Charging station for robot

Abstract

The present invention improves the ease of connection between a charging station and a robot. The charging station (500) includes: a base (504) having an upper surface for wheels to climb; and a power supply terminal connected to a charging terminal of the robot (100). A target position is set in a depth-side area of the upper surface of the base (504). The upper surface is also provided with a reference entry line connecting a specific position on the entrance side and the target position, and includes an inclined surface having a three-dimensional curved surface shape that gives the incoming wheels a gravitational component toward the reference entry line side. The power supply terminal is connected to the charging terminal when the wheels reach the target position.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a charging station for charging a robot. Background Art

[0002] The development of behaviorally autonomous robots such as humanoid robots and pet robots that provide conversations and comfort to humans has progressed (see Patent Document 1). As such robots, robots that evolve their behavior by autonomously learning based on the surrounding conditions and give a sense of life to humans are also emerging (see Patent Document 2).

[0003] Since such robots also operate by electric power, they need to be charged. Therefore, a technique has also been proposed in which a robot is made communicable with a charging station and is induced to the charging station when the remaining charge is below a reference value to perform charging autonomously (see Patent Document 3).

[0004] Prior Art Documents

[0005] Patent Documents

[0006] Patent Document 1: Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2000-323219

[0007] Patent Document 2: International Publication No. 2017 / 169826

[0008] Patent Document 3: Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2001-125641 Summary of the Invention

[0009] Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0010] However, if the robot does not enter the set position of the charging station at the correct angle, the terminals of each other cannot be connected. Especially in the case of a robot driven by wheels, when approaching the charging station, it is necessary to perform switching and the like multiple times, and precise movement control of the robot is required. Therefore, there are problems that not only the processing load becomes large but also it takes time.

[0011] The present invention is an invention completed based on the recognition of the above problems, and its main object is to improve the ease of connection between the charging station and the robot.

[0012] Means for Solving the Problems

[0013] One aspect of the present invention is a charging station for charging a robot that travels on wheels. The charging station includes: a base having an upper surface for the wheels to climb; and a power supply terminal connected to the charging terminal of the robot. A target position is set in the depth-side area of the upper surface of the base, and a reference entry line connecting a specific position on the entrance side and the target position is also set on the upper surface of the base. The upper surface includes an inclined surface having a three-dimensional curved surface shape that gives the incoming wheels a gravitational component toward the reference entry line side. The power supply terminal is connected to the charging terminal when the wheels reach the target position.

[0014] Advantages of the Invention

[0015] According to the charging station of the present invention, the connection ease of the robot can be improved. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0016] The above object and other objects, features, and advantages will become more apparent from the preferred embodiments described below and the accompanying drawings.

[0017] Figure 1 It is a diagram for explaining the outline of a charging system for a robot.

[0018] Figure 2A It is a front view showing the appearance of the robot.

[0019] Figure 2B It is a side view showing the appearance of the robot.

[0020] Figure 3 It is a cross-sectional view schematically showing the structure of the robot.

[0021] Figure 4A It is a side view schematically showing the structure and operation of the wheel storage mechanism.

[0022] Figure 4B It is a front view schematically showing the structure and operation of the wheel storage mechanism.

[0023] Figure 5 It is a hardware configuration diagram of the robot.

[0024] Figure 6 It is a functional block diagram of the robot system.

[0025] Figure 7 It is a functional block diagram of the robot system.

[0026] Figure 8A It is a right view showing the state where the robot is equipped with an outer skin.

[0027] Figure 8B It is a front view showing the state where the robot is equipped with an outer skin.

[0028] Figure 8C It is a rear view showing the state where the robot is equipped with an outer skin.

[0029] Figure 9 It is a perspective view showing the appearance of the charging station.

[0030] Figure 10A It is a perspective view showing the appearance of the charging unit.

[0031] Figure 10B It is a front view showing the appearance of the charging unit.

[0032] Figure 11A It is an explanatory drawing (perspective view) showing the shape of the upper surface of the base.

[0033] Figure 11B It is an explanatory drawing (front view) showing the shape of the upper surface of the base.

[0034] Figure 12A It is an explanatory drawing (top view) showing the shape of the upper surface of the base.

[0035] Figure 12B It is an explanatory drawing showing the shape of the upper surface of the base ( Figure 11B X - X direction sectional view).

[0036] Figure 13A It is an explanatory drawing showing the shape of the upper surface of the base ( Figure 12A A - A direction sectional view).

[0037] Figure 13B It is an explanatory drawing showing the shape of the upper surface of the base ( Figure 12A B - B direction sectional view).

[0038] Figure 13C It is an explanatory drawing showing the shape of the upper surface of the base ( Figure 12A C - C direction sectional view).

[0039] Figure 13D It is an explanatory drawing showing the shape of the upper surface of the base ( Figure 12A D - D direction sectional view).

[0040] Figure 13E It is an explanatory drawing showing the shape of the upper surface of the base ( Figure 12A E - E direction sectional view).

[0041] Figure 13F It is an explanatory drawing showing the shape of the upper surface of the base ( Figure 12A F - F direction sectional view).

[0042] Figure 13G It is an explanatory drawing showing the shape of the upper surface of the base ( Figure 12AView in the direction of G - G (sectional view).

[0043] Figure 13H is an explanatory drawing showing the shape of the upper surface of the base ([[]] Figure 12A View in the direction of H - H (sectional view).

[0044] Figure 14A is a drawing showing the terminal unit including the power supply terminal and its peripheral structure.

[0045] Figure 14B is a front view showing the front end of the terminal unit including the power supply terminal.

[0046] Figure 14C is a side view showing the front end of the terminal unit including the power supply terminal.

[0047] Figure 15A is a diagram showing the support structure of the terminal unit in the base, depicting the standby state (no - load state) of the terminal unit.

[0048] Figure 15B is a diagram showing the support structure of the terminal unit in the base, depicting the state (load state) that may occur when the robot is connected to the terminal unit.

[0049] Figure 15C is a diagram showing the support structure of the terminal unit in the base, depicting the state (load state) that may occur when the robot is connected to the terminal unit.

[0050] Figure 16A is a partial sectional view in the schematic diagram showing the connection structure between the charging terminal and the power supply terminal.

[0051] Figure 16B is a drawing in the schematic diagram showing the connection structure between the charging terminal and the power supply terminal, depicting the movement of the terminal unit during the connection process.

[0052] Figure 16C is a drawing in the schematic diagram showing the connection structure between the charging terminal and the power supply terminal, depicting the movement of the terminal unit during the connection process.

[0053] Figure 17A is a drawing showing the entry action of the robot and depicting its action process.

[0054] Figure 17B is a drawing showing the entry action of the robot and depicting its action process.

[0055] Figure 17C is a drawing showing the entry action of the robot and depicting its action process.

[0056] Figure 18AIt is a schematic diagram demonstrating the wheel induction mechanism and shows a top view of the wheel induction process.

[0057] Figure 18B It is a schematic diagram demonstrating the wheel induction mechanism and shows a top view of the wheel induction process.

[0058] Figure 18C It is a schematic diagram demonstrating the wheel induction mechanism and shows a top view of the wheel induction process.

[0059] Figure 19A It is a schematic diagram demonstrating the wheel induction mechanism and shows a vertical section at the location of the rear wheel during the wheel induction process and corresponds to Figure 18A the figure.

[0060] Figure 19B It is a schematic diagram demonstrating the wheel induction mechanism and shows a vertical section at the location of the rear wheel during the wheel induction process and corresponds to Figure 18B the figure.

[0061] Figure 19C It is a schematic diagram demonstrating the wheel induction mechanism and shows a vertical section at the location of the rear wheel during the wheel induction process and corresponds to Figure 18C the figure.

[0062] Figure 20A It is a figure showing the actions of the robot when exiting the charging station and shows the state when charging is completed.

[0063] Figure 20B It is a figure showing the actions of the robot when exiting the charging station and shows the terminal release action. Detailed implementation manners

[0064] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. It should be noted that in the following description, for convenience, the positional relationships of the respective structures are sometimes represented based on the illustrated states. In addition, for the following embodiments and their modified examples, the same reference numerals are sometimes assigned to substantially the same constituent elements and their descriptions are appropriately omitted.

[0065] Figure 1 It is a figure for explaining the outline of the robot charging system 10.

[0066] The charging system 10 includes a charging station (hereinafter, simply referred to as "station") 500 that can charge two robots 100 simultaneously. The robot 100 is a wheeled behavior autonomous robot. The robot 100 has two front wheels and one rear wheel. The left and right front wheels are drive wheels, and the rear wheel is a driven wheel composed of casters (details will be described later).

[0067] The charging station 500 serves as a nest (bed) for multiple robots 100. Two charging spaces 502 are arranged side by side horizontally so that two robots 100 can charge adjacent to each other amicably. The robot 100 returns to the nest for charging and shows its cuteness to the surroundings by facing forward during charging. Therefore, the robot 100 backs into the charging space 502. That is, the casters are in the front when it enters.

