KR102415997B1 - Companion robot - Google Patents

Abstract

An embodiment of the present invention provides a companion robot that stimulates a user's caring sensibility, comprising: an input unit for receiving environmental information and a user's location and proximity; a determination unit for determining the user's intention toward the robot based on the environment information received from the input unit, the user's location information, and the proximity number information; an interaction storage unit having a plurality of built-in scenarios corresponding to the user's intention determined by the determination unit; and a first output unit for outputting information corresponding to the scenario of the interaction storage unit to express emotions of the robot.

Description

A companion robot that stimulates the user's caring sensibility {COMPANION ROBOT}

The present invention relates to a companion robot that communicates with a user and has entertainment and learning functions, and more particularly, as a companion robot capable of mutual interaction with a user, it provides entertainment functions to the user and enables the user to self-learning, This relates to a companion robot that stimulates the user's caring sensibility by enabling them to have a healthy lifestyle.

With the recent development of robot technology, various service robots are being developed as well as industrial robots. In particular, as a type of service robot, commercialization of personal robots having entertainment (leisure) or educational functions is being actively carried out.

However, the personal robot having such entertainment and educational functions still lacks interaction with the user, and it is difficult to give emotional sympathy beyond the predetermined function to the user. In particular, such problems were more serious in personal robots targeting infants and children. Accordingly, functions as a companion robot or a social robot could not be properly implemented.

On the other hand, recently, young children are using smartphones or tablet PCs from an early age. For these purposes, not only game applications, but also various educational contents that help children's emotional stability and contribute to creativity enhancement have been proposed. However, conventional educational contents provide only a lot of information to young children, There is a problem in that it cannot be properly induced. In addition, the conventional educational content does not provide an effect that satisfies children's five senses by emphasizing only a visual effect rather than an activity to the children.

As such, there have been serious problems in both hardware and software in the past, so a new type of companion robot that stimulates the user's caring sensibility is needed to overcome this problem.

Republic of Korea Patent Publication No. 10-2018-0060567 (published on 06.07.2018) Republic of Korea Patent Publication No. 10-2002-0051642 (published on June 29, 2002)

The technical problem to be achieved by the present invention is to provide a companion robot that provides an entertainment function to the user as a companion robot that can interact with the user, and at the same time enables the user to learn on their own, thereby enabling a healthy lifestyle. .

In addition, another technical task to be achieved by the present invention is a companion robot that stimulates the user's caring sensibility, quantifying the growth results for each step according to the user's care type, and revealing the users' rankings through this It is to provide a companion robot that can inspire

The technical problems to be achieved by the present invention are not limited to the technical problems mentioned above, and other technical problems not mentioned can be clearly understood by those of ordinary skill in the art to which the present invention belongs from the description below. There will be.

In order to achieve the above technical object, an embodiment of the present invention provides a companion robot that stimulates a user's caring sensibility, comprising: an input unit for receiving environmental information and the user's location and proximity; a determination unit for determining the user's intention toward the robot based on the environment information received from the input unit, the user's location information, and the proximity number information; an interaction storage unit having a plurality of built-in scenarios corresponding to the user's intention determined by the determination unit; and a first output unit for outputting information corresponding to the scenario of the interaction storage unit to express emotions of the robot.

In an embodiment of the present invention, the companion robot may be configured as a single housing.

In an embodiment of the present invention, it may further include a replaceable skin unit having a character shape corresponding to the plurality of scenarios.

In an embodiment of the present invention, the plurality of scenarios are performed step-by-step according to item acquisition by performing one or more missions among feeding, sleeping, active, exercising, and learning through learning content or exercise content interaction with the user. It may include a growth scenario that provides a growth mode.

In an embodiment of the present invention, the environment information may include one or more of light, sound, pressure, displacement, vibration, time, remaining battery capacity, and a position value of the driving unit.

In an embodiment of the present invention, the first output unit may include one or more of a display, a speaker, and an LED.

In order to achieve the above technical problem, another embodiment of the present invention is a companion robot that stimulates the user's caring sensibility, and has a head module and a torso module, wherein the head module detects environmental information and the location and proximity of the user. an input unit for receiving input; a determination unit for determining the user's intention toward the robot based on the environment information received from the input unit, the user's location information, and the proximity number information; an interaction storage unit having a plurality of built-in scenarios corresponding to the user's intention determined by the determination unit; and a first output unit for outputting information corresponding to the scenario in the interaction storage unit, wherein the body module includes a second output unit operating in response to the scenario in the interaction storage unit, wherein the head module and the body module include: Provided is a companion robot that can be electrically connected without wiring through a contact pad and that emotions of the robot are expressed through the first output unit and the second output unit.

