KR20240029620A - Robot for managing companion object and method thereof - Google Patents

Abstract

This disclosure provides a robot and a method for controlling the same. The robot of the present disclosure includes a camera, a memory storing management information for the companion object including a plurality of images taken of the companion object at different viewpoints, and control information for at least one peripheral device corresponding to abnormal symptoms of the companion object. , a communication interface, and one or more processors. The processor controls the camera to photograph the companion object while the robot is driving, and compares the image of the companion object obtained through the camera with the plurality of images stored in the memory to generate abnormal symptoms of the companion object. When it is identified that an abnormal symptom has occurred in the companion object, control information corresponding to the identified abnormal symptom is identified based on information stored in the memory, and at least one control information corresponding to the identified abnormal symptom is identified based on the information stored in the memory. A control signal for controlling the operation of the peripheral device is transmitted to the at least one peripheral device through the communication interface.

Description

{Robot for managing companion object and method thereof}

This disclosure relates to a companion object management robot and its control method. More specifically, it relates to a robot that identifies abnormal symptoms of a companion object by comparing a plurality of images of the companion object and a method of controlling the same.

Recently, with the development of electronic technology, robots are being used in various industrial fields. The development of object recognition technology has enabled robots to accurately distinguish between various objects, and the development of autonomous driving technology has made it possible for robots to drive stably without colliding with obstacles even in the driving space.

Meanwhile, as the number of households with companion animals increases recently, interest in companion animal care is increasing. In this regard, the use of devices and services such as cameras and CCTVs that allow users to monitor their companion animals in real time even in spaces separated from the companion animal is active. However, even in the case of a monitoring device that allows monitoring a companion animal in real time, the user must continuously observe the companion animal's behavior through the monitoring device. Therefore, if the user loses attention for a moment, there may be cases where abnormal symptoms of the pet are not detected. Above all, it is practically impossible for users to monitor their companion animals through continuous monitoring. This is not limited to companion animals and also applies to companion plants.

Accordingly, there is a need for a method in which robots can continuously monitor companion animals and companion plants on behalf of users and identify abnormal signs of companion animals and companion plants.

The present disclosure is in response to the above-described need, and the purpose of the present disclosure is to provide a robot that manages a companion object and a method of controlling the same.

A robot according to an embodiment of the present disclosure to achieve the above object includes a camera, memory, a communication interface, and one or more processors. The memory stores management information about the companion object, including a plurality of images taken of the companion object at different viewpoints, and control information about at least one peripheral device corresponding to abnormal symptoms of the companion object. The one or more processors control the camera to photograph the companion object while the robot is traveling, and compare the image of the companion object obtained through the camera with the plurality of images stored in the memory to determine if there is an abnormality in the companion object. Identify whether a symptom has occurred, and if it is identified that an abnormal symptom has occurred in the companion object, control information corresponding to the identified abnormal symptom is identified based on information stored in the memory, and based on the identified control information A control signal for controlling the operation of at least one peripheral device is transmitted to the at least one peripheral device through the communication interface.

Here, the one or more processors compare the first image of the companion object obtained through the camera at a first viewpoint with the plurality of images to obtain a first comparison result and store it in the memory, and after the first viewpoint. A second comparison result is obtained by comparing a second image of the companion object obtained through the camera with the plurality of images at a second viewpoint, and the companion object is obtained based on the first comparison result and the second comparison result. Identify whether abnormal symptoms occur.

Here, when the second image of the companion object is acquired at the second viewpoint, the one or more processors select the second image to be at least one image acquired within a preset time based on the second viewpoint among the plurality of images. The second comparison result is obtained by comparing with the image of .

Additionally, the memory stores first control information corresponding to a first type abnormality symptom of the companion object and second control information corresponding to a second type abnormality symptom of the companion object, and the one or more processors are configured to: If the abnormal symptom of the companion object is identified as the first type abnormal symptom based on the first comparison result and the second comparison result, at least one abnormal symptom based on the first control information corresponding to the first type abnormal symptom A first control signal for controlling the operation of the peripheral device is transmitted to the at least one peripheral device through the communication interface, and abnormal symptoms of the companion object are detected based on the first comparison result and the second comparison result. If it is identified as the second type abnormality symptom, a second control signal for controlling the operation of at least one peripheral device based on the second control information corresponding to the second type abnormality symptom is sent through the communication interface. Transmit to at least one peripheral device.

Meanwhile, when control information corresponding to the identified abnormal symptom is identified, the one or more processors transmit the information on the abnormal symptom of the companion object and the identified control information to the user terminal device through the communication interface. And, when a user command corresponding to the control information is received from the user terminal device, the control signal is transmitted to the at least one peripheral device through the communication interface.

In addition, the one or more processors control the camera to photograph the companion object at a first time period while the robot is traveling, and when an abnormal symptom occurs in the companion object through an image obtained by the camera, The camera is controlled to photograph the companion object at a second time period while the robot is traveling. At this time, the second time period may be set shorter than the first time period.

In addition, when the occurrence of an abnormal symptom in the companion object is detected based on the image acquired through the camera, the one or more processors store the acquired image in the memory as a reference image related to the abnormal symptom and store the companion object The management information for the companion object is updated, and when an image of the companion object is acquired through the camera while the robot is driving, the acquired image can be compared with the reference image to identify whether the companion object has abnormal symptoms. there is.

Additionally, the robot may further include sensors. At this time, the management information about the companion object may include environmental information corresponding to the time when each of the plurality of images was acquired. And the one or more processors compare the image of the companion object obtained through the camera with the plurality of images stored in the memory to identify whether an abnormal symptom occurs in the companion object, and determine whether an abnormal symptom occurs in the companion object. If identified, environmental information of the driving space is identified based on data acquired through the sensor, and environmental information of the identified driving space and environmental information corresponding to the time when each of the plurality of images were acquired are identified. Identifying whether the abnormal symptom of the companion object is related to environmental information, and if the abnormal symptom of the companion object is identified as related to environmental information, controlling the operation of the at least one peripheral device based on control information about the peripheral device A control signal for this purpose may be transmitted to the at least one peripheral device through the communication interface.

In addition, when the companion object is a static companion object, the one or more processors control the camera to move to the location of the static companion object and photograph the static companion object at different shooting angles, and the companion object is a dynamic companion object. In this case, the camera can be controlled to photograph the dynamic companion object while tracking the dynamic companion object.

Additionally, a method of controlling a robot according to an embodiment of the present disclosure for achieving the above object includes controlling a camera of the robot to photograph a companion object while the robot is traveling. In addition, the method includes comparing the image of the companion object obtained through the camera with management information corresponding to the companion object stored in the memory of the robot to identify whether an abnormal symptom has occurred in the companion object. In addition, when the method identifies that an abnormal symptom has occurred in the companion object, the method corresponds to the identified abnormal symptom based on control information for at least one peripheral device corresponding to the abnormal symptom of the companion object stored in the memory. and identifying control information. Additionally, the method includes transmitting a control signal for controlling the operation of at least one peripheral device to the at least one peripheral device through a communication interface of the robot based on the identified control information. At this time, the management information includes a plurality of images taken of the companion object at different viewpoints.

Here, the method includes comparing a first image of a companion object obtained through the camera at a first viewpoint with the plurality of images to obtain a first comparison result and storing it in the memory, the first image after the first viewpoint Obtaining a second comparison result by comparing a second image of the companion object obtained through the camera at a second viewpoint with the plurality of images, and comparing the companion object with the plurality of images based on the first comparison result and the second comparison result. It includes the step of identifying whether abnormal symptoms exist.

In addition, the step of obtaining the second comparison result includes, when the second image of the companion object is obtained at the second viewpoint, the second image is selected at a preset time based on the second viewpoint among the plurality of images. The second comparison result is obtained by comparing with at least one image acquired within.

In addition, the memory may include a plurality of first images related to a first type abnormality symptom of the companion object, a plurality of second images related to a second type abnormality symptom of the companion object, and a first type corresponding to the first type abnormality symptom. Control information and second control information corresponding to the second type abnormality symptom are stored. At this time, in the transmitting step, if the abnormal symptom of the companion object is identified as the first type abnormal symptom based on the first comparison result and the second comparison result, the abnormal symptom corresponding to the first type abnormal symptom A first control signal for controlling the operation of at least one peripheral device based on the first control information is transmitted to the at least one peripheral device through the communication interface, and the first comparison result and the second comparison result are Based on this, if the abnormal symptom of the companion object is identified as the second type abnormal symptom, a second device for controlling the operation of at least one peripheral device based on the second control information corresponding to the second type abnormal symptom. A control signal is transmitted to the at least one peripheral device through the communication interface.

In addition, in the transmitting step, when control information corresponding to the identified abnormal symptom is identified, information on the abnormal symptom of the companion object and the identified control information are transmitted to the user terminal device through the communication interface. do. At this time, the method further includes receiving a user command corresponding to the control information from the user terminal device through the communication interface and transmitting the control signal to the at least one peripheral device through the communication interface. Includes.

In addition, the step of controlling the camera includes controlling the camera to photograph the companion object in a first time period while the robot is traveling, and when abnormal symptoms are detected in the companion object through images obtained by the camera. , the camera is controlled to photograph the companion object at a second time period while the robot is traveling. At this time, the second time period may be set to be shorter than the first time period.

