Abstract:
An interactive robotic apparatus that interacts with a user, especially an elderly individual to provide companionship and comfort. The interactive apparatus receives inputs from the user and reacts and interacts. The interactive robotic apparatus includes microphones and a phototransistor to detect sounds and movement. The interactive robotic apparatus also includes a speaker to generate sounds responsive to the interaction with the user and exhibits a breathing animation and heartbeat.

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
     This application claims benefit of application Ser. No. 61/583,999, filed Jan. 6, 2012, entitled INTERACTIVE PERSONAL ROBOTIC APPARATUS. 
    
    
     The present invention relates to an interactive robotic apparatus and, more particularly, to a personal interactive robotic apparatus, which detects user interactions and performs responsive motion animations. 
     BACKGROUND 
     Various interactive robots are well known. Personal robots that display pre-determined movements are also known. Conventional personal robots typically move in predictable ways, and do not positively interact with the user or exhibit a personality. This limits their use and utility. 
     SUMMARY 
     The present invention provides an interactive robotic apparatus that interacts with a user, especially an elderly individual to provide companionship and comfort. The interactive apparatus receives inputs from the user and reacts and interacts. The interactive robotic apparatus includes microphones and a phototransistor to detect sounds and movement. The interactive robotic apparatus also includes a speaker to generate sounds responsive to the interaction with the user and exhibits a breathing animation and heartbeat. 
    
    
     
       DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective view of an embodiment of the interactive robotic apparatus of the present invention. 
         FIG. 2  is a front elevation view of the interactive robotic apparatus of the present invention with the outer skin removed. 
         FIG. 3  is a right side view of the interactive robotic apparatus of  FIG. 2 . 
         FIG. 4  is a left side view of the interactive robotic apparatus of  FIG. 2 . 
         FIG. 5  is a back view of the interactive robotic apparatus of  FIG. 2 . 
         FIG. 6  is a top view of the interactive robotic apparatus of  FIG. 2 . 
         FIG. 7  is a bottom view of the interactive robotic apparatus of  FIG. 2 . 
         FIG. 8  is an exploded view of the interactive robotic apparatus of  FIG. 2 . 
         FIG. 9  is an exploded view of the interactive robotic apparatus of  FIG. 4 . 
         FIGS. 10A  and B are exploded perspective views of the interactive robotic apparatus of  FIG. 2 . 
         FIG. 11  is a functional block diagram of the control circuit of the interactive robotic apparatus of the present invention. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     As required, detailed embodiments of the present invention are disclosed herein. However, it is to be understood that the disclosed embodiments are merely exemplary of the invention that may be embodied in various and alternative forms. The figures are not necessarily to scale; some features may be exaggerated or minimized to show details of particular components. Therefore, specific structural and functional details disclosed herein are not to be interpreted as limiting, but merely as a representative basis for the claims and/or as a representative basis for teaching one skilled in the art to variously employ the present invention. 
     Moreover, except where otherwise expressly indicated, all numerical quantities in this description and in the claims are to be understood as modified by the word “about” in describing the broader scope of this invention. Practice within the numerical limits stated is generally preferred. Also, unless expressly stated to the contrary, the description of a group or class of materials as suitable or preferred for a given purpose in connection with the invention implies that mixtures or combinations of any two or more members of the group or class may be equally suitable or preferred. 
     Referring to the figures, an interactive robotic apparatus of the present invention is generally indicated by reference numeral  20 . The interactive robotic apparatus  20  generally includes a head assembly  22 , a body assembly  24 , left  26  and right  28  front legs, left  27  and right  29  back legs, and a plush covering  30  such as fur. 
     The head assembly  22  includes a face plate  32  with eye sockets  34  and  36 , a nose  38  and mouth  40 . The eye sockets  34  and  36  receive eyes  42  and  44 , respectively, which are covered by lenses  46  and  48 , respectively, and held in place with retaining rings  50  and  52 , respectively. Each eye  42  and  44  includes eyelids  54  and  56 , respectively. A microphone  55  is mounted to the face  32  to pick-up sounds and voice signals to interactively respond. A photo transistor  57  is also mounted to the nose  38  to detect movement. 
     An eye actuating mechanism  58  includes left  60  and right  62  eyelid actuators, each mounted to an eye carriage  64  and  66 , respectively. Each eyelid actuator  60  and  62  includes a rubber cylinder  68  and  70 , which impinges upon the back of the eyelids  54  and  56 , to actuate the eyelids. As the eyelid actuators rotate in one direction or the other, the rubber cylinders  68  and  70  cause the eyelids  54  and  56  to rotate about an axis of rotation of the eyes  42  and  44 . 
     The eye actuating mechanism  58  also includes an eye actuator  72 , which drives an eye movement gear  74  coupled to the left eye carriage  64 . The left eye carriage  64  is pivotably coupled to the right eye carriage  66  via arcuate gears  76  and  78 , respectively. Rotation of the eye actuator  72  in a first direction then in the opposite direction causes the eyes  42  and  44  to move back and forth. The eye actuating mechanism  58  as well as the face  32  is fastened to a face plate  80 . 
     An RFID sensor  81  is secured to the face plate  80  in the area near the mouth  40 . 
     An ear actuating mechanism  82  is also fastened to the face plate  80  and includes left  84  and right  86  ears, and a servo actuator  88  coupled to the left  84  and right  86  ears to move the ears up and down or back and forth, for example. 
     A nose actuating mechanism  90  includes a nose servo actuator  92  coupled to a rod  94 , which extends through articulated nose disks  96  and is capped by the nose  38 . Activation of the nose servo actuator  92  moves the nose  38  up and down or side to side, for example. The back of the head plate  98  is coupled to the face plate  80  to enclose the components of the head assembly  22 . 
     The body assembly  24  includes a neck actuating mechanism  100 , which includes a head rotation servo actuator  102  to rotate the head assembly  22  to the left and right, and a head nod actuator  104  to move the head  22  up and down. The head assembly  22  is pivotally attached to the body assembly  24  at a neck  106 . 
     The body assembly  24  includes a belly actuating mechanism  110 , which includes a belly actuator  112  coupled to a lobed cam  114  rotated by the belly actuator  112 . The lobed cam  114  impinges upon a breast plate  116 , which is hingedly secured to a front body plate  118 . As the lobed cam  114  is rotated by the belly actuator  112 , the breast plate  116  moves in and out simulating a breathing motion. A battery pack  120  is mounted in the body  24  to power the actuators and control circuit  150 , discussed herein below. A speaker  122  is mounted to the front body plate  118  behind a speaker grill  124 . A heartbeat simulator  126  is mounted within the body assembly  24  to simulate a heartbeat. The front body plate  118  is fastened to a back body plate  128  enclosing the body  24 . 
     Referring to  FIG. 11 , a control circuit is generally indicated by reference numeral  150 . The control circuit includes a microprocessor control unit (“MCU”)  152  and an internal memory  154 . The MCU  152  receives power from the battery pack  120  and inputs from the microphone  55 , and photo transistor  57 , as well as one or more capacitive touch sensors  156  mounted to the external surfaces of the interactive robotic apparatus  20  below the covering  30 . The MCU  152  also receives input from the RFID coil  81 , as well as a G/position sensor  158 . 
     The MCU  152  controls the rotation of the eyes  42  and  44  and blinking of the eyelids  54  and  56 . In response to sounds received via microphone  55  and inputs from touch sensors  156 , the MCU  152  may actuate the nose actuator  92  to move the nose  38  up and down, and actuate the ears actuator  88  to move the ears  84  and  86 . The MCU  152  also controls rotation of the head assembly  22  and associated servo actuators. The MCU  152  sends a signal to the heartbeat actuator  126  and breathing actuator  112  to simulate a heartbeat and breathing, respectively. 
     Operationally, the MCU  152  produces various moods such as happy, unhappy, and sleepy, for example. A happy expression may include moving the head  22  and nose  38  up, while blinking the eyes  42  and  44  by actuating the eyelids  54  and  56 , and outputting a happy sound via speaker  122 . When unhappy, the MCU  152  may move the head  22  down, and outputting an unhappy sound, for example. A sleepy expression may include moving the head  22  down, closing the eyes  42  and  44  by actuating the eyelids  54  and  56 , and outputting a snoring sound via the speaker  122 . 
     When touched or petted, detected by the MCU  152  via input from the touch sensors  156 , the MCU  152  may output a happy expression. If a food accessory such as a dog bone or treat containing an RFID is placed near the mouth  40 , the RFID coil  81  will sense the presence of the food accessory, which will be detected by the MCU  152 . The MCU  152  may generate a happy response such as moving the head  22  and nose  38  up, while blinking the eyes  42  and  44  by actuating the eyelids  54  and  56 , and outputting a happy sound via speaker  122 , for example. Other RFID accessories may be used to elicit other responses. If the g/position sensor  158  or contact switches  156  detect a sudden movement such as a strike or drop, the MCU  152  may move the head  22  down and output an unhappy sound via speaker  122 . If the g/position sensor  158  detects that the apparatus  20  is being held upside-down, the MCU  152  may move the head  22  side to side quickly and output an angry or unhappy sound via speaker  122 , for example. 
     It is to be understood that while certain forms of this invention have been illustrated and described, it is not limited thereto, except in so far as such limitations are included in the following claims and allowable equivalents thereof.