Sony's AIBO doesn't need an introduction. However, for the ones who don't know, AIBO (Artificial Intelligence Robot) is a series of robotic pets designed and manufactured by Sony.
A quick search for the earliest patents covering the robotic pet dog results in following filings from 1997, just before the announcement of a prototype by Sony (1998).
US5929585A, titled 'Robot system and its control method'
JP11-126017, titled 'STORAGE MEDIUM, ROBOT, INFORMATION PROCESSING DEVICE AND ELECTRONIC PET SYSTEM'
Inventors:
A quick search for the earliest patents covering the robotic pet dog results in following filings from 1997, just before the announcement of a prototype by Sony (1998).
US5929585A, titled 'Robot system and its control method'
Inventors:
- FUJITA MASAHIRO
JP11-126017, titled 'STORAGE MEDIUM, ROBOT, INFORMATION PROCESSING DEVICE AND ELECTRONIC PET SYSTEM'
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidaiNMYoOsN_5Vt-oO6a7LX15zlSt24QEMA4c4i4XzuYuB3R0HHjEYBIpzotVveHdF8DyrmhbndDnZnQznl4APZymU_f67Oip5lwUbjyv38a0mY3XCe4M5kYwlMBvnEesdDk_Epkv6gsA/s320/Thinkpat+first+patent+sony+robot+dog+AIBO+original+foundation+earliest+basic+1997+2+.png)
- YOKOO NAOHIRO
- KATO YASUHIKO
- HATTORI MASAKAZU
- FUJITA MASAHIRO
- KITANO HIROAKI
JP11-188678, titled 'ROBOT DEVICE
Inventors:
Hats off, Fujita Masahiro and team. You guys rock!