Thin portable communication terminal, control method thereof, and control program

Abstract

The present invention provides a portable communication terminal comprising: a rectangular parallelepiped housing; a pair of arms, one end of which is pivotally supported so as to freely rotate relative to both side surfaces of the housing's long sides; hands, each provided at the other end of the pair of arms; a foot, each provided at one side surface of the housing's short sides and capable of autonomous movement; a rotary motor for rotating a rotary shaft pivotally supported on one end of the pair of arms; a camera unit provided on a main surface of the housing; and a control unit for controlling the rotary motor. The control unit determines whether a charger is included in an image captured by the camera unit. If the image is not included, the control unit drives the rotary motor to change the vertical viewing angle of the camera unit to search for the charger.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a thin portable communication terminal which can also act as a robot and can be automatically charged, and a control method and a control program thereof. Background Art

[0002] Various approaches have long been employed to make mobile phones, which are often considered personal items, more user-friendly and personalized. For example, Patent Document 1 discloses a thin portable communication terminal that maintains its thin form factor while also functioning as a robot. Furthermore, Patent Document 2 discloses a technology for an autonomously moving cleaning machine that sequentially communicates with a charger. If communication with the charger is interrupted, the machine returns to the location where communication was last established, thereby returning the machine to the charger.

[0003]

Prior Technical Literature

[0004] [Patent Literature]

[0005] [Patent Document 1] PCT / JP2019 / 023711

[0006] [Patent Document 2] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2006-236333 Summary of the Invention

[0007] [Problems to be solved by the invention]

[0008] However, when a thin portable communication terminal such as that described in Patent Document 1 is used as a robot, it will naturally consume electricity. Therefore, it is desirable to adopt a structure that allows automatic charging in such a thin portable communication terminal. Therefore, it is possible to consider giving the charger a communication function to communicate with the thin portable communication terminal, thereby guiding the charging to the charger, as described in Patent Document 2. However, there is a problem that it is difficult to adopt the structure of Patent Document 2 when implementing it using the existing OS or applications for thin portable communication terminals and using existing communication devices such as smartphones.

[0009] Therefore, the present invention has been made in view of the above-mentioned problems, and an object thereof is to provide a thin portable communication terminal that can also be driven as an automatically rechargeable robot, and a control method and control program thereof.

[0010]

Methods for solving the problem

[0011] To address the aforementioned issues, one embodiment of the present invention relates to a thin portable communication terminal comprising: a rectangular parallelepiped housing; a pair of arms, one end of which is pivotally supported so as to freely rotate relative to both side surfaces of the housing's long sides; a hand disposed at the other end of each of the pair of arms; a foot disposed on one side surface of the housing's short sides and capable of autonomous movement; a rotary motor for rotating a rotary shaft pivotally supported on one end of each of the pair of arms; a camera disposed on a main surface of the housing; and a control unit for controlling the rotary motor. The control unit determines whether a charger is included in an image captured by the camera unit. If the image is not included, the control unit drives the rotary motor to change the vertical viewing angle of the camera unit to search for the charger.

[0012] In a control method for a thin portable communication terminal involved in one embodiment of the present invention, the thin portable communication terminal comprises: a rectangular shell; a pair of arms with one end supported by an axis so as to be freely rotatable relative to the two side surfaces of the long side of the shell; a hand respectively provided at the other end of the pair of arms; a foot provided on one side surface of the short side of the shell and capable of moving independently; a rotating motor for rotating the rotating shaft of the arm respectively supported by the axis at one end of the pair of arms; a camera unit provided on the main surface of the shell; and a control unit for controlling the rotating motor, the control method comprising: a camera step in which the camera unit performs camera shooting; a determination step in which a charger is included in a camera image obtained by the camera step; a perspective changing step in which the rotating motor is driven to change the perspective of the camera unit in the vertical direction if it is determined that the charger is not included; a moving step in which the camera moves toward the charger if the charger is included in the camera image; and a charging step in which the charger is charged.

[0013] In addition, a control program involved in one embodiment of the present invention enables a computer of a thin portable communication terminal to implement functions, wherein the thin portable communication terminal comprises: a rectangular shell; a pair of arms whose one end is axially supported so as to rotate freely relative to the two side surfaces of the long side of the shell; a hand respectively arranged at the other end of the pair of arms; a foot respectively arranged on one side surface of the short side of the shell and capable of moving independently; a rotating motor for rotating the rotating shaft of the arm respectively supported by the axis at one end of the pair of arms; a camera portion provided on the main surface of the shell; and a control portion for controlling the rotating motor, the functions of which include: a camera function for causing the camera portion to perform camera shooting; a determination function for determining whether the charger is included in the camera image obtained by the camera function; a perspective changing function for driving the rotating motor to change the perspective of the camera portion in the up and down directions when it is determined that the charger is not included; a moving function for moving toward the charger when the charger is included in the camera image; and a charging function for receiving charging based on the charger.