[0068] A pedestal 504 for the casters to climb onto is provided in the charging space 502. By reaching the target position on the pedestal 504 via the casters, the power supply terminal of the charging station 500 is stably connected to the charging terminal of the robot 100, enabling charging. In this embodiment, in order to enable the casters to reach the target position simply and efficiently, the inertia accompanying the movement of the robot 100 and the gravity of the casters are utilized. That is, the upper surface of the pedestal 504 includes an inclined surface with a three-dimensional curved surface shape for giving the incoming casters a gravitational component toward the target position. The casters have a 360-degree rotational freedom but cannot rotate spontaneously. Therefore, the casters can rotate in the direction of the gravitational component during the rotation on the inclined surface with a three-dimensional curved surface shape and are naturally induced to the target position. Hereinafter, the specific structures of the robot 100 and the charging station 500 for realizing such induction will be described.

[0069] [Basic Structure]

[0070] Figure 2 is a view showing the appearance of the robot 100. Figure 2A It is a front view, Figure 2B and it is a side view.

[0071] The robot 100 is a behavior-autonomous robot that determines its behavior based on the external environment and internal state. The external environment is recognized through various sensors such as cameras and thermal sensors. The internal state is quantified as various parameters representing the emotions of the robot 100. The robot 100 operates within the house of the host family. Hereinafter, the person related to the robot 100 will be referred to as the "user".

[0072] The main body 104 of the robot 100 has an overall rounded shape and includes an outer skin 314 formed of soft and elastic materials such as polyurethane, rubber, resin, and fiber. The robot 100 can be dressed. The total weight of the robot 100 is about 5 to 15 kilograms, and the height is about 0.5 to 1.2 meters. Through many attributes such as appropriate weight, roundness, softness, and good touch, the effect that the user can easily pick up and is willing to pick up the robot 100 is achieved.

[0073] The robot 100 includes a pair of front wheels 102 (left wheel 102a and right wheel 102b) and a rear wheel 103. The front wheels 102 are driving wheels, and the rear wheel 103 is a driven wheel. The front wheels 102 do not have a steering mechanism, but the rotational speed and rotational direction of the left and right wheels can be independently controlled. The rear wheel 103 is a caster wheel that rotates freely to enable the robot 100 to move forward, backward, left, and right. The rear wheel 103 can also be a swivel wheel. The robot 100 can turn left or rotate counterclockwise by making the rotational speed of the right wheel 102b greater than that of the left wheel 102a. The robot 100 can turn right or rotate clockwise by making the rotational speed of the left wheel 102a greater than that of the right wheel 102b.

[0074] The front wheels 102 and the rear wheel 103 can be completely housed in the main body 104 through a drive mechanism (rotating mechanism, link mechanism). A pair of left and right covers 312 are provided at the lower half of the main body 104. The covers 312 are formed of a resin material (rubber, silicone rubber, etc.) having flexibility and elasticity, constitute a soft body, and can house the front wheels 102. The covers 312 are formed with a narrow slit 313 (opening part) that opens from the side to the front surface, and the front wheels 102 can protrude through the narrow slit 313 and be exposed to the outside.

[0075] During travel, most of each wheel is hidden in the main body 104, and when each wheel is completely housed in the main body 104, the robot 100 will become immovable. That is, as the wheels are housed, the main body 104 descends and seats on the ground F. In this seated state, the flat seating surface 108 (ground contact bottom surface) formed at the bottom of the main body 104 abuts against the ground F.

[0076] The robot 100 has two arms 106. There are hands at the front ends of the arms 106, but they do not have the function of grasping objects. Through the drive of an actuator described later, the arms 106 can perform simple actions such as raising the arms, bending the arms, swinging the arms, and trembling the arms. The two arms 106 can be independently controlled.

[0077] A face area 116 is exposed on the front of the head of the robot 100. Two eyes 110 are provided in the face area 116. The eyes 110 can perform image display based on liquid crystal elements or organic EL elements. A nose 109 is provided in the center of the face area 116. A analog joystick is provided on the nose 109, which can detect all directions of up, down, left, and right, and can also detect the pressed direction. In addition, a plurality of touch sensors are provided on the robot 100, which can detect the touch of the user on substantially the entire area of the robot 100 such as the head, torso, hip, and arms. The robot 100 is equipped with various sensors such as a microphone array and an ultrasonic sensor that can determine the direction of the sound source. In addition, a speaker is also built in, which can emit simple sounds.

[0078] A corner 112 is assembled on the head of the robot 100. The corner 112 is equipped with a panoramic camera 113, which can capture the entire upper area of the robot 100 at one time. In addition, a thermal sensor 115 (thermal camera) is built into the corner 112. The corner 112 is provided with a switch for emergency stop, and the user can pull the corner 112 to emergency stop the robot 100.

[0079] Figure 3 It is a cross-sectional view schematically showing the structure of the robot 100.

[0080] The main body 104 includes: a main body frame 310, a pair of arms 106, a pair of covers 312, and an outer skin 314. The main body frame 310 includes a head frame 316 and a trunk frame 318. The head frame 316 is in the shape of a hollow hemisphere and forms the head skeleton of the robot 100. The trunk frame 318 is in the shape of a square tube and forms the trunk skeleton of the robot 100. The lower end of the trunk frame 318 is fixed to the lower plate 334. The head frame 316 is connected to the trunk frame 318 via a connecting mechanism 330.

[0081] The trunk frame 318 constitutes the core of the main body 104. The trunk frame 318 is formed by fixing a pair of left and right side plates 336 to the lower plate 334, and supports a pair of arms 106 and internal mechanisms. A battery 118, a control circuit 342, various actuators, etc. are housed inside the trunk frame 318. The bottom surface of the lower plate 334 forms a seating surface 108.

[0082] The trunk frame 318 has an upper plate 332 at its upper part. A bottomed cylindrical support portion 319 is fixed to the upper plate 332. The upper plate 332, the lower plate 334, a pair of side plates 336, and the support portion 319 constitute the trunk frame 318. The outer diameter of the support portion 319 is smaller than the interval between the left and right side plates 336. A pair of arms 106 are assembled integrally with an annular member 340 to form an arm unit 350. The annular member 340 is in a circular shape, and a pair of arms 106 are assembled in a manner of being radially separated along its center line. The annular member 340 is inserted coaxially through the support portion 319 and placed on the upper end surfaces of a pair of side plates 336. The arm unit 350 is supported from below by the trunk frame 318.

[0083] The head frame 316 has a yaw axis 321, a pitch axis 322, and a roll axis 323. The head-shaking motion is achieved by the rotation (yaw) of the head frame 316 about the yaw axis 321. The nodding motion, the head-up motion, and the head-down motion are achieved by the rotation (pitch) about the pitch axis 322. The motion of tilting the head to the left and right is achieved by the rotation (roll) about the roll axis 323. Each axis can change its position and angle in the three-dimensional space according to the driving mode of the connection mechanism 330. The connection mechanism 330 includes a link mechanism and is driven by a plurality of motors provided on the trunk frame 318.

[0084] The trunk frame 318 houses a wheel drive mechanism 370. The wheel drive mechanism 370 includes a front-wheel drive mechanism and a rear-wheel drive mechanism that respectively move the front wheels 102 and the rear wheels 103 in and out of the main body 104. The front wheels 102 and the rear wheels 103 function as a "moving mechanism" for moving the robot 100. A direct drive motor is provided at the center of the front wheels 102. Therefore, the left front wheel 102a and the right front wheel 102b can be independently driven. The front wheels 102 are rotatably supported by a wheel housing 105, and the wheel housing 105 is rotatably supported by the trunk frame 318.

[0085] A pair of covers 312 are provided to cover the trunk frame 318 from the left and right, and are set to have a smooth curved surface shape so that the outline of the main body 104 has a curvature. A closed space is formed between the trunk frame 318 and the cover 312, and this closed space is the accommodation space S for the front wheels 102. The rear wheels 103 are accommodated in an accommodation space provided at the lower rear of the trunk frame 318.

[0086] The outer skin 314 covers the main body frame 310 and a pair of arms 106 from the outside. The outer skin 314 has a thickness such that a person can feel the elasticity and is formed of a stretchable material such as polyurethane sponge. Thus, when the user hugs the robot 100, a moderate softness can be felt, and a person can get natural physical contact as when hugging a pet. The outer skin 314 is attached to the main body frame 310 in such a way as to expose the cover 312. An opening 390 is provided at the upper end of the outer skin 314. The corner 112 is inserted through the opening 390.

[0087] Touch sensors are disposed between the main body frame 310 and the outer skin 314. Touch sensors are embedded in the cover 312. These touch sensors are all capacitive sensors and detect contacts in substantially the entire area of the robot 100. It should be noted that the touch sensors can be either embedded in the outer skin 314 or disposed inside the main body frame 310.

