Robot apparatus

• US 7,155,314 B2
• Filed: 04/05/2005
• Issued: 12/26/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 09/10/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Fujita, Masahiro, Sabe, Kotaro
• Primary Examiner(s): Black, Thomas
• Assistant Examiner(s): Marc, McDieunel
• Application Number:
  US11/098,933
• Publication Number:
  US 20050171643A1
• Time in Patent Office: 630 Days
• Field of Search: 700/245, 700/248, 700/258, 700/259, 700/31, 901/1, 901/15, 901/49, 704/207, 704/209, 704/270, 348/121, 318/565, 318/569, 318/568.1, 318/568.11, 318/568.12, 318/568.2
• US Class Current: 700/245
• CPC Class Codes: A63H 11/00 Self-movable toy figures
• 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: 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 apparatus is provided. A CPU 15 determines an output of a feeling model based on signals supplied from a touch sensor 20. The CPU 15 also deciphers whether or not an output value of the feeling model exceeds a pre-set threshold value. If the CPU finds that the output value exceeds the pre-set threshold value, it verifies whether or not there is any vacant area in a memory card 13. If the CPU finds that there is any vacant area in a memory card 13, it causes the picture data captured from the CCD video camera 11 to be stored in the vacant area in the memory card 13. At this time, the CPU 15 causes the time and date data and the feeling parameter in the memory card 13 in association with the picture data. The CPU 15 also re-arrays the picture data stored in the memory card 13 in the sequence of the decreasing magnitude of the feeling model output.

Claims

1. A robot apparatus having dynamic instinct model for outputting instinct information, said robot apparatus comprising:

detection means for detecting extraneous states;

storage means for storing data;

write control means for writing pre-set data in said storage means, wherein said write control means writes said pre-set data in said storage means based on said instinct information, and wherein said write control means writes said pre-set data added to the pre-set information derived from said instinct information in said storage means;

erasure control means for erasing pre-set data stored in said storage means, wherein said erasure control means erases said pre-set information from said storage means when a pre-set condition associated with a pre-set behavior command holds; and

a plurality of legs for walking,

wherein the dynamic instinct model can be changed by the detected extraneous states and a behavioral output;

wherein said pre-set condition for said erasure control means is whether or not a pre-set value has been reached.

2. The robot apparatus according to claim 1 wherein

said detection means includes an extraneous data inputting means in which extraneous data is inputted;

said write control means writing the extraneous input data inputted as said pre-set data to said extraneous data input means in said storage means.

3. The robot apparatus according to claim 1 wherein

said behavioral model or said feeling model is a status transition model;

said write control means writing said pre-set data in said storage means based on a pre-set transition state of said status transition model.

4. The robot apparatus according to claim 1 further comprising:

erasure control means for erasing pre-set data stored in said storage means;

said erasure control means erasing said pre-set data from said storage means based on said instinct information.

5. The robot apparatus according to claim 1 wherein

said detection means includes an extraneous data inputting means in which extraneous data is inputted;

said write control means writing the extraneous input data inputted as said pre-set data to said extraneous data input means in said storage means.

6. The robot apparatus according to claim 1 further comprising:

re-arraying means for re-arraying said pre-set data written in said storage means depending on said instinct information associated with said pre-set data.

7. The robot apparatus according to claim 1 wherein

said pre-set condition for said erasure control means is whether or not a pre-set value has been reached.

8. The robot apparatus according to claim 7 wherein

said detection means includes an extraneous data inputting means in which extraneous data is inputted;

said write control means writing the extraneous input data inputted as said pre-set data to said extraneous data input means in said storage means.

9. The robot apparatus according to claim 7 further comprising:

re-arraying means for re-arraying said pre-set data written in said storage means depending on said instinct information associated with said pre-set data.