In an embodiment of the present invention, the second output unit may change an angle formed by the body module with the ground through acceleration/deceleration.

In an embodiment of the present invention, the body module further includes a pen unit, and the pen unit is in contact or non-contact with the ground according to the acceleration/deceleration of the second output unit, and through switching between the contact state and the non-contact state Discontinuous line drawing may be performed.

In an embodiment of the present invention, it may further include a foldable tail to maintain the weight balance of the head module and the body module.

According to an embodiment of the present invention, as a companion robot that can interact with the user, it is possible to provide a companion robot that provides an entertainment function to the user and at the same time enables the user to learn on their own, thereby enabling a healthy lifestyle. have.

In addition, according to an embodiment of the present invention, as a companion robot that stimulates the user's caring sensibility, it digitizes the growth results for each step according to the user's care type, and through this, the user's ranking is disclosed to inspire the user's caring sensibility and pet motivation. You can provide a companion robot that can do this.

According to the companion robot according to the embodiment of the present invention, interaction with the user is abundant, so that emotional sympathy beyond a predetermined function can be provided to the user. In addition, by providing various entertainment and educational contents to young children, emotional stability and educational effects that satisfy the five senses can be seen.

It should be understood that the effects of the present invention are not limited to the above-described effects, and include all effects that can be inferred from the configuration of the invention described in the detailed description or claims of the present invention.

1 is an implementation drawing and conceptual diagram of a companion robot according to an embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 2 is a schematic configuration diagram of the companion robot according to FIG. 1 .
3 is a schematic configuration diagram of the head module according to FIG.
Figure 4 is a detailed view of the head module according to Figure 3;
FIG. 5 is a schematic configuration diagram of the body module according to FIG. 2 .
FIG. 6 is a schematic configuration diagram of an interaction storage unit according to FIG. 2 .
7 to 10 are diagrams for explaining a growth mode according to the operation of the interaction storage unit according to FIG. 6 .
11 is a view showing various embodiments of the companion robot of the present invention.
12 is a view showing an embodiment of the head module of the companion robot of the present invention.
13 is a view showing an embodiment of the body module of the companion robot of the present invention.
14 is a view showing an example of application of the tail of the companion robot of the present invention.
15 is a flowchart illustrating a method of driving a companion robot according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Hereinafter, the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. However, the present invention may be embodied in several different forms, and thus is not limited to the embodiments described herein. And in order to clearly explain the present invention in the drawings, parts irrelevant to the description are omitted, and similar reference numerals are attached to similar parts throughout the specification.

Throughout the specification, when a part is said to be “connected (connected, contacted, coupled)” with another part, it is not only “directly connected” but also “indirectly connected” with another member interposed therebetween. "Including cases where In addition, when a part "includes" a certain component, this means that other components may be further provided without excluding other components unless otherwise stated.

The terminology used herein is used only to describe specific embodiments, and is not intended to limit the present invention. The singular expression includes the plural expression unless the context clearly dictates otherwise. In the present specification, terms such as “comprise” or “have” are intended to designate that a feature, number, step, operation, component, part, or combination thereof described in the specification exists, but one or more other features It should be understood that this does not preclude the existence or addition of numbers, steps, operations, components, parts, or combinations thereof.

In this specification, "module" includes a unit composed of hardware, software, or firmware, and may be used interchangeably with terms such as logic, logic block, component, or circuit, for example. A module may be an integrally constituted part or a minimum unit or a part of one or more functions performing one or more functions. For example, the module may be configured as an application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC).

Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

1 is an implementation drawing and conceptual diagram of a companion robot according to an embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a schematic configuration diagram of the companion robot according to FIG. 1, and FIG. 3 is a schematic configuration diagram of a head module according to FIG. 4 is an implementation view of the head module according to FIG. 3 , and FIG. 5 is a schematic configuration diagram of the body module according to FIG. 2 .

Referring to the drawings, the companion robot 10 that stimulates the user's caring sensibility according to an embodiment of the present invention may include a head module 100 and a body module 200 . However, only the head module 100 can be treated as one companion robot 10 that can implement all functions. Here, the companion robot 10 may use various types of skins, which will be described later.