[0088] The arm 106 has a first joint 352 and a second joint 354, with an arm 356 between the two joints and a hand 358 at the front end of the second joint 354. The first joint 352 corresponds to the shoulder joint, and the second joint 354 corresponds to the wrist joint. Motors are provided at each joint to drive the arm 356 and the hand 358 respectively. The drive mechanism for driving the arm 106 includes these motors and their drive circuits 344.

[0089] Figure 4 is a diagram schematically showing the structure and operation of the wheel storage mechanism. Figure 4A It is a side view, Figure 4B and it is a front view. The dashed lines in the figure indicate the state in which the wheels protrude from the storage space S and can move forward, and the solid lines in the figure indicate the state in which the wheels are stored in the storage space S.

[0090] The wheel drive mechanism 370 includes a front-wheel drive mechanism 374 and a rear-wheel drive mechanism 376. The front-wheel drive mechanism 374 includes a rotating shaft 378 and an actuator 379. The rotating shaft 378 is connected to the wheel housing 105. In the present embodiment, a motor is used as the actuator 379. By driving the actuator 379, the wheel housing 105 is rotated, whereby the front wheels 102 can be driven to move forward and backward from the storage space S to the outside.

[0091] In the present embodiment, the forward and backward driving of the left wheel 102a and the right wheel 102b can be controlled independently. That is, an actuator 379a for the left wheel 102a and an actuator 379b for the right wheel 102b are provided, and they can be driven independently. The wheel housing 105 of the left wheel 102a is connected to the actuator 379a via a rotating shaft 378a, and the wheel housing 105 of the right wheel 102b is connected to the actuator 379b via a rotating shaft 378b. It should be noted that in the following description, the rotating shafts 378a and 378b are referred to as "rotating shaft 378" when not particularly distinguished, and the actuators 379a and 379b are referred to as "actuator 379" when not particularly distinguished.

[0092] The rear-wheel drive mechanism 376 includes a rotating shaft 404 and an actuator 406. The rotating shaft 404 is arranged in parallel with the rotating shaft 378 of the front-wheel drive mechanism 374, and the rear wheel 103 is supported in such a manner that it can rotate about the axis of the rotating shaft 404. The rear wheel 103 is a caster, having a main shaft 407 (rotation shaft) and an axle 408. Two arms 410 extend from the main shaft 407, and the axle 408 is provided at the front ends of the two arms 410. The wheel is freely rotatably supported on the axle 408. The upper end of the main shaft 407 is connected to the center of the rotating shaft 404 and is supported in a manner that it can freely rotate about its own axis. The axle 408 is not on the axis of the main shaft 407 and is set to deviate from the axis of the main shaft 407. The main shaft 407 enables the orientation (travel direction) of the rear wheel 103 to be arbitrarily changed. By driving the actuator 406, the rotating shaft 404 rotates, and the rear wheel 103 can be driven to move forward and backward from the rear accommodation space to the outside.

[0093] When the wheels are stored, the actuators 379 and 406 are driven in one direction. At this time, the wheel cover 105 rotates about the rotating shaft 378, and the front wheel 102 rises from the ground F. In addition, the arm 410 rotates about the rotating shaft 404, and the rear wheel 103 rises from the ground F (refer to the dotted arrow). Thereby, the main body 104 descends, and the seating surface 108 comes into contact with the ground F (refer to the solid arrow), realizing the state where the robot 100 sits down. By driving the actuators 379 and 406 in the reverse direction, each wheel can be extended to make the robot 100 stand up.

[0094] It should be noted that a rear cover 107 imitating a tail is provided outside the rear wheel 103, and it opens and closes the lower rear opening of the main body 104 in linkage with the forward and backward movement of the rear wheel 103. That is, when the rear wheel 103 is extended, the rear cover 107 performs an opening action, and when the rear wheel 103 is stored, the rear cover 107 performs a closing action.

[0095] Figure 5 It is a hardware configuration diagram of the robot 100.

[0096] The robot 100 includes: an internal sensor 128, a communicator 126, a storage device 124, a processor 122, a drive mechanism 120, and a battery 118. The drive mechanism 120 includes the above-mentioned connection mechanism 330 and the wheel drive mechanism 370. The processor 122 and the storage device 124 are included in the control circuit 342. Each unit is interconnected through a power line 130 and a signal line 132. The battery 118 supplies power to each unit via the power line 130. Each unit transmits and receives control signals through the signal line 132. The battery 118 is a secondary battery such as a lithium-ion secondary battery and is the power source of the robot 100.

[0097] The internal sensor 128 is an aggregate of various sensors built into the robot 100. Specifically, it includes a camera, a microphone array, a distance measuring sensor (infrared sensor), a thermal sensor, a touch sensor, an acceleration sensor, a barometric pressure sensor, an olfactory sensor, and the like. The touch sensor corresponds to most areas of the main body 104 and detects user contact based on changes in static capacitance. The olfactory sensor is a known sensor that applies the principle that the resistance changes due to the adsorption of molecules serving as odor sources.

[0098] The communicator 126 is a communication module that performs wireless communication with various external devices. The storage device 124 is composed of a non-volatile memory and a volatile memory and stores computer programs and various configuration information. The processor 122 is an execution unit of the computer program. The drive mechanism 120 includes a plurality of actuators. In addition, a display, a speaker, and the like are also mounted.

[0099] The drive mechanism 120 mainly controls the wheels and the head. The drive mechanism 120 can not only change the moving direction and moving speed of the robot 100, but also raise and lower the wheels. When the wheels are raised, the wheels are completely housed in the main body 104, and the robot 100 abuts against the ground F through the seating surface 108 and assumes a seated state. In addition, the drive mechanism 120 controls the arm 106.

[0100] Figure 6 It is a functional block diagram of the robot system 300.

[0101] The robot system 300 includes: a robot 100, a server 200, and a plurality of external sensors 114. Each component of the robot 100 and the server 200 is implemented by hardware and software. Among them, the hardware includes arithmetic units such as a central processing unit (CPU) and various coprocessors, storage devices such as a memory and a storage, and wired or wireless communication lines that connect these devices. The software is stored in the storage device and provides processing commands to the arithmetic unit. The computer program can be composed of device drivers, an operating system, various application programs located above them, and a program library that provides common functions for these programs. The following described blocks do not represent the structure of hardware units, but represent blocks of functional units. Some functions of the robot 100 can be implemented by the server 200, and some or all functions of the server 200 can also be implemented by the robot 100.

[0102] A plurality of external sensors 114 are pre - installed in the house. The server 200 manages the external sensors 114 and provides the detection values obtained by the external sensors 114 to the robot 100 as needed. The robot 100 determines its basic behavior based on the information obtained from the internal sensor 128 and the plurality of external sensors 114. The external sensors 114 are used to enhance the sensory organs of the robot 100, and the server 200 is used to enhance the processing ability of the robot 100. Alternatively, the communicator 126 of the robot 100 communicates with the server 200 regularly, and the server 200 is responsible for the process of determining the position of the robot 100 through the external sensors 114 (see also Patent Document 2).

[0103] (Server 200)

[0104] The server 200 includes: a communication unit 204, a data processing unit 202, and a data storage unit 206. The communication unit 204 is responsible for the communication processing with the external sensors 114 and the robot 100. The data storage unit 206 stores various data. The data processing unit 202 performs various processes based on the data obtained by the communication unit 204 and the data stored in the data storage unit 206. The data processing unit 202 also functions as an interface between the communication unit 204 and the data storage unit 206.

[0105] The data storage unit 206 includes an action storage unit 232 and a personal data storage unit 218. The robot 100 has multiple motion modes. Various actions are defined, such as shaking the arm 106, approaching the owner in a snake - like manner, and tilting the head to look at the owner.

[0106] The action storage unit 232 stores "action files" that define the control content of actions. Each action is identified by an action ID. The action files are also downloaded to the action storage unit 160 of the robot 100. Which action to execute is sometimes determined by the server 200 and sometimes by the robot 100. Many actions of the robot 100 are configured as composite actions including multiple unit actions.

[0107] The personal data storage unit 218 stores user information. Specifically, it stores the main information indicating the intimacy with the user and the user's physical characteristics / behavioral characteristics. Other attribute information such as age and gender may also be stored.

[0108] The robot 100 has an internal parameter of intimacy for each user. When the robot 100 recognizes behaviors that are friendly to itself, such as being picked up or greeted, the intimacy with that user will increase. The intimacy with users who are irrelevant to the robot 100, users who are rough, or users with a low frequency of meetings will decrease.

[0109] The data processing unit 202 includes: a position management unit 208, an identification unit 212, an action control unit 222, an intimacy management unit 220, and a status management unit 244. The position management unit 208 determines the position coordinates of the robot 100. The status management unit 244 manages various physical states such as the charging rate, internal temperature, and processing load of the processor 122, as well as various internal parameters. In addition, the status management unit 244 manages various emotion parameters representing the emotions of the robot 100 (such as loneliness, curiosity, desire for recognition, etc.).

