Accompanying robot with dynamic telescopic structure

Abstract

The invention relates to the technical field of robots, in particular to an accompanying robot with a dynamic telescopic structure, which comprises a main body, the main body is provided with a dynamic telescopic mechanism, the dynamic telescopic mechanism is used for driving an external structure to perform size change, and the dynamic telescopic mechanism comprises a central turntable. By arranging the dynamic telescopic mechanism, when the push rod moves outwards, the shell expands outwards to achieve growth of the robot, conversely, when the push rod retracts, the shell shrinks, so that the size of the robot is reduced, the size of the robot can be changed through a mechanical structure, growth type accompanying experience is provided, the robot has emotional interactivity, and the robot is more interesting. Through external interaction such as user feeding and task completion triggering form change, a long-term interaction relation is established between the robot and a user, a connecting rod type sliding groove mechanism is adopted, a complex sensor and an electric control system are not needed, and accurate form change can be achieved only through a mechanical structure.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to the technical field of robots, and particularly to a companion robot with a dynamic telescopic structure. Background Art

[0002] With the progress of artificial intelligence (AI), the Internet of Things (IoT), and robotics, companion robots (Pet Companion Robots) are gradually becoming a popular direction in the technology field. Currently, the companion robots on the market mainly include: pet companion robots, elderly care robots, and children's education robots. Most of the existing products focus on the diversity of functions, such as voice interaction and information query, but they are relatively fixed in form design and lack the ability to grow or change over time.

[0003] For example, the Chinese utility model patent with the publication number CN218504563U discloses a companion robot with a protection mechanism, including a companion robot body. A plurality of protection frames are sleeved outside the companion robot body. At the bottom position of the side wall of each of the plurality of protection frames close to the companion robot body, a fixing plate is fixed. At the lower end of the outer wall of the companion robot body, a plurality of cross plates are fixed. A plurality of positioning holes are evenly formed inside the plurality of cross plates. A locking component for fixing the fixing plate is arranged on each of the plurality of cross plates. At the upper and lower ends of the side wall of each of the plurality of protection frames away from the companion robot body, a buffer spring is fixed.

[0004] Another example is the Chinese utility model patent with the publication number CN218698892U, which discloses a companion robot with good impact resistance, including a companion robot body. An elastic protective sleeve is fixedly connected to the surface of the companion robot body. At the top of the left side of the companion robot body, a polyurethane protective sheet is fixedly connected. At the top of the left side of the companion robot body, a protective shell located outside the polyurethane protective sheet is fixedly connected.

[0005] Still another example is the Chinese invention patent application with the publication number CN115533940A, which discloses a children's companion robot, including a sound module, a display module, an interaction module, an analysis module, a control module, a collection module, and a transceiver module. The sound module responds to the needs of children by emitting sounds and communicates with children. The display module can display the information required by children. The interaction module controls the companion robot to make actions according to the needs of children. The control module is divided into four modes: A mode corresponds to the enlightenment period, B mode corresponds to the toddler period, C mode corresponds to the childhood period, and D mode corresponds to the school age period. When children change modes due to age increase, a gradual transition method can also be adopted. Since it is always the same companion robot, it can reach a tacit understanding with children and children will not feel strange.

[0006] However, these companion robots all adopt static designs, resulting in a lack of dynamic interaction in the companionship relationship, making it difficult to establish long-term and stable emotional connections and unable to fully meet users' needs for lasting companionship and in-depth interaction.

[0007] In view of this, we propose a new type of companion robot. Summary of the Invention

[0008] The purpose of the present invention is to provide a companion robot with a dynamic telescopic structure, which partially solves or alleviates the problem of the lack of dynamic growth design in existing companion robots.

[0009] To solve the above-mentioned technical problems, the present invention specifically adopts the following technical solutions: In the first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a companion robot with a dynamic telescopic structure, including a main body, on which a dynamic telescopic mechanism is provided. The dynamic telescopic mechanism is used to drive the external structure to change its size. Among them, the dynamic telescopic mechanism includes: A central turntable, which is rotatably connected to the main body. A plurality of sliding grooves are provided on the central turntable. A push rod is slidably connected to the main body. One side of the push rod away from the main body is fixedly connected to a housing. A limiting member is provided on the push rod, and the limiting member can slide in the sliding groove.

[0010] In some embodiments, a protection mechanism is provided on the main body. The protection mechanism is used to provide drive for the dynamic telescopic mechanism and can rotate back when being impacted. The protection mechanism includes a stepping motor, which is fixedly connected inside the main body. The output shaft of the stepping motor is connected to the central turntable.

[0011] In some embodiments, there are four sliding grooves, and the four sliding grooves are arranged in a circumferential array on the central turntable.

[0012] In some embodiments, the sliding groove is an arc-shaped sliding groove or a straight-line sliding groove.

[0013] In some embodiments, the straight-line sliding groove extends along the radial direction of the central turntable; or, the straight-line sliding groove is parallel to the tangent of the central turntable.