[0014] In addition, in the above-mentioned thin portable communication terminal, the foot may also include: a first rotating axis with the short side direction of the shell as the axial direction; a second rotating axis coaxial with the first rotating axis; a right wheel arranged at one end of the first rotating axis; a left wheel arranged at one end of the second rotating axis; a first traveling motor arranged at the other end of the first rotating axis and driving the right wheel; a second traveling motor arranged at the other end of the second rotating axis and driving the left wheel; the control unit further drives the first traveling motor and the second traveling motor when it is determined that the camera image taken by the camera unit does not include the charger, changes the left and right viewing angle of the camera unit, and explores the charger.

[0015] Furthermore, in the above-mentioned thin portable communication terminal, when the control unit determines that the charger is included in the captured image, the control unit may drive the first and second traveling motors toward the charger based on the position of the charger in the captured image.

[0016] In the above-mentioned thin portable communication terminal, the imaging unit may also sequentially capture images while moving toward the charger, and the control unit may rotate the rotary motor so that the charger is included in the captured image each time the imaging unit captures images.

[0017] Furthermore, in the above-mentioned thin portable communication terminal, the control unit may stop the first traveling motor and the second traveling motor when the rotation angle of the rotating motor reaches a predetermined angle.

[0018] In the above-mentioned thin portable communication terminal, the control unit may stop the first and second traveling motors when a predetermined object provided in the charger is present in the image captured by the imaging unit.

[0019] Furthermore, the thin portable communication terminal may further include a storage battery and a charging unit for charging the storage battery with electric power, wherein the charging unit charges the storage battery by receiving contactless electric power supply from a charger.

[0020] Effects of the Invention

[0021] A thin portable communication terminal according to one embodiment of the present invention is configured such that the thin portable communication terminal includes hands and legs and the legs are configured to be autonomously movable. This provides a portable communication terminal that can operate as a robot without sacrificing portability. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0022] Figure 1 (a) is a perspective view showing the appearance of the portable communication terminal as viewed from the front side. Figure 1 (b) is a perspective view showing the appearance of the portable communication terminal as viewed from the back side.

[0023] Figure 2 (a) is a plan view of the portable communication terminal. Figure 2 (b) is a top view of the portable communication terminal. Figure 2 (c) is a bottom view of the portable communication terminal.

[0024] Figure 3 It is a left side view of the portable communication terminal.

[0025] Figure 4 (a) and (b) are external views showing driving examples of the portable communication terminal.

[0026] Figure 5 This is a block diagram showing an example of the functional configuration of a portable communication terminal.

[0027] Figure 6 This is a flowchart showing an example of the operation during automatic charging of a portable communication terminal.

[0028] Figure 7 (a) to (c) are diagrams showing the relationship between the viewing angle and the charger when viewed from the side of the portable communication terminal.

[0029] Figure 8 (a) and (b) are diagrams showing the relationship between the viewing angle and the charger when viewed from the top surface of the portable communication terminal.

[0030] Figure 9 (a) to (c) are diagrams showing examples of charger states. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0031] <Implementation Method>

[0032] The portable communication terminal 100 is a thin portable communication device, such as a smartphone or tablet terminal, that can also function as a robot, and is also called a mobile portable terminal. This embodiment describes a method for automatically charging the device while utilizing existing software in the portable communication terminal and minimizing the need for new components. An example of the portable communication terminal of this embodiment is described below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0033] Structure

[0034] <Structure of Portable Communication Terminal 100>

[0035] First, use Figures 1 to 3 , the structure of the portable communication terminal 100 is described. Figure 1 (a) is a perspective view of the portable communication terminal 100 when viewed from the front side. Figure 1(b) is a perspective view of the portable communication terminal 100 when viewed from the back side. Figure 2 (a) is a plan view of the portable communication terminal 100 when viewed from the front. Figure 2 (b) is a top view of the portable communication terminal 100. Figure 2 (c) is a bottom view of the portable communication terminal 100. Then, Figure 3 (a) is a left side view of the portable communication terminal 100, Figure 3 (b) is a right side view of the portable communication terminal 100.

[0036] like Figures 1 to 3 As shown, the portable communication terminal 100 comprises: a rectangular shell 10; a pair of arms 11, 12, one end of which is supported by two side surfaces relative to the long side so as to be freely rotatable; hands 11d, 12d provided at the other ends of the pair of arms 11, 12; and a foot 13 provided on one side surface of the short side of the shell 10 and capable of moving independently.

[0037] like Figure 2 As shown, the housing 10 of the portable communication terminal 100 includes a rotating motor 15 therein, which rotates the rotating shaft 11a freely in a clockwise and counterclockwise direction. The rotating motor 15 is driven by power supplied from the power supply (not shown) of the portable communication terminal 100 and is controlled by the control unit 190 of the portable communication terminal 100 (details of which will be described later). The rotating shaft 11a is connected (fixed) to one end of the arm plate 11b. The arm plate 11b is a flat plate-shaped component parallel to the side surface of the long side of the housing 10. The rotating shaft 11a is rotated by the rotating motor 15, thereby causing the arm plate 11b to also rotate around the rotating shaft 11a. The rotating shaft 11c is connected (fixed) to the other end of the arm plate 11b. The hand 11d is connected to the rotating shaft 11c so that it can rotate freely. The hand 11d can rotate freely relative to the rotating shaft 11c. The arm 11 functions as the left arm in the portable communication terminal 100.

