Robot and a robot control method

• US 20050222711A1
• Filed: 03/29/2005
• Published: 10/06/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 04/01/2004
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba (Toshiba Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba (Toshiba Corporation)
• Inventors: Hirokawa, Junko, Miyazaki, Tomotaka, Suzuki, Kaoru, Yoshimi, Takashi, Yamamoto, Daisuke, Nakamoto, Hideichi, Tamura, Masafumi, Kawabata, Shunichi
• Application Number:
  US11/091,418
• Publication Number:
  US 20050222711A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 700/245
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 19/023 including video camera means
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 9/0003 Home robots, i.e. small robots for domestic use

Abstract

A robot is autonomously moved locally by a move mechanism. In the robot, a check work memory stores a plurality of check works and check place to execute each check work in case of a user'"'"'s departure to a remote location. A check work plan unit selects check works to be executed from the check work memory and generates an execution order of selected check works. A control unit controls the move mechanism to move the robot to a check place to execute a selected check work according to the execution order. A work result record unit records an execution result of each of the selected check works. A presentation unit presents the execution result to the user.

Claims

1. A robot for autonomously moving locally, comprising:

a move mechanism configured to move said robot;

a check work memory configured to store a plurality of check works and check places to execute each check work in case of a user'"'"'s departure;

a check work plan unit configured to select check works to be executed from said check work memory and to generate an execution order of selected check works;

a control unit configured to control said move mechanism to move said robot to a check place to execute a selected check work according to the execution order;

a work result record unit configured to record an execution result of each of the selected check works; and

a presentation unit configured to present the execution result to the user.

2. The robot according to claim 1,

wherein said check work memory stores a plurality of task data each corresponding to a discrimination number, each task data including contents of the check work, a location of the check place, a name of an object of the check work, and a classification of the object.

3. The robot according to claim 2,

further comprising a user information memory configured to store discrimination numbers of the task data corresponding to each user.

4. The robot according to claim 3,

wherein said check work plan unit identifies the user, and extracts the discrimination numbers of the identified user from said user information memory.

5. The robot according to claim 4,

wherein said check work plan unit selects the task data corresponding to the extracted discrimination numbers, and generates the execution order of the selected task data so that a route connecting each check place included in the selected task data is the minimum.

6. The robot according to claim 5,

further comprising a camera configured to input an image of the object at the check place whenever said robot reaches each check place.

7. The robot according to claim 6,

wherein said work result record unit correspondingly records the image, the name of the object, and a date of execution of the check work;

and

wherein said presentation unit displays the image with the name of the object and the date.

8. The robot according to claim 6,

further comprising an image processing unit configured to recognize a status of the object at the check place;

and

wherein said presentation unit calls the user'"'"'s attention based on the status.

9. The robot according to claim 1,

wherein said presentation unit presents the execution result of each check work with the moving route in the execution order.

10. The robot according to claim 3,

wherein the task data includes a condition to execute the check work,

wherein said user information memory includes a schedule of the user.

11. The robot according to claim 10,

further comprising an interface configured to communicate with a network, and

wherein said check work plan unit extracts a date and a destination of the user'"'"'s departure from the schedule, obtains outside information matched with the date and the destination from the network through said interface, and selects the task data including the condition matched with the outside information from said check work memory.

12. The robot according to claim 11,

wherein said check work plan unit calls the user'"'"'s attention to the classification of the object included in the selected task data when the user reaches or approaches the place included in the selected task data.

13. The robot according to claim 10,

wherein said check work plan unit includes a clock, decides a season or a time for execution of check work based on the clock, and selects the task data including the condition matched with the season or the time.

14. The robot according to claim 11,

wherein said check work plan unit generates a recommended route from the user'"'"'s current location to the destination or a recommendation departure time for the user based on the outside information, the date, and the destination.

15. The robot according to claim 10,

wherein said user information memory stores a current clothing status and a past clothing status of the user, and

wherein said check work plan unit obtains the current clothing status and the past clothing status based on the schedule from said user information memory, and selects the task data related with a clothing status from said check work memory.

16. The robot according to claim 15,

wherein said check work plan unit decides whether the current clothing status is the same as the past clothing status, and presents to the user that the user will visit with the same clothing as a previous time if the current clothing status is the same as the past clothing status.

17. The robot according to claim 11,

wherein said control unit controls said move mechanism to move said robot to the check place to execute each of the selected check works according to the execution order after the user departs.

18. The robot according to claim 17,

wherein said check work plan unit sends the execution result of each of the selected check works to the network through said interface in response to a request from a portable terminal.

19. A method for controlling a robot, comprising:

storing a plurality of check works and check places to execute each check work locally in case of a user'"'"'s departure in a memory;

selecting check works to be executed from the memory;

generating an execution order of selected check works;

moving the robot to a check place to execute a selected check work according to the execution order;

recording an execution result of each of the selected check works; and

presenting the execution result to the user.

20. A computer program product, comprising:

a computer readable program code embodied in said product for causing a computer to control a robot, said computer readable program code comprising;

a first program code to store a plurality of check works and check places to execute each check work locally in case of a user'"'"'s departure in a memory;

a second program code to select check works to be executed from the memory;

a third program code to generate an execution order of selected check works;

a fourth program code to move the robot to a check place to execute a selected check work according to the execution order;

a fifth program code to record an execution result of each of the selected check works; and

a sixth program code to present the execution result to the user.