Robot capable of autonomous operation

• US 20030009261A1
• Filed: 09/05/2002
• Published: 01/09/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 06/14/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sharper Image Corporation (ThreeSixty Group Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Sharper Image Corporation (ThreeSixty Group Ltd.)
• Inventors: Taylor, Charles E., Duncan, Mark, Parker, Andrew J., Lau, Shek Fai, Christianson, Tristan M., McKinney, Edward C. Jr., Thalheimer, Richard J.
• Granted Patent: US 6,604,022 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 700/258
• 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 294/907 Sensor controlled device

Abstract

A robot which incorporates a body, arms with a hand grip, legs, several sensors, light elements, an audio system, and a video system. The sensors allows the robot to interact with objects in the room, and prevents the robot from traveling off an edge or bumping into obstacles. The light elements allow the robot to express moods. The audio system allows the robot to detect and transmit sounds. The video system allows a user to remotely view the area in front of the robot. Additionally, the robot may operate in a plurality of modes, including modes that allow the robot to operate autonomously. The robot may operate autonomously in an automatic mode, a security mode, a greet mode, and a monitor mode. Further, the robot can be manipulated remotely.

Claims

1. A robot capable of autonomous operation, comprising:

a driving subsystem to autonomously move the robot;

an emitter/detector subsystem to detect an object in close proximity to the robot based on a signal reflection;

a temperature sensitive subsystem to detect an object in close proximity to the robot based on a change in temperature; and

an edge detection subsystem to detect an edge in close proximity to the robot;

wherein the driving subsystem will change a direction of the robot, in response to an object or an edge in close proximity to the robot being detected, to thereby prevent the robot from colliding with an object or falling off an edge.

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

a stored vocabulary including a plurality of words; and

a rotatable platform;

wherein, in response to the temperature sensitive subsystem detecting an object giving off heat, the rotatable platform turns toward the object and the robot speaks one or more of the plurality of words in the stored vocabulary.

3. The robot according to claim 1, wherein the object detection subsystem comprises:

at least one active infrared emitter to emit infrared signals; and

a signal receiving device to detect infrared signal reflections.

4. The robot according to claim 1, wherein the object detection subsystem comprises:

first, second and third active infrared emitters aligned in a vertical pattern, with the first emitter being on top, the third emitter on bottom, and the second emitter between the first and third emitters;

the first emitter emitting a first signal in a first direction that is substantially parallel to a surface upon which the robot stands;

the second emitter emitting a second signal in a second direction that is offset, from the first direction, a first angle toward the surface;

the third emitter emitting a third signal in a third direction that is offset, from the first direction, a second angle toward the surface, the second angle being greater than the first angle; and

a signal receiving device to detect reflections of the first signal, the second signal and/or the third signal;

wherein the robot can detect an object and estimate a relative distance of the object from the robot based on reflections detected at the signal receiving device.

5. The robot according to claim 4, wherein the first angle is approximately 30 degrees and the second angle is approximately 60 degrees.

6. The robot according to claim 4, wherein the first signal, the second signal and the third signals are emitted at different times so that the robot can determine which of the first, second and third emitters emitted a signal whose reflection was detected by the signal receiving device.

7. The robot according to claim 1, wherein temperature sensitive subsystem comprises a passive infrared sensor.

8. The robot according to claim 1, wherein the edge detection system comprises an edge detection element that determines there is an edge if a front end wheel or a rear end wheel of the robot travels a predetermined distance downward.

9. A robot capable of autonomous operation, comprising:

a driving subsystem to autonomously move the robot;

a stored vocabulary including a plurality of words;

a rotatable platform; and

a plurality of microphones located about the robot to detect sound;

wherein when one of the microphones detects a sound above a minimum threshold, the rotatable platform turns toward the sound and the robot speaks one or more words from the stored vocabulary.

10. The robot according to claim 9, wherein the plurality of microphones comprises three microphones located approximately 120 degrees apart from one another about the robot.

11. The robot according to claim 10, wherein the microphones can detect a phase difference in a sound so that the robot can determine what direction the sound originated from.

12. The robot according to claim 11, further comprising:

an emitter/detector subsystem to detect an object in close proximity to the robot based on a signal reflection;

a temperature sensitive subsystem to detect an object in close proximity to the robot based on a change in temperature; and

an edge detection subsystem to detect an edge in close proximity to the robot;

wherein the driving subsystem will change a direction of the robot, in response to an object or an edge in close proximity to the robot being detected, to thereby prevent the robot from colliding with an object or falling off an edge.

