IP Library Granted Patent US 8,321,364
Granted Patent B1
US 8,321,364 · App. 13/471,149 · Granted Nov 27, 2012

Method and system for including robots into social networks

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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 8,321,364
App. No.
13/471,149
Granted
Nov 27, 2012
Kind
B1
Abstract

Examples disclose a method and system for including robots into social networks. The method may be executable to receiving information associated with a first party, wherein the first party is connected to a second party by a social-network. Based on the received information, the method may be executable to query a behavioral database to obtain a behavioral expectation associated with the first party and to compare the behavioral expectation associated with the first party to a stored behavioral expectation associated with the second party. Based on the comparing, the method may be executable to modify the stored behavioral expectation associated with the second party based on the behavioral expectation associated with the first party and provide instructions, which are executable to perform an action associated with the modified behavioral expectation, to a device associated with the second party.

Claims (44)

1. A method for providing instructions to a robotic device performed by a computing system having a processor and memory, the method comprising:

receiving information associated with a first party, wherein the first party is connected to a second party by a social-network, wherein the second party is associated with the robotic device, wherein the social-network comprises a network of parties, including the first party and the second party, that are related via one or more relationships, the one or more relationships indicating a type of connection between the first party and the second party;

based on the received information, querying a behavioral database to obtain a behavioral expectation associated with the first party, wherein the behavioral expectation indicates an action associated with the first party;

comparing the behavioral expectation associated with the first party to a stored behavioral expectation associated with the second party to determine if the behavioral expectation associated with the first party differs from the stored behavioral expectation associated with the second party;

based on the comparing, modifying the stored behavioral expectation associated with the second party based on the behavioral expectation associated with the first party; and

providing instructions, which are executable to perform an action associated with the modified behavioral expectation, to the robotic device associated with the second party.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the modified behavioral expectation substantially matches the behavioral expectation associated with the first party.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the received information includes one of (i) a message, (ii) a video, (iii) a uniform resource locator, and (iv) an image.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the received information includes information that the second party is restricted from accessing based on one of (i) a time, (ii) a date, and (iii) a location of the second party.

5. The method of claim 1 , further comprising receiving feedback from the device associated with the second party indicating (i) an acceptance of the modified behavioral expectation or (ii) a rejection of the modified behavioral expectation.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the device associated with the first party is a robotic device that includes a mechanical actuator.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the second party is connected to the first party by a symmetric connection, wherein the symmetric connection is formed when the second party agrees to connect to the first party.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the stored behavioral expectation associated with the second party includes at least one of (i) an action, (ii) a spoken word, (iii) a written word, and (iv) a vocalization.

9. A system comprising:

a robotic device having at least one mechanical actuator;

a computing system including a computer-readable memory; and

program instructions stored on the computer-readable memory and executable by at least one processor to cause the computing system to:

make a determination of whether a first party is connected to a second party by a social-network, wherein the social-network comprises a network of parties, including the first party associated with a first party device and the second party associated with a robotic device, wherein the first party and the second party are related via one or more relationships, the one or more relationships indicating a type of connection between the first party and the second party;

based on the determination, query a behavioral database to obtain a behavioral expectation associated with the first party, wherein the behavioral expectation indicates an action associated with the first party;

compare the behavioral expectation associated with the first party to a stored behavioral expectation associated with the second party to determine if the behavioral expectation associated with the first party is substantially different from the stored behavioral expectation associated with the second party; and

responsive to the comparison, modify the stored behavioral expectation associated with the second party based on the behavioral expectation associated with the first party.

10. The system of claim 9 , further comprising program instructions stored on the computer-readable memory and executable by the computing system to:

provide instructions, which are executable to perform an action associated with the modified behavioral expectation, to the robotic device associated with the second party.

11. The system of claim 10 , wherein the first party device is a robotic device having a mechanical actuator.

12. The system of claim 9 , further comprising program instructions stored on the computer-readable memory and executable by the computing system to:

restrict access to data associated with the second party based on at least one of (i) a time, (ii) a date, and (iii) a location of the first party.

