Robot Control System for Coordinated Appealing Movements

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing home robots and pet robots lack an efficient mechanism to ensure that only one robot makes an appealing movement towards a person at a time, preventing overlapping and ineffective interactions.

Innovation Solution

A robot control system comprising a detector, driver, and controller that determines if a person is present and permits appealing movements only when no other robots are performing such actions, using short-range wireless communication and sensor data to coordinate and prioritize appealing movements.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If multiple robots independently execute appealing movements when detecting a person, then each robot can attract attention, but overlapping movements occur causing ineffective interaction

Engineering Contradiction:

Improverobot's ability to attract person's attentionVSAvoidinteraction effectiveness

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The robot controller receives feedback from other robots about their appealing movement execution status through wireless communication. When another robot is executing an appealing movement, the controller suppresses execution of appealing movements by the own robot. This feedback mechanism prevents overlapping movements and ensures effective interaction.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

Solution Approach 2:

Multiple robots are merged into a coordinated system where they share information about appealing movement execution. The controllers communicate to determine which robot should execute the appealing movement, combining individual robot capabilities into a unified interaction system that avoids conflicts.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

2Reliability

If robots use wireless communication to coordinate appealing movements, then overlapping movements are prevented, but system complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecoordination of appealing movementsVSAvoidcommunication system complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The wireless communication system serves multiple functions: it detects other robots in the vicinity, exchanges appealing movement execution status information, and coordinates which robot should execute. This multi-functional approach reduces the need for separate dedicated coordination hardware.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Solution Approach 2:

Each robot autonomously determines whether to execute an appealing movement based on received communication data from other robots. The robots self-coordinate without requiring a central control system, reducing overall system complexity while maintaining reliable coordination.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

Data Source

PatentUS10350760B2Robot, robot control system, robot control method, and non-transitory computer-readable recording medium

Publication Date: 2019.07.16 CASIO COMPUTER CO LTD

AI summary

Each robot effectively appeals its own device even when multiple robots are present in surroundings. A robot comprises a person detector, an appeal permitter, and a movement controller. The person detector detects a person. The appeal permitter permits execution of an appealing movement attracting interest of a person. The movement controller executes the appealing movement when the person detector detects a person and execution of the appealing movement is permitted by the appeal permitter.