Communication robot

• US 6,604,021 B2
• Filed: 06/21/2001
• Issued: 08/05/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 06/21/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Advanced Telecommunications Research Institute International
• Original Assignee: Advanced Telecommunications Research Institute International
• Inventors: Ono, Tesuo, Imai, Michita, Maeda, Takeshi, Ishiguro, Hiroshi, Kanda, Takayuki
• Primary Examiner(s): Cuchlinski, Jr., William A.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Marc, McDieunel, Marc, McDieunel
• Application Number:
  US09/886,668
• Publication Number:
  US 20020198626A1
• Time in Patent Office: 775 Days
• Field of Search: 700/56, 700/245, 700/249, 700/260, 700/248, 700/261, 318/568.11, 318/568.12, 318/508.16, 318/568.19, 901/47, 701/23
• 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 communication robot includes a speaker. By generating a sound or voice through the speaker, the human is requested to cause a robot to make a certain action. When the human makes an action to the robot, the movement of the robot head or arm assists for the action.

Claims

1. A communication robot, comprising:

a truck;

a body provided on said truck;

a movable arm attached on said body through a shoulder joint;

a head attached on said body through a neck joint;

a speaker; and

first sound signal providing means for providing a first sound signal to said speaker such that a first sound is generated through said speaker to request for a human to make a certain action.

2. A communication robot according to claim 1, further comprising first arm moving means for controlling said shoulder joint to move said movable arm in relation to generation of the request sound such that a movement of said movable arm supplements the first sound.

3. A communication robot according to claim 2, further comprising second arm moving means for controlling said shoulder joint to move said movable arm in a manner cooperating with the human when the human makes the action.

4. A communication robot according to claim 3, further comprising head moving means for controlling said neck joint to move said head in relation to generation of the first sound such that a movement of said head supplements the request sound.

5. A communication robot according to claim 2, further comprising head moving means for controlling said neck joint to move said head in relation to generation of the first sound such that a movement of said head supplements the request sound.

6. A communication robot according to claim 1, further comprising head moving means for controlling said neck joint to move said head in relation to generation of the first sound such that a movement of said head supplements the request sound.

7. A communication robot, comprising:

a truck;

a body provided on said truck;

a movable arm attached on said body through a shoulder joint;

a head attached on said body through a neck joint;

a speaker;

first sound signal providing means for providing a first sound signal to said speaker such that a first sound is generated through said speaker to request for a human to make a certain action; and

second sound signal providing means for providing a second sound signal to said speaker to generate a second sound through said speaker after the human has made the action responsive to the request sound.

8. A communication robot according to claim 7, further comprising a touch sensor provided on said truck, wherein said second sound signal providing means provides the second sound signal to said speaker when said touch sensor is on.

9. A communication robot, comprising:

a truck;

a body provided on said truck;

a movable arm attached on said body through a shoulder joint;

a head attached on said body through a neck joint;

a speaker;

first sound signal providing means for providing a first sound signal to said speaker such that a first sound is generated through said speaker to request for a human to make a certain action;

an eye camera provided in said head;

determining means for determining, based upon an image from said eye camera, whether a big object is approaching or not; and

third sound signal providing means for providing a third sound signal to said speaker to generate a third sound through said speaker when said determining means determines an approach of said big object.

10. A communication robot, comprising:

a truck;

a body provided on said truck;

a movable arm attached on said body through a shoulder joint;

a head attached on said body through a neck joint;

a speaker;

first sound signal providing means for providing a first sound signal to said speaker such that a first sound is generated through said speaker to request for a human to make a certain action;

an eye camera provided in said head;

position detecting means for detecting a position of a skin-colored part on the basis of an image from said eye camera; and

eye camera displacing means for moving said eye camera such that said eye camera is aligned to the position of the skin-colored part.

11. A communication robot, comprising:

a truck;

a body provided on said trucks, wherein said body includes a lower body and an upper body;

a moveable arm attached on said body through a shoulder joint;

a head attached on said body through a neck joint;

a speaker;

first sound signal providing means for providing a first sound signal to said speaker such that a first sound is generated through said speaker to request a human to make a certain action; and

elevation means for elevating said upper body.

12. A communication robot according to claim 11, further comprising an omnidirectional camera;

and height detecting means for detecting a height of the human on the basis of an image of said omnidirectional camera, wherein said elevation means raises and lowers said upper body depending upon the height.

13. A communication robot, comprising:

a truck;

a body provided on said truck;

a movable arm attached on said body through a shoulder joint;

a head attached on said body through a neck joint;

an eye camera provided in said head;

color detecting means for detecting a particular color on the basis of an image from said eye camera;

position detecting means for detecting a position of the particular color on the basis of the image from said the camera; and

moving means for moving said truck to a position of the particular color.

14. A communication robot according to claim 13, further comprising sound signal providing means for providing a sound signal to said speaker to generate through said speaker a sound requesting for the human to make a certain action.

15. A communication robot according to claim 14, further comprising arm moving means for controlling said shoulder joint to move said movable arm in relation to a generation of the request sound such that a movement of said movable arm supplements the sound.

16. A communication robot, comprising:

a truck;

a body provided on said truck;

a movable arm attached on said body through a shoulder joint;

a head attached on said body through a neck joint;

a touch sensor provided on said shoulder joint and said movable arm; and

head moving means for moving a head toward a direction that said touch sensor in an on-state exists by controlling said neck joint.

17. A communication robot according to claim 16, further comprising coordinate calculating means for calculating a three-dimensional coordinate having said touch sensor in an on-state, wherein said head moving means controllers said neck joint such that said head is directed toward a direction of the three-dimensional coordinate calculated by said coordinated calculating means.

18. A communication robot, comprising:

a truck;

a body provided on said truck;

a movable arm attached on said body through a shoulder joint;

a head attached on said body through a neck joint;

a speaker;

communication means for exchanging data with another communication robot; and

sound signal providing means for providing a sound signal to said speaker to generate a sound informing a human of communication made by said communication means through said speaker.

19. A communication robot according to claim 18, further comprising head moving means for controlling said neck joint to move said head in relation to a generation of the sound such that the movement of said head supplements the sound.