SYSTEM, APPARATUS, AND METHOD FOR PROMOTING USAGE OF CORE MUSCLES AND OTHER APPLICATIONS

• US 20160199696A1
• Filed: 12/19/2013
• Published: 07/14/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 12/19/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Alert Core, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Alert Core, Inc.
• Inventors: Uehara, Gregory Takeo, Brunn, Brian Taylor
• Granted Patent: US 9,795,337 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2503/10 Athletes
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1121 Determining geometric values, e.g. centre of rotation or angular range of movement
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1122 of movement trajectories
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1124 Determining motor skills
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/227 of constricting muscles, i.e. sphincters
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/4519 Muscles A61B5/389, A61B5/224 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6823 Trunk, e.g., chest, back, abdomen, hip
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6831 Straps, bands or harnesses
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/744 Displaying an avatar, e.g. an animated cartoon character
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2024/0071 Distinction between different activities, movements, or kind of sports performed
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 23/02 for the abdomen, the spinal column or the torso muscles related to shoulders (e.g. chest muscles)
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 23/0205 Abdomen
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 24/0062 Monitoring athletic performances, e.g. for determining the work of a user on an exercise apparatus, the completed jogging or cycling distance
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 40/23 Recognition of whole body movements, e.g. for sport training
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 19/0038 Sports
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 20/30 relating to physical therapies or activities, e.g. physiotherapy, acupressure or exercising

Abstract

Embodiments disclosed include a system and method for development of core muscles'"'"' support, comprising a means for identifying a user qualifying movement, a means for detecting a core muscle contraction in the identified qualifying movement, a means for discriminating between a core muscle contraction and no core muscle contraction in the identified qualifying movement; and a means to provide feedback to the user.

Claims

1-41. -41. (canceled)

42. A system for development of core muscles'"'"' support, comprising:

a first sensor coupled to a processor for identifying a qualifying movement;

a second sensor coupled to the processor for detecting a core muscle contraction; and

a movement discriminator running on the processor for discriminating between a protected qualifying movement where the core muscle contraction is detected by the second sensor during the qualifying movement detected by the first sensor and an unprotected qualifying movement where the core muscle contraction is not detected by the second sensor during the qualifying movement detected by the first sensor;

wherein the processor provides feedback to a user.

43. The system of claim 42 further comprises:

identifying a number of protected qualifying movements, and a number of unprotected qualifying movements.

44. The system of claim 42 wherein identifying the protected qualifying movement comprises identifying the core muscle contraction of the user starts before a start and ends after an end of the qualifying movement when stress is placed on the user'"'"'s lumbo sacral junction.

45. The system of claim 42 wherein identifying the unprotected qualifying movement comprises identifying inadequate or no core muscle contraction of the user during the qualifying movement when stress is placed on the user'"'"'s lumbo sacral junction.

46. The system of claim 42 wherein the identifying the qualifying movement comprises identifying at least one of:

standing from a seated position, sitting from a standing position, rotating to the left or right while standing, or a sequence of movements associated with;

removing a carry-on load from an overhead bin in an airplane, lifting groceries out of a car trunk, serving or spiking a volleyball, and stabilizing a golf putting stroke.

47. The system of claim 42 wherein the identifying the qualifying movement, comprises identifying a movement of the user'"'"'s body wherein the core muscle contraction would be beneficial.

48. The system of claim 42 wherein the feedback comprises at least one of a buzzer, an audible sound, a tens unit zap, a wearable computing device, a personal computer, a smart phone, and a portable device.

49. The system of claim 42 further comprising an exercise application.

50. The system of claim 42 wherein the processor identifies when the core should be contracted during the protected qualifying movement or the unprotected qualifying movement via image on a display, audible instruction, or video.

51. The system of claim 42 wherein the processor stores information about each of the identified qualifying movements in a core score keeper, the information including a status as protected qualifying movement or unprotected qualifying movement and a time stamp and the processor uses a quantity of the protected qualifying movements, a quantity of the unprotected qualifying movements and the time stamps to calculate a core score over a designated period of time and report the core score through an output device.

52. A device for assisting in the development of a user'"'"'s core muscles, comprising:

a single or plurality of sensors;

a single or plurality of signal processors;

wherein the single or plurality of sensors coupled with the single or plurality of signal processors identifies a qualifying movement and detects a core muscle contraction, and detects a timing relationship between the qualifying movement and the core muscle contraction, and determines if the qualifying movement is a protected qualifying movement where the core muscle contraction is detected by the during the qualifying movement detected by the single or plurality of sensors or an unprotected qualifying movement where the core muscle contraction is not detected during the qualifying movement detected by the single or plurality of sensors.

53. The device of claim 52 further comprising at least one of a buzzer, a speaker with a sound generator or an external device to provide a feedback signal.

54. The device of claim 52 wherein the single or plurality of sensors includes a force sensing resistor (FSR) to identify the core contraction.

55. The device of claim 52 wherein the single or plurality of sensors includes an accelerometer or gyro to identify the qualifying movement.

56. The device of claim 52 further comprising a means to communicate over a network with a PC, a smart phone, or a hand held device.

57. The device of claim 52 further comprising:

a personal computer or a handheld device having a receiver to receive a feedback signal from the signal processor.

58. The device of claim 52 further comprising:

a wrist wearable device in communication with the single or plurality of sensors and the single or plurality of signal processors in the device monitoring the core and further monitoring movement of the user'"'"'s hips;

wherein the single or plurality of processors in the device combines monitoring movements of a wrist or wrists and movement of the user'"'"'s hips to provide feedback to improve a coordination of user movements.

59. A wearable device for promoting core muscle usage, comprising:

a muscle contraction sensor in communication with a processor for detecting a contraction of core muscles;

a movement sensor in communication with the processor for detecting a qualifying movement;

a movement discriminator running on the processor for discriminating between a protected qualifying movement where the core muscle contraction is detected by the muscle contraction sensor during the qualifying movement detected by the movement sensor and an unprotected qualifying movement where the core muscle contraction is not detected by the muscle contraction sensor during the qualifying movement detected by the movement sensor; and

a signaling unit for providing feedback to a user to monitor and improve the muscle contraction of the user during the qualifying movement.

60. The wearable device of claim 59 further comprising:

an external device in communication with the processor;

wherein the processor further identifies a movement of a user'"'"'s core region inward, outward or neutral, during the contraction of the core muscles and communicates the movement of the user'"'"'s core region via the external device.

61. The device of claim 59 wherein the processor communicates with an external device that provides measurable metrics of core muscle activity.

62. The device of claim 59 further comprising

a bumper that is coupled to the user'"'"'s core muscles and coupled to the force sensing resistor.

63. The device of claim 59 wherein the device further comprises:

a belt or an article of clothing which places the device substantially in contact with the user'"'"'s core muscles.

64. The device of claim 63 wherein the belt or the article of clothing is partially elastic.

65. The device of claim 59 wherein the sensor includes a single or plurality of force sensors to detect user core muscle contraction.

66. The device of claim 65 wherein the single or plurality of force sensors are force-sensing resistors.