In addition, when the occurrence of abnormal symptoms in the companion object is detected based on the image acquired through the camera, the method stores the acquired image in the memory as a reference image related to the abnormal symptom to manage the companion object. A step of updating information, and when an image of the companion object is acquired through the camera while the robot is driving, comparing the acquired image with the reference image to identify whether an abnormality of the companion object occurs. Includes.

Additionally, the management information for the companion object includes environmental information corresponding to the time when each of the plurality of images was acquired. At this time, when it is identified that an abnormal symptom has occurred in the companion object, the method includes identifying environmental information of the driving space based on data acquired through the sensor of the robot, environmental information of the identified driving space, and Identifying whether the abnormal symptom of the companion object is related to environmental information based on environmental information corresponding to the time when each of the plurality of images is acquired; and if the abnormal symptom of the companion object is identified as related to environmental information, the surrounding and transmitting a control signal for controlling an operation of the at least one peripheral device to the at least one peripheral device through the communication interface based on control information about the device.

In addition, the step of controlling the camera includes, if the companion object is a static companion object, controlling the camera to move to the location of the static companion object and photograph the static companion object at a different shooting angle, and if the companion object is a dynamic companion object. In the case of a companion object, the camera is controlled to photograph the dynamic companion object while tracking the dynamic companion object.

When the control method of a robot that manages a companion object according to an embodiment of the present disclosure to achieve the above object is performed by the processor of the robot, the computer command that causes the processor to perform the operation is non-transitory computer readable. It can be stored on any possible recording medium. The operation includes controlling a camera of the robot to photograph the companion object while the robot is traveling. Additionally, the operation includes comparing the image of the companion object obtained through the camera with management information corresponding to the companion object stored in the memory of the robot to identify whether an abnormality in the companion object has occurred. In addition, the operation is performed when it is identified that an abnormal symptom has occurred in the companion object, based on control information for at least one peripheral device corresponding to the abnormal symptom of the companion object stored in the memory and corresponding to the identified abnormal symptom. and identifying control information. Additionally, the operation includes transmitting a control signal for controlling the operation of at least one peripheral device to the at least one peripheral device through a communication interface of the robot based on the identified control information. At this time, the management information includes a plurality of images taken of the companion object at different viewpoints.

1 is an exemplary diagram of a robot that monitors a companion object according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.
Figure 2 is a configuration diagram of a robot according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.
Figure 3 is an example diagram illustrating identifying abnormal symptoms of a companion object based on management information about the companion object, according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.
Figure 4 is an example diagram showing management information on a plurality of companion objects stored in memory, according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.
Figure 5 is an example diagram illustrating identifying abnormal symptoms of a companion object based on images acquired at different times, according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.
Figure 6 is an example diagram illustrating identifying whether an abnormal symptom occurs in a companion object, according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.
Figure 7 is an example diagram illustrating setting a reference image as the occurrence of an abnormality in a companion object is detected and identifying whether an abnormality in the companion object has occurred based on the set reference image, according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.
FIG. 8 is an example diagram illustrating transmitting a control command to a peripheral device according to the type of abnormal symptom of a companion object according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.
Figure 9 is an example diagram illustrating transmitting management information about a companion object to a user terminal device and receiving a control command for a peripheral device from the user terminal device, according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.
Figure 10 is an example diagram showing information on peripheral devices corresponding to abnormal symptoms according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.
11 is a detailed configuration diagram of a robot according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.
Figure 12 is a schematic flowchart of a control method of a companion object management robot according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

Since these embodiments can be modified in various ways and have various embodiments, specific embodiments will be illustrated in the drawings and described in detail in the detailed description. However, this is not intended to limit the scope to specific embodiments, and should be understood to include various modifications, equivalents, and/or alternatives to the embodiments of the present disclosure. In connection with the description of the drawings, similar reference numerals may be used for similar components.

In describing the present disclosure, if it is determined that a detailed description of a related known function or configuration may unnecessarily obscure the gist of the present disclosure, the detailed description thereof will be omitted.

In addition, the following examples may be modified into various other forms, and the scope of the technical idea of the present disclosure is not limited to the following examples. Rather, these embodiments are provided to make the present disclosure more faithful and complete and to completely convey the technical idea of the present disclosure to those skilled in the art.

The terms used in this disclosure are merely used to describe specific embodiments and are not intended to limit the scope of rights. Singular expressions include plural expressions unless the context clearly dictates otherwise.

In the present disclosure, expressions such as “have,” “may have,” “includes,” or “may include” refer to the presence of corresponding features (e.g., components such as numbers, functions, operations, or parts). , and does not rule out the existence of additional features.

In the present disclosure, expressions such as “A or B,” “at least one of A or/and B,” or “one or more of A or/and B” may include all possible combinations of the items listed together. . For example, “A or B,” “at least one of A and B,” or “at least one of A or B” includes (1) at least one A, (2) at least one B, or (3) it may refer to all cases including both at least one A and at least one B.

Expressions such as “first,” “second,” “first,” or “second,” used in the present disclosure can modify various components regardless of order and/or importance, and can refer to one component. It is only used to distinguish from other components and does not limit the components.

A component (e.g., a first component) is “(operatively or communicatively) coupled with/to” another component (e.g., a second component). When referred to as “connected to,” it should be understood that any component may be directly connected to the other component or may be connected through another component (eg, a third component).

On the other hand, when a component (e.g., a first component) is said to be “directly connected” or “directly connected” to another component (e.g., a second component), It may be understood that no other component (e.g., a third component) exists between other components.

The expression “configured to” used in the present disclosure may mean, for example, “suitable for,” “having the capacity to,” depending on the situation. ," can be used interchangeably with "designed to," "adapted to," "made to," or "capable of." The term “configured (or set to)” may not necessarily mean “specifically designed to” in hardware.

Instead, in some contexts, the expression “a device configured to” may mean that the device is “capable of” working with other devices or components. For example, the phrase "processor configured (or set) to perform A, B, and C" refers to a processor dedicated to performing the operations (e.g., an embedded processor), or by executing one or more software programs stored on a memory device. , may refer to a general-purpose processor (e.g., CPU or application processor) capable of performing the corresponding operations.

In an embodiment, a 'module' or 'unit' performs at least one function or operation, and may be implemented as hardware or software, or as a combination of hardware and software. Additionally, a plurality of 'modules' or a plurality of 'units' may be integrated into at least one module and implemented with at least one processor, except for 'modules' or 'units' that need to be implemented with specific hardware.

Meanwhile, various elements and areas in the drawing are schematically drawn. Accordingly, the technical idea of the present invention is not limited by the relative sizes or spacing drawn in the attached drawings.

Hereinafter, with reference to the attached drawings, embodiments according to the present disclosure will be described in detail so that those skilled in the art can easily implement them.

1 is an exemplary diagram of a robot that monitors a companion object according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

Referring to FIG. 1, the robot 100 of the present disclosure monitors the companion object 200 in the driving space in real time and detects abnormal symptoms of the companion object 200. Specifically, the robot 100 acquires an image of the companion object 200 through the camera 110 in order to detect abnormal symptoms of the companion object 200. Then, the robot 100 identifies abnormal symptoms of the companion object 200 based on the acquired image and management information about the companion object 200. Companion objects 200 include companion animals and companion plants.

At this time, the management information about the companion object 200 includes a plurality of images about the companion object 200. Accordingly, the robot 100 can identify abnormal symptoms of the companion object 200 by comparing a plurality of images accumulated and stored for the companion object 200 with images acquired in real time.

In particular, since each companion object 200 has its own personality, behavior, and characteristics, it may be difficult to apply general (or common) standards for identifying abnormal symptoms. Therefore, the robot 100 of the present disclosure repeats the image for each companion object 200 and stores the acquired image as management information corresponding to the companion object 200. The plurality of images accumulated for each companion object 200 serves as a standard for identifying abnormal symptoms of each companion object 200. Through this, the robot 100 of the present disclosure identifies abnormal symptoms of the companion object 200 by considering the unique personality, behavior, and characteristics of each companion object 200. This allows abnormal symptoms of the companion object 200 to be more clearly identified and allows the user to more quickly take action on the companion object 200 .

Below, an embodiment of the present disclosure related to this will be described in detail.

Figure 2 is a configuration diagram of a robot according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

According to FIG. 2, the robot 100 of the present disclosure includes a camera 110, a memory 120, a communication interface 130, and one or more processors 140.

The camera 110 photographs objects around the robot 100 and acquires a plurality of images 10 about the objects. Specifically, the camera 110 captures the companion object 200 and obtains an image 10 related to the companion object 200 . The image 10 of the companion object 200 acquired through the camera 110 includes a plurality of image frames constituting a video.

To this end, the camera 110 may be implemented as an imaging device such as a CMOS Image Sensor (CIS) with a CMOS structure or a Charge Coupled Device (CCD) structure. However, it is not limited to this, and the camera 110 may be implemented as a camera 110 module with various resolutions capable of photographing a subject.

