US6038493A
Expired / Lapsed
US
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Affect-based robot communication methods and systems
Assignee: Vulcan Patents LLC
•
Filing: 1998-02-11
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Granted: 2000-03-14
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Expires: 2018-02-11
Abstract
Abstract An affect-based method of communication between robots is provided by displaying a visual facial expression indicative of a simulated emotional state on a display device of a first robot, and viewing the visual facial expression using a camera on a second robot. The simulated emotional state may be one of happiness, anger, or sadness, for example. The second robot determines the simulated emotional state based upon the visual facial expression. The second robot processes the simulated emotional state to redefine its own simulated emotional state, and to display a visual facial expression indicative thereof. The visual facial expression allows a human observer to discern the simulated emotional state of the robot. Optionally, the robots further communicate affect using audio tones.
Inventors
- 👤 Robert F. Tow
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-28 00:13
CPC Classifications
G; G06; G06N; G06N3/00; G06N3/004; G06N3/008; A; A63; A63F; A63F9/00; A63F9/24; A63F2009/2401; A63F2009/243; A63F2009/2435; A63F2009/2448; A63F2009/247; A63F2009/2476
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 76
Claim 1
Independent Claim
34 words
An actual, autonomous a robot comprising: a display device displaying a visual facial expression indicative of an internal state of the robot, the visual facial expression selected from a plurality of visual facial expressions.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
34 words
An actual, autonomous a robot comprising: a display device displaying a visual facial expression indicative of an internal state of the robot, the visual facial expression selected from a plurality of visual facial expressions.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
17 words
The robot of claim 1 wherein the internal state is a simulated emotional state of the robot.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
23 words
The robot of claim 1 wherein the plurality of visual facial expressions includes an anger expression, a sadness expression, and a happiness expression.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
16 words
The robot of claim 1 wherein the visual facial expression is discernable by a human observer.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
24 words
The robot of claim 1 further comprising a processor which executes a sequence of program steps to define the internal state of the robot.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
44 words
The robot of claim 5 further comprising a camera in communication with the processor to view a visual facial expression from a like robot, wherein the processor determines an internal state of the like robot from the visual facial expression of the like robot.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
24 words
The robot of claim 6 wherein the processor processes the internal state of the like robot to redefine the internal state of the robot.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
28 words
The robot of claim 7 wherein the processor processes the internal state of the like robot using a genetic algorithm to redefine the internal state of the robot.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
22 words
The robot of claim 1 further comprising a transport mechanism for positioning the robot within an environment based upon a control signal.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
41 words
The robot of claim 9 further comprising at least one sensor to detect a position of an object within an environment of the robot, wherein the control signal is generated to position the robot based upon the position of the object.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
11 words
The robot of claim 10 wherein the object is a human.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
18 words
The robot of claim 11 wherein the transport mechanism positions the robot to facilitate communication with the human.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
19 words
The robot of claim 11 wherein the transport mechanism moves the robot in synchrony with movements of the human.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
12 words
The robot of claim 10 wherein the object is a like robot.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
39 words
The robot of claim 14 wherein the transport mechanism positions the robot to facilitate communication of the visual facial expression of the robot and a visual facial expression of the like robot between the robot and the like robot.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
20 words
The robot of claim 14 wherein the transport mechanism moves the robot in synchrony with movements of the like robot.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
54 words
An actual robot comprising: a processor; and a camera in communication with the processor to view a visual facial expression from a like robot, the visual facial expression being indicative of an internal state of the like robot, wherein the processor determines the internal state of the like robot from the visual facial expression.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
54 words
An actual robot comprising: a processor; and a camera in communication with the processor to view a visual facial expression from a like robot, the visual facial expression being indicative of an internal state of the like robot, wherein the processor determines the internal state of the like robot from the visual facial expression.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
24 words
The robot of claim 17 wherein the processor processes the internal state of the like robot to define an internal state of the robot.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
29 words
The robot of claim 18 further comprising a display device in communication with the processor for displaying a visual facial expression indicative of the internal state of the robot.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
63 words
An actual, autonomous robot comprising: a processor which executes a sequence of program steps to define a first internal state of the robot; and a display device in communication with the processor, the display device displaying a first visual facial expression indicative of the first internal state of the robot, the first visual facial expression selected from a plurality of visual face expressions.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
63 words
An actual, autonomous robot comprising: a processor which executes a sequence of program steps to define a first internal state of the robot; and a display device in communication with the processor, the display device displaying a first visual facial expression indicative of the first internal state of the robot, the first visual facial expression selected from a plurality of visual face expressions.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
43 words
The robot of claim 20 further comprising a camera in communication with the processor to view a second visual facial expression from a like robot, wherein the processor determines a second internal state of the like robot from the second visual facial expression.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
19 words
The robot of claim 21 wherein the processor processes the second internal state to redefine the first internal state.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
23 words
The robot of claim 22 wherein the processor processes the second internal state using a genetic algorithm to redefine the first internal state.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
17 words
The robot of claim 20 wherein the internal state is a simulated emotional state of the robot.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
23 words
The robot of claim 20 wherein the plurality of visual facial expressions includes an anger expression, a sadness expression, and a happiness expression.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
34 words
The robot of claim 20 further comprising a transport mechanism for positioning the robot within an environment based upon a control signal, wherein the processor generates the control signal for controlling the transport mechanism.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
47 words
The robot of claim 26 further comprising at least one sensor in communication with the processor to detect a position of an object within the environment of the robot, wherein the processor generates the control signal to position the robot based upon the position of the object.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
11 words
The robot of claim 27 wherein the object is a human.