[0014] In some embodiments, a driving rod is fixedly connected to the output shaft of the stepping motor. The driving rod is rotatably connected to a bottom connecting disc. The top of the bottom connecting disc is fixedly connected to a top connecting disc. The central turntable is arranged between the top connecting disc and the bottom connecting disc.

[0015] In some embodiments, a scroll spring is provided on the outer wall of the drive rod, one end of the scroll spring is fixedly connected to the outer wall of the drive rod, and the other end of the scroll spring is fixedly connected to the inner wall of the bottom connection disk.

[0016] In some embodiments, the companion robot further includes: A pet type configuration module for providing the user with multiple types of pets, and when the user specifies any one of the pet types, matching a corresponding growth cycle, its growth control strategy, and / or weight loss control strategy for it; wherein, the growth cycle includes at least one of an explosive growth stage, a rapid growth stage, a stable growth stage, and a growth stop stage; An interaction module for performing human-machine interaction with the user and obtaining human-machine interaction data; the interaction includes daily feeding, performing specific tasks, and interaction levels; A control module for controlling the link-type dynamic telescopic structure to extend or contract according to the human-machine interaction data, so that the form of the companion robot changes; The control module specifically includes: A growth control unit for, when the user completes the corresponding interaction task, identifying the type of the interaction task currently completed, and generating and sending a first control signal to the drive device according to the growth cycle of the current pet and its growth control strategy; the growth control strategy includes a preset extension amount; A weight loss control unit for determining that the user fails to complete the interaction task as promised, and generating and sending a second control signal to the drive device according to the growth cycle of the current pet and its weight loss control strategy; the weight loss control strategy includes a preset contraction amount.

[0017] In some embodiments, the growth control strategy includes: if it is daily feeding, identifying the current growth stage P j and the feeding cycle t i，j , and when within the feeding cycle t i，j , the number of times the user completes daily feeding reaches the preset number of feeding times, and obtaining the current growth stage P j and the feeding cycle t i，j corresponding first preset extension amount; if it is a specific task, and when the user completes the specific task within the preset time, obtaining the second preset extension amount corresponding to the specific task in the current growth stage P j ; if it is an interaction level, and when the user completes the interaction level, obtaining the third preset extension amount corresponding to the interaction level in the current growth stage P j .

[0018] In some embodiments, the weight loss control strategy includes: if it is daily feeding, identifying the current growth stage Pj and feeding cycle t i，j , and within the feeding cycle t i，j when the consecutive number of times that the user fails to complete the daily feeding times reaches a preset number threshold, and obtain the current growth stage P j and the current feeding cycle t i，j corresponding first preset contraction amount.

[0019] In some embodiments, the growth control unit is further configured to, when it is recognized that the duration for which the current pet enters the old age stage exceeds a preset duration, prompt the user whether to re-adopt a new pet.

[0020] Beneficial effects: 1. By providing a dynamic telescopic mechanism, when the push rod moves outwards, the outer shell also expands outwards accordingly, realizing the "growth" of the robot. Conversely, when the push rod retracts, the outer shell will also shrink accordingly, reducing the size of the robot. The robot can achieve size change through a mechanical structure, providing a "growing" companionship experience, making it more emotionally interactive. By external interactions such as user feeding and task completion triggering morphological changes, a long-term interactive relationship is established between the robot and the user. Using a link-type chute mechanism, precise morphological changes can be achieved relying only on a mechanical structure without complex sensors and an electric control system. Compared with existing companion robots, its structure is simpler.

[0021] 2. By providing a protection mechanism, a buffering effect is achieved. When the robot is impacted, the buffering mechanism can not only protect the device itself but also provide a more stable and safe experience in user interactions. For example, when the robot makes physical contact with the user, the buffering mechanism can reduce the perception of sudden collisions, making the interaction softer and enhancing the emotional connection. The buffering mechanism makes the reaction of the robot smoother and softer by slowing down and absorbing external forces. Such a design can eliminate the uneasiness of the user during the interaction process and make the interaction more fluent and natural.