Meanwhile, the camera 110 may be implemented as a depth camera 110, a stereo camera, or an RGB camera. Through this, the camera 110 can acquire the depth information of the companion object 200 together with the image 10 regarding the companion object 200.

The memory 120 may store data necessary for various embodiments of the present disclosure. As an example, map data regarding the driving space where the robot 100 is located may be stored in the memory 120. Here, the map data is map data containing information about the driving space in which the robot 100 is set to drive. Information about the driving space includes the driving path of the robot 100 set within the driving space, structures within the driving space, and location information of the companion object 200.

Meanwhile, according to an embodiment of the present disclosure, the memory 120 may store information on the companion object 200 in the driving space. Information on the companion object 200 may include the type of companion object 200 existing in the driving space, identification information of the companion object 200, and the location of the companion object 200 in the driving space.

In addition, according to an embodiment of the present disclosure, the memory 120 stores management information for each companion object 200 and control information for the peripheral device 300 corresponding to the abnormal symptom of the companion object 200. You can. Specifically, one or more processors 140 may store a plurality of images 10 obtained by photographing the companion object 200 at different viewpoints as management information for the companion object 200 in the memory 120 . As an example, one or more processors 140 may periodically photograph the companion object 200 to obtain an image 10 for the companion object 200 . Additionally, one or more processors 140 may accumulate acquired images and store them in the memory 120 . In this way, the plurality of images 10 accumulated for each companion object 200 can be used as management information for each companion object 200.

Meanwhile, control information for at least one peripheral device 300 corresponding to an abnormal symptom of the companion object 200 is stored in the memory 120 . Specifically, the memory 120 may store information on the peripheral device 300 of the robot 100 that communicates with the robot 100. At this time, the information about the peripheral devices 300 includes the type of each peripheral device 300, identification information of each peripheral device 300, control information of each peripheral device 300, etc.

Meanwhile, control information on at least one peripheral device 300 controlled according to abnormal symptoms of the companion object 200 is also stored in the memory 120. Accordingly, the one or more processors 140 monitor abnormal symptoms of the companion object 200 identified based on management information based on control information about at least one peripheral device 300 for abnormal symptoms of the companion object 200. Appropriate measures can be taken. The peripheral device 300 includes an electronic device that influences the creation of the surrounding environment of the companion object 200 . As an example, the peripheral device 300 may include a lighting device, an air conditioner, an air purifier, a humidifier, a dehumidifier, etc.

The memory 120 may be implemented as a memory embedded in the robot 100 or as a memory detachable from the robot 100 depending on the data storage purpose. For example, data for driving the robot 100 is stored in a memory embedded in the robot 100, and data for expansion functions of the robot 100 is stored in a memory that is detachable from the robot 100. It can be.

Meanwhile, in the case of the memory 120 embedded in the robot 100, volatile memory (e.g., dynamic RAM (DRAM), static RAM (SRAM), or synchronous dynamic RAM (SDRAM), etc.), non-volatile memory ) (e.g. one time programmable ROM (OTPROM), programmable ROM (PROM), erasable and programmable ROM (EPROM), electrically erasable and programmable ROM (EEPROM), mask ROM, flash ROM, flash memory (e.g. NAND flash or NOR flash, etc.), a hard drive, or a solid state drive (SSD).

In addition, in the case of the memory 120 that is detachable from the robot 100, a memory 120 card (e.g., compact flash (CF), secure digital (SD), micro secure digital (Micro-SD), Mini-SD (mini secure digital), xD (extreme digital), MMC (multi-media card), etc.), external memory connectable to a USB port (for example, USB memory 120), etc.

The communication interface 130 includes a circuit and can perform communication with the robot's peripheral device 300. Specifically, one or more processors 140 may receive various data or information from an external device (eg, a server) connected through the communication interface 130, and may also transmit various data or information to the external device. As an example, one or more processors 140 may transmit the image 10 obtained for the companion object 200 to the user terminal device 400 through the communication interface 130. In addition, when the one or more processors 140 identify that an abnormal symptom of the companion object 200 has occurred, the one or more processors 140 provide information notifying the abnormal symptom of the companion object 200 to the user terminal device 400 through the communication interface 130. You can also send it.

The communication interface 130 may include at least one of a WiFi module, a Bluetooth module, a wireless communication module, an NFC module, and a UWB module (Ultra Wide Band). Specifically, the WiFi module and the Bluetooth module can each communicate using WiFi and Bluetooth methods. When using a WiFi module or Bluetooth module, various connection information such as SSID is first transmitted and received, and various information can be transmitted and received after establishing a communication connection using this.

Additionally, the wireless communication module can perform communication according to various communication standards such as IEEE, Zigbee, 3rd Generation (3G), 3rd Generation Partnership Project (3GPP), Long Term Evolution (LTE), and 5th Generation (5G). In addition, the NFC module can perform communication using the NFC (Near Field Communication) method using the 13.56MHz band among various RF-ID frequency bands such as 135kHz, 13.56MHz, 433MHz, 860~960MHz, 2.45GHz, etc. In addition, through communication between UWB antennas, the UWB module can accurately measure ToA (Time of Arrival), which is the time for a pulse to reach the target, and AoA (Ange of Arrival), which is the angle of arrival of the pulse at the transmitter, and can thus accurately measure indoor Precise distance and position recognition is possible within an error range of several tens of centimeters.

The processor 140 can control the overall operation of the robot 100. To this end, the processor 140 may include random access memory (RAM), read only memory (ROM), central processing unit (CPU), graphics processing unit (GPU), and system bus, and the robot 100 Operations or data processing related to the control of one or more components included in can be performed.

The processor 140 controls one or more components included in the robot 100 by executing one or more instructions stored in storage, or controls one or more components as a hardware circuit or chip, or as a combination of software and hardware. One or more components can be controlled.

The processor 140 electrically connects various components within the robot 100, including the camera 110, memory 120, communication interface 130, at least one sensor (not shown), and a driving unit (not shown). You can control them by being connected to .

According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, one or more processors 140 control the camera 110 to photograph the companion object 200 while the robot 100 travels.

Specifically, one or more processors 140 may control the driving unit of the robot 100 so that the robot 100 travels in a travel space based on a travel command received through the communication interface 130 or an input interface. At this time, one or more processors 140 control the camera 110 to photograph the companion object 200 while the robot 100 travels. In addition, one or more processors 140 may capture the companion object 200 through the camera 110 to obtain an image 10 related to the companion object 200 .

Alternatively, when receiving a command regarding the management mode of the companion object 200, the one or more processors 140 may control the driving unit of the robot 100 to search for the companion object 200 in the driving space. The management mode of the companion object 200 allows the robot 100 to drive in the driving space in order to acquire a plurality of images 10 for the companion object 200 existing in the driving space during the driving mode of the robot 100. It may be a set mode.

As an example, the processor may control the driving unit of the robot 100 to move the robot 100 to the location of the companion object 200 set on the map data in the management mode of the companion object 200 of the robot 100. . And, when the robot 100 moves to the location of the companion object 200, the processor acquires a plurality of images 10 of the companion object 200 observed at the location of the companion object 200 set on the map data. The camera 110 can be controlled to do so.

Alternatively, one or more processors 140 may control the driving unit of the robot 100 so that the robot 100 travels in the travel space based on preset conditions (eg, preset cycle time, etc.). As an example, one or more processors 140 may drive in the driving space at preset intervals and search for companion objects 200 in the driving space. Assuming that the preset period is 2 hours, one or more processors 140 may drive the driving space every 2 hours and acquire a plurality of images 10 of the companion object 200 in the driving space.

Meanwhile, one or more processors 140 may perform a process of identifying whether an object detected around the robot 100 is a companion object. Specifically, the processor detects objects around the robot 100 through a sensor (not shown) of the robot 100 while the robot 100 is traveling, and controls the driving part of the robot 100 to point toward the detected object. can do. And, the one or more processors 140 acquire sensing information (e.g., point cloud information corresponding to the object) on the object detected through the sensor or at least one image of the object detected through the camera 110. You can obtain (10). Additionally, the one or more processors 140 may identify whether the detected object is the companion object 200 based on the acquired sensing information or information on the companion object stored in the at least one image 10 and the memory 120 .

According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, the one or more processors 140, when the companion object 200 is a static companion object, move to the location of the static companion object and use the camera 110 to photograph the static companion object at different shooting angles. , and if the companion object 200 is a dynamic companion object, the camera 110 may be controlled to capture the dynamic companion object while tracking the dynamic companion object.

Specifically, the processor identifies whether the companion object 200 is a static companion object or a dynamic companion object. The process of determining whether the companion object 200 is a static companion object or a dynamic companion object is performed before acquiring a plurality of images 10 for the companion object 200 or by obtaining a plurality of images 10 for the companion object 200. ) can be performed while acquiring.

The static companion object may be a companion object whose position is fixed within the driving space where the robot 100 is located. As an example, it may include plants such as flowers and trees. In addition, it may include animals that can be identified at fixed locations within the driving space. For example, fish, turtles, etc. in an aquarium may be static companion objects. That is, in the case of a static companion object, its position within the driving space can be maintained constant.

A dynamic companion object is a companion object 200 whose location can change within the driving space, and may include animals such as dogs and cats.

