Measuring device for ambulation data

• US 10,132,646 B1
• Filed: 12/20/2017
• Issued: 11/20/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 08/07/2017
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology
• Original Assignee: Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology
• Inventors: Cha, Youngsu, Kim, Doik, Yuh, Junku
• Primary Examiner(s): Labaze, Edwyn
• Application Number:
  US15/848,469
• Time in Patent Office: 335 Days
• Field of Search: 235105, 235375
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 3/34 with electrical or electronic arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: G01B 7/16 for measuring the deformation in a solid, e.g. by resistance strain gauge
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 22/006 Pedometers
• CPC Class Codes: G01L 1/16 using properties of piezoelectric devices

Abstract

Disclosed is a measuring device for ambulation data including a bending sensor installed in a bottom of a shoe to sense a bending signal transmitted by bending of the bottom of the shoe and generate a voltage signal while a user is walking, a control unit electrically connected to the bending sensor to derive an ambulation parameter by processing the outputted voltage signal, and a terminal to output the ambulation parameter transmitted from the control unit, wherein the bending sensor is placed between a part that touches a forefoot and a part that touches a heel in the bottom of the shoe.

Claims

1. A measuring device for ambulation data, comprising:

a bending sensor installed in a bottom of a shoe to sense a bending signal transmitted by bending of the bottom of the shoe and generate a voltage signal while a user is walking, the bending sensor including

a piezoelectric element to sense the bending signal, and

a substrate installed on a surface of the piezoelectric element,

wherein the piezoelectric element and the substrate overlap each other and an area of the piezoelectric element is greater than an area of the substrate;

a control unit electrically connected to the bending sensor to derive an ambulation parameter by processing the outputted voltage signal;

an inertial measurement unit installed in the shoe separately from the bending sensor and measuring at least one of walking direction, walking speed and acceleration of the user; and

a terminal to output the ambulation parameter transmitted from the control unit and the inertial measurement unit,

wherein the bending sensor is placed at a middle portion of the bottom of the shoe between a toe part and a heel part of the shoe such that the bending sensor is placed under an arch part of the user'"'"'s foot and not directly pressed by a forefoot and a heel of the user.

2. The measuring device for ambulation data according to claim 1,

wherein the control unit further derives position information of the user based on the at least one of measured walking direction, walking speed and acceleration of the user.

3. The measuring device for ambulation data according to claim 1, further comprising:

a communication unit electrically connected to the control unit to make wireless communication with the terminal.

4. The measuring device for ambulation data according to claim 1, wherein the bending sensor is installed such that it is inserted into the bottom of the shoe.