Apparatus for controlling robot and method thereof

Abstract

An apparatus for controlling a robot and a method thereof are provided. The apparatus includes: a state interpretation unit determining whether or not a current situation belongs to a preset unstable state by evaluating the current situation based on a plurality of perception information items; and a target generation unit setting a target action of the robot by comparing the current situation and the determination result with a predetermined value system, and then, modifying the target action by receiving a feedback of the action performance result of the robot as perception information. According to the method and apparatus, by inputting a processing procedure and a value system to solve a variety of unstable states that can occur in situations of a user and circumstances surrounding the robot, the robot can actively respond with actions.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The above and other features and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent by describing in detail exemplary embodiments thereof with reference to the attached drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating a structure of an apparatus for controlling a robot according to an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a flowchart illustrating a method of controlling a robot according to an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 3 is a detailed flowchart illustrating an operation for determining an unstable state of the method illustrated in FIG. 2 according to an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 4 is a detailed flowchart illustrating an operation for ordering a target action of a robot of the method illustrated in FIG. 2 according to an embodiment of the present invention; and

FIG. 5 is schematic diagram illustrating an apparatus for controlling a robot actually interoperating with other devices according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Claims

1. An apparatus for controlling a robot comprising: a state interpretation unit determining whether or not a current situation belongs to a preset unstable state by evaluating the current situation based on a plurality of perception information items input externally; anda target generation unit setting a target action of the robot by comparing the current situation and the determination result with a predetermined value system, and then, modifying the target action by receiving a feedback of the action performance result of the robot as perception information.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein data described in knowledge representative language is transmitted and received between the state interpretation unit and the target generation unit.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the state interpretation unit comprises: an attention list unit storing symbols that are criteria in order to determine the preset unstable state as attention-requiring clues;a situation interpretation unit symbolizing the perception information items with symbols corresponding to the items, respectively, and outputting the symbols;a situation unit storing the symbolized perception information items;a situation monitor confirming whether or not the attention-requiring clues exist by searching the situation unit whenever the contents of the situation unit change, and if the attention-requiring clues exist, outputting a driving signal ordering a start of logic; andan unstable state interpretation unit determining whether or not the current state has entered into an unstable state by performing logic based on a predetermined rule according to the driving signal of the situation monitor.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the target generation unit comprises: a value system unit storing obligations that the robot must perform;a target setting unit receiving inputs of the determination result of the state interpretation unit and a current situation, accessing the value system in order to compare the inputs of the determination result of the state interpretation unit with the obligations of the value system unit, and then, setting a target action that the robot must perform; andan action selection unit outputting an action guide to the robot so as to perform the set target action.

5. A method of controlling a robot comprising: establishing a plurality of obligations that a robot must perform;determining whether or not a current situation belongs to a preset unstable state by evaluating the current situation based on a plurality of perception information items input externally;setting a target action of the robot by comparing the current situation with the determination result with the obligations, and then, ordering the performance of the target action; andmodifying the target action by receiving a feedback of the action performance result of the robot as perception information.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the determining of whether or not a current situation belongs to a preset unstable state comprises: storing symbols that are criteria in order to determine the preset unstable state as attention-requiring clues;symbolizing the perception information items with symbols corresponding to the items, respectively, and storing the symbols as situation data;comparing situation data with the attention-requiring clues whenever the situation data changes and if the situation data includes the attention-requiring clues, starting logic; anddetermining whether or not the current state enters into an unstable state by performing the logic based on a predetermined rule.

7. The method of claim 5, wherein the setting of the target action of the robot and the ordering of the performance of the action comprises: storing obligations that the robot must perform;comparing the determination result of an unstable state and the current situation with the obligations, and then, setting the target action that the robot must perform; andoutputting an action guide to the robot so that the robot performs the set target action.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein in the storing of the obligations that the robot must perform, the obligations are stored in the form of knowledge.

9. A computer readable recording medium having embodied thereon a computer program for executing the method of controlling a robot, wherein the method comprises: storing a plurality of obligations that a robot must perform;determining whether or not a current situation belongs to a preset unstable state by evaluating the current situation based on a plurality of perception information items input externally;setting a target action of the robot by comparing the current situation and the determination result with the obligations, and then, ordering a performance of the action; andmodifying the target action by receiving a feedback of the action performance result of the robot as perception information.