13. The system of claim 9 , wherein the first party is connected to the second party by an asymmetric connection, wherein the asymmetric connection is formed after a second party requests to connect to the first party.

14. A non-transitory computer-readable memory having stored thereon instructions executable by a computing device having at least one processor to cause the computing device to perform functions comprising:

receiving information associated with a first party, wherein the first party is connected to a second party by a social-network, wherein the second party is associated with a robotic device having a mechanical actuator, wherein the social-network comprises a network of parties, including the first party and the second party, that are related via one or more relationships, the one or more relationships indicating a type of connection between the first party and the second party;

based on the received information, querying a behavioral database to obtain a behavioral expectation associated with the first party, wherein the behavioral expectation indicates an action associated with the first party;

comparing the behavioral expectation associated with the first party to a stored behavioral expectation associated with the first party is substantially different from or substantially similar to the stored behavioral expectation associated with the second party;

responsive to the comparing, modifying the stored behavioral expectation associated with the second party based on the behavioral expectation associated with the first party; and

providing instructions, which are executable to perform an action associated with the modified behavioral expectation, to the robotic device associated with the second party.

15. The non-transitory computer-readable memory of claim 14 , further comprising instructions executable by the computing device to cause the computing device to perform functions comprising:

identifying at least one of (i) an action, (ii) a spoken word, (iii) a written word, and (iv) a vocalization, based on the behavioral expectation associated with the second party.

16. The non-transitory computer-readable memory of claim 14 , wherein the instructions, which are executable to perform an action associated with the modified behavioral expectation, are associated with at least one of (i) the action, (ii) the spoken word, (iii) the written word, and (iv) the vocalization.

17. The non-transitory computer-readable memory of claim 14 , further comprising instructions executable by the computing device to cause the computing device to perform functions comprising:

determining if the first party is connected to the second party by the social network by:

querying a database having social network data;

and determining if a symmetric connection or an asymmetric connection exists between the first party and the second party.

18. The non-transitory computer-readable memory of claim 14 , wherein the received information associated with the first party includes a command from the device associated with the second party that instructs a device associated with the first party to perform an action.

19. The non-transitory computer readable memory of claim 18 , wherein the device associated with the first party is a robotic device.

20. The non-transitory computer-readable memory of claim 14 , further comprising instructions executable by the computing device to cause the computing device to perform functions comprising:

receiving feedback from the device associated with the first party indicating (i) an acceptance of the modified behavioral expectation or (ii) a rejection of the modified behavioral expectation.

Assignments (7)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Apr 29, 2025
From: GOOGLE LLC
To: GDM HOLDING LLC
Reel/Frame 071109/0342 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Aug 21, 2023
From: X DEVELOPMENT LLC
To: GOOGLE LLC
Reel/Frame 064658/0001 →
CORRECTIVE ASSIGNMENT TO CORRECT THE CORRECTIVE BY NULLIFICATIONTO CORRECT INCORRECTLY RECORDED APPLICATION NUMBERS PREVIOUSLY RECORDED ON REEL 044142 FRAME 0357. ASSIGNOR(S) HEREBY CONFIRMS THE CHANGE OF NAME. Recorded Nov 14, 2018
From: GOOGLE INC.
To: GOOGLE LLC
Reel/Frame 047837/0678 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Sep 25, 2018
From: GOOGLE INC.
To: X DEVELOPMENT LLC
Reel/Frame 047631/0671 →
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Oct 6, 2017
From: GOOGLE INC.
To: GOOGLE LLC
Reel/Frame 044142/0357 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Sep 1, 2016
From: GOOGLE INC.
To: X DEVELOPMENT LLC
Reel/Frame 039900/0610 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded May 15, 2012
From: GHARPURE, CHAITANYA; HICKMAN, RYAN
To: GOOGLE INC.
Reel/Frame 028211/0241 →