[0022] 3. The invention patent application with the publication number CN110125938A discloses a control method and a robot for a robot. It controls the generation of the robot by obtaining the interaction data between the robot and the user and its environmental data, including shape changes (such as height, weight, etc.) and / or skill upgrades, so as to map at least one of the environment where the robot is located and the interaction between the robot and the user to the height change of the robot, enabling the user to intuitively feel that the robot has grown under the company and care of the user, thereby better enhancing the relationship between the user and the robot and making the robot play a better companionship role. However, the above-mentioned robot is an anthropomorphic robot, and it needs to map both interaction data and environmental data, and even the height changes of users with different heights, etc. At the same time, it also needs to perform skill upgrades, which undoubtedly makes the structure of the robot very complex and the manufacturing cost very high, and is not conducive to large-scale popularization and promotion. In addition, it judges whether the growth condition is reached periodically (such as every day, every week or every month), and if so, controls growth once. For example, it judges once a day whether the interaction between the user and the robot reaches the growth condition, or whether the environmental data reaches the growth condition, or whether the user height information reaches the growth condition. If so, it controls growth once. The robot provided in this application is more used as a pet companion. Therefore, it does not emphasize its anthropomorphism, but pet-like, and controls the growth and emaciation of the robot according to the growth laws of different pets, so as to not only reflect the growth state of the pet, but also reflect the real state of human-robot interaction. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0023] In order to more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present invention or the prior art, the following will briefly introduce the drawings required for use in the description of the embodiments or the prior art. In all the drawings, similar elements or parts are generally marked with similar reference numerals. In the drawings, the elements or parts are not necessarily drawn to actual scale. Obviously, the following-described drawings are some embodiments of the present invention. For those of ordinary skill in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without creative efforts.

[0024] Figure 1 Schematic diagram of the overall structure of the first embodiment of the companion robot of the present invention; Figure 2 Schematic diagram of the structure of an embodiment of the dynamic telescopic mechanism in the companion robot of the present invention; Figure 3 Schematic diagram of the internal structure of the main body in the companion robot of the present invention; Figure 4a Schematic diagram reflecting that the companion robot is in the adult stage when the push rod extends to the maximum stroke; Figure 4bSchematic diagram showing the first sub - slot and the second sub - slot provided on the central turntable; Figure 4c Schematic diagram showing that when the push rod extends to the connection of the first sub - slot and the second sub - slot, the robot is in its maximum body size; Figure 5 Schematic diagram showing the installation position of the driving device inside the main body; Figure 6 Schematic diagram showing that when the push rod contracts to the minimum stroke, the companion robot is in the neonatal stage; Figure 7 Schematic diagram of the cooperation structure of the chute on the central turntable, the slide rail on the main body and the push rod in the second embodiment of the companion robot of the present invention; Figure 8 Schematic diagram of the cooperation structure of the chute on the central turntable, the slide rail on the main body and the push rod in the third embodiment of the companion robot of the present invention; Figure 9 For Figure 8 Schematic diagram of the distribution of the chute on the central turntable in the shown companion robot; Figure 10 For Figure 8 Schematic diagram of the distribution of the slide rail inside the main body in the shown companion robot; Figure 11 For Figure 8 Schematic diagram of the structure of the push rod in the shown companion robot; Figure 12 Schematic diagram of the cooperation structure of the chute on the central turntable, the slide rail on the main body and the push rod in the fourth embodiment of the companion robot of the present invention; Figure 13 For Figure 12 Schematic diagram of the distribution of the chute on the central turntable in the shown companion robot; Figure 14 For Figure 12 Schematic diagram of the distribution of the slide rail on the main body in the shown companion robot; Figure 15 For Figure 12 Schematic diagram of the structure of the push rod in the shown companion robot; Figure 16 Schematic diagram of the installation structure of the limit member on the push rod in the companion robot of the present invention; Figure 17 Schematic diagram of the structure of the protection mechanism in the present invention; Figure 18 Schematic diagram of the sectional structure of the bottom connecting plate in the present invention; Figure 19 Functional module diagram of the control module of the companion robot of the present invention.

[0025] In the figure: 1. Main body; 2. Dynamic telescopic mechanism; 21. Central turntable; 22. Slide groove; 23. Push rod; 230. Slide block; 24. Outer shell; 25. Limiting part; 26. Slide rail; 3. Protection mechanism; 4. Stepper motor; 32. Driving rod; 33. Bottom connecting plate; 34. Top connecting plate; 35. Volute spring. Detailed implementation mode

[0026] To make the objectives, technical solutions and advantages of the embodiments of the present invention clearer, the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present invention will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings in the embodiments of the present invention. Apparently, the described embodiments are some, but not all, of the embodiments of the present invention. All other embodiments obtained by those of ordinary skill in the art based on the embodiments of the present invention without creative efforts shall fall within the protection scope of the present invention.

[0027] In this article, suffixes such as "module", "component" or "unit" used to represent elements are only for the convenience of explaining the present invention and have no specific meaning in themselves. Therefore, "module", "component" or "unit" can be used interchangeably.

[0028] In this article, terms such as "upper", "lower", "inner", "outer", "front", "rear", "one end", "the other end", etc. indicate the orientation or positional relationship based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the drawings. They are only for the convenience of describing the present invention and simplifying the description, rather than indicating or implying that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, be constructed and operated in a specific orientation, and therefore cannot be construed as a limitation of the present invention. In addition, the terms "first" and "second" are only used for descriptive purposes and cannot be construed as indicating or implying relative importance.