[0110] The identification unit 212 identifies the external environment. The identification of the external environment includes various identifications such as the identification of climate and season based on temperature and humidity, and the identification of hiding places (safe zones) based on light quantity and temperature. The identification unit 156 of the robot 100 obtains various environmental information through the internal sensor 128, and after processing this environmental information once, forwards it to the identification unit 212 of the server 200.

[0111] The identification unit 212 compares the feature vectors extracted from the captured images taken by the built-in camera of the robot 100 with the feature vectors of the user (cluster) pre-recorded in the personal data storage unit 218, thereby determining which person the captured user corresponds to (user identification process). In addition, the identification unit 212 infers the emotions of the user by performing image recognition on the user's expression. The identification unit 212 also performs user identification processing on moving objects other than people, such as cats and dogs as pets.

[0112] The identification unit 212 identifies various response behaviors received by the robot 100 and classifies them into pleasant / unpleasant behaviors. The identification unit 212 also classifies the response behaviors of the owner to the behavior of the robot 100 into positive / negative reactions. The pleasant / unpleasant behaviors are judged based on whether the user's response behavior is comfortable or unpleasant for the organism.

[0113] The action control unit 222 cooperates with the action control unit 150 of the robot 100 to determine the actions of the robot 100. The action control unit 222 formulates the moving target location of the robot 100 and the moving route to move to this moving target location. The action control unit 222 can formulate multiple moving routes and select any one of them based on this. The action control unit 222 selects the actions of the robot 100 from multiple actions in the action storage unit 232.

[0114] The intimacy management unit 220 manages the intimacy of each user. The intimacy is entered into the personal data storage unit 218 as part of personal data. When a pleasant behavior is detected, the intimacy management unit 220 increases the intimacy with its owner. When an unpleasant behavior is detected, the intimacy decreases. In addition, the intimacy with the owner who has not been seen for a long time gradually decreases.

[0115] (Robot 100)

[0116] Robot 100 includes: a communication unit 142, a data processing unit 136, a data storage unit 148, an internal sensor 128, and a drive mechanism 120. The communication unit 142 corresponds to a communicator 126 (refer to Figure 5 ) and is responsible for communication processing with an external sensor 114, a server 200, and other robots 100. The data storage unit 148 stores various data. The data storage unit 148 corresponds to a storage device 124 (refer to Figure 5 ). The data processing unit 136 performs various processes based on the data acquired by the communication unit 142 and the data stored in the data storage unit 148. The data processing unit 136 corresponds to a processor 122 and a computer program executed by the processor 122. The data processing unit 136 also functions as an interface for the communication unit 142, the internal sensor 128, the drive mechanism 120, and the data storage unit 148.

[0117] The data storage unit 148 includes a motion storage unit 160 that defines various motions of the robot 100. Various motion files are downloaded from a motion storage unit 232 of the server 200 to the motion storage unit 160. Motions are identified by motion IDs. To represent various motions such as retracting the wheels and sitting down, raising the arm 106, making the robot 100 perform a rotating behavior by reversing the two front wheels 102 or rotating only one of the front wheels 102, trembling by rotating the front wheels 102 in a state where the wheels are retracted, stopping once and turning back when away from the user, etc., the motion timing, motion time, motion direction, etc. of various actuators (drive mechanism 120) are defined in the motion files in chronological order. The data storage unit 148 can also download various data from a personal data storage unit 218.

[0118] The data processing unit 136 includes an identification unit 156 and a motion control unit 150. The identification unit 156 interprets external information acquired from the internal sensor 128. The identification unit 156 can perform visual identification (vision unit), odor identification (olfactory unit), sound identification (auditory unit), and tactile identification (tactile unit).

[0119] The recognition unit 156 extracts an image region corresponding to a moving object, particularly a person or an animal, from the image, and extracts "feature vectors" from the extracted image region as a set of feature quantities representing the physical features and behavioral features of the moving object. The feature vector components (feature quantities) are numerical values obtained by quantifying various physical / behavioral features. For example, the horizontal width of a person's eyes is numerically valued in the range of 0 to 1 to form a feature vector component. The method of extracting feature vectors from a captured image of a person is an application of known face recognition technology. When a moving object is detected, physical features and behavioral features are extracted from an olfactory sensor, a built-in microphone, a thermal sensor, etc. These features are also quantified as feature vector components. The recognition unit 156 determines the user based on the feature vectors according to known techniques described in Patent Document 2, etc. The robot 100 sends the feature vectors to the server 200.

[0120] Among a series of recognition processes including detection, analysis, and determination, the recognition unit 156 performs information selection, extraction, etc. required for recognition, and the determination and other interpretation processes are executed by the recognition unit 212 of the server 200. The recognition process can be performed only by the recognition unit 212 of the server 200, only by the recognition unit 156 of the robot 100, or the above-mentioned division of labor can be used to execute the above recognition process. The robot 100 obtains the user's behavior in the form of physical information through the internal sensor 128, and the recognition unit 212 of the server 200 determines whether it is pleasant / unpleasant. In addition, the recognition unit 212 of the server 200 performs user recognition processing based on the feature vectors.

[0121] The recognition unit 212 of the server 200 recognizes the various responses of the user to the robot 100. Some typical response behaviors among various response behaviors are associated with pleasant or unpleasant, positive or negative. Generally, almost all response behaviors as pleasant behaviors are positive responses, and almost all response behaviors as unpleasant behaviors are negative responses. Pleasant / unpleasant behaviors are associated with intimacy, and positive / negative responses will affect the behavior selection of the robot 100.

[0122] According to the response behaviors recognized by the recognition unit 156, the intimacy management unit 220 of the server 200 changes the intimacy with the user. In principle, the intimacy with a user who has performed a pleasant behavior will increase, and the intimacy with a user who has performed an unpleasant behavior will decrease.

[0123] The motion control unit 150 and the motion control unit 222 of the server 200 cooperate with each other to determine the motion of the robot 100. It can be that some motions are determined by the server 200 and other motions are determined by the robot 100. In addition, it can also be that the robot 100 determines the motion, but when the processing load of the robot 100 is high, the server 200 determines the motion. It can also be that the server 200 determines the basic motion and the robot 100 determines the additional motion. It is only necessary to design how to share the decision-making process of the motion between the server 200 and the robot 100 according to the specifications of the robot system 300.

[0124] The motion control unit 150 instructs the drive mechanism 120 to execute the selected motion. The drive mechanism 120 controls each actuator according to the motion file.

[0125] When a user with a high level of intimacy approaches, the motion control unit 150 can execute the motion of raising both hands 106 as a gesture of asking for a "hug", and when tired of "hugs", it can express disgust for hugs by alternately repeating reverse and stop in a state where the left and right front wheels 102 are retracted. The drive mechanism 120 drives the front wheels 102, the arms 106, and the head (head frame 316) according to the instructions of the motion control unit 150, thereby enabling the robot 100 to exhibit various motions.

[0126] Next, on the premise of the above basic structure, the installation of the robot system 300 of the present embodiment will be described. The following will be described particularly focusing on the features and purposes of this installation and the differences from the basic structure.

[0127] Figure 7 It is a functional block diagram of the robot system 300.

[0128] The robot system 300 includes: a robot 100, a charging station 500, and a plurality of external sensors 114. The server 200 is provided in the charging station 500. In addition to the Figure 6 structure shown, the robot 100 also includes a battery 118 and a charging circuit 170. The internal sensor 128 also includes a battery level sensor.

[0129] On the other hand, the charging station 500 also includes a charging circuit 250 and a guiding unit 252. By connecting the charging circuit 170 of the robot 100 to the charging circuit 250 of the charging station 500, the battery 118 can be charged. The guiding unit 252 includes a transmitting circuit that outputs a guiding signal for guiding the robot 100 to the charging station 500. The data processing unit 202 of the server 200 controls this transmitting circuit. The details of the guiding method and the like will be described later.

[0130] Figures 8A - 8C It is a diagram showing the state in which the robot 100 is equipped with an outer skin 314.Figure 8A is a right view, Figure 8B is a front view, Figure 8C is a rear view. It should be noted that the appearance of the robot 100 is approximately symmetrical left and right.

[0131] Below the rear part of the trunk frame 318 of the robot 100, there is a receiving port 377 for receiving the rear wheels 103. And, a pair of charging terminals 510 are protrudingly provided on the left and right of the receiving port 377. The base ends of the charging terminals 510 are located inside the trunk frame 318 and are connected to a charging circuit 170 (refer to Figure 7 ) via wiring (not shown). The front ends of the charging terminals 510 are set in a disc shape with a slightly larger diameter and are in the form of buttons.