[0038] Similarly, the housing 10 of the portable communication terminal 100 is internally provided with a rotating motor 16, which rotates the rotating shaft 12a freely in a clockwise and counterclockwise direction. Like the rotating motor 15, the rotating motor 16 is driven by power supplied from the power supply (not shown) of the portable communication terminal 100 and is controlled by the control unit 190 (details will be described later) of the portable communication terminal 100. The rotating shaft 12a is connected (fixed) to one end of the arm plate 12b. The arm plate 12b is a flat plate-shaped component parallel to the side surface of the long side of the housing 10. The rotating shaft 12a rotates with the aid of the rotating motor 16, thereby causing the arm plate 12b to also rotate around the rotating shaft 12a. A rotating shaft 12c is connected (fixed) to the other end of the arm plate 12b. A hand 12d is connected to the rotating shaft 12c in a freely rotatable manner. The hand 11d is freely rotatable relative to the rotating shaft 11c. The arm portion 11 functions as a right arm in the portable communication terminal 100 .

[0039] The portable communication terminal 100 has a protrusion 13a configured to protrude from the housing 10. Figure 2 As shown, the protrusion 13a has a first travel motor 13d and a second travel motor 13f inside. The first travel motor 13d is driven by the power supplied from the power supply of the portable communication terminal 100, thereby freely rotating the rotation shaft 13e. The second travel motor 13f is driven by the power supplied from the power supply of the portable communication terminal 100, thereby freely rotating the rotation shaft 13g. The first travel motor 13d and the second travel motor 13f are controlled independently. Figure 2 It can be understood that the rotation axis 13 e and the rotation axis 13 g are both axes parallel to the short sides of the housing 10 .

[0040] The right wheel 13b is connected (fixed) to the rotating shaft 13e, and rotates as the rotating shaft 13e rotates. Similarly, the left wheel 13c is connected (fixed) to the rotating shaft 13g, and rotates as the rotating shaft 13g rotates. The protrusion 13a, the first and second travel motors 13d and 13f provided on the protrusion 13a, the rotating shafts 13e and 13g, and the right and left wheels 13b and 13c rotated by the rotating shafts constitute the leg 13.

[0041] like Figures 1 to 3 As shown, the leg 13 is configured to be located between the hand 11 d and the hand 12 d when the arm 11 is in an overlapping position with respect to the housing 10 as viewed from the side.

[0042] In addition, if Figure 3As shown, the portable communication terminal 100 is configured to have a flat plate shape when the arm portion 12 is in a position overlapping the housing 10. This also applies to the arm portion 11. Specifically, the width L2 of the arm plate 12b of the arm portion 12 is configured to be less than the thickness L1 of the housing 10. Therefore, the arm plate 12b is configured to be thinner than the housing 10 in the thickness direction of the housing 10, making the portable communication terminal 100 as a whole compact. This also applies to the arm portion 11.

[0043] Furthermore, the size of hand 12d, i.e., diameter L3, is also configured to be less than or equal to the thickness L1 of housing 10. The diameter of hand 11d is also configured to be less than or equal to the thickness L1 of housing 10, with hand 11d having the same diameter as hand 12d. By making hands 11d and 12d smaller than or equal to the thickness of housing 10, the entire portable communication terminal 100 can be made thinner, thereby improving the portability of portable communication terminal 100.

[0044] Such a portable communication terminal 100 can be used, for example, as Figure 4 Drive in the manner shown. Figure 4 An operation example of the mobile communication terminal 100 is shown. Figure 4 (a) shows an example of the portable communication terminal 100 being in motion. Figure 4 As shown in (a), the portable communication terminal 100 can move (drive) by using the right wheel 13b and the left wheel 13c of the foot 13 as a power source. At this time, the portable communication terminal 100 can be moved in a stable state by using the hands 11d and 12d as auxiliary wheels in contact with the ground. In addition, Figure 4 In the example (a), the hands 11d and 12d are placed on the back side of the portable communication terminal 100 and in contact with the ground, but they may be placed on the front side. In other words, the portable communication terminal 100 may be moved with the arms in front.

[0045] in addition, Figure 4 (b) shows another example of the portable communication terminal 100. By using the motors of the right wheel 13b and the left wheel 13c and the balance control based on the arms 11 and 12 (so-called inverted pendulum), the portable communication terminal 100 can stand up independently, display a face or body on its display, and swing the arms 11 and 12, thereby being able to behave as a robot. Figure 4 As shown in (b), the portable communication terminal 100 utilizes the principle of an inverted pendulum (inverted oscillator) and can stand autonomously or move in this state.

