Filing Information

Inventor(s)	Tsuyoshi Kamiya · Masaya Sakaue ·
Assignee(s)	Yamaha Hatsudoki Kabushiki Kaisha ·  View assignee updates
Attorney/Agent(s)	Knobbe, Martens, Olson & Bear LLP ·
Primary Examiner	Thomas Lee ·
Assistant Examiner	Albert Wang ·
Application Number	US9736514
Filing date	12/13/2000
Issue date	09/30/2003
Prior Publication Data	US20010001318 - 05/17/2001
Predicted expiration date	07/25/2018
Patent term adjustment	103
U.S. Classifications	713/100  · 706/23  · 706/11  · 706/14  · 700/47  · 345/863  · 446/491  · 700/31  ·
International Classifications	--
Kind Code	B2
International Classifications	345863 · 446491 · 706 11 · 706 14 · 706 23 · 700 31 · 700 47 · 713100 ·
Related U.S. Application Data	This application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/059,278 filed Apr. 13, 1998, now U.S. Pat. No. 6,175,772.
Foreign Priority	JP9093380 - 04/11/1997 ·

Patent Family

Abstract

A control method for controlling operation of an object used by a user in an environment includes the steps of: defining pseudo-emotions of the object for deciding output of the object, in relation to the users state; formulating emotion generation algorithms to establish the relationship between the users state and the pseudo-emotions; formulating behavior decision algorithms to establish the relationship between input, including the pseudo-emotions, and the behavior of the object; detecting the users state; generating a pseudo-emotion of the object based on the users state using the emotion generation algorithms; making the object behave based on the users state and the pseudo-emotion using the behavior decision algorithms; evaluating reaction of the user in response to the behavior of the object; and if the reaction of the user does not match the pseudo-emotion of the object in the emotion generation algorithms, adjusting at least either of the emotion generation algorithms or the behavior decision algorithms, followed by learning the adjustment. The object can detect the users state in a visual, tactile, and auditory manner as do humans, and can act upon generation of pseudo-emotions based thereon. Thus, natural communication between the user and the object can be performed, i.e., more human like communication can be established.

Independent Claims | See all claims (4)

1. 1. A control method for controlling operation of a machine responsively to an environment of use, said machine being capable of receiving signals from the use environment and being programmed to behave in response to the received signals, said machine comprising: (i) emotion generation algorithms formulated to establish the relationship between the signals and pseudo-emotions, said pseudo-emotions being defined as elements for deciding output of the machine, in relation to the signals; and (ii) behavior decision algorithms formulated to establish the relationship between input, including the pseudo-emotions, and the behavior of the machine; said method comprising the steps of: (a) detecting signals from the environment of use and inputting the signals into the machine; (b) generating a pseudo-emotion of the machine based on the signals using the emotion generation algorithms; (c) making the machine behave based on the signals and the pseudo-emotion using the behavior decision algorithms; (d) assessing changes, if any, in the environment of use in response to the behavior of the machine; (e) if the changes in the environment of use do not match the pseudo-emotion of the machine in the emotion generation algorithms, adjusting and updating at least either of the emotion generation algorithms or the behavior decision algorithms, followed by learning the adjustment; and (f) repeating steps (a) through (e).