Receptionist robot system

• US 20040111273A1
• Filed: 09/23/2003
• Published: 06/10/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 09/24/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Honda Giken Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha (Honda Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Honda Giken Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha (Honda Motor Company)
• Inventors: Higaki, Nobuo, Matsunaga, Shinichi, Sakagami, Yoshiaki, Hashimoto, Sachie, Sumida, Naoaki, Kanai, Kazunori, Oohashi, Takahiro
• Granted Patent: US 7,720,685 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 704/277
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 99/00 Subject matter not provided for in other groups of this subclass
• CPC Class Codes: G10L 15/26 Speech to text systems G10L15/08 takes precedence

Abstract

To automate the work of recognizing a guest, check the appointment, notify a host of the arrival of the guest and conduct the guest to a designated place, a robot having a function to autonomously travel is equipped with camera/microphone for recognizing a guest at least according to image information. The system comprises management database adapted to communicate with the robot and equipped with an information database for identifying the recognized guest, and identifies the guest according to the information obtained from the camera/microphone and management database. The robot recognizes the guest from the image thereof, and the recognized guest is identified and verified by comparing the image of the visitor with the information contained in the database so that the robot can automatically conduct the guest to the designated meeting room according to the information of the appointment stored in the database.

Claims

1. A receptionist robot system, comprising:

a traveling robot including autonomous traveling means for traveling autonomously and external recognition means for recognizing a guest at least according to image information; and

management database means adapted to communicate with the robot and provided with a database containing identification information to identify the guest recognized by the external recognition means;

wherein the guest is identified at least according to information obtained by the external recognition means and management database.

2. A receptionist robot system according to claim 1, wherein the traveling robot is provided with dialog means for communicating with the guest recognized by the external recognition means.

3. A receptionist robot system according to claim 2, wherein the traveling robot is provided with response means for determining the contents of communication with the guest according to the information from the management database means.

4. A receptionist robot system according to claim 1, wherein the management database means is adapted to retain and update individual personal information and schedule information.

5. A receptionist robot system according to claim 4, wherein the management database means is adapted to update the individual personal information according to a result of communication with the guest conducted by the response means.

6. A receptionist robot system according to claim 4, wherein the external recognition means is adapted to select a candidate or determine a priority order of a plurality of candidates according to the schedule information of the management database means.

7. A receptionist robot system according to claim 1, wherein the external recognition means comprises a camera.

8. A receptionist robot system according to claim 1, wherein the external recognition means comprises stereoscopic cameras.

9. A receptionist robot system according to claim 1, wherein the external recognition means comprises a microphone.

10. A receptionist robot system according to claim 1, wherein the external recognition means comprises stereophonic microphones.

11. A receptionist robot system, comprising:

a traveling robot adapted to travel autonomously; and

management database means adapted to communicate with the robot and provided with a database adapted to retain and update individual personal information and schedule information for identifying a guest;

wherein the traveling robot comprises external recognition means for recognizing the guest at least according to image information, and response means for determining an action to conduct the guest recognized by the external recognition means;

the management database being communicably connected with input means for inputting the schedule information and notification means for notifying the arrival of the guest to a host according to the action of the response means with respect to the guest.

12. A receptionist robot system according to claim 11, wherein the external recognition means is adapted to forward a recognition result to the management database, and the management database is adapted to update the individual personal information according to the forwarded recognition result.

13. A receptionist robot system according to claim 11, wherein the management database comprises map information including at least a position of a stairway, and the traveling robot is capable of traveling inside a building including a stairway according to the map information.

14. A receptionist robot system according to claim 11, wherein the management database means is adapted to retain and update a utilization status of a facility located within a traveling range of the robot.

15. A receptionist robot system according to claim 14, wherein the response means is adapted to determine an action to conduct the guest according to the utilization status of the facility.

16. A receptionist robot system according to claim 11, wherein the management database means is adapted to retain and update the individual personal information of the guest.

17. A receptionist robot system according to claim 11, wherein the management database means or robot is provided with an answer-back function in connection with the notification means.

18. A receptionist robot system according to claim 11, wherein the external recognition means comprises a camera.

19. A receptionist robot system according to claim 11, wherein the external recognition means comprises stereoscopic cameras.

20. A receptionist robot system according to claim 11, wherein the external recognition means comprises a microphone.

21. A receptionist robot system according to claim 11, wherein the external recognition means comprises stereophonic microphones.