The location of the static companion object may be preset on map data. Accordingly, one or more processors 140 may identify the type of the companion object 200 depending on whether the location of the companion object 200 is preset on the map data.

For example, if the location of the companion object 200 is preset on the map data, the one or more processors 140 may identify the type of the companion object 200 as a static companion object. On the other hand, if the location of the companion object 200 is not preset on the map data, the processor may identify the type of the companion object 200 as a dynamic companion object.

However, it is not limited to this. Even in the case of a dynamic companion object, at least one location where the dynamic companion object is frequently found may be preset in the map data. In this case, one or more processors 140 may identify the type of companion object 200 according to the number of preset positions on the map data. For example, in the case of a static companion object, there may be one preset location in the map data, but in the case of a dynamic companion object, there may be multiple preset locations in the map data.

One or more processors 140 may receive information about the companion object 200 existing in the driving space in advance through the communication interface 130 or an input interface (not shown). Information on the companion object 200 may include the type, name, age, and location of the companion object 200 within the driving space. Meanwhile, information on the companion object 200 may be stored in the memory 120 as described above.

Additionally, one or more processors 140 may identify the type of companion object 200 based on the image 10 acquired in real time through the camera 110. That is, at least one processor 140 may identify whether the companion object 200 is a static companion object or a dynamic companion object based on the image 10 acquired in real time.

Specifically, one or more processors 140 may identify the type of companion object 200 based on the image 10 acquired through the camera 110. That is, the processor may acquire a plurality of images 10 of objects around the robot 100 while driving in the driving space where the robot 100 is located according to a user command or preset conditions. At this time, the processor may recognize the object in the image 10 based on the acquired plurality of images 10 and identify the type of the recognized object.

At this time, when the position of an object changes within the plurality of images 10 or movement of the object is detected, one or more processors 140 may identify the object within the plurality of images 10 as a dynamic companion object. On the other hand, if the position of the object does not change or the movement of the object is not detected within the plurality of images 10, the one or more processors 140 may identify the object in the plurality of images 10 as a static companion object.

In addition, the one or more processors 140 may use the identification information of the companion object 200 stored in the memory 120 to identify whether the object recognized based on the plurality of images 10 corresponds to the companion object 200. You can. Specifically, the one or more processors 140 identify whether the object in the image 10 corresponds to the companion object 200 based on the object recognition result regarding the object in the image 10 and the identification information of the companion object 200. can do.

In this way, the at least one processor 140 identifies whether the companion object 200 is a static companion object or a dynamic companion object, and then moves to the location of the static companion object when the companion object 200 is a static companion object. The camera 110 is controlled to photograph a static companion object at different photographing angles.

That is, since the location of a static companion object does not change, the one or more processors 140 can discover the companion object 200 at that location when the robot 100 moves to the preset location of the companion object 200. . Accordingly, in the case of a static companion object, at least one processor 140 may control the driving unit to move the robot 100 to the location of the companion object 200 set on the map data.

Alternatively, the one or more processors 140 identify the object through the acquired plurality of images 10, and when the identified object is identified as a static companion object, the driving unit moves the robot 100 toward the identified static companion object. can also be controlled. Additionally, when the robot 100 is located within a preset distance from the location of the static companion object, the processor may acquire a plurality of images of the static companion object through the camera 110. At this time, the processor may acquire a plurality of images by photographing the static companion object from various photographing angles.

Meanwhile, when the companion object 200 is a dynamic companion object, the one or more processors 140 may control the camera 110 to photograph the dynamic companion object while tracking the dynamic companion object. Specifically, the processor may identify an object through the acquired plurality of images 10, and when the identified companion object 200 is identified as a dynamic companion object, the processor may control the driving unit to track the identified dynamic companion object.

As an example, when the dynamic companion object moves, the processor controls the robot 100 to track the dynamic companion object by controlling the driving unit. At this time, the processor may control the distance between the robot 100 and the dynamic companion object to be greater than or equal to a preset distance through a sensor. Additionally, the processor may control the camera 110 to acquire a plurality of images 10 for the dynamic companion object while tracking the dynamic companion object. Meanwhile, the processor may acquire a plurality of images 10 by photographing the dynamic companion object from various photographing angles.

Meanwhile, according to an embodiment of the present disclosure, the one or more processors 140 control the camera 110 to photograph the companion object 200, and then acquire the image 10 related to the companion object 200. The image 10 related to the companion object 200 may be compared with a plurality of images stored in the memory 120 to identify whether abnormal symptoms have occurred in the companion object 200.

One or more processors 140 obtain an image of the companion object 200 through the camera 110 and then identify whether an abnormal symptom occurs in the companion object 200. To this end, one or more processors 140 use management information of the companion object 200 stored in the memory 120. Hereinafter, referring to FIGS. 3 and 4, the companion object (200) according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is described. 200) will be explained in detail regarding management information.

Figure 3 is an example diagram illustrating identifying abnormal symptoms of a companion object based on management information about the companion object, according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. Figure 4 is an example diagram showing management information on a plurality of companion objects stored in memory, according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

Management information about the companion object 200 may be stored in the memory 120 . At this time, the management information about the companion object 200 may include a plurality of images obtained for the companion object 200. The plurality of images are images acquired at different times and stored in the memory 120, and are accumulated images of the companion object 200. Accordingly, management information may be referred to as history information about the companion object 200. Referring to FIG. 3, management information 20 for the companion object 200 includes a plurality of images 11 acquired on August 2, a plurality of images 12 acquired on August 7, and August 12. It includes a plurality of images (13) acquired in one day.

Meanwhile, the management information about the companion object 200 may further include information on the surrounding environment of the companion object 200 detected at the time each image is acquired. Specifically, the one or more processors 140 collect environmental information around the companion object 200 using a sensor (not shown) of the robot 100 at each point in time when a plurality of images of the companion object 200 are acquired. It can be obtained. Information on the surrounding environment of the companion object 200 includes information on temperature, time, humidity, etc.

Referring again to FIG. 3 , in addition to the plurality of images, the management information 20 regarding the companion object 200 further includes information on the surrounding environment of the companion object 200 detected at the time each image is acquired. Specifically, when acquiring a plurality of images 110 for the companion object 200 at 14:25 on August 2, the one or more processors 140 determine that the temperature of the environment around the companion object 200 is 23. °C and humidity was identified as 55%. In addition, one or more processors 140 may process a plurality of images 11 acquired at 14:25 on August 2 and environmental information around the companion object 200 (i.e., temperature is 23°C, humidity is 55%) ) can be matched and stored in the memory 120.

In this way, the management information includes environmental information (temperature 24°C, humidity 64%) identified at the time of acquiring multiple images of the companion object 200 at 14:26 on August 7th and 14:00 on August 12th. Environmental information (temperature 22°C, humidity 48%) identified at the time of acquiring multiple images of the companion object 200 at 26 minutes may be included.

Meanwhile, management information about a plurality of companion objects 200 may be stored in the memory 120 . That is, referring to FIG. 4, one or more processors 140 acquire a plurality of images at different viewpoints with respect to the first companion object 210 and then use the obtained plurality of images corresponding to the first companion object 210. It can be stored in the memory 120 as management information. In addition, one or more processors 140 acquire a plurality of images for the second companion object 210 at different viewpoints, and then convert the acquired plurality of images into management information corresponding to the second companion object 210 in the memory 120. ) can be saved in .

At this time, the environmental information included in the management information may be different depending on the type of the companion object 200. For example, when the companion object 200 is an animal, each time the one or more processors 140 acquire an image of the companion object 200, the body temperature of the companion object 200 is measured using an infrared sensor (not shown). By identifying the body temperature information, the obtained body temperature information can be included in the management information of the companion object 200 and stored in the memory 120 . In addition, when the companion object 200 is a plant, the one or more processors 140 acquire color information of the companion object 200 every time an image of the companion object 200 is acquired, and the obtained color information is returned. It can be included in the management information of the object 200 and stored in the memory 120.

Additionally, the cycle at which management information is updated may vary depending on the type of companion object 200. As an example, referring to FIG. 4 , in the case of the first companion object 210 corresponding to a plant, an image for the first companion object 200 is acquired every 5 days, and management information is updated based on the acquired image. On the other hand, in the case of the second companion object 220 corresponding to an animal, an image of the second companion object 220 is acquired every day, and management information is updated based on the acquired image. In this way, the period at which the image for the companion object 200 is acquired may differ depending on the type of the companion object 200, and as a result, the period at which management information is updated based on the acquired image may also vary.

According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, when the companion object 200 is an animal, an image of the companion object 200 is acquired every first cycle, and then management information of the companion object 200 is stored based on the acquired image. When the companion object 200 is a plant, an image of the companion object 200 is acquired every second cycle, and then the management information of the companion object 200 is updated based on the acquired image. . At this time, the first period may be set to a shorter time than the second period.

Meanwhile, the one or more processors 140 identify management information corresponding to the rejected object 200 among the plurality of management information stored in the memory 120, and plurality of pieces of management information corresponding to the rejected object 200 included in the identified management information. Images can be extracted. In addition, one or more processors 140 may compare the plurality of extracted images with the acquired image to identify whether an abnormal symptom has occurred in the companion object 200.