[0132] The outer skin 314 is formed by sewing an outer skin main body 420 and an elastic attachment part 422. Both the outer skin main body 420 and the elastic attachment part 422 are made of soft materials. The outer skin main body 420 includes: a bag-shaped part 424 that covers the head frame 316, a pair of hands 426 that extend downward from the left and right side surfaces of the bag-shaped part 424, an extension part 428 that extends downward from the front surface of the bag-shaped part 424, and an extension part 430 that extends downward from the back surface of the bag-shaped part 424. An opening 432 for exposing the face area 116 is provided on the front surface side of the bag-shaped part 424.

[0133] The elastic attachment part 422 forms the bottom of the outer skin 314 and is connected to the front and rear extension parts 428, 430 of the outer skin main body 420 below. An opening 434 is provided in the elastic attachment part 422 at a position corresponding to the receiving port 377. A pair of holes 436 are formed below the rear part of the elastic attachment part 422. The holes 436 have a small size like button holes, but since the elastic attachment part 422 is soft, it can be flattened in the width direction. A pair of charging terminals 510 are inserted through these holes 436. After the charging terminals 510 are inserted through the holes 436, the holes 436 return to their original small size by elastic force. Thus, the heads of the charging terminals 510 are stuck around the holes 436, and the outer skin 314 can be prevented from detaching. That is, the charging terminals 510 are terminals for charging and at the same time are components for fixing the outer skin 314.

[0134] In addition, an infrared sensor 172 and a pair of microphones 174 are provided as internal sensors 128 in the rear cover 107 (tail) of the robot 100. That is, an infrared sensor 172 is provided at the central part of the rear cover 107, a left microphone 174L is provided on its left side, and a right microphone 174R is provided on its right side. In the state where the rear cover 107 is opened and the rear wheels 103 come out, these internal sensors face the rear of the robot 100. The infrared sensor 172 and the pair of microphones 174 are used for the guidance control when the robot 100 enters the charging station 500.

[0135] Figure 9 This is a perspective view showing the appearance of the charging station 500. It should be noted that, for the sake of convenience in the following description, sometimes the depth side (front side in the entering direction) of the entering direction of the robot 100 in the charging station 500 is referred to as the "depth side", and the front side (rear side in the entering direction) of the entering direction is referred to as the "front side" or "front face side".

[0136] The charging station 500 includes a charging unit 506 as the main part for charging and decorative components such as a pair of back panels 508. The charging unit 506 includes a base 504 and a unit main body 512. The base 504 is rectangular when viewed from above and has charging spaces 502 on the left and right. The unit main body 512 is erected at the center of the upper surface of the base 504. The unit main body 512 has a frame 514 with an enlarged upper part. A pair of back panels 508 are respectively arranged on the left and right of the front of the frame 514. The back panels 508 are detachably assembled to the unit main body 512 via fixing members 509. The fixing members 509 are arm-shaped members, one end of which is detachably fixed to the back side of the back panel 508, and the other end is detachably fixed to the back side of the frame 514. Inducing portions 252 are respectively provided at positions below each of the back panels 508 on the left and right of the frame 514.

[0137] FIG. 10 is a view showing the appearance of the charging unit 506. Figure 10A It is a perspective view, Figure 10B It is a front view.

[0138] The charging unit 506 has a left-right symmetric structure and can charge the robot 100 in the charging space 502 on the left side (also referred to as the "left space 502L") and the charging space 502 on the right side (also referred to as the "right space 502R") facing the robot 100 respectively. The frame 514 houses the server 200 and the charging circuit 250. A pair of power supply terminals 520 are respectively arranged in each of the charging spaces 502. One of the pair of power supply terminals 520 is connected to the power line of the charging circuit 250, and the other is connected to the ground wire.

[0139] The upper surfaces on the left and right of the base 504 have inclined surfaces for smoothly guiding the robot 100 to each of the charging spaces 502. On the upper surfaces on the left and right of the base 504, a target position P1 is set for each charging space 502. A wheel receiving portion 522 for the rear wheels 103 of the robot 100 to fall into is provided at the target position P1. The entrance side of the base 504 is widely open, and a reference entry line L is hypothetically set in such a way that the target position P1 is connected to its entrance front position P2 (corresponding to the "specific position"). The reference entry line L represents the path by which the robot 100 can enter the charging unit 506 most efficiently, in other words, represents the path by which the rear wheels 103 can reach the target position P1 most efficiently, and is set as a straight line in this embodiment.

[0140] The base 504 has a shape in which the reference entry line L extends toward the depth side in each charging space 502 and bulges on the left and right sides of the reference entry line L. The intervals on the depth side of the left and right bulges are small, and a guiding path 523 is formed for guiding the rear wheel 103 straight to the target position P1. The width of the guiding path 523 is slightly larger than the width of the rear wheel 103. A wheel receiving portion 522 is provided at the center of the guiding path 523. A pair of openings 505 are provided in the vicinity of the front side of the left and right bulges, and a pair of power supply terminals 520 respectively protrude therefrom. The pair of openings 505 are respectively located on the left and right sides of the guiding path 523. The power supply terminals 520 extend toward the front and slightly upward and in a direction approaching the reference entry line L. That is, the pair of power supply terminals 520 are supported in a manner slightly inward toward the charging space 502. The pair of power supply terminals 520 can be connected to the pair of charging terminals 510 respectively when the rear wheel 103 reaches the wheel receiving portion 522.

[0141] A pair of guiding portions 252 are provided so as to protrude from the left and right side surfaces of the housing 514 respectively. The left guiding portion 252 is located above the reference entry line L in the left space 502L. The right guiding portion 252 is located above the reference entry line L in the right space 502R. Each guiding portion 252 transmits a guiding signal for guiding the robot 100 to the corresponding charging space 502. The guiding portion 252 has an ultrasonic transmitter that transmits an ultrasonic signal as the guiding signal and an infrared transmitter that transmits an infrared signal as the guiding signal. These transmitters are connected to the server 200 and are controlled by the data processing unit 202.

[0142] When the robot 100 approaches the charging station 500, an ultrasonic signal and an infrared signal are transmitted from the guiding portion 252. The robot 100 receives the infrared signal through the infrared sensor 172 and receives the ultrasonic signal through a pair of microphones 174 (left microphone 174L, right microphone 174R) (see Figure 8C ). The robot 100 calculates the distance to the target position P1 based on the arrival time difference between the ultrasonic signal and the infrared signal transmitted from the guiding portion 252, and adjusts the traveling speed (the entry speed into the charging space 502) based on the calculation result. The robot 100 also calculates the entry angle into the charging space 502 based on the arrival time difference between the ultrasonic signals received by the left microphone 174L and the right microphone 174R respectively, and adjusts the traveling direction (the entry angle into the charging space 502) based on the calculation result.

[0143] On the upper front surface of the unit main body 512, a reference value providing unit 524 for calibration is provided. The charging station 500 can calibrate the thermal sensor 115 of the robot 100. The reference value providing unit 524 is controlled by the server 200. The reference value providing unit 524 has two constant temperature sources set to different temperatures. The temperature difference between the two constant temperature sources is preset (the temperature difference between the two constant temperature sources is also referred to as the "set temperature difference"). The robot 100 measures the temperature difference between the two constant temperature sources based on the output value of the thermal sensor 115 (the temperature difference measured at this time is also referred to as the "measured temperature difference"). The robot 100 can perform calibration by comparing the set temperature difference with the measured temperature difference and correcting the difference between the two.

[0144] Next, the wheel guiding structure and the charging terminal connection structure in the charging station 500 will be described in detail.

[0145] FIGS. 11 to 13 are explanatory views showing the shape of the upper surface of the base 504. For ease of explanation, the portion corresponding to part A of Figure 10B is extracted and shown, and the power supply terminal 520 is omitted. Figure 11A is a perspective view, Figure 11B is a front view. Figure 12A is a top view, Figure 12B is Figure 11B a sectional view taken along the X-X direction of Figures 13A - 13H respectively showing Figure 12A the sectional views taken along the A-A to H-H directions of

[0146] As shown in FIG. 11, the base 504 is recessed with a wheel receiving portion 522 in its depth side region and a target position P1 is set. A flat portion 530 having substantially no height difference from the ground F is provided at the front entrance of the base 504. The base 504 has an inclined surface 532 that smoothly connects to the flat portion 530.

[0147] As also shown in FIG. 12, a ramp 534 and a ramp 536 are continuously provided from the entrance front position P2 to the target position P1 along the reference entry line L. Moreover, the ramp 534 is gentler in slope than the ramp 536. A wheel receiving portion 522 is provided in front of the ramp 536, and a target position P1 is set at the center thereof. As shown in FIG. 12, by making the slope of the ramp 536 large and its width small, the rear wheel 103 reaching the target position P1 will not move backward and return to the front side. The wheel receiving portion 522 is positioned so that a contact pressure acts between the charging terminal 510 and the power supply terminal 520. In the present embodiment, as shown in FIG. 12, the guiding portion 252 is located on the normal line of the reference entry line L. And, the directivities (directivity angles θ) of the ultrasonic wave and the infrared ray emitted from the guiding portion 252 are both set to about 60 degrees (about 30 degrees to the left and right with the reference entry line L as the center), but values other than 60 degrees can also be set.