[0046] Functional Structure

[0047] As mentioned above, the portable communication terminal 100 is a portable communication terminal such as a common smart phone or tablet terminal. Figure 1 (a) Figure 2 As shown in (a), a touch panel that functions as an input unit 130 and a display unit 140 is provided on its surface, and an imaging unit 160, that is, a camera is provided. Figure 1 As shown in (b) of FIG. 1 , the camera unit 160 may be further provided on the back side (the surface opposite to the surface provided with the display unit 140) of the portable communication terminal 100. The functional configuration of the portable communication terminal 100 will be described below.

[0048] Figure 5 1 is a block diagram showing an example of the functional configuration of the portable communication terminal 100. Figure 5 As shown, the portable communication terminal 100 includes a communication unit 110 , a storage unit 120 , an input unit 130 , a display unit 140 , an audio output unit 150 , an imaging unit 160 , a power supply unit 170 , a charging unit 180 , and a control unit 190 .

[0049] Communication unit 110 is a communication interface capable of receiving information from other devices via a network. Communication unit 110 transmits the received information to control unit 190. Furthermore, communication unit 110 transmits information instructed by control unit 190 to external devices. Communication unit 110 can send and receive electronic information such as email when functioning as a portable communication terminal, website information when browsing the Internet, and voice signals when making phone calls.

[0050] The storage unit 120 stores various programs and data necessary for the operation of the portable communication terminal 100. This storage unit 120 can be implemented using various storage media, such as an HDD (Hard Disc Drive), an SSD (Solid State Drive), or a flash memory. The storage unit 120 stores an operating program 121 for operating the portable communication terminal 100 as a robot. This operating program 121 includes processing for searching for a charger capable of wirelessly charging the portable communication terminal 100 and moving to the charger's location.

[0051] The input unit 130 has the function of accepting input from the user. The input unit 320 can be implemented, for example, by a touch panel, but is not limited to a touch panel. The input unit 130 transmits the input received from the user to the control unit 190. The input unit 130 can also accept voice input, in which case the input unit 130 can be implemented by a microphone. Alternatively, the input unit 130 can be implemented by other hardware buttons.

[0052] The audio output unit 150 has a function of outputting audio signals in response to instructions from the control unit 190. The audio output unit 150 can be implemented, for example, by a speaker. For example, the audio output unit 150 can be configured to output audio representing the robot's dialogue. Furthermore, the audio output unit 150 can also output audio related to phone calls.

[0053] The imaging unit 160 is a camera that captures surroundings according to instructions from the input unit 130 and the control unit 190. Although the camera is provided on the front side of the portable communication terminal 100 in this embodiment, it may be provided on the back side or on both sides.

[0054] The power supply unit 170 is a battery having a function of supplying electric power for driving each unit of the portable communication terminal 100. The power supply unit 170 is a rechargeable battery and is typically implemented by a lithium-ion battery, but is not limited thereto.

[0055] The charging unit 180 has a function of receiving transmission power output from an external charger (wireless charger) and charging the power supply unit 170 with the received power. The external charger performs charging by contactless charging.

[0056] The control unit 190 is a component that controls the various components of the portable communication terminal 100. For example, it can be implemented by a central processing unit (CPU), a microprocessor, an ASIC, an FPGA, etc. In addition, the control unit 190 is not limited to these examples, and can be any component as long as it has the function of controlling the portable communication terminal 100. The control unit 190 realizes the functions that should be realized by the portable communication terminal 100 by reading and executing various programs including the action program 121 stored in the storage unit 120. The control unit 190 executes the process of moving to the charger and charging under specified conditions. In addition, the control unit 190 can execute the process corresponding to the content of the instruction based on the user's instruction input from the input unit 130. In addition, the control unit 190 can process the information transmitted from the communication unit 110.

[0057] The control unit 190 performs functions to be realized by the portable communication terminal 100 and includes a drive control unit 191 and a determination unit 192 .

[0058] When the portable communication terminal 100 functions as a robot, the drive control unit 191 controls the arms 11, 12, and legs 13. Based on motion information 123 specifying a predetermined motion pattern, the drive control unit 191 controls the rotary motor 15 that moves the arm 11, the rotary motor 16 that moves the arm 12, the first travel motor 13d that moves the right wheel 13b, and the second travel motor 13f that moves the left wheel 13c, thereby causing the portable communication terminal 100 to operate like a robot. For example, the drive control unit 191 can cause the portable communication terminal 100 to move forward by rotating the first and second travel motors 13d, 13f counterclockwise when viewed from the right side, and to move the portable communication terminal 100 backward by rotating them clockwise when viewed from the right side. Furthermore, the drive control unit 191 can cause the portable communication terminal 100 to rotate in place by rotating the first and second travel motors 13d, 13f in opposite directions. Furthermore, the drive control unit 191 controls the rotary motor 15 that moves the arm 11 and the rotary motor 16 that moves the arm 12, thereby changing the angle between the main surface of the portable communication terminal 100 including the imaging unit 160 and the ground, thereby changing the vertical viewing angle (imaging direction) of the imaging unit 160. Furthermore, the horizontal viewing angle (imaging direction) can be changed by rotating the right wheel 13b and the left wheel 13c.