And, according to an embodiment of the present disclosure, when the one or more processors 140 identify that an abnormal symptom has occurred in the companion object 200, the one or more processors 140 perform a process corresponding to the identified abnormal symptom based on the information stored in the memory 120. Control information is identified, and a control signal for controlling the operation of at least one peripheral device 300 based on the identified control information is transmitted to at least one peripheral device 300 through the communication interface 130.

Specifically, the one or more processors 140 identify the type of abnormal symptom occurring in the companion object 200 and retrieve control information about the peripheral device 300 corresponding to the identified type of abnormal symptom from the memory 120. It can be obtained.

Then, based on the obtained control information, the one or more processors 140 identify at least one peripheral device 300 to transmit a control command among the plurality of peripheral devices 300, and the identified at least one peripheral device 300 Control commands can be sent to .

Meanwhile, when the one or more processors 140 identify that an abnormal symptom has occurred in the companion object 200, the one or more processors 140 inform the user terminal device 400 through the communication interface 130 that an abnormal symptom has occurred in the companion object 200. Information can be transmitted.

At this time, one or more processors 140 may transmit control information regarding the peripheral device 300 together with the type of abnormal symptom. Accordingly, when a user who recognizes that an abnormal symptom has occurred in the companion object 200 inputs a control command related to the peripheral device 300 through the user terminal device 400, one or more processors 140 execute the communication interface 130. ), and can transmit the control command to the peripheral device 300 through the communication interface 130.

Meanwhile, when the one or more processors 140 identify that there is no information about the peripheral device 300 corresponding to the type of the identified abnormal symptom, the companion object 200 is sent to the user terminal device 400 through the communication interface 130. ) can only transmit information indicating that an abnormal symptom has occurred. Accordingly, the robot 100 of the present disclosure allows the user to directly take quick action on the companion object 200.

Figure 5 is an example diagram illustrating identifying abnormal symptoms of a companion object based on images acquired at different times, according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, one or more processors 140 obtain a first comparison result by comparing the first image of the companion object 200 acquired through the camera 110 at a first viewpoint with a plurality of images. can do. At this time, the one or more processors 140 store the obtained first comparison result in the memory 120 and then generate a second image of the companion object 200 acquired through the camera 110 at a second time point after the first time point. A second comparison result can be obtained by comparing with a plurality of images. In addition, one or more processors 140 may identify whether an abnormal symptom occurs in the companion object 200 based on the obtained second comparison result and the first comparison result stored in the memory 120.

Specifically, one or more processors 140 may compare images acquired at different times with management information of the companion object 200 and obtain a comparison result for each image. That is, one or more processors 140 may obtain a first comparison result 31 by comparing the first image acquired at the first time point with a plurality of images included in the management information of the companion object 200. In addition, one or more processors 140 may obtain a second comparison result 32 by comparing the second image acquired at the second time point with a plurality of images included in the management information of the companion object 200. At this time, the first viewpoint and the second viewpoint correspond to different viewpoints.

At this time, one or more processors 140 may identify the progress of abnormal symptoms of the companion object 200 based on the first and second comparison results. As an example, referring to FIG. 5, one or more processors 140 acquire a plurality of images (first images) 10 for the companion object 200 on August 17, 2022 (a first time point), Abnormal symptoms of the companion object 200 by comparing the acquired plurality of images (first image) 10 with the plurality of images 11, 12, and 13 included in the management information 20 of the companion object 200 It is possible to identify whether or not . At this time, one or more processors 140 observe the companion object 200 based on a plurality of images (first image) 10 of the companion object 200 on August 17, 2022 (first time point). The area of change was identified as 20% (first comparison result (31)). Accordingly, on August 17, 2022 (the first time point), one or more processors 140 may identify that an abnormal symptom has occurred for the companion object 200. At this time, one or more processors 140 transmit a control signal for at least one external device corresponding to the abnormal symptom to at least one external device through the communication interface 130, or send a companion object to the user terminal device 400. Information notifying the occurrence of abnormal symptoms (200) can be transmitted.

Thereafter, one or more processors 140 acquire a plurality of images (second images) 14 for the companion object 200 on August 22, 2022 (second time point), and obtain a plurality of images (second images) 14 2 image) 14 and a plurality of images 11, 12, and 13 included in the management information of the companion object 200 can be compared to identify whether abnormal symptoms of the companion object 200 have occurred. At this time, one or more processors 140 observe the companion object 200 based on a plurality of images (second images) 14 for the companion object 200 on August 22, 2022 (second time point). The area of change was identified as 10% (second comparison result (32)). At this time, the one or more processors 140 are based on the first comparison result 31 and the second comparison result 32 obtained on August 22, 2022 (second time point), and The area of abnormal change can be identified as being reduced. Accordingly, on August 22, 2022 (second time point), one or more processors 140 may identify that the abnormal symptoms of the companion object 200 are decreasing. Therefore, unlike August 17, 2022 (the first time point), on August 22, 2022 (the second time point), one or more processors 140 send a control signal to at least one external device through the communication interface 130. It may not be sent.

In this way, one or more processors 140 repeatedly identify whether abnormal symptoms occur in the companion object 200 based on images acquired at different times. In addition, one or more processors 140 accumulate and store even the comparison results that were the standard for identifying whether abnormal symptoms of the companion object 200 have occurred in the management information of the companion object 200, and based on the stored comparison results, By observing the progress of abnormal symptoms that have occurred, the abnormal symptoms of the companion object 200 can be determined more clearly.

Meanwhile, according to an embodiment of the present disclosure, when the second image of the companion object 200 is obtained at the second viewpoint, the one or more processors 140 select the second image based on the second viewpoint among the plurality of images. A second comparison result may be obtained by comparing the image with at least one image acquired within a preset time.

Specifically, when the one or more processors 140 acquire an image of the companion object 200 through the camera 110, at least one image acquired within a preset time from the time of acquiring the image and stored in the memory 120 By comparing the image, it is possible to identify whether abnormal symptoms occur in the companion object 200. That is, the one or more processors 140 select only at least one image acquired within a preset time among the plurality of images included in the management information, compare the selected at least one image with the image acquired in real time, and collect the companion object. Identify whether abnormal symptoms (200) occur or not.

Referring again to FIG. 5, assuming that the preset time is one week, one or more processors 140 may select a plurality of images 11, 12, and 13 included in the management information. By comparing the image 13 with the plurality of images 10 acquired on August 17, 2022, it is possible to identify whether abnormal symptoms of the companion object 200 have occurred.

Meanwhile, although not clearly shown in the drawing, one or more processors 140 manage the companion object 200 by including a plurality of images 10 acquired on August 17, 2022 in the management information of the companion object 200. Information can be updated and the updated management information can be stored in the memory 120. Accordingly, the one or more processors 140 combine the plurality of images 10 acquired on August 22, 2022 with management information of the companion object 200 including the plurality of images acquired on August 17, 2022. You can compare.

Figure 6 is an example diagram illustrating identifying whether an abnormal symptom occurs in a companion object, according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

Hereinafter, with reference to FIG. 6 , an embodiment of the present disclosure that identifies whether an abnormal symptom occurs in a companion object when the companion object is a plant will be described.

Referring to FIG. 6 , one or more processors 140 may identify whether an abnormal symptom occurs in the companion object 200 based on the size of the abnormal change area observed in the companion object 200 . Here, the abnormal change area may be an area where discoloration, spots, etc. occur.

Specifically, the one or more processors 140 may identify that an abnormal change area is observed in the companion object 200 based on the image acquired on August 17th. Accordingly, one or more processors 140 may predict that an abnormal symptom occurred in the companion object 200 on August 17th. However, since the ratio of the size of the abnormal change area observed in the companion object 200 is smaller than the ratio (40%) of the preset size, one or more processors 200 determine that an abnormal symptom has occurred in the companion object 200. You can postpone doing it.

Thereafter, based on the image acquired by the one or more processors 140 on August 22nd, the size ratio of the abnormal change area observed in the companion object 200 increased to 30%, and in the image acquired on August 27th. Based on this, it can be identified that the size ratio of the abnormal change area observed in the companion object 200 has reached 40%, which is a preset size ratio. Accordingly, one or more processors 140 can definitively identify that an abnormal symptom has occurred in the companion object 200 and transmit a control command to a peripheral device corresponding to the abnormal symptom through the communication interface 130.

Meanwhile, according to an embodiment of the present disclosure, one or more processors 140 may identify whether an abnormal symptom occurs in the companion object 200 based on the number of spots observed in the companion object 200. Specifically, if the number of spots observed in the companion object 200 is more than a preset number, the one or more processors 140 may confirm and identify that an abnormal symptom has occurred in the companion object 200.

Figure 7 is an example diagram illustrating setting a reference image as the occurrence of an abnormality in a companion object is detected and identifying whether an abnormality in the companion object has occurred based on the set reference image, according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

Meanwhile, according to an embodiment of the present disclosure, when an abnormal symptom is detected in the companion object 200 based on the image acquired through the camera 110, the one or more processors 140 combine the acquired image with the abnormal symptom and Management information about the companion object 200 can be updated by storing it in the memory 120 as a related reference image. And, when the image of the companion object 200 is acquired through the camera 110 while the robot 100 is running, the one or more processors 140 compare the acquired image with the reference image to determine whether the companion object 200 has an abnormality. It is possible to identify whether symptoms are occurring.

