Automatic apparatus, information server, robotic apparatus and commercial transaction method for performing an action based on information

• US 7,069,113 B2
• Filed: 07/09/2003
• Issued: 06/27/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 02/10/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Konishi, Tetsuya, Matsuoka, Tsunetaro, Otsuki, Tadashi, Kasuga, Tomoaki, Ogura, Toshiya, Takemoto, Kunio, Okita, Ayako, Fujita, Yaeko
• Primary Examiner(s): Black, Thomas G.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Marc, McDieunel
• Application Number:
  US10/616,249
• Publication Number:
  US 20040049317A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,084 Days
• Field of Search: 700/245, 700223-227, 700/232, 700/234, 700/236, 700/253, 700258-259, 705 26- 28, 705 39- 40, 705/50, 705 52- 53, 705/67, 705/80, 705/14, 705/1, 705/8, 709/203, 709/218
• US Class Current: 700/254
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 17/00 Methods or arrangements for effecting co-operative working between equipments covered by two or more of main groups G06K1/00 - G06K15/00, e.g. automatic card files incorporating conveying and reading operations
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/10 specially adapted for electronic funds transfer [EFT] systems; specially adapted for home banking systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/102 Bill distribution or payments
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/3674 involving authentication
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/188 Electronic negotiation

Abstract

The robotic apparatus is designed to act in a wider variety of manners, which will motivate the user of the robotic apparatus to purchase more products to the robotic apparatus. More specifically, a robotic apparatus (1) which acts autonomously recognizes a bar code (BC) or the like appended to a canned juice (100a) and acts in a predetermined manner. This is only enabled under a predetermined contract made between a product manufacturer and robotic apparatus manufacturer. The contract coverage is that the product manufacturer shall append the bar code (BC) to a specific product while the robotic apparatus manufacturer shall provide a robotic apparatus (1) which can act in a predetermined manner when having recognized the bar code (BC).

Claims

1. A commercial transaction system comprising:

a robot apparatus manager that manages a robot apparatus so that the robot apparatus performs a predetermined action when it detects predetermined information;

a product distributor that acquires the predetermined information relating to a contract made between the robot apparatus manager and the product distributor and appended to a product for sale to a user of the robot apparatus; and

robot apparatus which detects the predetermined information appended to the product purchased by the user and performs a predetermined action based on the detected predetermined information,

wherein the product is selected from a group consisting of a personal computer, a mobile telephone, a CD case or consumable goods.

2. The system according to claim 1, wherein the robot apparatus acts autonomously based on an external and/or internal factor.

3. The system according to claim 1, wherein:

the robot apparatus manager is a manufacturer or distributor of the robot apparatus which manages the robot apparatus so that the robot apparatus performs the predetermined action based on the detected predetermined information acquired and sold under the contract with the product distributor.

4. The system according to claim 3, wherein:

the robot apparatus is adapted to perform the predetermined action based on action information stored in a storage unit provided therein;

wherein the manufacturer or distributor stores, into the storage unit, predetermined action information according to the contract with the product distributor; and

wherein the robot apparatus performs the predetermined action based on the predetermined action information read from the storage unit upon detection of the predetermined information appended to the product.

5. The system according to claim 1, wherein:

the robot apparatus has a memory for storing information on the contract made between the manufacturer or distributor and the product distributor; and

the robot apparatus reads information stored on the product which includes at least information on a supply source of the product, such that the robot apparatus performs the predetermined action when the supply source, based on the contract-related information stored in the memory, is found to have made a predetermined contract with the manufacturer or distributor and the product distributor.

6. The system according to claim 1, wherein:

the predetermined information includes at least two pieces of information on the attribute of a product available from the product distributor; and

the robot apparatus detects at least one of the two pieces of information appended to the product and performs the predetermined action based on the detected information.

7. A robot apparatus having a plurality of movable parts comprising:

a memory which stores information relating to a contract between a manufacturer or distributor of the robot apparatus and a third party; and

reading means for reading information stored on a product and which concerns at least a supply source of the product;

wherein the robot apparatus performs a predetermined action when the information read by the reading means regarding the supply source of the product is detected from the contract-related information as having made a predetermined contract with the manufacturer or distributor, and

wherein the product is selected from a group consisting of a personal computer, a mobile telephone, a CD case or consumable goods.

8. The robot apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the information regarding the supply source is provided by a bar code.

9. The robot apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the information regarding the supply source is provided by a cyber code.