[0029] In this article, unless otherwise clearly defined and limited, terms such as "installation", "provided with", "connection", etc. should be understood in a broad sense. For example, "connection" can be a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral connection; it can be a mechanical connection, a direct connection, or an indirect connection through an intermediate medium, and it can be the communication inside two elements. For those of ordinary skill in the art, the specific meanings of the above terms in the present invention can be understood according to specific situations.

[0030] In this article, "and / or" includes any and all combinations of one or more of the listed related items.

[0031] In this article, "a plurality of" means two or more, that is, it includes two, three, four, five, etc.

[0032] Please refer to Figure 1 - Figure 6As shown in the figure, the present invention provides a companion robot with a dynamic telescopic structure, which includes a main body 1. A dynamic telescopic mechanism 2 is arranged on the main body 1. The dynamic telescopic mechanism 2 is used to drive the external structure to change its size, so as to realize the dynamic adjustment of the form of the companion robot, and enhance the user's interaction experience and emotional connection.

[0033] In some embodiments, referring to Figures 2 - 5 , the dynamic telescopic mechanism 2 includes: a central turntable 21 driven by a motor. The central turntable 21 is rotatably connected to the main body 1. A chute 22 is arranged on the central turntable 21. A push rod 23 is slidably connected to the main body 1. One side of the push rod 23 away from the main body 1 is fixedly connected with a housing 24. A limiting member 25 is arranged at one end of the push rod 23 extending into the main body 1. The limiting member 25 can slide in the chute 22. Specifically, referring to Figure 3 , a plurality of slide rails 26 are arranged radially along the central turntable 21 in the main body 1. The push rod 23 can slide on the slide rail 26.

[0034] When the central turntable 21 is driven to rotate by a power source to drive the chute 22 to rotate, the chute 22 pushes the limiting member 25 and the push rod 23 to move reciprocally. Since the chute 22 is arranged on the central turntable 21, the chute 22 will rotate synchronously with the central turntable 21. Since the limiting member 25 is arranged on the push rod 23 and the limiting member 25 is in sliding fit with the chute 22, when the central turntable 21 rotates, the chute 22 will push the limiting member 25 to slide therein. And since the chute 22 is not a complete circle but has a certain arc, when the chute 22 rotates, the limiting member 25 will move along the chute path, thereby pushing the push rod 23 to do reciprocating linear motion on the slide rail 26. Correspondingly, since one end of the push rod 23 away from the main body 1 is fixedly connected with the housing 24, when the push rod 23 moves outwards, the housing 24 also expands outwards, realizing the "growth" of the robot. On the contrary, when the push rod 23 retracts, the housing 24 will also shrink, reducing the size of the robot. Referring to Figure 6 , the robot can realize size change through a mechanical structure, providing a "growing" companionship experience, making it more emotionally interactive. Through external interactions such as user feeding and task completion to trigger form changes, the robot can establish a long-term interaction relationship with the user. By adopting a link-type chute mechanism, complex sensors and electronic control systems are not required, and accurate form changes can be realized only by relying on the mechanical structure.

[0035] In some embodiments, referring to Figure 1 and Figure 5, a protection mechanism 3 is provided on the main body 1. The protection mechanism 3 is used to drive the dynamic telescopic mechanism 2 and can rotate when being impacted, so as to effectively reduce the damage of the impact to other parts of the device and play a protective role. Specifically, the protection mechanism 3 includes a stepping motor 4. The stepping motor 4 is fixedly connected inside the main body 1 and is used to provide driving force. The output shaft of the stepping motor 4 is fixedly connected with a driving rod 32. The outer wall of the driving rod 32 is rotatably connected with a bottom connection disk 33. The top of the bottom connection disk 33 is fixedly connected with a top connection disk 34 by bolts. A central turntable 21 is arranged between the top connection disk 34 and the bottom connection disk 33. After the top connection disk 34 and the bottom connection disk 33 are fastened by bolts, the central turntable 21 is clamped and fixed. A scroll spring 35 is arranged on the outer wall of the driving rod 32. One end of the scroll spring 35 is fixedly connected to the outer wall of the driving rod 32, and the other end of the scroll spring 35 is fixedly connected to the inner wall of the bottom connection disk 33.

[0036] During specific implementation, the stepping motor 4 drives the driving rod 32 to rotate. The driving rod 32 drives the bottom connection disk 33 and the top connection disk 34 to rotate through the scroll spring 35, and the bottom connection disk 33 and the top connection disk 34 drive the central turntable 21 to rotate.

[0037] See Figure 4a , in some embodiments, there are four arc-shaped chutes 22. The four arc-shaped chutes 22 are arranged on the central turntable 21 in a circumferential array. Preferably, the limiting member 25 and the push rod 23 are fixedly connected by bolts, which is convenient for the disassembly of the limiting member 25 and the push rod 23, ensures their stable connection during normal operation, and at the same time provides flexible disassembly options. This design is convenient for quickly replacing push rods 23 of different lengths or materials, and is applicable to different application requirements, such as adjusting the amplitude of the size change of the robot. Compared with the integral structure, the bolted connection design is more flexible, avoids overall scrapping, and improves the reuse rate of parts.