As shown in the conceptual diagram shown in Fig. 1 (b), the user can engage in sympathy (interaction) through activities such as learning, growth, and play using the companion robot 10, and through this, the feeling of caring for the companion robot. This can be stimulated. In addition, the user may be stimulated or inspired by the caring sensibility and the will of the pet through interaction with other users or information sharing (disclosure of rankings, disclosure of appearance, etc.).

The head module 100 may be integrally configured in one housing. Here, the integral means that each component or part constituting the head module has a shape, such as being accommodated in one housing, so that it can be physically treated as one object.

In addition, the head module 100 may have one or more sensors and a display. In addition, the head module 100 may provide entertainment and learning functions to the user. That is, the head module 100 may have a function of interacting with the user together with the central processing/control function of the companion robot 10 . The companion robot 10 may be treated as a combination of hardware and software.

In addition, the head module 100 may include means for outputting information to the user or receiving information from the user. Such means include, but are not limited to, buttons, joysticks, touch screens, and microphones.

The body module 200 may be detachably coupled to the head module 100 . The configuration and function of the body module 200 will be described later.

The determination unit 120 and the interaction storage unit 130 provided in the head module 100 can be said to be a kind of program, and this program depends on the shape or type of the skin unit 150 or of the body module 200 . Depending on the shape or type, different applications can be driven. This application can determine the intention of the user through the environmental information received from the input unit, the user's location information, and the user's proximity information, and express the robot's emotions based on this. In addition, by using pre-stored information and newly inputted information, entertainment and learning-linked contents may be provided to the user through the display.

3 and 4 , the head module 100 may include an input unit 110 , a determination unit 120 , an interaction storage unit 130 , and a first output unit 140 .

In the head module 100, a battery, a sensor, a display, a speaker, a microphone, etc. are integrally combined in one housing, so that the wiring may not be exposed to the outside. The companion robot 10 may provide input/output through voice using a speaker and a microphone of the head module 100, and may provide input/output through a screen using a display.

The head module 100 may be provided so that a user selectable skin part 150 is detachable. That is, the head module 100 can be used in various forms by replacing the skin part. Details of the skin part 150 will be described later.

The input unit 110 may receive environmental information and the user's location and proximity.

Here, the environmental information may include one or more of light, sound, pressure, displacement, vibration, time, remaining battery capacity, and a position value of the driving unit. Specifically, the environmental information may be external information that converts changes in physical quantities such as light, sound, pressure, displacement, vibration, magnetic field, etc. into electrical signals, and, in contrast, may be internal information such as time, remaining battery capacity, and the position value of the driving unit. have.

To this end, the input unit 110 may include a sensor, a touch screen, a button, or the like, a physical device or part, or may be understood as a concept including these.

The determination unit 120 may determine the user's intention toward the robot based on the environment information received from the input unit 110, the user's location information, and the proximity number information. For example, in consideration of environmental information such as the current location or current time of the companion robot 10 , the distance between the user and the companion robot 10 , and the number of times the user approaches the companion robot 10 , the user ), or the user's motion or interaction intention of the companion robot 10 may be determined.

The interaction storage unit 130 may have a plurality of built-in scenarios corresponding to the user's intention determined by the determination unit 120 .

Here, the plurality of scenarios may include a growth scenario that provides a step-by-step growth mode according to the acquisition of an item through interaction with the user through learning content or exercise content. Such a growth scenario may include one or more of feeding, sleeping, being active, exercising, and learning. Details of this will be described later.

The first output unit 140 may output information corresponding to the scenario of the interaction storage unit 130 to express the emotion of the robot. The first output unit may include one or more of a display, a speaker, and an LED.

For example, by outputting images such as crying, smiling, or emoticons on the display, the robot's emotions can be expressed to the user.

3 and 12 , the head module 100 may further include a skin unit 150 . The skin unit 150 may be easily replaced and may have a character shape corresponding to a plurality of scenarios embedded in the interaction storage unit 130 . For example, referring to FIG. 11 , the skin unit 150 may have a character shape such as a koala shape, a mouse shape, a humanoid robot shape, or a fighting robot shape, and is not limited to these shapes and has various shapes and structures. can be transformed to

4, the physical appearance and function of an embodiment of the head module 100 will be described in detail. Fig. 4 (a) is a detailed perspective view of the head module 100, and Fig. 4 (b) is a six sectional view of the head module 100 of Fig. 4 (a).