Claim 32
Dependent Claim
18 words
The robot of claim 28 wherein the transport mechanism positions the robot to facilitate communication with the human.
Claim 33
Dependent Claim
19 words
The robot of claim 28 wherein the transport mechanism moves the robot in synchrony with movements of the human.
Claim 34
Dependent Claim
12 words
The robot of claim 27 wherein the object is a like robot.
Claim 35
Dependent Claim
39 words
The robot of claim 31 wherein the transport mechanism positions the robot to facilitate communication of the visual facial expression of the robot and a visual facial expression of the like robot between the robot and the like robot.
Claim 36
Dependent Claim
20 words
The robot of claim 31 wherein the transport mechanism moves the robot in synchrony with movements of the like robot.
Claim 37
Dependent Claim
53 words
The robot of claim 20 further comprising: an auditory input sensor to sense a vocal signal produced by a human; and a voice analyzer which analyzes the vocal signal to detect an affect of the human; wherein the processor processes the affect detected by the voice analyzer to redefine the first internal state.
Claim 38
Dependent Claim
21 words
The robot of claim 34 wherein the processor processes the affect using a genetic algorithm to redefine the first internal state.
Claim 39
Independent Claim
44 words
A method of operating a robot having an actual, autonomous display device, the method comprising: displaying a visual facial expression on the display device indicative of an internal state of the robot, the visual facial expression selected from a plurality of visual facial expressions.
Claim 40
Independent Claim
44 words
A method of operating a robot having an actual, autonomous display device, the method comprising: displaying a visual facial expression on the display device indicative of an internal state of the robot, the visual facial expression selected from a plurality of visual facial expressions.
Claim 41
Dependent Claim
17 words
The method of claim 36 wherein the internal state is a simulated emotional state of the robot.
Claim 42
Dependent Claim
23 words
The method of claim 36 wherein the plurality of visual facial expressions includes an anger expression, a sadness expression, and a happiness expression.
Claim 43
Dependent Claim
16 words
The method of claim 36 wherein the visual facial expression is discernable by a human observer.
Claim 44
Dependent Claim
33 words
The method of claim 36 wherein the robot further includes a processor, the method further comprising: executing a sequence of program steps using the processor to define the internal state of the robot.
Claim 45
Dependent Claim
46 words
The method of claim 40 wherein the robot further includes a camera, the method further comprising: viewing a visual facial expression from a like robot using the camera; and determining an internal state of the like robot from the visual facial expression of the like robot.
Claim 46
Dependent Claim
23 words
The method of claim 41 further comprising processing the internal state of the like robot to redefine the internal state of the robot.
Claim 47
Dependent Claim
27 words
The method of claim 42 wherein the internal state of the like robot is processed using a genetic algorithm to redefine the internal state of the robot.
Claim 48
Dependent Claim
45 words
The method of claim 36 wherein the robot further includes a transport mechanism for positioning the robot within an environment, the method further comprising: generating a control signal for controlling the transport mechanism; and positioning the robot within the environment based upon the control signal.
Claim 49
Dependent Claim
36 words
The method of claim 44 further comprising: detecting a position of an object within the environment of the robot; wherein the control signal is generated to position the robot based upon the position of the object.
Claim 50
Dependent Claim
11 words
The method of claim 45 wherein the object is a human.
Claim 51
Dependent Claim
18 words
The method of claim 46 wherein the transport mechanism positions the robot to facilitate communication with the human.
Claim 52
Dependent Claim
19 words
The method of claim 46 wherein the transport mechanism moves the robot in synchrony with movements of the human.
Claim 53
Dependent Claim
12 words
The method of claim 45 wherein the object is a like robot.
