Abstract:
The present invention relates to a robot and method for establishing a relationship between input commands and output reactions. When initiating an input configuration program, the robot fetches a predetermined motion output reaction and performs a corresponding motion. At this time, the robot receives a vocal input command from a user to obtain a vocal input profile, and establishes a relationship between the motion output reaction and the vocal input profile. When receiving the vocal input command again, the robot performs the corresponding motion according to the relationship. In addition, a sound assigned to the motion output reaction can be altered according to users&#39; preferences. Accordingly, the motion output reaction may have different naming sound.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    1. Field of the Invention 
         [0002]    The present invention relates to robots, and particularly, to a robot and method capable of establishing a relationship between a vocal input command and a motion output reaction. 
         [0003]    2. General Background 
         [0004]    There are many robotic design in the market today. Robots may be designed to perform tedious manufacturing tasks or for entertainment. Robots are generally equipped with a database to store vocal commands and motion reactions. When receiving sound generated from a user, the robot identifies the sound to obtain a vocal profile of the sound, searches its database to find a motion reaction corresponding to the vocal profile, and exports the motion reaction to perform a particular motion. Unfortunately, when the database does not store the vocal profile or the corresponding motion reaction, the robot has no response to the sound of the user, and thus will not respond or may try to respond and may malfunction. 
         [0005]    In addition, the database generally stores limited vocal profiles and the corresponding motion reactions. As a result, the usage of the robot is limited. 
         [0006]    Accordingly, what is needed in the art is a robot that overcomes the deficiencies of the prior art. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0007]    A robot for establishing a relationship between input commands and output reactions is provided. The robot includes a startup unit, for generating a triggering signal; a microphone, for receiving a vocal input command from a user and transforming the vocal input command into an analog vocal signal; an A/D converter, for converting the analog vocal signal into a digital vocal signal; an actuator, for performing a motion; a storage unit, for storing a set of predetermined motion output reactions; and a processing unit, for fetching a motion output reaction from the storage unit to control the actuator to perform a corresponding motion when receiving the triggering signal generated from the startup unit, for obtaining a vocal input profile from the user and storing the vocal input profile in the storage unit, and for establishing a relationship between the motion output reaction and the vocal input profile and storing the relationship in the storage unit. 
         [0008]    A method adapted for a robot is provided. Wherein the robot stores a set of predetermined motion output reactions, the method includes the steps of: (a) initiate an input configuration program; (b) fetching a motion output reaction and performing a corresponding motion; (c) generating prompt information; (d) receiving a vocal input command from a user; (e) analyzing a digital vocal signal of the vocal input to obtain a vocal input profile, and storing the vocal input profile; and (f) establishing a relationship between the motion output reaction and the vocal input profile, and storing the relationship. 
         [0009]    Other advantages and novel features will be drawn from the following detailed description with reference to the attached drawing. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0010]    The components in the drawings are not necessarily drawn to measuring scale, the emphasis instead being placed upon clearly illustrating the principles of the robot. Moreover, in the drawings, like reference numerals designate corresponding parts throughout the several views. 
           [0011]      FIG. 1  is a block diagram of a hardware infrastructure of a robot of the invention. 
           [0012]      FIG. 2  is a flow chart illustrating an input configuration program which is performed by the robot of  FIG. 1 . 
           [0013]      FIG. 3  is a flow chart illustrating a review process which is performed by the robot of  FIG. 1 . 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       [0014]      FIG. 1  is a block diagram of a hardware infrastructure of a robot. The robot  1  includes a startup unit  10 , a prompt unit  30 , a microphone  40 , an analog-digital (A/D) converter  50 , a processing unit  20 , a storage unit  60 , and an actuator  70 . The startup unit  10  is configured for generating a triggering signal to initiate an input configuration program of the robot  1 . The startup unit  10  may be a microphone  40 , a button, or other input unit. The startup unit  10  may be located on a part of a body of the robot  1 , such as a head of the robot  1 . The prompt unit  30  is configured for generating prompt information for prompting a user to utter a vocal input command after the actuator  70  performs a motion. The microphone  40  is configured for receiving the vocal input command from the user and transforming the vocal input command into an analog vocal signal. The A/D converter  50  is configured for converting the analog vocal signal into a digital vocal signal. The processing unit  20  is configured for processing the digital vocal signal and controlling the robot  1 . The actuator  70  is located in a movable part of the robot  1 . The actuator  70  includes a motor and some mechanical movement units. The robot  1  includes a series of actuators  70  to perform a plurality of different motions. 
         [0015]    The storage unit  60  stores some databases, for example, a motion output reaction database  610 , a vocal input profile database  620 , and a relationship database  630 . The motion output reaction database  610  stores a set of predetermined motion output reactions. The vocal input profile database  620  stores a set of vocal input profiles from the user. The relationship database  630  stores a set of relationships between the motion output reactions and the vocal input profiles. The storage unit  60  also stores specific information. The specific information may be a specific motion, a specific sound, or a combination of a specific motion and a specific sound. 
         [0016]    The processing unit  20  further includes a motion reaction fetching unit  210 , a motion reaction exporting unit  220 , a vocal input analyzing unit  230 , a vocal profile comparing unit  240 , and a relationship establishing unit  250 . The motion reaction fetching unit  210  is configured for fetching a motion output reaction from the motion output reaction database  610 . The motion reaction exporting unit  220  is configured for exporting a motion output reaction and controlling the actuator  70  to perform a corresponding motion and sending an awakening signal to the vocal input analyzing unit  230 . The vocal input analyzing unit  230 , electrically coupled to the motion reaction exporting unit  220 , is configured for analyzing the digital vocal signal from the A/D converter  50 , obtaining a vocal input profile, and generating an identification result. The relationship establishing unit  250  is configured for establishing a relationship between the motion output reaction and the vocal input profile. 