[0059] Determination unit 192 determines whether a charger capable of charging power supply unit 170 of portable communication terminal 100 is present in the image captured by imaging unit 160. Determination unit 192 determines whether the captured image contains a charger based on whether a mark provided on the charger is present in the captured image. However, the method for determining whether the captured image contains a charger is not limited to this method. Other methods will be described later as variations.

[0060] The above is the functional configuration of the portable communication terminal 100 .

[0061] Action

[0062] Figure 6 This is a flowchart showing an example of the operation of the automatic charging process performed by the mobile communication terminal 100 .

[0063] The portable communication terminal 100 can be moved to the charger and charged under various conditions. The various conditions may include, for example, the passage of a predetermined time without input from the user of the portable communication terminal 100, the power level of the power supply unit 170 falling below a predetermined threshold, or random conditions.

[0064] When the control unit 190 of the portable communication terminal 100 determines to execute charging, the drive control unit 191 stands the portable communication terminal 100 in an upright state (step S601 ).

[0065] The control unit 190 causes the imaging unit 160 to perform imaging (step S602 ). The imaging unit 160 transmits the captured image to the control unit 190 .

[0066] Determination unit 192 determines whether a charger is present in the transmitted camera image (step S603). If determination unit 192 determines that a charger is not present in the camera image (step S603: NO), control unit 190 determines whether the camera has been captured at all angles of arms 11 and 12 (step S607). Here, capturing images at all angles of arms 11 and 12 may be performed to determine whether all predetermined angles have been captured, thereby enabling a relatively complete vertical image capture of portable communication terminal 100.

[0067] If imaging is being performed at all arm angles (YES in step S607), the drive control unit 191 rotates the right wheel 13b and the left wheel 13c in opposite directions by predetermined angles, thereby rotating the portable communication terminal 100 body by the predetermined angle (step S608), and the process returns to step S602. If imaging is being performed at all arm angles (NO in step S607), the drive control unit 191 rotates the rotary motors 15 and 16 of the arms 11 and 12 by predetermined angles (step S609), thereby changing the vertical imaging direction of the imaging unit 160 of the portable communication terminal 100. The process then returns to step S602.

[0068] On the other hand, if the determination unit 192 determines that a charger is present in the captured image (YES in step S603), the control unit 190 determines whether the charger in the captured image satisfies a predetermined condition (step S604). The predetermined condition refers to a condition for determining whether the portable communication terminal 100 is within the range for receiving wireless power from the charger. For example, the conditions may be that the mark is captured in the captured image to a predetermined size or larger, and that the angles of the arms 11 and 12 are at a predetermined angle (the portable communication terminal 100 is in a state similar to a lying position). The state in which the angles of the arms 11 and 12 are at a predetermined angle similar to a lying position, thereby enabling the mark to be captured to a predetermined size or larger, can be said to be a state in which the portable communication terminal 100 is located almost directly above the mark provided on the charger, and is therefore sufficiently close to the charger.

[0069] When it is determined that the charger in the camera image does not meet the specified conditions (NO in step S604), the drive control unit 191 drives the first travel motor 13d and the second travel motor 13f to move a specified distance toward the charger (step S606), and returns to the process of step S602. When it is determined that the charger in the camera image meets the specified conditions (YES in step S604), the drive control unit 191 controls the arms 11 and 12 so that the portable communication terminal 100 is in a lying state, and the charging unit 180 receives wireless power from the charger and performs charging of the power supply unit 170 (step S605). Then, if charging is completed, the process is terminated. The above is a description of the automatic charging process performed by the portable communication terminal 100. In addition, Figure 6 While the method uses a camera that captures images every time the vehicle moves a specified distance, the camera unit 160 can also capture moving images. Once the charger 70 is detected in the captured image, the drive control unit 191 of the control unit 190 controls the wheels and arms to approach the vehicle while automatically detecting the charger 70 in the captured image. As the vehicle approaches the charger 70, the camera unit 160 captures images further downward, resulting in a position similar to a lying position in front of the charger 70.

[0070] Reference Figure 7 , the processing of step S609 is specifically described, using Figure 8 , the processing of step S608 is explained in detail.

[0071] Figure 7 (a) to (c) are diagrams showing the relationship between the viewing angle and the charger when viewed from the side of the portable communication terminal. Figure 7 (a) shows a state where the portable communication terminal 100 is standing upright, and the dotted line in the figure shows the viewing angle (imaging range) of the imaging unit 160 in the vertical direction. Figure 7 In the case shown in (a), the charger 70 is not included in the captured image. Figure 7 The viewing angles shown are just examples and are not limited to these angles.

[0072] Figure 7 (b) shows a state where the portable communication terminal 100 is tilted from the upright state by an angle θ1 (tilted forward) by extending the arms 11 and 12 forward after the rotating motors 15 and 16 of the arms 11 and 12 are slightly rotated. Figure 7 The state shown in (a) can be transferred to Figure 7 Then, if Figure 7 In case (b), the charger 70 will be included in the captured image.