[0038] In some embodiments, when the outer shell 24 is impacted by an external force, the outer shell 24 drives the push rod 23 and the limiting member 25 to move in the direction of the stepper motor 31. The limiting member 25 drives the central turntable 21 to rotate, and the central turntable 21 drives the bottom connecting plate 33 and the top connecting plate 34 to rotate. The bottom connecting plate 33 drives the scroll spring 35 to rotate and store energy, playing a buffering role. When the robot is impacted, the buffering mechanism can not only protect the device itself but also provide a smoother and safer experience in user interaction. For example, when the robot makes physical contact with the user, this buffering mechanism can reduce the perception of sudden collisions, making the interaction more gentle and enhancing the emotional connection. When the robot interacts with the user, especially during the approach or contact process, sudden hard collisions or violent movements of the robot may cause discomfort or surprise to the user. The buffering mechanism makes the robot's reaction smoother and gentler by slowing down and absorbing external forces. Such a design can eliminate the uneasiness of the user during the interaction process, making the interaction more fluent and natural. The user will feel that the robot is more like a real and friendly existence rather than a rigid and mechanical tool. Humans are naturally inclined to establish emotional connections with things that are gentle, caring, and kind. The buffering mechanism of the robot shows "caring" behavior towards the user by gently reacting to external force impacts. For example, when the user accidentally touches the robot, the reaction of the robot through the buffering mechanism is like "caring" about the user's feelings and avoiding causing discomfort to the user. This delicate reaction makes the robot more like a trustworthy companion. As the robot interacts with the user for a long time, the stable effect of this buffering mechanism in each contact gradually accumulates, and the user's favor and dependence on the robot will continuously increase. This smooth and delicate interaction method makes the robot gradually become a kind and reliable partner in the user's daily life.

[0039] Correspondingly, when the external force generated by a collision or the like disappears, the stepper motor 4 is driven again to reset the push rod 23 to its original position.

[0040] Embodiment 2: The present invention also provides another companion robot, which includes each component in the above Embodiment 1. The difference is that the chute 22 in this embodiment adopts a linear chute. Compared with the arc-shaped chute, the movement stroke of the push rod 23 is smaller, that is, the maximum size of the deformation of the companion robot is smaller. This kind of companion robot is more suitable for living environments with limited surrounding space.

[0041] Specifically, referring to Figure 7 , a plurality of linear chutes 22 are arranged radially on the central turntable 21.

[0042] Referring to Figure 8 and Figure 9, in some other embodiments, linear sliding grooves 22 are uniformly spaced along the circumferential direction of the central turntable 21, and the extending direction of the sliding grooves 22 is parallel to the tangent line at the corresponding position of the central turntable 21; correspondingly, referring to Figure 10 , a plurality of sliding rails 26 are arranged radially in the main body 1 along the central turntable 21, so that when the central turntable 21 rotates, the sliding grooves 22 drive the positioning member 25, thereby driving the push rod 23 to slide on the sliding rails 26 to achieve extension or contraction.

[0043] Furthermore, since the sliding grooves 22 are not arranged radially along the central turntable 21, in order to ensure the stable sliding of the push rod 23 without deviation, the sliding rail 26 is set as a groove. Correspondingly, a slider 230 that can slide in the groove is arranged at the bottom of the push rod 23, so that the push rod 23 can stably slide on the sliding rail during the process of the sliding groove 22 pushing the positioning member 25 to move.

[0044] Referring to Figure 12 , in some other embodiments, a plurality of linear sliding grooves 22 extend radially along the central turntable 21. Correspondingly, a sliding rail 26 perpendicular to the extending direction of each sliding groove 22 is arranged on the main body 1 at the position corresponding to each sliding groove 22.

[0045] Preferably, the sliding rail 26 includes two parallel first protrusions 261 and second protrusions 262 protruding upward from the upper surface of the main body 1, and the push rod 23 can slide in the channel formed between the first protrusion 261 and the second protrusion 262.

[0046] Embodiment 3: The present invention also provides another companion robot, which includes each component in the above Embodiment 1 or 2. The difference is that, referring to Figure 4b , in this embodiment, the sliding groove 22 on the central turntable 21 of the companion robot includes a first sub-groove 22-1 and a second sub-groove 22-2, so as to adapt to the body size changes of pets with various different body sizes or different growth cycles.

[0047] For example, when the pet currently adopted by the user is of a relatively large body size and has a long growth cycle, in the initial state, the positioning member 25 is located at one end of the first sub-groove 22-1 close to the center of the central turntable 21. When the central turntable 21 rotates (for example, the forward rotation of the motor drives the central turntable 21 to rotate), the positioning member 25 moves to the docking position of the first sub-groove 22-1 and the second sub-groove 22-2. Referring to Figure 4c , at this time, the maximum body size is reached.