10. A robot apparatus having dynamic instinct model for outputting instinct information, said robot apparatus comprising:

detection means for detecting extraneous states;

storage means for storing data;

write control means for writing pre-set data in said storage means, wherein said write control means writes said pre-set data in said storage means based on said instinct information, and wherein said write control means writes said pre-set data added to the pre-set information derived from said instinct information in said storage means;

erasure control means for erasing pre-set data stored in said storage means, wherein said erasure control means erases said pre-set information from said storage means when a pre-set condition associated with a pre-set behavior command holds;

a plurality of legs for walking,

wherein the dynamic instinct model can be changed by the detected extraneous states and a behavioral output, and

re-arraying means for re-arraying said pre-set data written in said storage means depending on said instinct information associated with said pre-set data.

11. A robot apparatus having dynamic instinct model for outputting instinct information, said robot apparatus comprising:

detection means for detecting extraneous states;

storage means for storing data;

write control means for writing pre-set data in said storage means, wherein said write control means writes said pre-set data in said storage means based on said instinct information, and wherein said write control means writes said pre-set data added to the pre-set information derived from said instinct information in said storage means;

erasure control means for erasing pre-set data stored in said storage means, wherein said erasure control means erases said pre-set information from said storage means when a pre-set condition associated with a pre-set behavior command holds; and

a plurality of legs for walking,

wherein the dynamic instinct model can be changed by the detected extraneous states and a behavioral output, wherein

said pre-set condition for said erasure control means is whether or not a pre-set time has elapsed.

12. A robot apparatus having dynamic instinct model for outputting instinct information, said robot apparatus comprising:

detection means for detecting extraneous states;

storage means for storing data;

write control means for writing pre-set data in said storage means, wherein said write control means writes said pre-set data in said storage means based on said instinct information, and wherein said write control means writes said pre-set data added to the pre-set information derived from said instinct information in said storage means;

erasure control means for erasing pre-set data stored in said storage means, wherein said erasure control means erases said pre-set information from said storage means when a pre-set condition associated with a pre-set behavior command holds;

a plurality of legs for walking,

wherein the dynamic instinct model can be changed by the detected extraneous states and a behavioral output, and

erasure control means for erasing the pre-set data stored in said storage means;

said erasure control means erasing said pre-set data from said storage means based on a pre-set transition state of said status transition model.

13. A robot apparatus having a behavioral model for generating a behavior output, wherein the behavior output is based on an instinct model for outputting an instinct information, said robot apparatus comprising:

detection means for detecting extraneous states, wherein an input evaluation is based on the detected extraneous states;

storage means for storing data;

write control means for writing pre-set data in said storage means, wherein said write control means writes said pre-set data in said storage means based on said instinct information, and wherein said write control means writes said pre-set data added to the pre-set information derived from said instinct information in said storage means;

erasure control means for erasing pre-set data stored in said storage means, wherein said erasure control means erases said pre-set information from said storage means when a pre-set condition associated with a pre-set behavior command holds; and

a plurality of legs for walking,

wherein the instinct model changes with respect to the input evaluation and an output evaluation based on previous behavior output.

14. The robot apparatus according to claim 13 wherein

said detection means includes an extraneous data inputting means in which extraneous data is inputted;

said write control means writing the extraneous input data inputted as said pre-set data to said extraneous data input means in said storage means.

15. The robot apparatus according to claim 13 wherein

said behavioral model or said feeling model is a status transition model;

aid write control means writing said pre-set data in said storage means based on a pre-set transition state of said status transition model.

16. The robot apparatus according to claim 13 further comprising:

erasure control means for erasing pre-set data stored in said storage means;

said erasure control means erasing said pre-set data from said storage means based on said instinct information.

17. The robot apparatus according to claim 13 wherein

said pre-set condition for said erasure control means is whether or not a pre-set time has elapsed.

18. The robot apparatus according to claim 13 further comprising:

erasure control means for erasing the pre-set data stored in said storage means;

said erasure control means erasing said pre-set data from said storage means based on a pre-set transition state of said status transition model.

19. The robot apparatus according to claim 13 further comprising:

re-arraying means for re-arraying said pre-set data written in said storage means depending on said instinct information associated with said pre-set data.