         [0017]    According to the identification result from the vocal input analyzing unit  230 , the vocal profile comparing unit  240  is configured for comparing a vocal input profile with vocal input profiles stored in the vocal input profile database  620 , fetching a vocal input profile from the vocal input profile database  620 , and fetching a relationship about the vocal input profile associated with a motion output reaction from the relationship database  630 . 
         [0018]    When the robot  1  receives the triggering signal from the startup unit  10 , namely where the robot  1  initiates the input configuration program, the motion reaction fetching unit  210  randomly fetches a motion output reaction from the motion output reaction database  610 . The motion reaction exporting unit  220  exports the motion output reaction and controls the actuator  70  to perform a corresponding motion. The motion reaction exporting unit  220  also invokes the prompt unit  30  to generate the prompt information for the user. The prompt information may be in a form of sound, light and so on. The microphone  40  receives the vocal input command from the user and transforms the vocal input command into an analog vocal signal. The A/D converter  50  converts the analog vocal signal into a digital vocal signal. The vocal input analyzing unit  230  analyzes the digital vocal signal to obtain a vocal input profile, and stores the vocal input profile in the vocal input profile database  620  according to the awakening signal from the motion reaction exporting unit  220 . The relationship establishing unit  250  establishes a relationship between the motion output reaction and the vocal input profile, and stores the relationship in the relationship database  630 , thereby achieving the input configuration program. 
         [0019]    When the microphone  40  receives a vocal input command from the user, and the robot  1  is out of the input configuration program, the microphone  40  transforms the vocal input command into an analog vocal signal and the A/D converter  50  converts the analog vocal signal into a digital vocal signal. The vocal input analyzing unit  230  analyzes the digital vocal signal to obtain a vocal input profile. The vocal profile comparing unit  240  compares the vocal input profile with stored vocal input profiles from the vocal input profile database  620  according to the identification result from the vocal input analyzing unit  230 . If the relationship database  630  exists for a corresponding relationship for the vocal input profile, the vocal profile comparing unit  240  fetches the corresponding relationship. The motion reaction fetching unit  210  fetches a motion output reaction from the motion output reaction database  610  according to the corresponding relationship. The motion reaction exporting unit  220  controls the actuator  70  to perform a corresponding motion. If the relationship database  630  does not exist for the corresponding relationship, the motion reaction exporting unit  220  controls the actuator  70  to perform the specific information. 
         [0020]    The robot  1  is equipped with a reset button (not shown) on an external surface. When the reset button is pressed, the robot  1  establishes a new relationship between a motion output reaction and a vocal input profile from the user in the relationship database  630 . 
         [0021]      FIG. 2  is a flow chart illustrating an input configuration program which is performed by the robot of  FIG. 1 . In step S 110 , the processing unit  20  initiates the input configuration program according to the triggering signal generated from the startup unit  10 . In step S 120 , the motion reaction fetching unit  210  fetches a motion output reaction from the motion output reaction database  610  to the motion reaction exporting unit  220 . In step S 130 , the motion reaction exporting unit  220  exports the motion output reaction and controls the actuator  70  to perform a corresponding motion. In step S 140 , the motion reaction exporting unit  220  also invokes the prompt unit  30  to generate the prompt information for the user and sends an awakening signal to the vocal input analyzing unit  230 . In step S 150 , the microphone  40  receives a vocal input command from the user and transforms the vocal input command into an analog vocal signal. The A/D converter  50  converts the analog vocal signal into the digital vocal signal, and transmits the digital vocal signal to the processing unit  20 . 
         [0022]    In step S 160 , the vocal input analyzing unit  230  analyzes the digital vocal signal to obtain a vocal input profile, and stores the vocal input profile to the vocal input profile database  620  according to the awakening signal. In step S 170 , the relationship establishing unit  250  establishes a corresponding relationship between the motion output reaction and the vocal input profile, and stores the corresponding relationship to the relationship database  630 . 
         [0023]      FIG. 3  is a flow chart illustrating a review process which is performed by the robot of  FIG. 1 . In step S 210 , when the robot  1  is out of the input configuration program, meaning that the prompt unit  30  doesn&#39;t generate the prompt information, the microphone  40  receives a vocal input command from the user and transforms the vocal input command into an analog vocal signal. In step S 220 , the A/D converter  50  converts the analog vocal signal into a digital vocal signal, and the vocal input analyzing unit  230  analyzes the digital vocal signal to obtain a vocal input profile. In step S 230 , the vocal profile comparing unit  240  searches for the vocal input profile database  620  to obtain a motion output reaction matched with the vocal input profile. If the vocal input profile database  620  exists for a motion output reaction matched with the vocal input profile, in step S 240 , the motion reaction exporting unit  220  controls the actuator  70  to perform a corresponding motion according to the motion output reaction. If the vocal input profile database  620  does not exist for the motion output reaction matched with the vocal input profile, in step S 250 , the motion reaction exporting unit  220  controls the actuator  70  to perform the specific information. 
         [0024]    It is understood that the invention may be embodied in other forms without departing from the spirit thereof. Thus, the present examples and embodiments are to be considered in all respects as illustrative and not restrictive, and the invention is not to be limited to the details given herein.