[0048] When the pet adopted by the user again is slightly smaller in size and has a shorter production cycle, in the initial state, the positioning member 25 is located at one end of the second sub-slot 22-2 close to the center of the central turntable 21. When the central turntable 21 rotates (for example, the reverse rotation of the motor drives the central turntable 21 to rotate), the positioning member 25 moves to the docking position of the first sub-slot 22-1 and the second sub-slot 22-2. See Figure 4c , at this time, the maximum size is reached.

[0049] Embodiment 4: The present invention also provides another companion robot, which includes each component in the above Embodiment 1 or 2. The difference is that in this embodiment, the companion robot further includes a control module installed in the main body 1, which is electrically connected to a driving device, such as a stepper motor 4; and an interaction module for data interaction with the control module, and the interaction module is used for human-computer interaction with the user. For example, a touch screen or a keyboard, or a combination of a display screen and a keyboard. Wherein, the control module is used to control the above dynamic telescopic structure to extend or contract according to the human-computer interaction data, so as to realize the change of the form of the companion robot.

[0050] In some embodiments, see Figure 19 , the control module specifically includes: A pet type configuration module, which is used to provide the user with a variety of pet types, and when the user specifies any one of the pet types, match the corresponding growth cycle, its growth control strategy and / or emaciation control strategy for it; wherein, the growth cycle includes at least one of an explosive growth stage, a rapid growth stage, a stable growth stage, and a stop growth stage; A growth control unit, which is used to identify the type of interaction task completed currently when the user completes the corresponding interaction task, and generate and send a first control signal to the driving device according to the growth cycle of the current pet and its growth control strategy; the growth control strategy includes a preset extension amount; An emaciation control unit, which is used to judge that the user fails to complete the interaction task as promised, and generate and send a second control signal to the driving device according to the growth cycle of the current pet and its emaciation control strategy; the emaciation control strategy includes a preset contraction amount.

[0051] In some embodiments, the above growth control strategy includes: If it is daily feeding, identify the current growth stage P j and the feeding cycle t i，j , and when within the feeding cycle t i，j , the number of times the user completes daily feeding reaches the preset number of feeding times, and obtain the first preset extension amount corresponding to the current growth stage P j and the feeding cycle t i，j ; If it is a specific task and the user completes the specific task within a preset time, obtain the second preset stretching amount corresponding to the specific task at the current growth stage P j ; If it is an interactive level and the user completes the interactive level, obtain the third preset stretching amount corresponding to the interactive level at the current growth stage P j ;

[0052] On the premise of normal feeding, any pet has its own growth cycle, and there are different growth stages within its growth cycle. Moreover, the growth rate of each growth stage is different, and it does not always grow at a fixed speed. For example, the growth cycle of mammals (common pets such as cats and dogs) includes: cub stage (i.e., the explosive growth stage), juvenile stage (rapid growth period, also the fast growth stage, but the growth speed is slower than that in the cub stage), adult stage (the stage of stopping growth), and old age. Usually, growth stops after the juvenile stage and enters the adult stage. By setting the corresponding growth rate for each growth stage according to the pet's growth cycle, it not only better approximates the growth form of the pet but also enables the user to start feeding from the neonatal period. When the user gradually sees the changes in the growth form starting from the neonatal period, it can increase their sense of achievement and is also more conducive to the establishment of emotional connection. And by providing the user with the choice of different pet types, the user can experience the growth processes of different pets through one robot.

[0053] In some embodiments, the above-mentioned emaciation control strategy includes: If it is daily feeding, identify the current growth stage P j and the feeding cycle t i，j , and when the number of consecutive times that the user fails to complete daily feeding within the feeding cycle t i，j reaches a preset number threshold, and obtain the first preset contraction amount corresponding to the current growth stage P j and the current feeding cycle ti,j.

[0054] Usually, under normal feeding by the user, the growth state of pets, such as dogs or cats, is normal. However, if the user forgets to feed, especially for a long time, it will lead to the emaciation of the pet, or a serious illness in a certain period may also cause changes in its body shape, such as gradual emaciation. Therefore, in order to more realistically reflect the user's care for the pet, once it is found that the user has not carried out normal feeding, the "emaciated" morphological change is achieved by contracting the push rod.

[0055] Of course, further, the specific contraction amount and / or the reason for the contraction can also be sent to the user's mobile terminal through the interaction module or the control module to remind the user to feed in a timely manner.

[0056] As described above, pets have a growth cycle and a life cycle. Therefore, pets cannot always accompany users. Thus, in this embodiment, when it is recognized that the duration of the current pet in the old age stage exceeds a preset duration (specifically, the preset duration is based on the average lifespan of this type of pet in old age), the user is prompted whether to re - adopt a new pet.

[0057] Certainly, further, when it is recognized that the duration of the current pet in the old age stage exceeds the preset duration, the drive is automatically controlled to reset the push rod 23, and it is prompted that the adopted pet's life has ended.