13. The robot according to claim 9, further comprising:

an emitter/detector subsystem to detect an object in close proximity to the robot based on a signal reflection;

a temperature sensitive subsystem to detect an object in close proximity to the robot based on a change in temperature; and

an edge detection subsystem to detect an edge in close proximity to the robot;

wherein the driving subsystem will change a direction of the robot, in response to an object or an edge in close proximity to the robot being detected, to thereby prevent the robot from colliding with an object or falling off an edge.

15. The robot according to claim 14, wherein:

the robot includes at least a security mode and a greet mode;

the stored vocabulary includes at least a security vocabulary and a greet vocabulary;

the robot speaks one or more words from the security vocabulary when the passive infrared sensor detects a heat source while the robot is in the security mode; and

the robot speaks one or more words from the greet vocabulary when the passive infrared sensor detects a heat source while the robot is in the greet mode.

16. The robot according to claim 15, further comprising a light;

wherein the robot turns on the light when the robot detects a heat source while the robot is in the security mode.

17. The robot according to claim 16, wherein the robot sends an alarm to a remote device when the robot detects a heat source while the robot is in the security mode.

18. The robot according to claim 14, wherein the robot sends an alarm to a remote device when the robot detects a heat source.

20. The method of claim 19, further comprising:

turning a rotatable platform toward a sensed object; and

causing the robot to speak in a direction of the sensed object.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein the step of causing the robot to speak comprises selecting words to be spoken from a library, based on a mode of the robot.

14. A robot capable of autonomous operation, comprising:

a stored vocabulary including a plurality of words;

a rotatable platform;

a passive infrared sensor to detect a heat source; and

a plurality of microphones located about the robot to detect sound;

wherein when one of the microphones detects a sound above a minimum threshold, the passive infrared sensor scans for a heat source;

wherein when the passive infrared sensor detects a heat source the rotatable platform turns toward the heat source and the robot speaks one or more words from the stored vocabulary.

19. A method for allowing a robot to autonomously operate, comprising:

moving the robot about without direct control from a user;

sensing for objects as the robot moves about;

sensing for edges as the robot moves about; and

changing a direction of the robot in response to the robot sensing an object or an edge to thereby prevent the robot from colliding with an object or falling off an edge.

22. A robot capable of autonomous operation, comprising:

a body;

a passive infrared sensor on said body to detect an object in close proximity to the robot based on a change in temperature;

a pair of legs that keep said body elevated, each leg including a toe and a heel, and a driving mechanism to autonomously move the robot;

four edge sensors, with one located under the toe of each leg and one under the heel of each leg, to detect an edge in close proximity to the robot;

six active infrared emitters, with three located on each said leg, to emit infrared signals; and

a signal receiving device, located on the body, to receive infrared signal reflections and detect an object in close proximity to the robot based on the reflections.

23. The robot according to claim 22,

wherein the driving mechanism will change a direction of the robot, in response to an object or an edge in close proximity to the robot being detected, to thereby prevent the robot from colliding with an object or falling off an edge.

24. The robot according to claim 22, wherein the three infrared emitters located on each said leg are aligned in a vertical pattern, with a first emitter being on top, a third emitter on bottom, and a second emitter between the first and third emitters;

the first emitter emitting a first signal in a first direction that is substantially parallel to a surface upon which the robot stands;

the second emitter emitting a second signal in a second direction that is offset, from the first direction, a first angle toward the surface; and

the third emitter emitting a third signal in a third direction that is offset, from the first direction, a second angle toward the surface, the second angle being greater than the first angle.

25. The robot according to claim 24, wherein:

the signal receiving device can detect reflections of the first signal, the second signal and/or the third signal; and

the robot can detect an object and estimate a relative distance of the object from the robot based on reflections detected at the signal receiving device.

26. The robot according to claim 22, further comprising three microphones each located approximately 120 degrees apart from one another about the robot;

wherein the microphones can detect a phase difference in a sound so that the robot can determine what direction the sound originated from.

27. The robot according to claim 26, further comprising a rotatable platform;

wherein when a noise is detected by the microphones the rotatable platform is rotated toward the direction that the sound originated from.