Claim 54
Dependent Claim
39 words
The method of claim 49 wherein the transport mechanism positions the robot to facilitate communication of the visual facial expression of the robot and a visual facial expression of a like robot between the robot and the like robot.
Claim 55
Dependent Claim
20 words
The method of claim 49 wherein the transport mechanism moves the robot in synchrony with movements of the like robot.
Claim 56
Independent Claim
59 words
A method of operating a robot having an actual processor and a camera, the method comprising: viewing a visual facial expression from a like robot using the camera, the visual facial expression being indicative of an internal state of the like robot; and determining the internal state of the like robot from the visual facial expression using the processor.
Claim 57
Independent Claim
59 words
A method of operating a robot having an actual processor and a camera, the method comprising: viewing a visual facial expression from a like robot using the camera, the visual facial expression being indicative of an internal state of the like robot; and determining the internal state of the like robot from the visual facial expression using the processor.
Claim 58
Dependent Claim
23 words
The method of claim 52 further comprising processing the internal state of the like robot to define an internal state of the robot.
Claim 59
Dependent Claim
34 words
The method of claim 53 wherein the robot further includes a display device, the method further comprising: displaying on the display device a visual facial expression indicative of the internal state of the robot.
Claim 60
Independent Claim
74 words
A method of operating a robot having an actual, autonomus processor and a display device, the method comprising: executing a sequence of program steps using the processor to define a first internal state of the robot; and displaying a first visual facial expression on the display device, the first visual facial expression indicative of the first internal state of the robot, the first visual facial expression selected from a plurality of visual facial expressions.
Claim 61
Independent Claim
74 words
A method of operating a robot having an actual, autonomus processor and a display device, the method comprising: executing a sequence of program steps using the processor to define a first internal state of the robot; and displaying a first visual facial expression on the display device, the first visual facial expression indicative of the first internal state of the robot, the first visual facial expression selected from a plurality of visual facial expressions.
Claim 62
Dependent Claim
45 words
The method of claim 55 wherein the robot further includes a camera, the method further comprising: viewing a second visual facial expression from a like robot using the camera; and determining a second internal state of the like robot from the second visual facial expression.
Claim 63
Dependent Claim
18 words
The method of claim 56 further comprising processing the second internal state to redefine the first internal state.
Claim 64
Dependent Claim
22 words
The method of claim 57 wherein the second internal state is processed using a genetic algorithm to redefine the first internal state.
Claim 65
Dependent Claim
33 words
The method of claim 56 wherein the first internal state is a simulated emotional state of the robot, and wherein the second internal state is a simulated emotional state of the like robot.
Claim 66
Dependent Claim
23 words
The method of claim 55 wherein the plurality of visual facial expressions includes an anger expression, a sadness expression, and a happiness expression.
Claim 67
Dependent Claim
45 words
The method of claim 55 wherein the robot further includes a transport mechanism for positioning the robot within an environment, the method further comprising: generating a control signal for controlling the transport mechanism; and positioning the robot within the environment based upon the control signal.
Claim 68
Dependent Claim
36 words
The method of claim 61 further comprising: detecting a position of an object within the environment of the robot; wherein the control signal is generated to position the robot based upon the position of the object.
Claim 69
Dependent Claim
11 words
The method of claim 62 wherein the object is a human.
Claim 70
Dependent Claim
18 words
The method of claim 63 wherein the transport mechanism positions the robot to facilitate communication with the human.
Claim 71
Dependent Claim
19 words
The method of claim 63 wherein the transport mechanism moves the robot in synchrony with movements of the human.
Claim 72
Dependent Claim
12 words
The method of claim 62 wherein the object is a like robot.
Claim 73
Dependent Claim
40 words
The method of claim 66 wherein the transport mechanism positions the robot to facilitate communication of the first visual facial expression of the robot and a visual facial expression of a like robot between the robot and the like robot.
Claim 74
Dependent Claim
20 words
The method of claim 66 wherein the transport mechanism moves the robot in synchrony with movements of the like robot.
Claim 75
Dependent Claim
41 words
The method of claim 55 further comprising: sensing a vocal signal produced by a human; analyzing the vocal signal to detect an affect of the human; and processing the affect detected by the voice analyzer to redefine the first internal state.
Claim 76
Dependent Claim
20 words
The method of claim 69 wherein the affect is processed using a genetic algorithm to redefine the first internal state.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 2003-03-14 | 2003-09-13 | 2004-03-14 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2007-03-14 | 2007-09-13 | 2008-03-14 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2011-03-14 | 2011-09-13 | 2012-03-14 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |