls the travel drive means based on a position of the person detected by the position detection means, so that the traveling unit travels while maintaining a distance to the person within a predetermined range.

8. The robot according to claim 7, wherein the main body includes:

a body jointed to the traveling unit so that relative rotation is possible between the body and the traveling unit;

a head rotatably provided to an upper end part of the body; and

two arms which are provided in a swingable manner to both sides of the body, respectively.

9. The robot according to claim 2, wherein the main body includes:

a body jointed to the traveling unit so that relative rotation is possible between the body and the traveling unit;

a head rotatably provided to an upper end part of the body; and

two arms which are provided in a swingable manner to both sides of the body, respectively.

10. The robot according to claim 1, further comprising:

information transmit means for transmitting information to the person,

wherein at least a part of the information transmit means is provided to the predetermined part of the main body.

11. The robot according to claim 10, wherein the control means controls the travel drive means based on a position of the person detected by the position detection means, so that the traveling unit travels while maintaining a distance to the person within a predetermined range.

12. The robot according to claim 11, wherein the main body includes:

a body jointed to the traveling unit so that relative rotation is possible between the body and the traveling unit;

a head rotatably provided to an upper end part of the body; and

two arms which arc provided in a swingable manner to both sides of the body, respectively.

13. The robot according to claim 10, wherein the main body includes:

a body jointed to the traveling unit so that relative rotation is possible between the body and the traveling unit;

a head rotatably provided to an upper end part of the body; and

two arms which are provided in a swingable manner to both sides of the body, respectively.

14. The robot according to claim 1, wherein the control means controls the travel drive means based on a position of the person detected by the position detection means, so that the traveling unit travels while maintaining a distance to the person within a predetermined range.

15. The robot according to claim 14, wherein the main body includes:

a body jointed to the traveling unit so that relative rotation is possible between the body and the traveling unit;

a head rotatably provided to an upper end part of the body; and

two arms which are provided in a swingable manner to both sides of the body, respectively.

16. The robot according to claim 1, wherein the main body includes:

a body jointed to the traveling unit so that relative rotation is possible between the body and the traveling unit;

a head rotatably provided to an upper end part of the body; and

two arms which are provided in a swingable manner to both sides of the body, respectively.

17. The robot according to claim 1, wherein the pedestal is fixed to a frame member at a lower end of the pedestal, the frame member being connected to the running wheel.

18. The robot according to claim 1, wherein an upper end of the joint shaft is fixed to the body and a lower end of the joint shaft is rotatably supported by the pedestal.