[0148] As shown in FIG. 13, the upper surface of the base 504 has a three-dimensional curved surface shape that slopes downward on both sides of the reference entry line L toward the reference entry line L. As Figure 13B shown in FIGS. (a) to (e), the upper surface of the base 504 has a shape in which the slopes (slopes in the left-right direction) on both sides with the reference entry line L as the boundary are larger toward the depth side in the section of the upper slope 534. Therefore, the upper surface of the base 504 has a slope that descends toward the entrance side and has a fan-shaped expanded shape.

[0149] FIG. 14 is a diagram showing the structure of a terminal unit including a power supply terminal 520. Figure 14A Shows the terminal unit and its peripheral structure. Figure 14B Is a front view showing the front end portion of the terminal unit. Figure 14C Is a side view showing the front end portion of the terminal unit.

[0150] As Figure 14A and Figure 14B shown, the terminal unit 550 has a terminal support portion 554 at the front end portion of a cylindrical main body 552, and supports the power supply terminal 520 so as to be relatively displaceable in the terminal support portion 554. The base end portion of the main body 552 is supported by the base 504.

[0151] The power supply terminal 520 includes a plurality of pin terminals 521a to 521f (referred to as "pin terminals 521" without particularly distinguishing them). That is, the power supply terminal 520 is composed of a plurality of pin terminals 521, and these pin terminals 521 are electrically connected. The front ends of the respective pin terminals 521 are spherical.

[0152] As Figure 14B and Figure 14C shown, the terminal support portion 554 has a tapered surface 556 whose diameter becomes smaller toward the front end at its front end portion, and a disk-shaped magnet 558 (permanent magnet) is provided at the center of the front end surface. Around the magnet 558 in the terminal support portion 554, a plurality of insertion holes 560 (six in this embodiment) are provided so as to extend in the axial direction. These insertion holes 560 open at the tapered surface 556. The pin terminals 521a to 521f are respectively supported by the six insertion holes 560 so as to be slidable. Springs 562 (functioning as "biasing members") are provided at the rear of the respective insertion holes 560, and bias the pin terminals 521 forward. Therefore, the pin terminals 521 protrude a predetermined amount from the opening portion of the tapered surface 556 in a state where the charging terminal 510 is not connected to the power supply terminal 520.

[0153] For rapid charging, the supply current value from the power supply terminal 520 becomes high. With the above structure, the contact area between the power supply terminal 520 and the charging terminal 510 can be enlarged to reduce the current density, thereby suppressing heat generation. That is, in order to ensure a large contact area between the two terminals, a large electrode (terminal) can be used. However, if the large electrode is composed of a single terminal, in order to make contact over its entire surface, the entry angle of the robot 100 needs to be strictly adjusted. In this regard, in the present embodiment, a structure is adopted in which a plurality of pin-shaped terminals are provided and these terminals slide independently in the terminal connection direction. In addition, each pin terminal 521 is individually biased by a spring 562. Therefore, even when the power supply terminal 520 and the charging terminal 510 are inclined relative to the original connection angle, each pin terminal 521 is biased in the direction of abutting against the charging terminal 510 and comes into contact with the charging terminal 510 respectively. Thereby, even if the entry angle of the robot 100 deviates from the ideal angle, the necessary contact area between the two terminals can be ensured. In other words, the entry angle of the robot 100 can be made more relaxed. Before the connection of the power supply terminal 520 is completed, each pin terminal 521 removes the oxide film by rubbing against the charging terminal 510. This also helps to ensure the contact area.

[0154] FIG. 15 is a schematic view showing the support structure (support mechanism) of the terminal unit 550 in the base 504. Figure 15A It shows the standby state (no-load state) of the terminal unit 550. Figure 15B and Figure 15C It shows the state (load state) that may occur when the robot 100 is connected to the terminal unit 550.

[0155] As Figure 15A shown, a pair of left and right terminal units 550 are supported by a plate-shaped support member 564, and the support member 564 is supported by the base 504. The support member 564 is disposed in the internal space of the base 504 and is supported so as to be rotatable about a rotation axis 566 erected on the base 504. The rotation axis 566 is provided on the normal line of the reference entry line L and is located below the guiding path 523. Circular convex support portions 568 are provided on the left and right of the support member 564. Each support portion 568 has an axis inclined with respect to the upper surface of the support member 564. When the terminal unit 550 is assembled to each support portion 568, as shown in the figure, the front ends of the two units are slightly inwardly oriented with respect to each other and are respectively oriented obliquely forward and upward.

[0156] A spring 570 (functioning as a "biasing member") for holding the support member 564 in the reference position in the rotation direction in a state without external force is provided in the base 504. Here, the "reference position" is set to the position where the front surface of the support member 564 faces the front, in other words, the position where the pair of terminal units 550 are equidistant from the reference entry line L.

[0157] The relative positions of a pair of terminal units 550 hardly change. However, when the robot 100 enters the charging station 500 obliquely, that is, when the entry direction of the rear wheels 103 slightly deviates from the reference entry line L, one of the pair of charging terminals 510 reaches the power supply terminal 520 earlier than the other. The rotation structure of the support member 564 absorbs this deviation. That is, due to the pressing force generated by the charging terminal 510 that arrives first, the support member 564 rotates clockwise or counterclockwise in the figure (refer to Figure 15B , Figure 15C ). As a result, the connection of the charging terminal 510 on the later-arriving side to the power supply terminal 520 is also facilitated. That is, the power supply terminal 520 is supported on the base 504 in a manner that can displace in cooperation with the charging terminal 510.

[0158] It should be noted that the opening 505 of the base 504 is in the shape of a long hole (slit shape) to allow the displacement of the terminal unit 550 accompanying the rotation of the support member 564. The spring 570 also functions as a shock absorber when the two terminals are connected.

[0159] FIG. 16 is a schematic diagram showing the connection structure between the charging terminal 510 and the power supply terminal 520. Figure 16A is a partial cross-sectional view showing the connection structure. Figure 16B and Figure 16C show the movement of the terminal unit 550 during the connection process.

[0160] As Figure 16A shown, the charging terminal 510 of the robot 100 faces slightly obliquely downward, and the power supply terminal 520 of the charging station 500 faces obliquely upward. And, as described above, a steep slope is provided in the vicinity of the front side of the wheel receiving portion 522 (refer to Figure 12B ), whereby the rear wheels 103 are urged backward, that is, in the direction of connecting the charging terminal 510 and the power supply terminal 520. When the two are connected, the inertial force of the robot 100 facing backward acts in the axial direction of the terminal unit 550 in the form of a pressing force via the charging terminal 510 (refer to the double-dot dash arrow).

[0161] In contrast to the case where the connection surface 511 of the charging terminal 510 is in the shape of a concave spherical surface, the front end of the terminal unit 550 has a convex shape (conical shape), and the two are substantially complementary shapes. The charging terminal 510 and the power supply terminal 520 are detachably connected by a magnet 558. When connecting the two terminals, the power supply terminal 520 (six pin terminals 521) is pressed downward in the axial direction against the acting force of the spring 562 (refer to the dotted arrow). Through the elastic reaction force of the spring 562 generated at this time, sufficient contact pressure can be obtained between the two terminals to ensure a stable connection state.

[0162] Note that when charging, the driving force (propulsive force) of the front wheel 102 is disconnected (in a de-energized state), so an inertial force in the direction of separating the two terminals may act due to the reaction force of this disconnection. Regarding this point, in the present embodiment, the connection state of the two terminals is maintained by the suction force generated by the magnet 558. In addition, as Figure 15B and Figure 15C shown, even if the entry direction of the robot 100 slightly deviates from the reference entry line L, the two terminals can be connected by the suction force of the magnet 558.

[0163] As Figure 16B shown, the support portion 568 has a guide portion 572 that opens obliquely upward and inserts the main body 552 of the terminal unit 550. The guide portion 572 supports the main body 552 so as to be slidable along its axis L2. The guide portion 572 has a bottom surface perpendicular to the axis L2. The support portion 568 also has a guide hole 574 that extends in the inclined direction along its side surface. The guide hole 574 extends from near the front end of the support portion 568 toward the rear within a predetermined angular range centered on the axis L2.

[0164] On the other hand, a locking pin 576 is protrudingly provided near the rear end of the main body 552. The locking pin 576 protrudes outward in the radial direction of the main body 552 and fits into the guide hole 574. As shown in the figure, the outer diameter of the locking pin 576 is substantially equal to the width of the guide hole 574. A spring 578 (functioning as a "biasing member") that biases the terminal unit 550 in the protruding direction (upward along the axis L2) is interposed between the bottom surface of the guide portion 572 and the main body 552.

