Operational parameters

• US 10,124,491 B2
• Filed: 03/31/2016
• Issued: 11/13/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 08/31/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Avaya Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Avaya Incorporated
• Inventors: Erhart, George, Matula, Valentine C., Skiba, David
• Primary Examiner(s): Holloway, Jason
• Application Number:
  US15/086,478
• Publication Number:
  US 20170282375A1
• Time in Patent Office: 957 Days
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 11/0005 Manipulators having means for high-level communication with users, e.g. speech generator, face recognition means
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 11/0015 Face robots, animated artificial faces for imitating human expressions
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 11/008 Manipulators for service tasks
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 13/006 by means of a wireless system for controlling one or several manipulators
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 19/023 including video camera means
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 9/1674 characterised by safety, monitoring, diagnostic
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 9/1697 Vision controlled systems
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/39387 Reflex control, follow movement, track face, work, hand, visual servoing
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/40202 Human robot coexistence
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/40411 Robot assists human in non-industrial environment like home or office
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/45084 Service robot
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 901/01 Mobile robot

Abstract

A customer service robot may be limited to a maximum physical ability, such as speed of travel, speed of a robotic arm, etc. However, certain customers may be uncomfortable with a robot operating at the maximum capacity. Accordingly, a customer may have an attribute associated with a performance-limiting criteria. The criteria then limits the robot to operations within operational parameters associated with the performance-limiting criteria. As a benefit, a robot may be transformed to provide a better customer service experience by working quickly to address a customer service task, but within the confines of what a particular customer, or customer type, may consider comfortable or acceptable.

Claims

1. A robot, comprising:

a data repository; and

a microprocessor in communication with a network interface and, when provided with instructions, the instructions cause the microprocessor to;

access, from the data repository, a profile datum specific to a user at a service location, wherein the profile datum comprises an initial value;

access a performance-limiting criterion from the data repository, the performance-limiting criterion being determined in accordance with the profile datum;

operate the robot to perform a customer service task at the service location at a default value for an operational parameter and upon determining the performance-limiting criterion is different from the default value of the operational parameter, operate the robot to perform the customer service task at the service location within the operational parameter associated with the performance-limiting criterion; and

upon receiving signals associated with a component of the robot detecting a human behavior of a human at the service location, determine the human behavior is in accord with a modified profile datum and set the profile datum to the modified profile datum.

2. The robot of claim 1, wherein the operational parameter criterion comprises a limit to a speed of travel of the robot.

3. The robot of claim 1, wherein the operational parameter criterion comprises a limit to a speed of motion of a mechanical portion of the robot.

4. The robot of claim 1, wherein the operational parameter criterion comprises a limit to a motion of an item being moved by the robot.

5. The robot of claim 1, wherein the operational parameter criterion comprises avoiding an area of exclusion within the service location.

6. The robot of claim 1, wherein the component of the robot detecting the human behavior of the human at the service location further comprises observing the user.

7. The robot of claim 1, wherein a resource of a contact center remotely detects the human behavior, via a signal provided by the robot to the network interface, and determines the modified profile datum.

8. The robot of claim 1, wherein the human behavior comprises a behavior associated with impatience.

9. The robot of claim 1, wherein the human behavior comprises a behavior associated with a concern.

10. The robot of claim 1, wherein the profile datum comprises a desire for social interaction by the robot.

11. The robot of claim 10, further comprising:

the network interface; and

wherein the robot performs the social interaction comprising inputs received, via the network interface, from an agent of a contact center.

12. The robot of claim 1, further comprising:

the network interface; and

wherein the data repository is accessed by the microprocessor via the network interface.

18. The robot of claim 1, wherein the human behavior comprises a behavior indicating impatience to another human and not to the robot.

19. The robot of claim 1, wherein the human behavior comprises a facial expression.

20. The robot of claim 1, wherein the human behavior comprises a gesture.

13. A system, comprising:

a data repository;

a network interface;

a server of a contact center communicating via the network interface with a robot at a service location, wherein the server;

accesses a performance-limiting criterion from the data repository, the performance-limiting criterion being determined in accordance with a profile datum specific to a user at the service location, wherein the profile datum comprises an initial value;

signals the robot to perform a customer service task at the service location within a default value of an operational parameter;

upon determining that the performance-limiting criterion is different from the default value, signals the robot to perform the customer service task at the service location within the operational parameter associated with the performance-limiting criterion;

receives signals, via the network interface, comprising detections by the robot of a human at the service location; and

upon determining that a human behavior is in accordance with a modified profile datum, sets the profile datum to the modified profile datum.

14. A system, comprising:

means to access, by a microprocessor, a performance-limiting criterion for a robot performing a customer service task at a service location, the performance-limiting criterion being determined in accordance with a profile datum specific to a user at the service location, and wherein the profile datum comprises an initial value;

means to cause, by the microprocessor, the robot to perform the customer service task at a default value for an operational parameter and upon determining that the performance-limiting criterion is different from the default value of the operational parameter, means to cause, by the microprocessor, the robot to perform the customer service task within an operational parameter associated with the performance-limiting criterion;

means to detect a human behavior, by the microprocessor; and

means to determine, by the microprocessor, that the human behavior is in accordance with a modified profile datum and, in response to the determination means, means to set, by the microprocessor, the profile datum to the modified profile datum.

15. The system of claim 14, further comprising means to detect, by a component of the robot, the human behavior comprising a non-spoken behavior.

16. The system of claim 15, further comprising means to provide, by the microprocessor, social interaction.

17. The system of claim 14, further comprising, means to provide the microprocessor to the robot via a network interface.