Specifically, when the one or more processors 140 detect that an abnormality has occurred in the companion object 200 based on the acquired image, the one or more processors 140 store the acquired image in the management information of the companion object 200. You can update management information by adding it. At this time, one or more processors 140 may set a newly added image among a plurality of images included in the updated management information as a reference image. In addition, the one or more processors 140 may compare the plurality of images obtained for the companion object 200 with a reference image among the plurality of images included in the management information to identify abnormal symptoms of the companion object 200. there is.

Meanwhile, detecting that an abnormal symptom of the companion object 200 has occurred may mean that the abnormal symptom of the companion object 200 is observed for the first time. That is, when an abnormal symptom first occurs in the companion object 200 that was identified as normal, one or more processors 140 may set the image in which the abnormal symptom was first observed as a reference image.

Referring to FIG. 7, one or more processors 140 detected the occurrence of abnormal symptoms of the companion object 200 based on the plurality of images 10 acquired on August 17, 2022. Accordingly, one or more processors 140 may update the management information by adding a plurality of images 10 acquired on August 17, 2022 to the management information of the companion object 200. In addition, one or more processors 140 may set the plurality of images 10 acquired on August 17, 2022 as reference images. Thereafter, one or more processors 140 acquire a plurality of images for the companion object 200 on August 22, 2022, and then compare the acquired plurality of images with the reference image to determine abnormal symptoms of the companion object 200. Progress can be observed.

Meanwhile, as described above, according to an embodiment of the present disclosure, control information corresponding to each abnormal symptom of the companion object 200 may be stored in the memory 120. Here, the control information may include the type of peripheral device 300 controlled according to abnormal symptoms, commands for the peripheral device 300, etc. As an example, in relation to abnormal symptoms of the companion object 200, first control information corresponding to the first type abnormal symptom and second control information corresponding to the second type abnormal symptom may be stored in the memory 120. .

More specifically, when the companion object 200 is a plant, a plurality of control information corresponding to discoloration among abnormal symptoms of the companion object 200 may be stored in the memory 120 . More specifically, when the discoloration of the plant is brown, control information for controlling the peripheral device 300 (e.g., dehumidifier, etc.) to increase the humidity of the driving space where the companion object 200 is located is stored in the memory 120. It can be. If the discoloration of the plant is green, control information for controlling the peripheral device 300 (e.g., lighting device, etc.) to increase the brightness of the lighting in the driving space where the companion object 200 is located will be stored in the memory 120. You can.

In this way, the memory 120 may store control information regarding the peripheral device 300 that can be controlled according to the type of the companion object 200 or the abnormal symptoms of the companion object 200.

Meanwhile, according to an embodiment of the present disclosure, one or more processors 140 compare a plurality of images obtained for the companion object 200 with management information corresponding to the companion object 200, and compare the management information corresponding to the companion object 200. In addition to identifying whether an abnormal symptom has occurred, the one or more processors 140 may also identify the type of abnormal symptom that has occurred. Additionally, the processor may obtain control information corresponding to the type of the companion object 200 and the type of abnormal symptom of the companion object 200 from the memory 120 .

FIG. 8 is an example diagram illustrating transmitting a control command to a peripheral device according to the type of abnormal symptom of a companion object according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

As an example, referring to FIG. 8, when the one or more processors 140 identify the abnormal symptom of the companion object 200 as a first type abnormal symptom based on the first comparison result and the second comparison result, the one or more processors 140 determine the first type abnormal symptom. Based on the first control information corresponding to the symptom, the first control signal for controlling the operation of the air conditioner among the plurality of peripheral devices 300 of the robot 100 may be transmitted to the air conditioner through the communication interface 130.

And, when the one or more processors 140 identify that the abnormal symptom of the companion object 200 is a second type abnormal symptom based on the first comparison result and the second comparison result, the one or more processors 140 generate a second abnormal symptom corresponding to the second type abnormal symptom. Based on the control information, a second control signal for controlling the operation of a lighting device among the plurality of peripheral devices 300 of the robot 100 may be transmitted to at least one peripheral device 300 through the communication interface 130. .

In addition, when the one or more processors 140 identify that the abnormal symptom of the companion object 200 is a third type abnormal symptom based on the first comparison result and the second comparison result, the one or more processors 140 generate a third abnormal symptom corresponding to the third type abnormal symptom. Based on the control information, a third control signal for controlling the operation of the air conditioner and humidifier among the plurality of peripheral devices 300 of the robot 100 may be transmitted to the air conditioner and humidifier through the communication interface 130.

Figure 9 is an example diagram illustrating transmitting management information about a companion object to a user terminal device and receiving a control command for a peripheral device from the user terminal device, according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. Figure 10 is an example diagram showing information on peripheral devices corresponding to abnormal symptoms according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

Meanwhile, according to an embodiment of the present disclosure, when control information corresponding to the identified abnormal symptom is identified, the one or more processors 140 transmit information about the abnormal symptom of the companion object 200 and the identified control information. is transmitted to the user terminal device 400 through the communication interface 130, and when a user command corresponding to the control information is received from the user terminal device 400, the control signal is transmitted to at least one peripheral device through the communication interface 130. It can be transmitted to the device 300.

Specifically, each time one or more processors 140 acquire an image for the companion object 200, the acquired image may be transmitted to the user through the communication interface 130. Accordingly, referring to FIG. 9 , a plurality of images of the companion object 200 acquired by one or more processors 140 may be displayed on the user terminal device 400. Through this, the user can monitor the companion object 200 even in a space separated from the companion object 200.

Meanwhile, one or more processors 140 may display a separate UI for an image identified as having an abnormal symptom for the companion object 200 among the plurality of images for the companion object 200 . That is, referring to FIG. 9, one or more processors 140 include images acquired on August 12, when the companion object 200 was identified as having an abnormal symptom, in which the user indicated that the companion object 200 had an abnormal symptom. A UI can be displayed and transmitted to the user terminal device 400 so that it can be recognized.

Meanwhile, one or more processors 140 may transmit control information of the peripheral device 300 of the robot 100 related to abnormal symptoms of the companion object 200 to the user terminal device 400 through the communication interface 130. there is. And, when a user command corresponding to control information is received from the user terminal device 400 through the communication interface 130, the peripheral device 300 can be controlled based on the received user command. Referring again to FIG. 9, as the one or more processors 140 identify that an abnormal symptom has occurred for the companion object 200, a message is sent requesting the user terminal device 400 to control the peripheral device 300. can be transmitted. The transmitted message may be displayed on the messenger UI displayed on the user terminal device 400. Also, when the user inputs a message to control the peripheral device 300, one or more processors 140 may transmit a control command corresponding to the input message to the peripheral device 300. That is, one or more processors 140 may transmit a control command to turn off the air conditioner to the air conditioner based on a user's message requesting to turn off the air conditioner.

Meanwhile, referring to FIG. 10, according to an embodiment of the present disclosure, one or more processors 140 identify the cause of abnormal symptoms of the companion object using a table related to abnormal symptoms of the companion object stored in the memory 120, Control commands can be sent to peripheral devices based on the identified cause. For example, if the companion object is identified as discolored brown based on the acquired image 10, one or more processors 140 may identify that an abnormal symptom has occurred in the companion object. In addition, one or more processors 140 may identify a dehumidifier and/or humidifier as a peripheral device corresponding to the identified abnormal symptom and transmit a control command to the identified peripheral device through the communication interface 130.

Meanwhile, one or more processors may obtain a plurality of images of the companion object 200 by photographing the companion object 200 at preset time periods while the robot 100 is traveling. At this time, according to an embodiment of the present disclosure, one or more processors 140 may adjust a preset time period when it is detected that an abnormal symptom has occurred in the companion object 200. That is, one or more processors 140 may change the time period for acquiring an image of the companion object 200 to a shorter time. As an example, assume that one or more processors 140 acquired a plurality of images by photographing the companion object 200 every 4 hours (period of 1 hour). At this time, when abnormal symptoms are detected in the companion object 200 through the image acquired by the camera 110, one or more processors 140 photograph the companion object 200 every hour (second time period) and Images can be obtained.

In addition, according to an embodiment of the present disclosure, when it is identified that an abnormal symptom has occurred in the companion object 200, the one or more processors 140 determine the driving space based on data acquired through the sensor of the robot 100. Environmental information can be identified. At this time, the one or more processors 140 identify whether the abnormal symptom of the companion object 200 is related to the environmental information based on the environmental information of the identified driving space and the environmental information corresponding to the time when each of the plurality of images was acquired, If the abnormal symptom of the companion object 200 is identified as being related to environmental information, a control signal for controlling the operation of at least one peripheral device 300 is sent to the communication interface 130 based on the control information about the peripheral device 300. ) can be transmitted to at least one peripheral device 300.