A display 141 may be provided on the front side of the head module 100 . For example, the display 141 may be an LCD display. The display 141 may constitute the first output unit 140 in that the emotion of the robot may be transmitted to the user through the display 141 . The display 141 may represent a graphical user interface (GUI) capable of interacting with a user.

On the other hand, the display 141 may be a touch screen capable of a touch input. In this case, the display 141 may perform the functions of the input unit 110 and the first output unit 140 together in that it can receive information from the user and output information to the user.

In addition, various buttons 111 , 112 , and 113 for receiving values for interaction with the companion robot 10 may be provided on the front side of the head module 100 . These buttons 111 , 112 , and 113 may be a direction input button or an enter button, but are not limited to these examples. A power button may be provided on the side of the head module 100, but is not limited to this position.

A microphone 114 may be provided on the front or side of the head module 100 . The microphone 114 may receive information from a user using a voice recognition function. The buttons 111 , 112 , 113 and the microphone 114 may be configured to form the input unit 110 .

Illustratively, the microphone 114 may be provided on both sides of the head module 100 . It is possible to detect the direction of an external sound through two or more microphones 114 spaced apart as described above. can

In addition, a joystick may be provided in the head module 100, and a joystick-based menu method may be provided to the user through this.

A sensor, not shown, may be provided in the head module 100 . The sensor may be, for example, an inertia measurement unit (IMU), a gyro sensor (ZYRO), or an infrared (IR) sensor, but is not limited thereto. The sensor may sense environmental information or the user's location or proximity, and accordingly, the sensor may be a component of the input unit 110 . The sensor may be, for example, an infrared (IR) sensor located on the left, right, lower left, lower right, and bottom of the head module 100, but is not limited thereto. Illustratively, a plurality of infrared (IR) sensors 115 are provided at the lower portion of the head module 100, and the user can interact using the information collected through this.

In addition, a speaker 142 may be provided on the front or upper surface of the head module 100 . Voice or sound information may be output through the speaker 142, and through this, the robot's emotions may be transmitted to the user. That is, the speaker 142 may be a component constituting the first output unit 1400. The shape, position, number, etc. of the microphone 114 and the speaker 142 may be changed, and are not limited thereto.

A detachable part 160 may be provided on the rear side of the head module 100 . The head module 100 and the body module 200 may be physically or electrically connected by the detachable part 160 . For example, the detachable part 160 may be a magnetic connector, and by using magnetic force, the coupling and separation of the head module 100 and the body module 200 may be easily performed.

In addition, the head module 100 may be provided with a communication terminal that can be connected to other electronic devices or storage media. For example, a USB terminal may be provided on the rear side of the head module 100 .

Referring to FIG. 5 , the body module 200 may include a second output unit 210 and a pen unit 220 .

The second output unit 210 may operate in response to a plurality of scenarios stored in the interaction storage unit 130 of the head module 100 . The second output unit 210 may be a driving unit, and through this, the companion robot 10 may be moved or rotated in response to a plurality of scenarios. Details of this will be described later.

The head module 100 and the body module 200 may be electrically connected through contact pads without wiring. The head module 100 and the body module 200 are provided with magnets, respectively, so that they can be quickly and conveniently coupled to the correct positions, and thus the contact pads are also coupled to facilitate electrical connection.

That is, a pair of magnets for detachment may be provided on the head module 100 and the body module 200 , and a pair of contact pads may be provided on the head module 100 and the body module 200 . Accordingly, when the head module 100 and the body module 200 are coupled, mutual signal transmission can be made without a wiring connector. In addition, the separation of the head module 100 and the body module 200 can be easily made.

The second output unit 210 of the body module 200 may be a driving unit for physically driving the companion robot 10 . The driving unit may be configured to include a driving unit such as an actuator or a motor, a reduction unit, a wheel, and the like, and thus may be driven in a forward/backward, rotational, or other various motions.

The second output unit 2100 may change an angle formed by the body module 200 with the ground through acceleration/deceleration.

The outer shape of the body module 200 may be provided in various forms. For example, the body module 200 may provide a vehicle body, a mouse shape, a humanoid robot shape, a fighting robot shape, and the like. For example, when the body module 200 in the shape of a vehicle body is provided, the second output unit 210 may move forward, backward, rotate, or stop (angle adjustment). In addition, when the body module 200 in the form of a fighting robot is provided, the second output unit 210 may be driven in a fighting form.

As such, the companion robot 10 may transmit the robot's emotion to the user through the first output unit 140 and the second output unit 210 .

