IP Library Granted Patent US 12,485,552
Granted Patent B2
US 12,485,552 · App. 17/627,577 · Granted Dec 2, 2025

Remote physiological data sensing robot

Inventors: Hani Eskandari (Vancouver, CA); Ali Haghighat Kashani (San Francisco, CA); Sean Tracey Plaice (San Francisco, CA); Bastian Jan Michael Lehmann (San Francisco, CA)
Assignee: Serve Operating Co.
B25J11/0005B25J9/163B25J11/0015B25J19/023G06F3/015G06F2203/011
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,485,552
App. No.
17/627,577
Granted
Dec 2, 2025
Kind
B2
Abstract

Techniques described in this application are directed to an autonomous robot that is configured to interact with its environment through identifying the presence and emotional state (e.g., mood) of live subjects in the scene. The autonomous robot includes one or more remote physiological data collecting sensors capable of remotely collecting physiological data such as heart rate, blood circulation, or respiratory activity of the live subjects within close proximity of the robot.

Claims (67)

1 . A robot comprising:

one or more sensors configured to collect sensor data by remotely measuring one or more physiological functions of at least one live subject;

one or more output devices;

one or more processors; and

a non-transitory computer-readable medium including instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to:

identify the at least one live subject within a predetermined distance of the robot;

receive, from the one or more sensors, the sensor data associated with the one or more physiological functions of the at least one live subject;

determine an aggressive emotional state of the at least one live subject using at least the sensor data;

determine a robot action based on the aggressive emotional state of the at least one live subject;

provide, to the one or more output devices, an instruction to initiate the robot action; and

perform the robot action using the one or more output devices, wherein the robot action includes activating a vehicle system of the robot to move away from the at least one live subject upon determining, based at least in part on the aggressive emotional state of the at least one live subject, a threshold likelihood of the at least one live subject attacking the robot.

2 . The robot of claim 1 , wherein the aggressive emotional state of the at least one live subject and the robot action are determined using a machine learning model.

3 . The robot of claim 1 , wherein the robot action further includes one or more of activating a series of lights to imitate a human expression on a user interface displayed on the one or more output devices, contacting a remote operator, and playing an audio file.

4 . The robot of claim 1 , further comprising:

one or more video cameras,

wherein the instructions, when executed by the one or more processors, further cause the one or more processors to:

capture image data of the at least one live subject using the one or more video cameras;

correlate the sensor data with the image data; and

determine the aggressive emotional state of the at least one live subject using correlation between the sensor data and the image data.

5 . The robot of claim 4 , wherein the instructions, when executed by the one or more processors, further cause the one or more processors to:

determine the at least one live subject is a person or an animal using the image data.

6 . The robot of claim 1 , wherein the instructions, when executed by the one or more processors, further cause the one or more processors to:

after performing the robot action by the one or more output devices,

continue monitoring the at least one live subject by receiving a stream of sensor data at predetermined intervals;

determine a change in the sensor data associated with one or more physiological functions of the at least one live subject;

determine a change in the aggressive emotional state of the at least one live subject based on the change in the sensor data;

determine a subsequent robot action based on the change in the aggressive emotional state of the at least one live subject;

provide, to the one or more output devices, an instruction to initiate the subsequent robot action; and

perform the subsequent robot action using the one or more output devices.

7 . The robot of claim 1 , wherein receiving sensor data includes receiving a stream of sensor data at predetermined intervals during an interaction between the robot and the at least one live subject.

8 . The robot of claim 1 , wherein the instructions, when executed by the one or more processors, further cause the one or more processors to:

determine a confidence score associated with the robot action; and

determine that the confidence score exceeds a threshold value prior to performing the robot action.

9 . The robot of claim 1 , wherein the one or more physiological functions include one or more of a cardiac activity including a heart rate, a respiratory activity, or a body temperature.

10 . The robot of claim 1 , wherein the one or more sensors include:

a first sensor that uses microwave signals; and

a second sensor that uses one of Doppler signals, ultra-wideband signals, or electromagnetic radio-frequency (RF) signals to remotely measure the one or more physiological functions of the at least one live subject.

11 . A computer-implemented method comprising:

identifying, by a robot, at least one live subject within a predetermined distance of the robot;

collecting, by the robot, sensor data by remotely measuring one or more physiological functions of the at least one live subject, wherein the at least one live subject is a person or an animal;

determining, by the robot, an aggressive emotional state of the at least one live subject using at least the sensor data;

determining, by the robot, a robot action based on the aggressive emotional state of the at least one live subject;

providing, by the robot to one or more output devices of the robot, an instruction to initiate the robot action; and

performing, by the robot, the robot action using the one or more output devices,

wherein upon determining, based at least in part on the aggressive emotional state of the at least one live subject, a threshold likelihood of the at least one live subject attacking the robot, the robot performs the robot action of activating a vehicle system of the robot to move away from the at least one live subject.

12 . The computer-implemented method of claim 11 , wherein the aggressive emotional state of the at least one live subject and the robot action are determined using a machine learning model.

13 . The computer-implemented method of claim 11 , wherein the robot action further includes one or more of activating a series of lights to imitate a human expression on a user interface displayed on the one or more output devices, contacting a remote operator, and playing an audio file.

14 . The computer-implemented method of claim 11 , further comprising:

capturing, by one or more video cameras of the robot, image data of the at least one live subject;

correlating the sensor data with the image data; and

determining the aggressive emotional state of the at least one live subject using correlation between the sensor data and the image data.

15 . The computer-implemented method of claim 14 , further comprising:

determining the at least one live subject is a person or an animal using the image data.

16 . The computer-implemented method of claim 11 , further comprising:

after performing the robot action by the one or more output devices,

continuing monitoring the at least one live subject by receiving a stream of sensor data at predetermined intervals;

determining a change in the sensor data associated with one or more physiological functions of the at least one live subject;

determining a change in the aggressive emotional state of the at least one live subject based on the change in the sensor data;

determining a subsequent robot action based on the change in the aggressive emotional state of the at least one live subject;

providing, to the one or more output devices, an instruction to initiate the subsequent robot action; and

performing the subsequent robot action using the one or more output devices.

17 . The computer-implemented method of claim 11 , wherein receiving sensor data includes receiving a stream of sensor data at predetermined intervals during an interaction between the robot and the at least one live subject.

18 . The computer-implemented method of claim 11 , further comprising:

determining a confidence score associated with the robot action; and

determining that the confidence score exceeds a threshold value prior to performing the robot action.

19 . The computer-implemented method of claim 11 , wherein the one or more physiological functions include one or more of a cardiac activity including a heart rate, a respiratory activity, or a body temperature.

20 . The computer-implemented method of claim 11 , wherein collecting the sensor data includes using microwave signals, Doppler signals, ultra-wideband signals, or electromagnetic radio-frequency (RF) signals to remotely measure the one or more physiological functions of the at least one live subject.

Assignments (3)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Oct 28, 2024
From: SERVE ROBOTICS INC.
To: SERVE OPERATING CO.
Reel/Frame 069040/0764 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Apr 4, 2024
From: ESKANDARI, HANI; HAGHIGHAT KASHANI, ALI; PLAICE, SEAN TRACEY; LEHMANN, BASTIAN JAN MICHAEL
To: SERVE ROBOTICS INC.
Reel/Frame 067009/0400 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Apr 24, 2023
From: SERVE ROBOTICS INC.
To: FIRST-CITIZENS BANK & TRUST COMPANY
Reel/Frame 063422/0199 →
Continuity (2)
Provisional Application 62874611 · Jul 16, 2019
Related Publication 20220281117A1 · Sep 8, 2022
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