INTERACTIVE AUTONOMOUS ROBOT CONFIGURED FOR DEPLOYMENT WITHIN A SOCIAL ENVIRONMENT

Number: 20200094417
Published: 2020-03-26
Filed: 2019-06-20
Assignee: DISNEY ENTERPRISES, INC.
Inventors: FREEMAN; Kyle G., FUSCO; Michael, MIKA; Jeremy Andrew, HONECK; Michael Richard, SNODDY; Jon Hayes, SHORT; Shelley, ROUSE; Cory, SCANLON; Raymond J., WONG; Clifford, UPDYKE; Lance Duane, PAPON; Jeremie, PIKE; Daniel
CPC: A63G31/02; B25J11/0005; B25J5/007; B25J9/163; B25J9/1664; G01S17/88; G05B19/406; G05B19/4155; G05D1/0088; G05D1/0214; G05D1/228; G05D1/617
Verdict: High Hardware
Source: Google Patents · FreePatentsOnline

The keeper's note

Autonomous interactive robot deployed within a social/guest environment (droid-adjacent).

Abstract

An interactive autonomous robot is configured for deployment within a social environment. The disclosed robot includes a show subsystem configured to select between different in-character behaviors depending on robot status, thereby allowing the robot to appear in-character despite technical failures. The disclosed robot further includes a safety subsystem configured to intervene with in-character behavior when necessary to enforce safety protocols. The disclosed robot is also configured with a social subsystem that interprets social behaviors of humans and then initiates specific behavior sequences in response.

Background

BACKGROUNDField of the Various Embodiments

The various embodiments relate generally to robotics, and, more specifically, to an interactive autonomous robot configured for deployment within a social environment.Description of the Related Art

A typical theme park provides guests with access to a variety of different types of attractions. For example, a given theme park could include rides, carnival games, scheduled performances, interactive experiences with theme park characters, water play areas, video game arcades, and so forth. Each of these different attractions generally includes thematic elements that relate in some way to one or more overarching themes associated with the park as a whole. For example, a theme park associated with a specific group of movies could include theme park characters derived from characters found in one or more of those movies.

Theme park characters can be implemented using several different approaches, including, for example, pre-programmed stationary animatronics or mobile robots controlled remotely. With any of these approaches, the fundamental goal of theme park characters is to provide guests with personalized, interactive, character-to-guest experiences. Such experiences are important from a guest satisfaction perspective because character-to-guest experiences enhance guest immersion within the overarching theme(s) of the theme park. For example, most children would be exceedingly happy to interact with a theme park charac

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method that causes a robot to enact a performance, the method comprising: determining an initial set of operations associated with the performance, wherein each operation included in the initial set of operations is derived from a different behavior associated with a first character; determining a status for each subsystem included in a plurality of subsystems included in the robot; based on one or more of the statuses, modifying the initial set of operations to generate a set of available operations for enacting the performance; determining a first operation included in the set of available operations that should be executed by the robot; and causing the robot to execute the first operation. 9. A robot system configured to enact a performance, including: a memory storing at least one software module; and a processor that, upon executing the at least one software module, is configured to perform the steps of: determining an initial set of operations associated with the performance, wherein each operation included in the initial set of operations is derived from a different behavior associated with a first character, determining a status for each subsystem included in a plurality of subsystems included in the robot, based on one or more of the statuses, modifying the initial set of operations to generate a set of available operations for enacting the performance, determining a first operation included in the set of available operations that should be executed by the robot, and causing the robot to execute the first operation. 18. A non-transitory computer-readable medium that, when executed by a processor, causes a robot to enact a performance by performing the steps of: determining an initial set of operations associated with the performance, wherein each operation included in the initial set of operations is derived from a different behavior associated with a first character; determining a status for each subsystem included in a plurality of subsystems included in the robot; based on one or more of the statuses, modifying the initial set of operations to generate a set of available operations for enacting the performance; determining a first operation included in the set of available operations that should be executed by the robot; and causing the robot to execute the first operation.