Multi-functional smart mobility aid devices and methods of use

• US 10,136,841 B2
• Filed: 06/24/2015
• Issued: 11/27/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 03/24/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Can Mobilities, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Can Mobilities, Inc.
• Inventors: Alghazi, Ahmad AlSayed M.
• Primary Examiner(s): CAREY, MICHAEL JAMES
• Application Number:
  US15/128,440
• Publication Number:
  US 20170172462A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,252 Days
• Field of Search: 600300, 600301
• CPC Class Codes: A45B 2200/05 Walking sticks
• CPC Class Codes: A45B 3/00 Sticks combined with other objects
• CPC Class Codes: A45B 3/08 with measuring or weighing appliances
• CPC Class Codes: A45B 5/00 Walking sticks or umbrellas convertible into seats; Hunting sticks
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2503/08 Elderly
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2560/0431 Portable apparatus, e.g. comprising a handle or case
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0022 Monitoring a patient using a global network, e.g. telephone networks, internet
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0205 Simultaneously evaluating both cardiovascular conditions and different types of body conditions, e.g. heart and respiratory condition
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/11 Measuring movement of the entire body or parts thereof, e.g. head or hand tremor, mobility of a limb for measuring pulse A61B5/02 ;A61B5/1038 takes precedence; motion detection to correct for motion artifacts in physiological signals A61B5/721
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1118 Determining activity level
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/112 Gait analysis
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1123 Discriminating type of movement, e.g. walking or running A61B5/1116, A61B5/112 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6887 mounted on external non-worn devices, e.g. non-medical devices
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/742 using visual displays A61B5/339 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61G 2203/16 Touchpads
• CPC Class Codes: A61G 2203/20 Displays or monitors
• CPC Class Codes: A61G 2203/30 characterised by sensor means
• CPC Class Codes: A61G 2203/34 for pressure
• CPC Class Codes: A61G 2203/36 for motion
• CPC Class Codes: A61G 2203/42 for inclination
• CPC Class Codes: A61G 5/10 : Parts, details or accessories
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 2003/006 : with forearm rests, i.e. for non-used arms
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 2201/0188 : Illumination related features
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 2201/5012 : using the internet
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 2201/5015 : using specific interfaces or standards, e.g. USB, serial, parallel
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 2201/5043 : Displays
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 2201/5046 : Touch screens
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 2201/5048 : Audio interfaces, e.g. voice or music controlled
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 2201/5064 : Position sensors
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 2201/5097 : wireless
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 2230/04 : Heartbeat characteristics, e.g. E.G.C., blood pressure modulation
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 2230/06 : Heartbeat rate
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 2230/202 : Glucose
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 2230/207 : partial O2-value
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 2230/30 : Blood pressure A61H2230/04 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 2230/40 : Respiratory characteristics
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 2230/42 : Rate
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 2230/50 : Temperature
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 2230/60 : Muscle strain, i.e. measured on the user, e.g. Electromyography [EMG]
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 2230/65 : Impedance, e.g. skin conductivity; capacitance, e.g. galvanic skin response [GSR]
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 3/02 : Crutches
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 3/04 : Wheeled walking aids for patients or disabled persons
• CPC Class Codes: A61J 7/0481 : working on a schedule basis
• CPC Class Codes: B62K 5/00 : Cycles with handlebars, equipped with three or more main road wheels cycle supports or stands equipped with additional wheels for ride stabilisation B62H1/12
• CPC Class Codes: B62K 5/025 : power-driven
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/0461 : integrated or attached to an item closely associated with the person but not worn by the person, e.g. chair, walking stick, bed sensor
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 20/30 : relating to physical therapies or activities, e.g. physiotherapy, acupressure or exercising
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/67 : for remote operation
• CPC Class Codes: G16Z 99/00 : Subject matter not provided for in other main groups of this subclass

Abstract

Embodiments of a smart mobility aid device may have sensors to collect, monitor, analyze and represent data including but not limited to activity tracking, biometrics and safety and emergency features. The activity tracking include number of steps, miles, and activity speed, user pressure on a device, activity types and analysis. The user biometric data includes but is not limited to blood work, blood pressure, blood sugar, heart rate, oxygen level/rate, ECG, EMG, muscle strain, humidity, UV, body temperature. Additional features include an emergency button, fall detection, warnings, and user pattern analysis changes. The mobility aid device is connected to other smart electronic device and/or the Internet using but not limited to Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, and or/and SIM card. The device gives the user or/and caregiver live feedback about user health metrics and status using a data representation method.

Claims

1. A multifunctional smart cane, comprising:

a handle adapted to be gripped by a hand of a user;

a body having a base on one end and coupled to the handle on the other;

a light operable by a light sensor;

a display built into the handle wherein the display is visible to the user while gripping the handle;

one or more activity tracking components carried by the smart cane for collecting information about the user'"'"'s daily activity;

an electronic memory for storing the collected information about the user'"'"'s daily activity; and

one or more electronic communication components to transmit the user'"'"'s daily activity from the electronic memory in the smart cane to another electronic device.

2. The smart cane of claim 1 wherein the handle includes a gripping sensor used to power on and power off the smart cane when the smart cane user grips the gripping sensor.

3. The smart cane of claim 1 wherein the one or more electronic components is a SIM card, a Wi-Fi communications module or a Bluetooth communications module.

4. The smart cane of claim 1 wherein the one or electronic communication components provides communication using a cellular network, an app push notification, a third party update or a website update.

5. The smart cane of claim 1 wherein the one or electronic communication components provides for entering user data into the smart cane using a smartphone, a smart watch, a smart glass or a tablet.

6. The smart cane of claim 1 wherein a rechargeable battery within the smart cane is adapted and configured for wireless charging, or for charging via a self-plugging magnetic plug.

7. The smart cane of claim 1 further comprising a sensor for detecting a biometric measurement of the smart cane user selected from blood work, blood pressure, blood sugar, heart rate, oxygen level/rate, ECG, EMG, muscle strain, humidity, UV or body temperature.

8. The smart cane of claim 1 further comprising one or more smart cane user activity tracking components selected from an accelerometer, a gyroscope, a MEMS magnetometer, a barometric pressure sensor, a temperature sensor, a microcontroller, a flash memory, a digital motion processor, a motion processing library, a Bluetooth low energy radio component, a motion sensor, a pressure sensor on the cane, or a sensor configured to detect a weight imparted by the user upon the smart cane.

9. The smart cane of claim 1 the collected information about the user'"'"'s daily activity further comprising:

a linear acceleration, a heading, an altitude, a temperature, an angular velocity, or an angular position.

10. The smart cane of claim 1 wherein the light comes on automatically when the light sensor detects darkness.

11. The smart cane of claim 1 the cane further comprising a base changing mechanism allowing for removal of the base and replacement with a different base.

12. The smart cane of claim 1 wherein a user preference or smart cane advice determines the removal of the base and the replacement with a different base.

13. The smart cane of claim 12 wherein the base and the different base are selected from a basic base, a tripod base, a flexible base and an ice tip base.

14. The smart cane of claim 1 further comprising a sensor configured to detect an audio signal from the user or an emergency button that when pressed establishes communications with one or more of a caregiver or a 911 emergency service.

15. The smart cane claim 1 the display providing a health status indicator of the user in the form of a light, an LED light, a sound, a vibration, or a glyph.