The body module 200 may further include a pen unit 220 . Text or an image may be output through the pen unit 220 . That is, a function corresponding to moving a pen to draw text or a picture on paper may be implemented.

The pen unit 220 is in contact or non-contact with the ground according to the acceleration/deceleration of the second output unit 210, and discontinuous line drawing may be performed through switching (conversion) between the contact and non-contact states. That is, the second output unit 210 of the body module 200 is driven under the control of the head module 100, and accordingly, the pen according to acceleration and deceleration such as forward/backward, rotation, and braking operations of the companion robot 10 By controlling the elevation of , discontinuous line drawing can be performed. Of course, continuous line drawing (one-stroke drawing) is possible.

Next, a software operation of the companion robot according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described.

6 is a schematic configuration diagram of the interaction storage unit according to FIG. 2 , FIGS. 7 to 10 are views for explaining a growth mode according to the operation of the interaction storage unit according to FIG. 6 , and FIG. 11 is various implementations of the companion robot of the present invention Fig. 12 is a view showing an embodiment of the head module of the companion robot of the present invention, Fig. 13 is a view showing an embodiment of the body module of the companion robot of the present invention, and Fig. 14 is a view showing an embodiment of the companion robot of the present invention 15 is a diagram showing an example of application of the tail, and FIG. 15 is a flowchart showing a driving method of a companion robot according to an embodiment of the present invention.

6 and 7 , the interaction storage unit 130 may include a growth unit 131 , a learning unit 132 , a coding unit 133 , and a play unit 134 .

As described above, the interaction storage unit 130 may include a plurality of scenarios corresponding to the user's intention, and these scenarios provide a step-by-step growth mode according to the acquisition of items through interaction with learning content or exercise content with the user. This could be a growth scenario. Specific implementation of such a growth scenario may be made by the growth unit 131 , the learning unit 132 , the coding unit 133 , and the play unit 134 . The growth unit 131 , the learning unit 132 , the coding unit 133 , and the play unit 134 may have different functions depending on the type of content provided to the user.

According to the growth scenario of the interaction storage unit 130 , the companion robot 10 may be grown using interaction with the user. In addition, it may provide a learning function and provide a reward for learning performance.

In addition, the interaction storage unit 130 may provide a GUI through the first output unit 140 and perform an interaction for growth (nurture) such as a control command or learning or play through the input unit 110 . .

First, the growth unit 131 may provide a step-by-step growth mode to the user according to the health, affection, and intelligence index reflecting the user's usage history. For example, depending on health, affection, and intelligence index, the companion robot 10 may be in a growth mode such as a birth mode, a newborn mode, a baby mode, and a child mode, and it is expressed on the display of the head module 100 according to the growth mode. Graphics may vary. Details of this will be described later.

Here, the interaction storage unit 130 provides functions such as walking, regular sleep, exercise, nutrition, etc. that can cultivate a healthy lifestyle for the health and love index of the companion robot 10 .

The interaction storage unit 130 may control the operation of the body module 200 by interlocking the health index with the operation time or operation speed of the companion robot 10 . In addition, the interaction storage unit 130 grants a praise sticker to the user according to the input of the manager or provides a mission on the premise of the application of the praise sticker, and the affection index can be set according to the application of the praise sticker. Here, the manager may be a guardian such as a parent, and the user may be a young child.

Specifically, the interaction storage unit 130 may provide a mission (eg, errands, learning, etc.) on the companion robot 10 by the manager, and may provide a reward if the user performs the given mission well. In addition, the interaction storage unit 130 may provide a reward according to the successful performance of the mission as a praise sticker, and if a lot of praise stickers are obtained, the affection index of the companion robot 10 may increase and grow. Users can also exchange the acquired praise stickers for other items in the shop.

The learning unit 132 may provide learning content to the user, and the IQ may be set by reflecting the user's input accordingly. That is, the interaction storage unit 130 may provide a learning game function for the IQ growth of the companion robot 10 . When the user performs the learning function of the companion robot 10, the intelligence of the companion robot 10 may be reflected, and the interaction storage unit 130 may provide a game related to learning so that the user can learn by themselves. .

The interaction storage unit 130 may provide a reward according to the performance of the learning game as an item. Items acquired through the learning game may be stored in a locker, and the user may exchange the items acquired through learning for other desired items through the store. For example, a user can acquire coins through a learning game, and can purchase various items that can increase the growth stage of the companion robot 10 according to the quantity of these coins in the store, that is, increase the health index or love index. have. These items include milk, baby food, treatment, and nutritional supplements. In addition, the user may purchase items used in the game provided by the play unit 134 in the store using the coins obtained through the learning game.

