# US 12,119,111 B2 · Method for controlling robot, robot, and non-transitory computer-readable recording medium storing program > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 12,119,111 B2 - Document ID: US12119111B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 18/409,333 - Filed: 2024-01-10 - Published: 2024-06-27 - Granted: 2024-10-15 - Earliest claimed: 2020-12-10 - Assignees: Panasonic Intellectual Property Management Co., Ltd. - Applicants: Panasonic Intellectual Property Management Co., Ltd. - Inventors: Hiroshi Yahata - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12119111B2 ## CPC - G16H 40/63: for local operation - G16H 40/67: for remote operation - A63H 11/00: Self-movable toy figures - B25J 9/0003: {Home robots, i.e. small robots for domestic use} - B25J 11/0005: {Manipulators having means for high-level communication with users, e.g. speech generator, face recognition means} - B25J 13/00: Controls for manipulators (program controls B25J9/16) - G05D 1/12: Target-seeking control - G05D 1/686: Maintaining a relative position with respect to moving targets, e.g. following animals or humans (for pointing payloads towards targets G05D1/689; involving controlling the position or course of two or more vehicles G05D1/69) - G16Y 10/65: Entertainment or amusement; Sports - G16Y 20/40: relating to personal data, e.g. biometric data, records or preferences - G16Y 40/10: Detection; Monitoring - A63H 2200/00: Computerized interactive toys, e.g. dolls - G16H: HEALTHCARE INFORMATICS, i.e. INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY [ICT] SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR THE HANDLING OR PROCESSING OF MEDICAL OR HEALTHCARE DATA - A63H: TOYS, e.g. TOPS, DOLLS, HOOPS OR BUILDING BLOCKS - 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}) - G05D: SYSTEMS FOR CONTROLLING OR REGULATING NON-ELECTRIC VARIABLES - G16Y: INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR THE INTERNET OF THINGS [IoT] ## Abstract A control method of a robot according to an aspect of the present disclosure includes receiving from an external computer information that instructs the robot to encourage a user to exercise; sensing a user's current position; moving the robot into a predetermined area that includes the user's current position; causing the robot to perform a gesture to encourage the user to exercise; monitoring behavior of the user; and performing driving of the robot along with exercise of the user, based on a result of the monitoring. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method for a first computer that can communicate with a robot, the method comprising: receiving, from a second computer that is different from the first computer, request information that requests the robot to encourage a user to exercise, when it is determined by the second computer that an amount of exercise taken by the user does not satisfy a predetermined target amount after a message for encouraging exercise is transmitted to the user; and transmitting, to the robot, instruction information that instructs the robot to perform a gesture for encouraging the user to exercise according to the request information. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method according to claim 1, wherein the robot, based on the instruction information, performs actions that include: detecting a current position of the user through an optical sensor included in the robot; controlling at least one pair of wheels or legs of the robot to cause the robot to move into a predetermined area including the current position of the user; controlling at least one actuator included in the robot to cause the robot to perform a gesture for encouraging the user to exercise; monitoring behavior of the user through the optical sensor or a microphone included in the robot; and controlling, based on a result of the monitoring, the at least one actuator included in the robot to drive the robot along with exercise of the user. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The method according to claim 2, wherein the actions of the robot further include: monitoring the behavior of the user who is exercising through the optical sensor or the microphone; and transmitting to the computer an end notice indicating the user has finished exercising, after determining that the user has finished exercising. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The method according to claim 1, wherein the first computer is a server or an information communication terminal that is communicable with the robot via a network. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The method according to claim 1, wherein the second computer is a server that is communicable with the first computer, and the second server presents the message to the user through an information communication terminal of the user. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The method according to claim 1, wherein the second computer is an information communication terminal of the user. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) A first computer comprising: a processor; and a memory that stores a program for causing the processor to execute the method according to claim 1. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) A non-transitory computer-readable recording medium storing a program which causes a processor mounted in a first computer to perform the method according to claim 1. ### Claim 9 A method for a second computer that can communicate with a first computer associated with a robot, the method comprising: transmitting a message for encouraging exercise to a user; and when determining that an amount of exercise taken by the user does not satisfy a predetermined target amount after transmission of the message, transmitting, to the first computer, request information that requests the robot to encourage the user to exercise, to cause the first computer to transmit, to the robot, instruction information that instructs the robot to perform a gesture for encouraging the user to exercise. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The method according to claim 9, wherein the robot, based on the instruction information, performs actions that include: detecting a current position of the user through an optical sensor included in the robot; controlling at least one pair of wheels or legs of the robot to cause the robot to move into a predetermined area including the current position of the user; controlling at least one actuator included in the robot to cause the robot to perform a gesture for encouraging the user to exercise; monitoring behavior of the user through the optical sensor or a microphone included in the robot; and controlling, based on a result of the monitoring, the at least one actuator included in the robot to drive the robot along with exercise of the user. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The method according to claim 10, wherein the actions of the robot further include: monitoring the behavior of the user who is exercising through the optical sensor or the microphone; and transmitting to the computer an end notice indicating the user has finished exercising, after determining that the user has finished exercising. ### Claim 12 (depends on 9) The method according to claim 9, wherein the first computer is a server or an information communication terminal that is communicable with the robot via a network. ### Claim 13 (depends on 9) The method according to claim 9, wherein the second computer is a server that is communicable with the first computer, and the second server presents the message to the user through an information communication terminal of the user. ### Claim 14 (depends on 9) The method according to claim 9, wherein the second computer is an information communication terminal of the user. ### Claim 15 (depends on 9) A second computer comprising: a processor; and a memory that stores a program for causing the processor to execute the method according to claim 9. ### Claim 16 (depends on 9) A non-transitory computer-readable recording medium storing a program which causes a processor mounted in a second computer to perform the method according to claim 9.