Method and system for including robots into social networks

• US 8,321,364 B1
• Filed: 05/14/2012
• Issued: 11/27/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 02/08/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Google LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Google Inc. (Alphabet Inc.)
• Inventors: Hickman, Ryan, Gharpure, Chaitanya
• Primary Examiner(s): Gaffin, Jeffrey A.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Smith, Paulinho E
• Application Number:
  US13/471,149
• Time in Patent Office: 197 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 706/45
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 9/00781 Apparatus for modifying intraocular pressure, e.g. for glaucoma treatment drainage implants in general A61M27/002
• CPC Class Codes: F16K 1/307 Additional means used in combination with the main valve
• CPC Class Codes: F16K 17/048 combined with other safety valves, or with pressure control devices
• CPC Class Codes: F16K 7/17 the diaphragm being actuated by fluid pressure
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/337 Profile generation, learning or modification
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/01 Social networking

Abstract

Examples disclose a method and system for including robots into social networks. The method may be executable to receiving information associated with a first party, wherein the first party is connected to a second party by a social-network. Based on the received information, the method may be executable to query a behavioral database to obtain a behavioral expectation associated with the first party and to compare the behavioral expectation associated with the first party to a stored behavioral expectation associated with the second party. Based on the comparing, the method may be executable to modify the stored behavioral expectation associated with the second party based on the behavioral expectation associated with the first party and provide instructions, which are executable to perform an action associated with the modified behavioral expectation, to a device associated with the second party.

Claims

1. A method for providing instructions to a robotic device performed by a computing system having a processor and memory, the method comprising:

receiving information associated with a first party, wherein the first party is connected to a second party by a social-network, wherein the second party is associated with the robotic device, wherein the social-network comprises a network of parties, including the first party and the second party, that are related via one or more relationships, the one or more relationships indicating a type of connection between the first party and the second party;

based on the received information, querying a behavioral database to obtain a behavioral expectation associated with the first party, wherein the behavioral expectation indicates an action associated with the first party;

comparing the behavioral expectation associated with the first party to a stored behavioral expectation associated with the second party to determine if the behavioral expectation associated with the first party differs from the stored behavioral expectation associated with the second party;

based on the comparing, modifying the stored behavioral expectation associated with the second party based on the behavioral expectation associated with the first party; and

providing instructions, which are executable to perform an action associated with the modified behavioral expectation, to the robotic device associated with the second party.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the modified behavioral expectation substantially matches the behavioral expectation associated with the first party.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the received information includes one of (i) a message, (ii) a video, (iii) a uniform resource locator, and (iv) an image.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the received information includes information that the second party is restricted from accessing based on one of (i) a time, (ii) a date, and (iii) a location of the second party.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising receiving feedback from the device associated with the second party indicating (i) an acceptance of the modified behavioral expectation or (ii) a rejection of the modified behavioral expectation.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the device associated with the first party is a robotic device that includes a mechanical actuator.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the second party is connected to the first party by a symmetric connection, wherein the symmetric connection is formed when the second party agrees to connect to the first party.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the stored behavioral expectation associated with the second party includes at least one of (i) an action, (ii) a spoken word, (iii) a written word, and (iv) a vocalization.

9. A system comprising:

a robotic device having at least one mechanical actuator;

a computing system including a computer-readable memory; and

program instructions stored on the computer-readable memory and executable by at least one processor to cause the computing system to;

make a determination of whether a first party is connected to a second party by a social-network, wherein the social-network comprises a network of parties, including the first party associated with a first party device and the second party associated with a robotic device, wherein the first party and the second party are related via one or more relationships, the one or more relationships indicating a type of connection between the first party and the second party;

based on the determination, query a behavioral database to obtain a behavioral expectation associated with the first party, wherein the behavioral expectation indicates an action associated with the first party;

compare the behavioral expectation associated with the first party to a stored behavioral expectation associated with the second party to determine if the behavioral expectation associated with the first party is substantially different from the stored behavioral expectation associated with the second party; and

responsive to the comparison, modify the stored behavioral expectation associated with the second party based on the behavioral expectation associated with the first party.

10. The system of claim 9, further comprising program instructions stored on the computer-readable memory and executable by the computing system to:

provide instructions, which are executable to perform an action associated with the modified behavioral expectation, to the robotic device associated with the second party.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the first party device is a robotic device having a mechanical actuator.

12. The system of claim 9, further comprising program instructions stored on the computer-readable memory and executable by the computing system to:

restrict access to data associated with the second party based on at least one of (i) a time, (ii) a date, and (iii) a location of the first party.

13. The system of claim 9, wherein the first party is connected to the second party by an asymmetric connection, wherein the asymmetric connection is formed after a second party requests to connect to the first party.

14. A non-transitory computer-readable memory having stored thereon instructions executable by a computing device having at least one processor to cause the computing device to perform functions comprising:

receiving information associated with a first party, wherein the first party is connected to a second party by a social-network, wherein the second party is associated with a robotic device having a mechanical actuator, wherein the social-network comprises a network of parties, including the first party and the second party, that are related via one or more relationships, the one or more relationships indicating a type of connection between the first party and the second party;

based on the received information, querying a behavioral database to obtain a behavioral expectation associated with the first party, wherein the behavioral expectation indicates an action associated with the first party;

comparing the behavioral expectation associated with the first party to a stored behavioral expectation associated with the first party is substantially different from or substantially similar to the stored behavioral expectation associated with the second party;

responsive to the comparing, modifying the stored behavioral expectation associated with the second party based on the behavioral expectation associated with the first party; and

providing instructions, which are executable to perform an action associated with the modified behavioral expectation, to the robotic device associated with the second party.

15. The non-transitory computer-readable memory of claim 14, further comprising instructions executable by the computing device to cause the computing device to perform functions comprising:

identifying at least one of (i) an action, (ii) a spoken word, (iii) a written word, and (iv) a vocalization, based on the behavioral expectation associated with the second party.

16. The non-transitory computer-readable memory of claim 14, wherein the instructions, which are executable to perform an action associated with the modified behavioral expectation, are associated with at least one of (i) the action, (ii) the spoken word, (iii) the written word, and (iv) the vocalization.

17. The non-transitory computer-readable memory of claim 14, further comprising instructions executable by the computing device to cause the computing device to perform functions comprising:

determining if the first party is connected to the second party by the social network by;

querying a database having social network data;

and determining if a symmetric connection or an asymmetric connection exists between the first party and the second party.

18. The non-transitory computer-readable memory of claim 14, wherein the received information associated with the first party includes a command from the device associated with the second party that instructs a device associated with the first party to perform an action.

19. The non-transitory computer readable memory of claim 18, wherein the device associated with the first party is a robotic device.

20. The non-transitory computer-readable memory of claim 14, further comprising instructions executable by the computing device to cause the computing device to perform functions comprising:

receiving feedback from the device associated with the first party indicating (i) an acceptance of the modified behavioral expectation or (ii) a rejection of the modified behavioral expectation.