The coding unit 133 may receive coding information from a user for changing or modifying an application of the interaction storage unit 130, or wirelessly or wired connection with an external device capable of receiving coding information according to a user's selection. . Through this coding, the interaction storage unit 130 can control the body module 200 .

The play unit 134 may provide entertainment content to the user, and the IQ may be set by reflecting the user's input accordingly. The entertainment content may be a game. Such a game may be provided to the user through the display of the head module 100, and may be operated by the user through a joystick or button.

Contrary to this, it is also possible to play the game through a separate operation module connected by wire or wirelessly. In addition, a game of driving or manipulating the body module 200 is also possible. For example, when the body module 200 has a shape of a car body, a game providing a driving simulation is possible. When the body module 200 has a shape of a fighting robot, a fighting game between two or more robots is possible. This is possible.

Meanwhile, the interaction storage unit 130 may provide various setting environments for using the companion robot 10 . For example, it is possible to designate the date and time, set an alarm, set the sound of a speaker, or provide a link in the form of a QR that can be connected to an extended program.

Hereinafter, implementation examples of the growth unit 131 , the learning unit 132 , the coding unit 133 , and the play unit 134 will be described in more detail with reference to the drawings.

Referring to FIG. 8 , in the growth unit 131 , the screen displayed on the head module 100 may be different according to the growth mode of the companion robot 10 . For example, since the companion robot 10 goes through a growth stage like a newborn baby, a baby, or a child according to health, affection, and intelligence index, the graphic displayed on the first output unit 140 may be different. Certain health, affection, and IQ scores may be required to cross these stages of growth.

Referring to FIG. 9 , the growth unit 131 may grow the companion robot 10 like a companion animal. The growth unit 131 may grow any one including health, affection, and intelligence of the companion robot 10 by adding raising actions such as feeding, sleeping, and exercising. The growth unit 131 may add or decrease health, affection, and intelligence indices according to growth index fluctuation factors.

When an operation such as feeding is performed, the growth unit 131 may request the user to perform learning in order to increase intelligence thereafter.

The learning unit 132 may increase the intelligence of the companion robot 10 when the user proceeds with learning, and may provide an item such as food or a therapeutic agent as a reward. For example, the interaction storage unit 130 provides a learning game function such as multiplication table or English word matching to the user, and when the user proceeds to learn, it can be expressed in conjunction with the IQ of the companion robot 10 . Since the learning unit 132 reflects the learning result in the IQ of the companion robot 10 , there is an effect of stimulating the user's desire to learn.

The learning unit 132 may provide various learning methods for increasing the IQ of the companion robot 10 in the form of a game. To this end, the learning unit 132 may provide various types of learning, such as areas of arithmetic, language, memory, and spatial rejection window. For example, the learning unit 132 may provide complex and various types of learning, such as coding training, including simple learning games such as arithmetic operations and English word matching games.

10 is an example of a learning problem in the perception area provided by the learning unit 132 according to an embodiment of the present invention. The learning unit 132 may provide a 3D box picture, and the user may provide a game of matching the number of boxes by raising up/down numbers using, for example, a joystick. For example, in FIG. 9 , the learning unit 132 hides the problem by the animal icon before the problem is presented, and when the button (▶) at the upper right is pressed, the animal icon disappears and the problem starts. If you press the button (▶) in the upper right of FIG. 9 , you can check the correct answer more quickly.

The coding unit 133 may directly code to control the body module. For example, the coding unit 133 may be linked with a platform for coding education developed to enable block-type coding of Google blockly method.

The play unit 134 may provide a robot game using various types of companion robots 10 . For example, the play unit 134 may provide a robot game for driving the body module 200 such as drawing a line or running or fighting games. 10 shows examples of various driving types according to the skin.

11 is an example of a companion robot 10 having a head module 100 capable of mounting various skins and a body module 200 according to skins. For example, the companion robot 10 may provide a form in which the head module 100 having a koala skin and the body module 200 of the vehicle body are combined.