[0165] According to such a structure, the terminal unit 550 is elastically supported in the direction of protruding from the support portion 568. Its protruding amount is limited by the locking pin 576 being locked to the upper end of the guide hole 574. When connecting the charging terminal 510 of the robot 100, the terminal unit 550 is pressed obliquely downward along the axis L2. At this time, as Figure 16C shown, by guiding the locking pin 576 along the guide hole 574, the main body 552 and thus the terminal unit 550 rotate around the axis L2. Therefore, from the moment the charging terminal 510 and the power supply terminal 520 come into contact until their connection is completed, each pin terminal 521 slides relative to the connection surface 511. Thereby, the oxide film and dirt adhering to the front end surface of the pin terminal 521 can be peeled off, and the energized state of the two terminals can be maintained well. That is, the rotation mechanism of this terminal unit 550 functions as a self-cleaning mechanism for maintaining the terminal contact surface well.

[0166] FIG. 17 is a diagram showing the entry operation of the robot 100. Figures 17A - 17C Showing its operation process.

[0167] When the timing for charging the battery 118 arrives, the robot 100 moves toward the charging station 500. At this time, it moves toward the charging station 500 while avoiding obstacles based on information from a camera, a shape measurement sensor, etc. When approaching the charging station 500( Figure 17A ), the robot 100 turns its orientation around and backs in, entering the charging space 502( Figure 17B ).

[0168] At this time, even if the traveling direction of the robot 100 is somewhat inclined with respect to the reference entry line L set for the charging station 500, the connection between the power supply terminal 520 and the charging terminal 510 is facilitated. As already described, the upper surface of the base 504 includes an inclined surface having a three-dimensional curved surface shape that gives the rear wheel 103 coming in a gravitational component toward the reference entry line L side (see FIG. 13). Therefore, if the robot 100 enters at an appropriate speed, the rotation of the rear wheel 103 can be continued and the rear wheel 103 can be naturally guided to the wheel receiving portion 522 (target position P1). The power supply terminal 520 is connected to the charging terminal 510 in a state where the rear wheel 103 reaches the target position P1( Figure 17C ).

[0169] FIGS. 18 and 19 are schematic views illustrating the wheel guiding mechanism. Figures 18A - 18C A plan view shows the wheel guiding process. Figures 19A - 19C A vertical cross-section showing the location of the rear wheel 103 during the wheel guiding process, respectively corresponding to Figures 18A - 18C . In the figure, for ease of explanation, only the positional relationship between the front wheel 102 and the rear wheel 103 of the robot 100 is shown, and only the charging space 502 (the entry path of the robot 100) of the charging station 500 is shown.

[0170] Here, assume a state where the entry direction of the robot 100 deviates from the reference entry line L, that is, a case where the rear wheel 103 enters the charging space 502 at an angle inclined with respect to the reference entry line L. In this case, the rear wheel 103 is subject to the resultant force of the gravitational component (force from a higher place to a lower place) caused by the inclination of the base 504 and the propulsive force generated by the front wheel 102, and performs a movement peculiar to a caster, smoothly changing its rotation direction.

[0171] Specifically, the rear wheel 103 naturally rotates while moving toward the depth side in a manner toward the reference entry line L as the lower side( Figure 18A , Figure 19A ). As it approaches the depth side of the base 504, the slopes on the left and right of the reference entry line L become larger, so this rotation converges near the reference entry line L( Figure 18B , Figure 19B ). In this way, the rear wheel 103 finally reaches the wheel receiving portion 522 (target position P1) provided on the depth side of the reference entry line L(Figure 18C , Figure 19C )。

[0172] FIG. 20 is a diagram showing the operation when the robot 100 exits the charging station 500. Figure 20A Indicates the state when charging is completed, Figure 20B Indicates the terminal release operation.

[0173] When charging is completed and the robot 100 exits the charging station 500, it is necessary to disconnect the charging terminal 510 from the power supply terminal 520. However, since the two terminals are connected by the suction force of the magnet 558 (refer to Figure 16A ), it can be considered that: even if the robot 100 advances while maintaining the state shown in Figure 20A , it is not easy to disconnect this connection.

[0174] Therefore, by utilizing the fact that the left and right front wheels 102 can be driven forward and backward independently, the terminal joint part is twisted to disconnect this connection. That is, by driving one of the left wheel 102a and the right wheel 102b toward the retraction side (wheel accommodation side) from the state shown in Figure 20A , one side of the main body 104 sinks, and a shearing force can be applied to the joint surface of the charging terminal 510 and the power supply terminal 520 to separate the two terminals. After disconnecting the connection between the two terminals, the front wheels 102 are restored to the extended state and made to advance, whereby the robot 100 can exit the charging station 500. Such a retraction operation is like the robot 100 wiggling its buttocks to come out of the nest, and can simultaneously show biological behavior and cuteness.

[0175] As described above, the robot 100, the charging station 500, and the charging system 10 including them have been described based on the embodiments. According to the charging station 500, even if the entry angle of the robot 100 deviates, the rear wheel 103 can be naturally induced to the target position P1 by utilizing the inertia and gravity (self-weight) accompanying the rotation of the rear wheel 103. That is, the upper surface of the base 504 includes an inclined surface that gives the incoming rear wheel 103 a gravitational component toward the target position P1, so the rotation direction of the rear wheel 103 and thus the traveling direction of the robot 100 are naturally corrected. By using the shape of the base 504 itself to undertake the induction of the wheels, it can be simply realized.

[0176] It should be noted that the present invention is not limited to the above embodiments and modification examples, and the constituent elements can be deformed within the scope not departing from the technical spirit to be embodied. Various inventions can also be formed by appropriately combining a plurality of constituent elements disclosed in the above embodiments and modification examples. In addition, several constituent elements can also be removed from all the constituent elements shown in the above embodiments and modification examples.

[0177] In the above embodiments, as Figure 16AAs shown, it is exemplified that a magnet 558 (permanent magnet) is used to fix the charging terminal 510 and the power supply terminal 520. In a modified example, an electromagnet can also be used instead of the permanent magnet. During charging, the electromagnet is kept energized, and the power supply is stopped before the robot 100 exits the charging station 500, so that the separation between the two terminals can be easily achieved. As in the above-described embodiment, the connection between the two terminals can be released without performing the operation of twisting the main body 104.

[0178] In the above-described embodiment, as shown in FIG. 20, it is exemplified that the robot 100 is tilted to apply a shearing force to the joint surface between the charging terminal 510 and the power supply terminal 520 to separate the two terminals. In a modified example, the terminal unit 550 can also be moved in such a way as to apply a shearing force to the joint surface between the charging terminal 510 and the power supply terminal 520, thereby separating the two terminals. The terminal unit 550 in FIG. 15 is assembled to the support member 564 and is formed to be rotatable about the rotation axis 566. In a modified example, a rotation axis extending in a direction orthogonal to the rotation axis 566 (for example, a rotation axis extending in the front-rear direction of the support member 564) is added, and when the two terminals are separated, the support member 564 is rotated about this rotation axis. Thus, even if the robot 100 is not changed to a tilted posture, a shearing force can be applied to the joint surface between the charging terminal 510 and the power supply terminal 520.

[0179] In the above-described embodiment, as Figure 3 shown, rotation axes 378 and actuators 379 are respectively provided for the left wheel 102a and the right wheel 102b so that the forward and backward driving of each wheel can be controlled independently. In a modified example, a common rotation axis and actuator for the left and right wheels can also be provided and the forward and backward driving can be performed integrally. In this case, it is difficult to twist the main body 104 of the robot 100, but the main body 104 can be swung up and down. Therefore, even if the two terminals are fixed by a permanent magnet, the fixing can be released. However, the operation of twisting the main body 104 as in the above-described embodiment is preferable in that it is easy to effectively apply a shearing force to the connection surface of the two terminals.

[0180] In the above-described embodiment, as a self-cleaning mechanism for the power supply terminal, a structure is exemplified in which the power supply terminal is rotated around an axis by the pressing force from the charging terminal and rotates and slides relative to the charging terminal. In a modified example, a structure in which the power supply terminal slides linearly by the pressing force from the charging terminal can also be adopted. For example, it can also be configured such that the front end of the power supply terminal is a conical surface, and as the charging terminal is displaced in the axial direction, the power supply terminal receives forces in the axial direction and the right-angled direction.

[0181] In the above-described embodiment, as Figure 9As shown, a backrest - type member is provided as the back panel 508 at the charging station 500, demonstrating the rest of the robot 100 during charging. In a modified example, a member that plays the role of a background can also be configured as the back panel. For example, the nest can be visualized by simulating plants, etc. It is also possible to demonstrate the appearance of two robots 100 returning to a nest to relax. Thus, the user concept of "robot charging" can be diluted, and the sense of life of the robot 100 can be enhanced. In addition, it can be set to be able to replace a variety of panels according to seasons, etc., and moderately change the image. The fixed member 509 can be used as a common member to assemble back panels of various forms.

