# US 11,906,966 B2 · Method for controlling robot, robot, and recording medium > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 11,906,966 B2 - Document ID: US11906966B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 18/048,464 - Filed: 2022-10-21 - Published: 2023-03-02 - Granted: 2024-02-20 - Earliest claimed: 2020-12-23 - Assignees: Panasonic Intellectual Property Management Co., Ltd. - Applicants: Panasonic Intellectual Property Management Co., Ltd. - Inventors: Hiroshi Yahata - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11906966B2 ## CPC - G05D 1/0094: {involving pointing a payload, e.g. camera, weapon, sensor, towards a fixed or moving target} - B25J 5/00: Manipulators mounted on wheels or on carriages (B25J1/00 takes precedence; program-controlled manipulators B25J9/00) - B25J 9/1656: {characterised by programming, planning systems for manipulators} - B25J 11/00: Manipulators not otherwise provided for - B25J 13/00: Controls for manipulators (program controls B25J9/16) - G05D 1/021: {specially adapted to land vehicles} - G05D 1/0214: {in accordance with safety or protection criteria, e.g. avoiding hazardous areas (monitoring the location of vehicles within a certain area, e.g. forbidden or allowed areas, in traffic control systems for road vehicles G08G1/13)} - G05D 1/689: Pointing payloads towards fixed or moving targets (positioning towed, pushed or suspended implements G05D1/672) - G05D 1/69: Coordinated control of the position or course of two or more vehicles - G05D 1/692: involving a plurality of disparate vehicles - G08B 21/02: Alarms for ensuring the safety of persons - G08B 25/04: using a single signalling line, e.g. in a closed loop - H04M 11/00: Telephonic communication systems specially adapted for combination with other electrical systems - B62D 57/032: with alternately or sequentially lifted supporting base and legs; with alternately or sequentially lifted feet or skid (B62D57/024 takes precedence) - G05D: SYSTEMS FOR CONTROLLING OR REGULATING NON-ELECTRIC VARIABLES - B25J: MANIPULATORS; CHAMBERS PROVIDED WITH MANIPULATION DEVICES ({manipulators specially adapted for use in surgery A61B34/70; manipulators used in cleaning hollow articles B08B9/04}; manipulators associated with rolling mills B21B39/20; manipulators associated with forging machines B21J13/10; {manipulators associated with picking-up and placing mechanisms B23P19/007}; means for holding wheels or parts thereof B60B30/00; {vehicles with ground-engaging propulsion means, e.g. walking members B62D57/02, B62D57/032; devices for picking-up and depositing articles or materials between conveyors B65G47/90, B65G47/91; manipulators with gripping or holding means for transferring packages B65H67/065}; cranes B66C; {manipulators used in the protection or supervision of pipe-line installations F17D5/00; walking equipment adapted for nuclear steam-generators F22B37/006}; manipulators specially adapted for, or associated with, nuclear reactors G21C; {apparatus used for handling wafers during manufacture or treatment of semiconductor H10P72/50}) - G08B: SIGNALLING SYSTEMS, e.g. PERSONAL CALLING SYSTEMS; ORDER TELEGRAPHS; ALARM SYSTEMS - H04M: TELEPHONIC COMMUNICATION (circuits for controlling other apparatus via a telephone cable and not involving telephone switching apparatus G08) - B62D: MOTOR VEHICLES; TRAILERS (steering, or guiding on a desired track, of agricultural machines or implements A01B69/00; wheels, castors, axles, increasing wheel adhesion B60B; vehicle tyres, tyre inflation or tyre changing B60C; connections between vehicles of a train or the like B60D; vehicles for use on rail and road, amphibious or convertible vehicles B60F; suspension arrangements B60G; heating, cooling, ventilating or other air treating devices B60H; windows, windscreens, non-fixed roofs, doors or similar devices, protective coverings for vehicles not in use B60J; propulsion plant arrangements, auxiliary drives, transmissions, controls, instrumentation or dashboards B60K; electric equipment or propulsion of electrically-propelled vehicles B60L; power supply for electrically-propelled vehicles B60M; passenger accommodation not otherwise provided for B60N; adaptations for load transportation or to carry special loads or objects B60P; arrangement of signalling or lighting devices, the mounting or supporting thereof or circuits therefor, for vehicles in general B60Q; vehicles, vehicle fittings or vehicle parts not otherwise provided for B60R; servicing, cleaning, repairing, supporting, lifting, or manoeuvring, not otherwise provided for, B60S; brake arrangements, brake control systems or parts thereof B60T; air-cushion vehicles B60V; motor-cycles, accessories therefor B62J, B62K; testing of vehicles G01M) ## Abstract A robot detects, through a sensor, the location and movement direction of a user and an object near the user, sets a nearby ground area in front at the feet of the user according to the detected location and movement direction of the user, controls an illumination device in the robot to irradiate the nearby ground area with light while driving at least one pair of legs or wheels of the robot to cause the robot to accompany the user, specifies the type and the location of the detected object, and if the object is a dangerous object and is located ahead of the user, controls the illumination device to irradiate a danger area including at least a portion of the dangerous object with light in addition to irradiating the nearby ground area with light. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method for controlling a robot that accompanies a user, the method comprising: detecting, through at least one sensor included in the robot, a location and a movement direction of the user who is moving, and an object around the user; setting, based on the location and the movement direction of the user, a nearby ground area in front at the feet of the user; controlling an illumination device included in the robot to irradiate the nearby ground area with light while driving at least one pair of legs or wheels of the robot to cause the robot to accompany the user; specifying a type and a location of the detected object; and controlling, in a case where the object is a dangerous object and is located in the movement direction of the user, the illumination device to irradiate a new nearby ground area with light to guide the user to change the movement direction, the new nearby ground area being located in front at the feet of the user and in a direction different from the movement direction. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) A robot comprising: a main body; the at least one pair of legs or wheels; an actuator that drives the at least one pair of legs or wheels; the at least one sensor; the illumination device including at least one light source; a processor; and a memory storing a program causing the processor to execute the method according to claim 1. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing a program causing a processor installed in the robot to execute the method according to claim 1.