As described above, in the companion robot 10 according to an embodiment of the present invention, the body module 200 includes the pen unit 220 to perform continuous or non-continuous line drawing, and the companion robot 10 is You can also write text (characters) directly by moving it. When the companion robot 10 moves forward, it draws a line, and when it moves backward, it is possible to move only by lifting a pen, or vice versa. In contrast, when moving forward or backward, draw a line, and when braking, rotate or raise the pen to make it impossible to draw a line, then move it to the desired position and brake again, the pen returns to the original position and draws a line. You can also draw. Through this operation, non-continuous line drawing is possible without a separate driving module for moving the pen (eg, for elevating or lowering). That is, discontinuous line drawing is possible only by acceleration/deceleration of the second output unit 210 without a separate driving module.

Alternatively, it is also possible to perform continuous or discontinuous line drawing by providing a separate driving module. The companion robot 10 may utilize a continuous or non-continuous drawing function for math education.

In another embodiment of the present invention, the companion robot 10 may configure the body module 200 as a fighting robot to perform fighting motions. The fighting type torso module 200 may have different movements or operating speeds according to the growth age, and may be different according to the health index. Alternatively, all or part of the operating time of the fighting type body module 200 may be changed according to the health index. In addition, the fighting type body module 200 can quickly control movement or operation speed during fighting by using an item that activates the driving.

12 is an example of the front and back of a head module of a mouse-shaped skin according to an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 13 is an example screen of a mouse-shaped body module according to an embodiment of the present invention.

14 is a view showing an example of application of the tail of the companion robot of the present invention. It is an exemplary view in which the tail 201 is utilized to maintain the weight balance according to the acceleration/deceleration of the mouse-shaped head module and the body module. The tail part can be folded in a form that is not fixed, so it is easy to maintain the balance.

As an embodiment of another aspect of the present invention, a method of driving a companion robot may be provided. According to the driving method of the companion robot, the interaction storage unit 130 drives different applications depending on whether the head module 100 and the body module 200 are attached or detached according to the user's selection, and thus entertainment and learning interlocking contents can be provided to users.

Such entertainment and learning-linked contents may be determined according to a sensed value input through a sensor and user usage history information.

Here, the interaction storage unit 130 includes a growth unit 131 , a learning unit 132 , a coding unit 133 , and a play unit 134 , and through this, different contents can be provided to the user.

15 is a flowchart illustrating a method of driving a companion robot according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Each process described below is a process performed by each functional unit constituting the companion robot 10 , but for the sake of concise and clear explanation of the present invention, the subject of each step will be collectively referred to as the companion robot 10 . In addition, each process to be described below may be performed in the companion robot 10 irrespective of the order or may be performed independently.

In step S1501, the companion robot 10 may provide various activities related to growth to increase health and affection index. In step S1502, the companion robot 10 may provide various learning games for increasing the IQ.

In step S1503, the companion robot 10 may display different contents according to health, affection, and intelligence indices, and may be subject to activity restrictions. For example, when the health index is low, the operating time of the companion robot 10 may be limited. That is, the operating time of the companion robot 10 having a high health index may be long. In more detail, the fighting-type companion robot 10 may have a short overall operation time or a slow or stop operation if the health index is low during the provided fighting game. In the case of the companion robot 10 having a high health index, the operation time may be increased and the operation speed may be faster than the companion robot 10 having a low health index.

In step S1504, the companion robot 10 may be assigned a task or mission by an administrator, and may provide a reward according to the performance of the task or mission. For example, in the companion robot 10 , a guardian (administrator) may provide homework or work to a child who is a user of the companion robot 10 and set whether to compensate.

In step S1505, the companion robot 10 provides a reward for a mission successfully performed. For example, the companion robot 10 may provide a reward when a child (user) performs a mission properly. The companion robot 10 may provide a reward as a praise sticker, and the praise sticker may be exchanged for other items for growth in the store.

In step S1506, the companion robot 10 may connect the head module with the coding platform to drive the body module or other driving bodies.

Meanwhile, although not shown, the companion robot 10 according to an embodiment of the present invention may be electrically connected to a user's portable electronic device through various communication means, and may also be connected to a server or another's portable electronic device by interworking with the Internet. have. Alternatively, it is also possible to be directly electrically connected to another's electronic device through a wired or wireless (Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, etc.) connection.

The user may disclose the growth level or external shape of the companion robot 10 that he or she takes care of to an external third party through the web, and also a motion editing function using the web may be implemented. The companion robot 10 may be given a score or level using the degree of communion with the user, item possession status, and various evaluation indices (health, affection, intelligence index, etc.), and these scores or levels depend on the user's selection. Accordingly, it can be displayed on the app or disclosed to an external third party through the web. Through this, the user can be stimulated by caring emotions through information sharing or competition with other users.