[0058] Further, once the user chooses to adopt a new pet, it is judged whether the newly adopted pet is the same as the previously adopted pet. If they are the same (not only the type is the same, but the breed is also the same. For example, they are both dogs and both are poodles), the growth control method can refer to the above - mentioned embodiment and will not be elaborated here; If they are different (including the same type but different breeds, for example, they are both dogs, but the newly adopted one is a husky; or different types, for example, the newly adopted pet is a cat), the corresponding growth cycle, growth control strategy and / or weight loss control strategy are automatically matched for it in the database.

[0059] Further, since the growth cycles of different pets are of different lengths, although the difference in growth cycles can be reflected by controlling the growth rate, in order to reflect the change in different body sizes, it can be divided according to the total length of the movable path of the push rod. For example, taking the pet first adopted by the user as a reference, its growth cycle corresponds to the total length of the movable path of the push rod, that is, both ends of the chute 2 respectively correspond to the starting point and the ending point in the whole growth process of this pet, and its growth cycle corresponds to the total length of the movable path of the push rod. If the newly adopted pet has a smaller body size, one end of the chute 2 corresponds to the starting point in the whole growth process of this pet, and a specified position of the chute 2, such as the middle of the chute, corresponds to the ending point in the whole growth process of this pet (that is, after reaching this position, the body size of this pet will no longer increase but may decrease).

[0060] In some other embodiments, refer to Figure 4b and Figure 4c, two first sub-grooves 22-1 and second sub-grooves 22-2 which extend from the center of the center turntable 21 towards the edge of the center turntable 21 and are connected are provided on the center turntable 21. When the pet adopted by the user for the first time is relatively large in size and has a long growth cycle, in the initial state, the positioning member 25 is located at one end of the first sub-groove 22-1 close to the center of the center turntable 21; when controlling the growth process according to the above growth control strategy and weight loss control strategy, the center turntable 21 rotates (for example, the motor rotates forward to drive the center turntable 21 to rotate), so that when the positioning member 25 moves to the docking position of the first sub-groove 22-1 and the second sub-groove 22-2, the maximum size is reached, see Figure 4c . Of course, further, in order to prevent the positioning member 25 from continuing to slide into the second sub-groove 22-2 without weight loss after reaching the maximum size, a camera device can be set to obtain an image, and the control module analyzes the current position of the positioning member 25 based on the captured image, and whether the current position enters the second sub-groove 22-2 (a demarcation mark can be set between the first sub-groove and the second sub-groove in advance to assist in judging whether the positioning member crosses the boundary). If so, the motor is controlled to reverse to make the positioning member return to the connection position of the two sub-grooves.

[0061] When the pet adopted by the user again is slightly smaller in size and has a shorter production cycle, in the initial state, the positioning member 25 is located at one end of the second sub-groove 22-2 close to the center of the center turntable 21; when controlling the growth process according to the above growth control strategy and weight loss control strategy, the center turntable 21 rotates (for example, the motor rotates in the reverse direction to drive the center turntable 21 to rotate), so that when the positioning member 25 moves to the docking position of the first sub-groove 22-1 and the second sub-groove 22-2, the maximum size is reached, see Figure 4c . Similarly, in order to prevent the positioning member 25 from continuing to slide into the first sub-groove 22-2 without weight loss after reaching the maximum size, a camera device can be set to obtain an image, and the control module analyzes the current position of the positioning member 25 based on the captured image, and whether the current position enters the second sub-groove 22-2 (a demarcation mark can be set between the first sub-groove and the second sub-groove in advance to assist in judging whether the positioning member crosses the boundary). If so, the motor is controlled to reverse to make the positioning member return to the connection position of the two sub-grooves.

[0062] It should be noted that in this article, the term "including", "comprising" or any other variant thereof is intended to cover non-exclusive inclusion, so that a process, method, article or device including a series of elements not only includes those elements, but also includes other elements not expressly listed, or also includes elements inherent in such process, method, article or device. Without further limitation, an element defined by the statement "including a..." does not exclude the existence of another identical element in the process, method, article or device including that element.

[0063] Through the description of the above embodiments, those skilled in the art can clearly understand that the above-described example methods can be implemented by means of software plus a necessary general hardware platform. Of course, they can also be implemented by hardware, but in many cases the former is a better implementation. Based on such an understanding, the technical solution of the present invention, in essence, or the part that contributes to the prior art can be embodied in the form of a software product. This computer software product is stored in a storage medium (such as ROM / RAM, magnetic disk, optical disk) and includes several instructions for causing a computer terminal (which can be a mobile phone, computer, server, or network device, etc.) to execute the methods described in various embodiments of the present invention.