[0073] on the other hand, Figure 7 (c) means: from Figure 7 In the state shown in (b), by further rotating the rotating motors 15 and 16, the portable communication terminal 100 is tilted from the upright state by an angle θ2 to a state close to the lying state. Figure 7 In the case of (c), the charger 70 is not included in the captured image. Figure 7 In the example, although the portable communication terminal 100 is used, Figure 1 (b) shows an example of a case where the camera unit 160 on the back side explores the charger 70, but it is also possible to use Figure 1 The camera unit 160 on the surface side shown in (a) explores the charger 70, and both sides can also be used. When charging, the portable communication terminal 100 is basically placed on the charger 70 with the display unit 140 as the upper surface so that the power transmission antenna of the charger 70 and the power receiving antenna of the charging unit 180 of the portable communication terminal 100 are close to each other. To this end, by performing Figure 7 In the manner shown, the camera and the charger 70 are explored. When the portable communication terminal 100 reaches the charger 70, the display unit 140 can naturally be turned upward ( Figure 3 If charging can be performed while the device is placed with the display portion 140 as the lower surface, the device may be placed with the display portion 140 as the lower surface. However, if the device is placed with the display portion 140 as the upper surface, it is easier for the user to confirm notifications such as incoming mail. Therefore, it is relatively preferable to place the device with the display portion 140 as the upper surface.

[0074] Figure 8 , (a) and (b) are diagrams showing the relationship between the viewing angle and the charger when viewed from the top surface of the portable communication terminal. Figure 8 (a) is a diagram showing the relationship when viewed from the top, that is, the relationship between the charger 70 and the camera unit 160 of the portable communication terminal 100 from a viewing angle when the portable communication terminal 100 is in an upright state.

[0075] Figure 8 The dotted line shown in (a) represents the left-right viewing angle of the camera unit 160. Furthermore, as shown in the figure, a mark 71 is provided on the charger 70. To facilitate identification, the mark 71 may be a different color from the surrounding area or a conspicuous color, may be depicted with a special pattern, or may be made of a recursive reflective material. Figure 8, although a circular mark 71 is provided in the center of the charger 70, the shape of the mark 71 and the position of the mark 71 are not limited to the center of the charger 70. For example, the mark 71 may be square like a conventional QR code (registered trademark).

[0076] Figure 8 In the case shown in (a), the charger 70 is not included in the captured image.

[0077] On the other hand, from Figure 8 In the state shown in (a), by processing in step S608, the right wheel 13b is rotated backward and the left wheel 13c is rotated forward, as shown in FIG. Figure 8 (b) shows that Figure 8 The state of the camera 160 is rotated in the left-right direction by an angle θ3 from the state (a). In this way, the camera direction of the camera 160 can be changed in the left-right direction. Figure 8 In the state (b), the charger 70 is included in the captured image.

[0078] That is, Figure 7 as well as Figure 8 For example, in Figure 7 (b) and Figure 8 In the state (b), the determination unit 192 determines that the charger 70 is included in the captured image.

[0079] In this way, in the portable communication terminal 100, the angles of the up and down directions and the left and right directions can be changed by rotating the angles of the arms 11 and 12 and the right wheel 13b and the left wheel 13c, and the camera direction can be changed based on the camera unit 160, so that the charger can be explored based on the camera.

[0080] Summary of implementation plans

[0081] According to the portable communication terminal 100 according to the above-described embodiment, the imaging direction of the imaging unit 160 can be automatically changed by driving the arms 11 and 12, which correspond to arms. Therefore, even if the charger 70 does not have a communication function, the portable communication terminal 100, functioning as a robot, can detect the charger 70 and automatically move to the charger 70 for charging. While enabling the portable communication terminal 100 to freely operate as a robot naturally consumes power, the fact that the portable communication terminal 100 can perform charging itself reduces the burden on the user. Furthermore, with conventional portable communication terminals, if the user forgets to charge, they may be unable to use the device in an emergency. However, with the portable communication terminal 100 according to this embodiment, this concern is eliminated.

[0082] Modifications

[0083] The portable communication terminal according to the above embodiment is not limited to the above embodiment, and can be implemented in other forms. Various modifications will be described below.

[0084] (1) In the above embodiment, the charger 70 may include a communication unit for notifying the portable communication terminal 100 of the location of the charger 70, instead of the mark 71. Furthermore, the portable communication terminal 100 can communicate with the charger 70 to determine its positional relationship with the charger 70 and move to the charger 70 to perform charging.

[0085] Alternatively, the charger 70 may include an ultrasonic generator instead of a communication unit. In this case, the portable communication terminal 100 is configured to detect ultrasonic waves. Furthermore, the charger 70 can be located based on the ultrasonic reception intensity (the stronger the intensity, the closer the charger 70).

[0086] Alternatively, the charger 70 may be capable of infrared communication instead of an ultrasonic device. In this case, the portable communication terminal 100 may also maintain the infrared communication function and determine the positional relationship with the charger 70 .

[0087] (2) In the above embodiment, the charger 70 is described as having a mark 71 attached thereto to facilitate the portable communication terminal 100's detection. However, the charger 70 may also be provided without the mark 71. In this case, the portable communication terminal 100 retains information related to the appearance of the charger 70 (images of the charger 70 taken from multiple angles), and can determine whether the captured image includes the charger 70 by performing pattern matching with the captured image.