Specifically, when there is no control information for the peripheral device 300 corresponding to an abnormal symptom occurring in the companion object 200, the one or more processors 140 determine the abnormal symptom based on the surrounding environment information of the companion object 200. The cause of symptoms can be analyzed. At this time, the one or more processors 140 determine the normal state of the companion object 200 based on the environmental information and management information around the companion object 200 at the time when it is identified that an abnormal symptom has occurred in the companion object 200. It is possible to compare surrounding environmental information and identify environmental factors related to the cause of abnormal symptoms based on the comparison results. Additionally, one or more processors 140 may use control information for the peripheral device 300 stored in the memory to appropriately change the identified environmental factors. Specifically, based on the control information about the peripheral device 300 stored in the memory, the one or more processors 140 identify the type of peripheral device 300 that appropriately changes the identified environmental factor, and use the communication interface 130 A control command can be transmitted to the identified peripheral device 300 through .

11 is a detailed configuration diagram of a robot according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

Referring to FIG. 11, the robot 100 of the present disclosure includes a camera 110, a memory 120, a communication interface 130, a sensor 150, a driver 160, a display 170, a speaker 180, Includes a microphone 190 and one or more processors 140. Among the configurations shown in FIG. 10, detailed description will be omitted for the configurations that overlap with those shown in FIG. 2.

A sensor is a device used to detect objects around the robot 100. As an example, the sensor may be implemented as a LiDAR sensor, ToF sensor, etc. One processor may identify an object based on sensing information about objects around the robot 100 (for example, point cloud information corresponding to the object, etc.) through a sensor. Alternatively, when an object around the robot 100 is detected through a sensor, one or more processors 140 acquire at least one image of the object detected through the camera 110 and identify the object based on the acquired image. can do. In this way, when the identified object is identified as the companion object 200, the one or more processors 140 acquire a plurality of images of the object identified as the companion object 200 through the camera 110, and Based on the plurality of images and management information, it is identified whether abnormal symptoms occur in the companion object 200. Detailed explanation regarding this will be omitted.

Meanwhile, the sensor may obtain information about the surrounding environment (temperature, humidity, illumination, etc.) of the companion object 200. As an example, the sensor may further include at least one of a temperature/humidity sensor, an illumination sensor, or a UV (ultra violet) sensor. Accordingly, each time the one or more processors 140 acquire an image of the companion object 200, they may also obtain information about the environment around the companion object 200 through a sensor.

The driving unit 160 is a device that can drive the robot 100. The driving unit 160 can adjust the traveling direction and traveling speed according to the control of the processor 140. The driving unit 160 according to one example is a power generating device that generates power for the robot 100 to travel (e.g., a gasoline engine, a diesel engine, or a liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) depending on the fuel (or energy source) used. ) engine, electric motor, etc.), and a steering device to control the driving direction (e.g., manual steering, hydraulics steering, electronic control power steering (EPS), etc.). .

The display 140 can display various visual information. As an example, the display 140 may display information about map data, the driving path of the robot 100, the companion object 200, etc.

To this end, the display 170 may be implemented as a display including a self-emitting device or a display including a non-light-emitting device and a backlight. For example, Liquid Crystal Display (LCD), Organic Light Emitting Diodes (OLED) display, Light Emitting Diodes (LED), micro LED, Mini LED, Plasma Display Panel (PDP), and Quantum dot (QD) display. , QLED (Quantum dot light-emitting diodes), etc. can be implemented as various types of displays.

The display 170 may also include a driving circuit and a backlight unit that may be implemented in the form of a-si TFT, low temperature poly silicon (LTPS) TFT, or organic TFT (OTFT). Meanwhile, the display 170 may be a touch screen combined with a touch sensor or touch panel, a flexible display, a rollable display, a 3D display, or a display in which a plurality of display modules are physically connected. It can be implemented as follows. Meanwhile, when the display 170 forms a touch screen together with a touch sensor or a touch panel, the display 170 functions as an output unit that outputs information between the robot 100 and the user, and at the same time, It can function as an input unit that provides an input interface between the device and the user.

The speaker 180 can output sound signals to the outside of the robot 100. The speaker 180 can output multimedia playback, recording playback, various notification sounds, voice messages, etc. The robot 100 may include an audio output device such as the speaker 180, or may include an output device such as an audio output terminal. In particular, the speaker 180 can provide acquired information, information processed and produced based on the acquired information, response results to the user's voice, or operation results, etc. in voice form.

The microphone 190 may receive acoustic signals from the surroundings of the robot 100. As an example, the microphone may receive a user's voice controlling the robot 100. Here, the user voice may be a voice for setting the management mode of the companion object 200 of the robot 100.

When a user's voice for executing a specific function is received through the microphone 190, one or more processors 140 convert the user's voice into a digital signal through a STT (Speech to Text) algorithm and respond in response to the user's voice. Information can be provided.

Figure 12 is a schematic flowchart of a control method of a companion object management robot according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

Referring to FIG. 12, one or more processors 140 of the robot 100 control the camera 110 of the robot 100 to photograph the companion object 200 while the robot 100 travels (S1210).

Specifically, one or more processors 140 may control the driving unit of the robot 100 so that the robot 100 moves to the location of the companion object 200 set on map data about the driving space. In addition, one or more processors 140 may identify objects around the robot 100 through a sensor at the preset location of the companion object 200. Alternatively, one or more processors 140 may detect an object around the robot 100 through a sensor, acquire an image of the detected object through the camera 110, and then identify the object based on the acquired image.

Additionally, one or more processors 140 may identify whether the identified object corresponds to the companion object 200 based on information on the companion object 200 stored in the memory 120 . And, when the identified object is identified as the companion object 200, the one or more processors 140 may acquire a plurality of images of the companion object 200 using the camera 110 on the companion object 200. there is.

Then, one or more processors 140 compare the image of the companion object 200 acquired through the camera 110 with management information corresponding to the companion object 200 stored in the memory 120 of the robot 100 ( S1220), based on the comparison result, it is possible to identify whether abnormal symptoms occur in the companion object 200 (S1230).

Here, the management information may include a plurality of images of the companion object 200 acquired at different viewpoints.

Accordingly, one or more processors 140 compare a plurality of images for the companion object 200 included in the management information with the obtained image of the companion object 200, and based on the comparison result, the companion object 200 It is possible to identify whether abnormal symptoms have occurred.

And, when it is identified that an abnormal symptom has occurred in the companion object 200, the one or more processors 140 send at least one peripheral device 300 corresponding to the abnormal symptom of the companion object 200 stored in the memory 120. Based on the control information, control information corresponding to the identified abnormal symptom can be identified (S1240).

And, the one or more processors 140 send a control signal for controlling the operation of the at least one peripheral device 300 based on the identified control information to the at least one peripheral device through the communication interface 130 of the robot 100. It can be transmitted to (300) (S1250).

Meanwhile, the methods according to various embodiments of the present disclosure described above may be implemented in the form of an application that can be installed on an existing robot 100. Alternatively, the methods according to various embodiments of the present disclosure described above may be performed using a deep learning-based learned neural network (or deep learned neural network), that is, a learning network model. Additionally, the methods according to various embodiments of the present disclosure described above may be implemented only by upgrading software or hardware for the existing robot 100. Additionally, the various embodiments of the present disclosure described above can also be performed through an embedded server provided in the robot 100 or an external server of the robot 100.

Meanwhile, according to an example of the present disclosure, the various embodiments described above may be implemented as software including instructions stored in a machine-readable storage media (e.g., a computer). You can. The device is a device capable of calling instructions stored from a storage medium and operating according to the called instructions, and may include an electronic device (eg, an electronic device) according to the disclosed embodiments. When an instruction is executed by a processor, the processor may perform the function corresponding to the instruction directly or using other components under the control of the processor. Instructions may contain code generated or executed by a compiler or interpreter. A storage medium that can be read by a device may be provided in the form of a non-transitory storage medium. Here, 'non-transitory' only means that the storage medium does not contain signals and is tangible, and does not distinguish whether the data is stored in the storage medium semi-permanently or temporarily.

Additionally, according to one embodiment, the methods according to various embodiments described above may be provided and included in a computer program product. Computer program products are commodities and can be traded between sellers and buyers. The computer program product may be distributed on a machine-readable storage medium (e.g. compact disc read only memory (CD-ROM)) or online through an application store (e.g. Play Store™). In the case of online distribution, at least a portion of the computer program product may be at least temporarily stored or created temporarily in a storage medium such as the memory of a manufacturer's server, an application store's server, or a relay server.

In addition, each component (e.g., module or program) according to the various embodiments described above may be composed of a single or multiple entities, and some of the sub-components described above may be omitted, or other sub-components may be omitted. Additional components may be included in various embodiments. Alternatively or additionally, some components (e.g., 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. According to various embodiments, operations performed by a module, program, or other component may be executed sequentially, in parallel, iteratively, or heuristically, or at least some operations may be executed in a different order, omitted, or other operations may be added. You can.

In the above, preferred embodiments of the present disclosure have been shown and described, but the present disclosure is not limited to the specific embodiments described above, and may be used in the technical field pertaining to the disclosure without departing from the gist of the disclosure as claimed in the claims. Of course, various modifications can be made by those skilled in the art, and these modifications should not be understood individually from the technical ideas or perspectives of the present disclosure.

