OPERATIONAL PARAMETERS

• US 20170282375A1
• Filed: 03/31/2016
• Published: 10/05/2017
• 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
• Granted Patent: US 10,124,491 B2
• Time in Patent Office: 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;

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

access a performance-limiting criteria from the data repository, the performance-limiting criteria being determined in accord with a profile datum of a user at a service location; and

operate the robot to perform a customer service task at the service location within an operational parameter associated with the performance-limiting criteria.

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

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

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

6. The robot of claim 1, wherein:

the profile datum comprises an initial value; and

the microprocessor, upon receiving signals associated with a component of the robot observing a human behavior of a human at the service location, determines the human behavior is in accord with a modified profile datum and sets the profile datum to the modified profile datum.

7. The robot of claim 6, wherein the human at the service location and the user are the same individual.

8. The robot of claim 6, further comprising

the network interface;

and

wherein a resource of a contact center observes the human behavior, via a signal provided by the robot to the network interface, and determines the modified profile datum.

9. The robot of claim 6, wherein the human behavior comprises a behavior associated with impatience.

10. The robot of claim 6, wherein the human behavior comprises a behavior associated with a concern.

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

12. The robot of claim 11, 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.

13. The robot of claim 1, further comprising:

the network interface; and

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

14. 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;

the server accesses a performance-limiting criteria from the data repository, the performance-limiting criteria being determined in accord with a profile datum of a user at the service location; and

the server signals the robot to perform a customer service task at the service location within an operational parameter associated with the performance-limiting criteria.

15. The system of claim 14, further comprising:

the server receiving signals, via the network interface, comprising observations by the robot of a human at the service location; and

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

16. A system, comprising:

means to access, by a microprocessor, a performance-limiting criteria for a robot performing a customer service task at a service location, the performance-limiting criteria being determined in accord with a profile datum of a user at the service location; and

means to cause, by the microprocessor, the robot to perform the customer service task within an operational parameter associated with the performance-limiting criteria.

17. The system of claim 16, further comprising:

means to observe a human behavior, by the microprocessor;

means to determine, by the microprocessor, that the human behavior is in accord 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.

18. The system of claim 17, further comprising means to observe, by a component of the robot, the human behavior comprising a non-spoken behavior.

19. The system of claim 18, further comprising means to provide, by the microprocessor, social interaction.

20. The system of claim 16, further comprising, means to provide the microprocessor to the robot via a network interface.