[0088] Alternatively, instead of marking 71, a pattern that can serve as a marking may be drawn on charger 70 itself. Portable communication terminal 100 can determine the location of charger 70 by reading this pattern. Alternatively, a configuration may be employed in which charger 70 itself is specially colored (based on a unique color that is not naturally present) and the presence of this color in the captured image is used to determine whether charger 70 is included in the captured image.

[0089] Alternatively, the mark 71 may be a QR code, and the QR code may include an instruction to initiate charging. The portable communication terminal 100 may also be configured to receive the instruction to initiate charging contained in the QR code and initiate charging from the charger 70 if the QR code is correctly read in the captured image. Accurately reading the QR code can be achieved by having the camera unit 160 capture the QR code as directly as possible. However, this can also be achieved by bringing the portable communication terminal 100 sufficiently close to the charger 70, or by positioning the portable communication terminal 100 as nearly as possible in a prone position, to capture the QR code. In this case, the portable communication terminal 100 can be said to be in a position capable of receiving charging power from the charger 70, and charging can proceed normally even after the charging process begins.

[0090] (3) In the above embodiment, Figure 6 The processing shown is from the state where the portable communication terminal 100 is standing up ( Figure 7 However, the process may also be started from the state where the mobile communication terminal 100 is tilted at a predetermined angle. In this case, the process in step S609 allows the arm to be rotated in a direction close to the upright state of the mobile communication terminal 100.

[0091] (4) In the above embodiment Figure 6 In the processing, the configuration is as follows: through the processing of steps S607 to S609, the camera direction is gradually changed in the vertical direction to perform imaging and search for a charger. If no charger is found, the camera direction is changed in the left-right direction and the camera direction is gradually changed in the vertical direction again to search for a charger. However, the configuration may be reversed. That is, the camera direction is gradually changed in the left-right direction. After performing imaging for a full circle, the vertical angle is slightly changed and imaging is performed again for a full circle.

[0092] (5) In the above embodiment, the charger 70 is formed in a flat plate shape. However, when the portable communication terminal 100 is located away from the charger 70, for example, Figure 9 As shown in (a) of FIG. 1 , it is possible to take a picture in a state where it is difficult to identify the charger 70 from the camera image. Therefore, the charger 70 may also be a three-dimensional structure. Figure 9 (b) or Figure 9As shown in (c) of FIG, the charger 70 includes a rising portion 72. The rising portion 72 may be colored in a special color different from the surrounding color, given a specific pattern, formed into a special shape, or made of a recursive (recursive) reflective material, so that the portable communication terminal 100 can recognize the presence of the charger 70 from the camera image. In this way, in order to make it easier for the portable communication terminal 100 to find the charger 70 from the camera image, the rising portion 72 may also be provided on the flat portion. In addition, as mentioned above, in addition, Figure 9 As shown in (c) of FIG. 8 , the mark 71 may be provided at a corner other than the center of the charger 70 , and the charger 70 may be provided with a plurality of marks 71 .

[0093] (6) The programs of each embodiment of the present disclosure may be provided in a state stored in a storage medium that can be read by a computer. The storage medium can store the program in a "non-temporary tangible medium". The storage medium can include any appropriate storage medium such as an HDD or SSD, or an appropriate combination of two or more of these. The storage medium may also be volatile, non-volatile, or a combination of volatile and non-volatile. In addition, the storage medium is not limited to these examples, and may be any device or medium as long as it can store the program.

[0094] Furthermore, the portable communication terminal 100 implements the functions of the various functional units described in each embodiment by, for example, reading a program stored in a storage medium and executing the read program. Alternatively, the program may be provided to the portable communication terminal 100 via any transmission medium (a communication network, broadcast waves, etc.). The portable communication terminal 100 implements the functions of the various functional units described in each embodiment by, for example, executing a program downloaded via a network or the like.

[0095] The program can be installed using, for example, a scripting language such as Action Script or Java Script (registered trademark), an object-oriented programming language such as Objective-C or Java (registered trademark), or a markup language such as HTML5.

[0096] At least a portion of the processing in the portable communication terminal 100 may also be implemented by cloud computing composed of one or more computers. In addition, each functional unit of the portable communication terminal 100 may be implemented by one or more circuits that implement the functions described in the above embodiments, or the functions of multiple functional units may be implemented by a single circuit.

[0097] (7) Although the embodiments of the present disclosure are described based on the various figures and examples, it should be noted that those skilled in the art can easily make various variations and modifications based on the present disclosure. Therefore, it should be noted that such variations and modifications are also included in the scope of the present disclosure. For example, the functions included in each means, each step, etc. can be reconfigured in a manner that does not cause logical contradictions, and multiple means or steps can be combined into one, or divided. In addition, the structures shown in the various embodiments can also be appropriately combined.