[0182] In the above - described embodiment, the object of calibration implemented by the reference - value providing unit 524 is set as the thermosensor. In a modified example, it can also be set as other sensors included in the internal sensor 128, such as a distance - measuring sensor, a shape - measuring sensor (depth sensor), etc. The reference - value providing unit 524 outputs the reference value of the measurement object of the sensor.

[0183] In the above - described embodiment, the front end of the pin terminal 521 constituting the power - supply terminal 520 is set to a spherical shape (hemispherical shape), but it can also be set to a flat shape. The connection surface (abutting surface) on the charging - terminal 510 side is also set to be flat, etc., according to the shape of the power - supply terminal 520, and a complementary shape can be set.

[0184] In the above - described embodiment, as shown in FIG. 14, for the structure of the terminal unit 550, a scheme is exemplified in which a magnet 558 is arranged at the center of the front end portion and a plurality of pin terminals 521 are arranged around it. In a modified example, conversely, a power - supply terminal (one power - supply terminal or pin terminals divided into a plurality) can be arranged at the center of the front end portion and magnets can be arranged around or on both sides of it. It should be noted that according to the configuration of the above - described embodiment, the terminal unit looks like a button, etc. when viewed from the front, and may contribute to the demonstration in terms of design elements.

[0185] In the above - described embodiment, a scheme is exemplified in which the end face of the charging terminal 510 on the robot 100 side is set to a concave shape and the end face of the power - supply terminal 520 on the charging - station 500 side is set to a convex shape. In a modified example, conversely, on the one hand, the end face of the charging terminal can be set to a convex shape, and on the other hand, the end face of the power - supply terminal can be set to a concave shape, and the two are set to be substantially complementary shapes. However, in the normal usage mode, the concave surface is less likely to be soiled and damaged than the convex surface. Therefore, it is preferable to set the charging terminal on the robot side, where the environmental change is large, to a concave shape (including a concave spherical shape).

[0186] In the above-described embodiment, an example is shown in which the robot 100 is charged while maintaining a standing state (while keeping the wheels extended). In a modified example, the robot may be set to be charged in a crouched state (with the wheels retracted). Thereby, it is easy to represent behaviors such as the robot sleeping and obtain a role-playing effect. On the other hand, considering that the robot is likely to generate heat due to rapid charging, it is preferable to form a gap between the wheels and the main body 104 by exposing the wheels to ensure ventilation inside and outside the main body 104.

[0187] In the above-described embodiment, an example is shown in which the wheel (the rear wheel 103) climbing on the base 504 is one wheel. In a modified example, it may also be set to two wheels. Specifically, the wheels of the robot may be four wheels, and two of them may be driven wheels composed of casters. Further, in the above-described embodiment, the wheel climbing on the base 504 is set as the rear wheel of the robot, but it may also be set as the front wheel. In this case, the rear wheel is set as the driving wheel and the front wheel is set as the driven wheel.

[0188] In the above-described embodiment, an example is shown in which the wheel (the rear wheel 103) climbing on the base 504 is a caster. The axle of the caster is offset from the axis of the main shaft (rotation axis), that is, it has a track. Through this track, it is easy to make the rotation of the wheel quickly follow the traveling direction. Therefore, it is easy to guide the wheel along the three-dimensional curved surface shape of the base 504 to the direction of the gravity component. In other words, it can be said that such a three-dimensional curved surface shape effectively utilizes the properties of such a caster. In a modified example, a wheel that is not a caster may also be used, that is, a wheel whose axle is located on the axis of the main shaft (rotation axis) may also be used. Even if the effect similar to that of the caster cannot be obtained, the induction using the gravity component can be achieved.

[0189] In the above-described embodiment, the reference entry line is set to be linear, connecting the target position and a specific position on the front side (the large front side) of its entrance side. In a modified example, it may also be set to be linear, connecting a specific position on the entrance side diagonally in front as observed from the target position and the target position. Especially when, as in the above-described embodiment, multiple robots can enter the charging station simultaneously, by separating the specific positions on the entrance side of each charging space, interference between the robots can be prevented. Further, when the base can be configured to be larger, the reference entry line may also include a curved portion. That is, the "reference entry line" does not have to be a straight line. It should be noted that the left and right sides of the reference entry line on the base are set to be inclined surfaces including a three-dimensional curved surface shape that gives the incoming wheel a gravity component toward the reference entry line side.

[0190] In the above-described embodiment, a structure in which only the rear wheels of the robot climb on the base of the charging station is exemplified. In a modified example, a structure in which not only the rear wheels but also the front wheels climb may be employed. The same applies to the case where the robot starts climbing the base from the front wheels. In this case, the flat portion on the base entrance side is made large. In particular, in the case where the base itself is lightweight and unstable, the base can be stabilized by bearing the entire weight of the robot. It should be noted that in the above-described embodiment, the unit main body 512 has sufficient weight, so there is no particular need to make the above settings.

[0191] Although not described in the above-described embodiment, it is also possible to measure (monitor) the temperature that rises during charging of the charging station. The charging station includes a charge control unit that manages the charging state. The charge control unit can perform charge control such as suppressing power supply when the measured temperature exceeds a preset upper limit temperature.

[0192] Although not described in the above-described embodiment, the timing for charging the battery 118 may be set to a timing when the remaining battery level is below a set value. Alternatively, it may be set at regular intervals (a schedule), for example, every 45 minutes, regardless of the remaining battery level.

Claims

1. A charging station for charging a robot that travels by wheels, characterized in that, Comprising: A base having an upper surface for the wheels to climb; A power supply terminal connected to the charging terminal of the robot; and A terminal unit that supports the power supply terminal for relative displacement, A target position is set in the depth side area of the upper surface of the base, and a reference entry line connecting a specific position on the entrance side and the target position is also set on the upper surface of the base, The upper surface of the base includes an inclined surface having a three-dimensional curved surface shape that gives the incoming wheels a gravitational component toward the reference entry line side, The power supply terminal is connected to the charging terminal in a state where the wheel reaches the target position, The charging station further includes a charging circuit and an induction unit, The induction unit includes a transmitting circuit that outputs an induction signal for guiding the robot to the charging station, The reference entry line continuously has an upward slope and a downward slope from the specific position to the target position, The upward slope is gentler than the downward slope, The terminal unit allows the power supply terminal to slide relative to the charging terminal by the force received when the power supply terminal is connected to the charging terminal through the charging terminal, The terminal unit includes: A main body extending toward the entrance side of the base; and A terminal support portion that is supported to rotate about the axis of the main body and also supports the power supply terminal around the axis.

2. The charging station according to claim 1, wherein: The upper surface of the base includes a three-dimensional curved surface shape that inclines downward on both sides of the reference entry line toward the reference entry line.

3. The charging station according to claim 2, wherein: The upper surface of the base includes a shape in which the slopes on the left and right sides on both sides become larger in the depth direction within the depth range of the upward slope.

4. The charging station according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein: A wheel receiving portion including the target position is provided in the depth side area of the base, The wheel receiving portion is positioned in such a way that contact pressure acts between the charging terminal and the power supply terminal in a state of receiving the wheel.

5. The charging station according to claim 4, wherein: The power supply terminal is supported on the base in a manner that can be displaced in cooperation with the charging terminal.

6. The charging station according to claim 5, wherein: The power supply terminal and the charging terminal are detachably connected by a magnet.

7. The charging station according to claim 1, wherein: The power supply terminal includes a plurality of terminals, Each terminal is arranged around the axis.

8. The charging station according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein: The upper surface of the base has a region that slopes downward toward the entrance side and spreads in a fan shape.

9. A charging station for charging a robot that travels by wheels, characterized in that, Comprising: A base having an upper surface for the wheels to climb; A power supply terminal connected to the charging terminal of the robot; and A support mechanism that supports the power supply terminal, In the depth side area of the upper surface of the base, a guiding path with a limited width is provided to linearly guide the wheels toward the target position, The support mechanism includes: A rotating shaft provided on the base; A support member, disposed below the guiding path, is supported so as to be rotatable about the rotation axis; and A pair of terminal units, supported on the left and right of the support member, each including the power supply terminal, The charging station is configured such that, when the robot enters the charging station obliquely, the support member rotates clockwise or counterclockwise by the pressing force generated by the charging terminal that arrives first among the pair of charging terminals, facilitating the connection between the charging terminal on the later-arriving side among the pair of charging terminals and the power supply terminal.

10. The charging station according to claim 9, wherein The terminal unit includes a plurality of terminals as the power supply terminals, The terminal unit supports the plurality of terminals so as to be slidable in the terminal connection direction.

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