Attitude correction apparatus and method

• US 20060129059A1
• Filed: 12/02/2005
• Published: 06/15/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 12/11/2004
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: Kim, Soo-kwan, Hwang, Jin-sang, Kim, Kyung-ho
• Application Number:
  US11/291,961
• Publication Number:
  US 20060129059A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 600/546
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2562/0219 Inertial sensors, e.g. accelerometers, gyroscopes, tilt switches
• 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 5/1116 Determining posture transitions
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/389 Electromyography [EMG]

Abstract

An attitude correction and method are provided. In the attitude correction apparatus, an electromyogram measuring unit is attached to a subject to obtain an electromyogram waveform and calculate muscle tension from the electromyogram waveform. An attitude measuring unit is attached to the subject to measure a subject'"'"'s attitude. A controlling unit outputs a warning signal when the subject'"'"'s muscle tension and attitude are out of a predetermined range.

Claims

1. An attitude correction apparatus comprising:

an electromyogram measuring unit which obtains an electromyogram waveform of a subject and calculates a muscle tension of the subject based on the electromyogram waveform;

an attitude measuring unit, which measures an attitude of the subject; and

a controlling unit which outputs a warning signal based on the muscle tension and the attitude.

2. The attitude correction apparatus of claim 1, wherein the attitude measuring unit comprises:

a plurality of tilt sensors which measure tilt with respect to horizontal and vertical axes, or

a two-axis acceleration sensor which measures an acceleration of the subject.

3. The attitude correction apparatus of claim 2, wherein the controlling unit outputs the warning signal if the muscle tension is greater than or equal to a predetermined value and there is not a change of the tilt measured by the attitude measuring unit during a predetermined period of time.

4. The attitude correction apparatus of claim 2, wherein the controlling unit outputs the warning signal if the muscle tension is greater than or equal to a predetermined value, there is a change of the tilt is during a predetermined period of time, and the attitude is outside of an allowable range.

5. The attitude correction apparatus of claim 2, wherein the horizontal axis and the vertical axis are initially set such that the attitude of the subject is not inclined with respect to the vertical axis or the horizontal axis if the subject is in a position in which a first straight line, connecting shoulders of the subject, is parallel to a ground surface and in which a second straight line, connecting a head and a backbone of the subject, is perpendicular to the first straight line.

6. The attitude correction apparatus of claim 5, wherein the controlling unit outputs the warning signal if the muscle tension is greater than or equal to the predetermined value and there is not a change of the tilt measured by the attitude measuring unit during a predetermined period of time.

7. The attitude correction apparatus of claim 6, wherein the controlling unit outputs the warning signal if the muscle tension is greater than or equal to the predetermined value, there is a change of the tilt during a predetermined period of time, and the attitude is outside of an allowable range.

8. The attitude correction apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a mobile terminal which receives the warning signal output by the controlling unit and which outputs an audible warning signal or displays an attitude correction instruction.

13. The attitude correction apparatus of claim 1, wherein the measuring unit is attached to a first portion of a subject, and the attitude measuring unit is attached to a second portion of the subject which is different from the first portion.

9. An attitude correction method comprising:

obtaining an electromyogram waveform of a subject and calculating a muscle tension from the electromyogram waveform;

if the muscle tension is greater than or equal to a predetermined value, detecting an attitude of the subject and determining whether there is change of the attitude during a predetermined period of time; and

if there is a change of the subject'"'"'s attitude and the attitude of the subject is not within the attitude change range, outputting a warning signal.

10. The attitude correction method of claim 9, further comprising:

if the muscle tension is greater than or equal to the predetermined value and there is a change of the attitude during the predetermined time, determining whether the attitude is within an allowable range; and

if the attitude is outside of the allowable range, outputting a warning.

11. The attitude correction method of claim 9, wherein the warning is output through a mobile terminal.

12. The attitude correction method of claim 11, wherein the mobile terminal provides attitude correction information to the subject after outputting the warning.