[0098]

Explanation of symbols

[0099] 100, 100a, 100b portable communication terminal

[0100] 10 shell

[0101] 11 Arm (left arm)

[0102] 11a Rotation axis

[0103] 11b armboard

[0104] 11c Rotation axis

[0105] 11d Hand

[0106] 12 Arm (right arm)

[0107] 12a Rotation axis

[0108] 12b armboard

[0109] 12c rotating shaft

[0110] 12d hand

[0111] 13. Feet

[0112] 13a protrusion

[0113] 13b right wheel

[0114] 13c revolver

[0115] 13d 1st driving motor

[0116] 13e rotation axis

[0117] 13f Second travel motor

[0118] 13g rotating shaft

[0119] 15, 16 Rotating motor

[0120] 110 Communications Department

[0121] 120 Storage Department

[0122] 130 Input unit

[0123] 140 display unit

[0124] 150 sound output unit

[0125] 160 Camera Department

[0126] 170 Power Supply Department

[0127] 180 Charging Department

[0128] 190 Control Department

Claims

1. A thin portable communication terminal, wherein: have: a rectangular parallelepiped shell; A pair of arms, one end of which is supported by a shaft so as to be freely rotatable relative to both side surfaces of the long sides of the housing; hands, each provided at the other end of the pair of arms; A foot, which is provided on one side of a short side of the shell and can move autonomously; a rotating motor for rotating a rotating shaft supporting the arm portion at the one end portion of the pair of arm portions; a camera unit disposed on the main surface of the housing; and a control unit for controlling the rotating motor; The control unit determines whether the charger is included in the image captured by the imaging unit, and if determined not to be included, drives the rotation motor to change the vertical viewing angle of the imaging unit to search for the charger.

2. The thin portable communication terminal according to claim 1, wherein: The foot has: a first rotation axis having a short side direction of the housing as an axial direction; a second rotation axis coaxial with the first rotation axis; a right wheel, which is arranged at one end of the first rotating shaft; a left wheel disposed at one end of the second rotating shaft; a first travel motor, which is provided at the other end of the first rotating shaft and drives the right wheel; a second travel motor, which is provided at the other end of the second rotating shaft and drives the left wheel; The control unit further drives the first and second travel motors when determining that the charger is not included in the image captured by the imaging unit, changes the left-right viewing angle of the imaging unit, and searches for the charger.

3. The thin portable communication terminal according to claim 2, wherein: When the control unit determines that the charger is included in the captured image, the control unit drives the first and second traveling motors toward the charger based on the position of the charger in the captured image.

4. The thin portable communication terminal according to claim 3, wherein: The camera unit also performs camera shooting in sequence while moving toward the charger. The control unit rotates the rotating motor so that the charger is included in the captured image every time the imaging unit captures an image.

5. The thin portable communication terminal according to claim 4, wherein: The control unit stops the first and second travel motors when the rotation angle of the rotating motor reaches a predetermined angle.

6. The thin portable communication terminal according to claim 4, wherein: The control unit stops the first and second traveling motors when a predetermined object provided in the charger is present in the image captured by the imaging unit.

7. The thin portable communication terminal according to claim 5 or 6, wherein: The thin portable communication terminal further comprises: batteries; and a charging unit for charging the battery with electricity, The charging unit receives contactless power supply from the charger to charge the stored electricity.

8. A control method for a thin portable communication terminal, wherein: The thin portable communication terminal comprises: a rectangular parallelepiped shell; A pair of arms, one end of which is supported by a shaft so as to be freely rotatable relative to both side surfaces of the long sides of the housing; hands, each provided at the other end of the pair of arms; A foot, which is provided on one side of a short side of the shell and is capable of moving autonomously; a rotating motor for rotating a rotating shaft supporting the arm portion at the one end portion of the pair of arm portions; a camera unit, which is provided on the main surface of the housing; as well as A control unit controls the rotating motor. The control method includes: a photographing step, wherein the photographing unit performs photographing; a determination step of determining whether the camera image obtained by the camera step includes a charger; a step of changing the angle of view of the camera unit, driving the rotary motor to change the angle of view in the vertical direction of the camera unit when it is determined that the camera unit is not included; a moving step of moving toward the charger when the charger is included in the camera image; and The charging step includes receiving charging from the charger.

9. A computer program product, characterized in that The computer program product includes a computer program code, which enables the computer of the thin portable communication terminal to implement functions when the computer program code is executed on the computer of the thin portable communication terminal, wherein: The thin portable communication terminal comprises: a rectangular parallelepiped housing; a pair of arms each having one end axially supported so as to be freely rotatable relative to both side surfaces of the long sides of the housing; hands each provided at the other end of the pair of arms; a foot each provided on one side surface of the short sides of the housing and capable of moving independently; a rotating motor for rotating a rotating shaft supporting the arm each at the one end of the pair of arms; a camera unit provided on the main surface of the housing; and a control unit for controlling the rotating motor. The features include: causing the camera unit to perform a camera function of taking a picture; a function for determining whether a charger is included in a camera image obtained by the camera function; A function of changing the viewing angle of the camera section in the vertical direction by driving the rotary motor when it is determined that the image is not included; A movement function of moving toward the charger when the charger is included in the camera image; and A charging function for receiving charging based on the charger.

Images