[0064] The embodiments of the present invention have been described above in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. However, the present invention is not limited to the above specific embodiments. The above specific embodiments are merely illustrative and not restrictive. Under the inspiration of the present invention, those of ordinary skill in the art can also make many forms without departing from the purpose of the present invention and the scope protected by the claims. All of these are within the protection scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. A companion robot with a dynamic telescopic structure, comprising a main body (1), characterized in that: The main body (1) is provided with a dynamic telescopic mechanism (2), and the dynamic telescopic mechanism (2) is used to drive the external structure to change its size, wherein the dynamic telescopic mechanism (2) comprises: A central rotating disk (21), the central rotating disk (21) being rotatably connected to the main body (1), a plurality of sliding grooves (22) being provided on the central rotating disk (21), a push rod (23) being slidably connected to the main body (1), a side of the push rod (23) away from the main body (1) being fixedly connected to a housing (24), a limiting member (25) being provided on the push rod (23), and the limiting member (25) being able to slide in the sliding groove (22); The main body (1) is provided with a protection mechanism (3), the protection mechanism (3) is used to provide drive for the dynamic telescopic mechanism (2), and can rotate when impacted; the protection mechanism (3) comprises a stepping motor (4), the stepping motor (4) is fixedly connected in the main body (1); the output shaft of the stepping motor (4) is connected to the central rotating disk (21).

2. The companion robot with a dynamic telescopic structure according to claim 1, characterized in that: Four slide grooves (22) are provided, and the four slide grooves (22) are arranged on the central rotating disk (21) in a circular array.

3. The companion robot with a dynamic telescopic structure according to claim 1, characterized in that: The slide groove (22) is an arc-shaped slide groove or a linear slide groove.

4. The companion robot with a dynamic telescopic structure according to claim 3, characterized in that: The linear slide groove extends along the radial direction of the central rotating disk (21); or, the linear slide groove is parallel to the tangent of the central rotating disk (21).

5. The companion robot with a dynamic telescopic structure according to claim 1, characterized in that: The output shaft of the stepper motor (31) is fixedly connected to a driving rod (32), the driving rod (32) is rotatably connected to a bottom connecting disk (33), the top of the bottom connecting disk (33) is fixedly connected to a top connecting disk (34), and the central rotating disk (21) is arranged between the top connecting disk (34) and the bottom connecting disk (33).

6. The companion robot with a dynamic telescopic structure according to claim 5, characterized in that: A volute spring (35) is provided on the outer wall of the driving rod (32), one end of the volute spring (35) is fixedly connected to the outer wall of the driving rod (32), and the other end of the volute spring (35) is fixedly connected to the inner wall of the bottom connecting plate (33).

7. The companion robot with a dynamic telescopic structure according to any one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that: Also includes: A pet type configuration module is used to provide users with multiple types of pets, and when the user specifies any pet type, a corresponding growth cycle and its growth control strategy and / or weight loss control strategy are matched for it; wherein the growth cycle includes at least one of an explosive growth stage, a rapid growth stage, a stable growth stage, and a stop growth stage; An interaction module, used to perform human-computer interaction with a user and obtain human-computer interaction data; the interaction includes daily feeding, performing specific tasks and interactive levels; A control module, used for controlling the connecting rod type dynamic telescopic structure to extend or contract according to the human-machine interaction data, so that the shape of the companion robot changes; The control module specifically includes: A growth control unit, for identifying the type of interactive task currently completed when the user completes the corresponding interactive task, and generating and sending a first control signal to the driving device according to the current growth cycle of the pet and its growth control strategy; the growth control strategy includes a preset stretch amount; The slimming control unit is used to determine that the user has not completed the interactive task as agreed, and to generate and send a second control signal to the driving device according to the current growth cycle of the pet and its slimming control strategy; the slimming control strategy includes a preset contraction amount.

8. The companion robot with a dynamic telescopic structure according to claim 7, characterized in that: The growth control strategies include: If it is daily feeding, identify the current growth stage P j and feeding cycle t i，j , and when in the feeding cycle t i，j Within the time limit, when the user completes the daily feeding times reaching the preset feeding times, and obtains the current growth stage P j and feeding cycle t i，j The corresponding first preset stretch amount; If it is a specific task, and when the user completes the specific task within a preset time, obtain the specific task in the current growth stage P j a corresponding second preset stretch amount; If it is an interactive level, and when the user completes the interactive level, obtain the interactive level in the current growth stage P j The corresponding third preset stretch amount.

9. The companion robot with a dynamic telescopic structure according to claim 8, characterized in that: The weight loss control strategy includes: If it is daily feeding, identify the current growth stage P j and feeding cycle t i，j , and in the feeding cycle t i，j When the number of consecutive times that the user has not completed daily feeding reaches the preset number threshold, the current growth stage P is obtained. j and the current feeding cycle t i，j The corresponding first preset shrinkage amount.

10. The companion robot with a dynamic telescopic structure according to claim 8, characterized in that: The growth control unit is also used to prompt the user whether to adopt a new pet when it is identified that the duration of the current pet entering the old age stage exceeds a preset duration.

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