In addition, the user may acquire a virtual object of a currency concept according to a degree of communion with the companion robot 10 or a caring activity. Alternatively, the user may obtain such a virtual object by means of cash payment or the like. A user may purchase an item or content necessary for the companion robot 10 by using the virtual object. This content may be, for example, information necessary for growth, learning, and play of the companion robot 10 .

The above-described method according to an embodiment of the present invention may be implemented in the form of program instructions that can be executed through various computer components and recorded in a computer-readable recording medium. The computer-readable recording medium may include program instructions, data files, data structures, etc. alone or in combination. The program instructions recorded on the computer-readable recording medium may be specially designed and configured for the embodiment of the present invention, or may be known and available to those skilled in the art of computer software. The computer-readable recording medium includes a magnetic recording medium such as a hard disk, a floppy disk, and a magnetic tape, an optical recording medium such as a CD-ROM and DVD, a magneto-optical medium such as a floppy disk, a ROM, a RAM, a flash memory, etc. , including hardware configured to store and execute program instructions. Program instructions include machine code generated by a compiler and high-level language code that can be executed in a computer using an interpreter. The hardware may be configured to act as one or more software modules for processing the method according to the invention, and vice versa.

The method according to an embodiment of the present invention may be executed in the electronic device in the form of a program instruction. The electronic device includes a portable communication device such as a smart phone or a smart pad, a computer device, a portable multimedia device, a portable medical device, a camera, a wearable device, and a home appliance device.

A method according to an embodiment of the present invention may be provided by being included in a computer program product. Computer program products may be traded between sellers and buyers as commodities. The computer program product may be distributed in the form of a device-readable recording medium or online through an application store. In the case of online distribution, at least a portion of the computer program product may be temporarily stored or temporarily generated in a storage medium such as a memory of a server of a manufacturer, a server of an application store, or a relay server.

Each of the components, for example, a module or a program, according to an embodiment of the present invention may be composed of a single or a plurality of sub-components, and some sub-components of these sub-components may be omitted, or other sub-components may be added. may be included. Some components (modules or programs) may be integrated into a single entity and perform the same or similar functions performed by each corresponding component prior to integration. Operations performed by a module, program, or other component according to an embodiment of the present invention are sequentially, parallel, repetitively or heuristically executed, or at least some operations are executed in a different order, are omitted, or other operations are added. can be

The description of the present invention described above is for illustration, and those of ordinary skill in the art to which the present invention pertains can understand that it can be easily modified into other specific forms without changing the technical spirit or essential features of the present invention. will be. Therefore, it should be understood that the embodiments described above are illustrative in all respects and not restrictive. For example, each component described as a single type may be implemented in a dispersed form, and likewise components described as distributed may be implemented in a combined form.

The scope of the present invention is indicated by the following claims, and all changes or modifications derived from the meaning and scope of the claims and their equivalents should be construed as being included in the scope of the present invention.

10: companion robot
100: head module
110: input unit
120: judgment unit
130: interaction storage unit
140: first output unit
150: skin part
200: body module
201: tail
210: second output unit
220: pen unit

Claims (10)

delete delete delete delete delete delete As a companion robot that stimulates the user's caring sensibility, it has a head module and a body module,
The head module,
an input unit for receiving environmental information and a user's location and proximity;
a determination unit for determining the user's intention toward the robot based on the environment information received from the input unit, the user's location information, and the proximity number information;
an interaction storage unit having a plurality of built-in scenarios corresponding to the user's intention determined by the determination unit; and
and a first output unit for outputting information corresponding to the scenario of the interaction storage unit,
The body module,
a second output unit operating in response to the scenario of the interaction storage unit; and
and a pen unit that makes contact or non-contact with the ground according to the acceleration/deceleration of the second output unit, and performs discontinuous line drawing through switching between the contact state and the non-contact state,
The head module and the body module are electrically connectable without wiring through a contact pad, characterized in that the emotion of the robot is expressed through the first output unit and the second output unit,
companion robot.
8. The method of claim 7,
The second output unit, characterized in that through acceleration and deceleration to change the angle formed by the body module with the ground,
companion robot.
delete 8. The method of claim 7,
In order to maintain the weight balance of the head module and the body module, it characterized in that it further comprises a foldable tail portion,
companion robot.

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