100: Robot 120: Memory
110: Camera 140: One or more processors

Claims (19)

In robots,
camera;
a memory storing management information for the companion object, including a plurality of images taken of the companion object at different viewpoints, and control information for at least one peripheral device corresponding to abnormal symptoms of the companion object;
communication interface; and
The camera is controlled to photograph the companion object while the robot is driving, and the image of the companion object obtained through the camera is compared with the plurality of images stored in the memory to identify whether abnormal symptoms occur in the companion object. When it is identified that an abnormal symptom has occurred in the companion object, control information corresponding to the identified abnormal symptom is identified based on information stored in the memory, and at least one peripheral device is activated based on the identified control information. A robot comprising: one or more processors that transmit a control signal for controlling the operation of the robot to the at least one peripheral device through the communication interface. According to paragraph 1,
The one or more processors:
The first image of the companion object acquired through the camera at a first viewpoint is compared with the plurality of images to obtain a first comparison result and stored in the memory, and the camera is used at a second viewpoint after the first viewpoint. Obtaining a second comparison result by comparing the second image of the companion object obtained through the plurality of images, and identifying whether abnormal symptoms of the companion object have occurred based on the first comparison result and the second comparison result. , robot. According to paragraph 2,
The one or more processors:
When the second image of the companion object is acquired at the second viewpoint, the second image is compared with at least one image acquired within a preset time based on the second viewpoint among the plurality of images, and the second image is obtained at the second viewpoint. A robot that obtains comparison results. According to paragraph 2,
The memory is,
Stores first control information corresponding to a first type abnormal symptom of the companion object and second control information corresponding to a second type abnormal symptom of the companion object,
The one or more processors:
If the abnormal symptom of the companion object is identified as the first type abnormal symptom based on the first comparison result and the second comparison result, at least based on the first control information corresponding to the first type abnormal symptom Transmitting a first control signal for controlling the operation of one peripheral device to the at least one peripheral device through the communication interface,
If the abnormal symptom of the companion object is identified as the second type abnormal symptom based on the first comparison result and the second comparison result, at least based on the second control information corresponding to the second type abnormal symptom A robot that transmits a second control signal for controlling the operation of one peripheral device to the at least one peripheral device through the communication interface. According to paragraph 1,
The one or more processors:
When control information corresponding to the identified abnormal symptom is identified, the information on the abnormal symptom of the companion object and the identified control information are transmitted to the user terminal device through the communication interface, and the user terminal device transmits the information on the abnormal symptom of the companion object and the identified control information. A robot that transmits the control signal to the at least one peripheral device through the communication interface when a user command corresponding to control information is received. According to paragraph 1,
The one or more processors:
The camera is controlled to photograph the companion object at a first time period while the robot is running, and when an abnormal symptom occurs in the companion object through an image acquired by the camera, a second time period is taken while the robot is running. Controlling the camera to photograph the companion object in a period, the second time period is shorter than the first time period. According to paragraph 1,
The one or more processors:
When abnormal symptoms are detected in the companion object based on the image acquired through the camera, the acquired image is stored in the memory as a reference image related to the abnormal symptom to update management information about the companion object, When an image of the companion object is acquired through the camera while the robot is traveling, the robot compares the acquired image with the reference image to identify whether the companion object has abnormal symptoms. According to paragraph 1,
The robot is
It further includes a sensor;
The management information for the companion object includes environmental information corresponding to the time when each of the plurality of images was acquired,
The one or more processors:
When it is identified that an abnormal symptom has occurred in the companion object, environmental information of the driving space is identified based on data acquired through the sensor,
Identify whether the abnormal symptom of the companion object is related to environmental information based on environmental information of the identified driving space and environmental information corresponding to the time when each of the plurality of images was acquired,
If the abnormal symptom of the companion object is identified as being related to environmental information, a control signal for controlling the operation of the at least one nearby device is sent to the at least one surrounding device through the communication interface based on the control information about the surrounding device. A robot that transmits to a device. According to paragraph 1,
The one or more processors:
If the companion object is a static companion object, the camera is controlled to move to the location of the static companion object and photograph the static companion object at a different shooting angle, and if the companion object is a dynamic companion object, the camera is tracked. A robot that controls the camera to photograph the dynamic companion object while doing so. In a method of controlling a robot,
Controlling the camera of the robot to photograph a companion object while the robot is traveling;
Comparing the image of the companion object acquired through the camera with management information corresponding to the companion object stored in the memory of the robot to identify whether an abnormality in the companion object has occurred;
When it is identified that an abnormal symptom has occurred in the companion object, control information corresponding to the identified abnormal symptom is identified based on control information for at least one peripheral device corresponding to the abnormal symptom of the companion object stored in the memory. steps; and
Transmitting a control signal for controlling the operation of at least one peripheral device based on the identified control information to the at least one peripheral device through a communication interface of the robot,
The method, wherein the management information includes a plurality of images taken of the companion object at different viewpoints. According to clause 10,
Comparing a first image of a companion object obtained through the camera at a first viewpoint with the plurality of images to obtain a first comparison result and storing it in the memory;
Obtaining a second comparison result by comparing a second image of the companion object obtained through the camera at a second viewpoint after the first viewpoint with the plurality of images; and
A method comprising identifying whether the companion object has abnormal symptoms based on the first comparison result and the second comparison result. According to clause 11,
The step of obtaining the second comparison result is,
When the second image of the companion object is acquired at the second viewpoint, the second image is compared with at least one image acquired within a preset time based on the second viewpoint among the plurality of images, and the second image is obtained at the second viewpoint. Method for obtaining comparison results. According to clause 11,
The memory is,
A plurality of first images related to the first type abnormal symptom of the companion object and a plurality of second images related to the second type abnormal symptom of the companion object, first control information corresponding to the first type abnormal symptom, and the first Store second control information corresponding to two types of abnormal symptoms,
The transmitting step is,
If the abnormal symptom of the companion object is identified as the first type abnormal symptom based on the first comparison result and the second comparison result, at least based on the first control information corresponding to the first type abnormal symptom Transmitting a first control signal for controlling the operation of one peripheral device to the at least one peripheral device through the communication interface,
If the abnormal symptom of the companion object is identified as the second type abnormal symptom based on the first comparison result and the second comparison result, at least based on the second control information corresponding to the second type abnormal symptom A robot that transmits a second control signal for controlling the operation of one peripheral device to the at least one peripheral device through the communication interface. According to clause 10,
The transmitting step is,
When control information corresponding to the identified abnormal symptom is identified, transmitting the information on the abnormal symptom of the companion object and the identified control information to the user terminal device through the communication interface,
The above method is,
Receiving a user command corresponding to the control information from the user terminal device through the communication interface; and
Method further comprising transmitting the control signal to the at least one peripheral device through the communication interface. According to clause 10,
The step of controlling the camera is,
The camera is controlled to photograph the companion object at a first time period while the robot is running, and when an abnormal symptom occurs in the companion object through an image acquired by the camera, a second time period is taken while the robot is running. Controlling the camera to photograph the companion object in a period, wherein the second time period is shorter than the first time period. According to clause 10,
When abnormal symptoms are detected in the companion object based on the image acquired through the camera, updating management information about the companion object by storing the acquired image in the memory as a reference image related to the abnormal symptom. ; and
When an image of the companion object is acquired through the camera while the robot is traveling, the method further includes comparing the acquired image with the reference image to identify whether an abnormality in the companion object occurs. According to clause 10,
The management information for the companion object includes environmental information corresponding to the time when each of the plurality of images was acquired,
When it is identified that an abnormal symptom has occurred in the companion object, identifying environmental information of the driving space based on data acquired through the sensor of the robot;
Identifying whether abnormal symptoms of the companion object are related to environmental information based on environmental information of the identified driving space and environmental information corresponding to the time when each of the plurality of images was acquired; and
If the abnormal symptom of the companion object is identified as being related to environmental information, a control signal for controlling the operation of the at least one nearby device is sent to the at least one surrounding device through the communication interface based on the control information about the surrounding device. A method comprising transmitting to a device. According to clause 10,
The step of controlling the camera is,
If the companion object is a static companion object, the camera is controlled to move to the location of the static companion object and photograph the static companion object at a different shooting angle, and if the companion object is a dynamic companion object, the camera is tracked. A method of controlling the camera to photograph the dynamic companion object while doing so. A non-transitory computer-readable recording medium storing computer instructions that cause the processor to perform an operation when performed by a processor of a robot that manages a companion object, the operation comprising:
Controlling the camera of the robot to photograph the companion object while the robot is traveling;
Comparing the image of the companion object acquired through the camera with management information corresponding to the companion object stored in the memory of the robot to identify whether an abnormality in the companion object has occurred;
When it is identified that an abnormal symptom has occurred in the companion object, control information corresponding to the identified abnormal symptom is identified based on control information for at least one peripheral device corresponding to the abnormal symptom of the companion object stored in the memory. steps; and
Transmitting a control signal for controlling the operation of at least one peripheral device based on the identified control information to the at least one peripheral device through a communication interface of the robot,
The management information is a computer-readable recording medium including a plurality of images taken of the companion object at different viewpoints.

Images