Robot apparatus, and behavior controlling method for robot apparatus

• US 20040153212A1
• Filed: 08/29/2003
• Published: 08/05/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 09/02/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Fujita, Masahiro, Takagi, Tsuyoshi, Shimomura, Hideki, Yoshiike, Yukiko, Profio, Ugo Di
• Granted Patent: US 7,103,447 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 700/245
• 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

Abstract

A robot (1) is provided which includes a situated behaviors layer (SBL) (58). This SBL (58) is formed in the form of a tree structure in which a plurality of schemata (behavior modules) is connected hierarchically in such a matter that the schemata are highly independent of each other for each of them to behave uniquely. A patent schema can define a pattern in which child schemata are connected, such as an OR type pattern in which the child schemata are caused to behave uniquely, AND type pattern in which the plurality of child schemata are caused to behave simultaneously or a SEQUENCE type pattern indicating a sequence in which the plurality of child schemata should behave, thereby permitting to select a behavior pattern of the robot (1). Also, a new child schema can additionally be included in the SBL (58) without having to rewrite the schemata connection in the tree structure, whereby a new behavior or function can be added to the robot (1). Namely, the plurality of behavior modules permits to enable the robot (1) to show a complicated behavior and have units thereof recombined.

Claims

1. A robot apparatus comprising:

means for recognizing the environment around the robot apparatus;

means for managing an internal status of the robot apparatus according to the recognized environment and/or a behavior of the robot apparatus; and

a plurality of performing means for performing behaviors of the robot apparatus according to the environment and/or internal status, each of the behaviors being performed respectively, wherein

the plurality of performing means are constructed by tree-structure according to levels of the behaviors of the robot apparatus, and

lower-order ones of the performing means in the tree-structure perform behaviors of the robot apparatus based on behavior information which is set by higher-order ones of the performing means in the tree-structure where the lower-order ones of the performing means are connected.

2. The apparatus as set forth in claim 1, wherein the behavior information includes information about targets of the behaviors.

3. The apparatus as set forth in claim 1, wherein the behavior information is what the behaviors are.

4. The apparatus as set forth in claim 1, wherein the plurality of performing means can have lower-order ones of the performing means connected thereto.

5. A robot apparatus comprising:

means for recognizing the environment around the robot apparatus;

means for managing an internal status of the robot apparatus according to the recognized environment and/or a behavior of the robot apparatus; and

a plurality of performing means for performing behaviors of the robot apparatus according to the environment and/or internal status, each of the behaviors being performed respectively, wherein

the plurality of performing means are constructed by tree-structure according to levels of the behaviors of the robot apparatus,

higher-order ones of the performing means in the tree-structure are able to set a connection pattern of lower-order ones of the performing means in the tree-structure, and

the lower-order ones of the performing means perform behaviors according to, the connection pattern.

6. The apparatus as set forth in claim 5, wherein the connection pattern indicates a behavior sequence of the plurality of lower-order ones of the performing means.

7. The apparatus as set forth in claim 5, wherein the connection pattern indicates that the plurality of lower-order ones of the performing means are caused to move simultaneously.

8. The apparatus as set forth in claim 5, wherein the connection pattern indicates that each of the lower-order ones of the performing means performs behaviors respectively.

9. The apparatus as set forth in claim 5, wherein the plurality of performing means can have lower-order ones of the performing means connected thereto.

10. A behavior controlling method for a robot apparatus, wherein

the method comprising a plurality of performing modules for performing behaviors of the robot apparatus respectively according to recognized environment around the robot apparatus, and/or an internal status of the robot apparatus according to the recognized environment and/or a behavior of the robot apparatus,

the plurality of performing modules are constructed by tree-structure according to levels of the behaviors of the robot apparatus, and

lower-order ones of the performing modules in the tree-structure perform behaviors of the robot apparatus based on behavior information which is set by higher-order ones of the performing modules in the tree-structure where the lower-order ones of the performing modules are connected.

11. The method as set forth in claim 10, wherein the behavior information includes information about targets of the behaviors.

12. The method as set forth in claim 10, wherein the behavior information is what the behaviors are.

13. The method as set forth in claim 10, wherein the plurality of performing modules can have lower-order ones of the performing modules connected thereto.

14. A behavior controlling method for a robot apparatus, wherein

the method comprising a plurality of performing modules for performing behaviors of the robot apparatus respectively according to recognized environment around the robot apparatus, and/or an internal status of the robot apparatus according to the recognized environment and/or a behavior of the robot apparatus,

the plurality of performing modules are constructed by tree-structure according to levels of the behaviors of the robot apparatus,

higher-order ones of the performing modules in the tree-structure are able to set a connection pattern of lower-order ones of the performing modules in the tree-structure, and

the lower-order ones of the performing modules perform behaviors according to the connection pattern.

15. The method as set forth in claim 14, wherein the connection pattern indicates a behavior sequence of the plurality of lower-order ones of the performing modules.

16. The method as set forth in claim 14, wherein the connection pattern indicates that the plurality of lower-order ones of the performing modules are caused to move simultaneously.

17. The method as set forth in claim 14, wherein the connection pattern indicates that each of the lower-order ones of the performing modules performs behaviors respectively.

18. The method as set forth in claim 14, wherein the plurality of performing modules can have lower-order ones of the performing modules connected thereto.