Gait detection system, gait detection apparatus, device, and gait detection method

• US 6,958,045 B2
• Filed: 12/26/2001
• Issued: 10/25/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 12/27/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Takiguchi, Kiyoaki, Aida, Kazuhiko, Nakamura, Takaaki
• Primary Examiner(s): WINAKUR, ERIC FRANK
• Application Number:
  US10/034,454
• Publication Number:
  US 20020107649A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,399 Days
• Field of Search: 600/587, 600/592, 600/595, 235/105, 702/160
• US Class Current: 600/595
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1038 Measuring plantar pressure during gait
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/7225 Details of analog processing, e.g. isolation amplifier, gain or sensitivity adjustment, filtering, baseline or drift compensation A61B5/30, A61B5/316 take precedence; transformers for specific applications H01F38/00; amplifiers H03F
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/726 using Wavelet transforms
• CPC Class Codes: G10L 17/26 Recognition of special voice characteristics, e.g. for use in lie detectors; Recognition of animal voices

Abstract

A gait detection apparatus includes a microphone for picking up low-frequency-band sounds which are transmitted through the body of a pedestrian while walking and an analyzer for performing analysis. Accordingly, the gait of the pedestrian is detected. It is also possible to distinguish the gait pattern on the basis of the stance-phase time of a foot sole, the signal intensity, etc. The gait detection apparatus can accurately estimate the step length on the basis of a detected gait cycle, the height of the pedestrian, and signals detected during walking. On the basis of low-frequency-region sounds picked up by the microphone while the pedestrian is walking, the pedestrian can be identified.

Claims

1. A gait detection system comprising:

a microphone for picking up vibrations generated by a pedestrian while walking and for converting the vibrations into electrical signals;

analysis means for analyzing variations corresponding to a frequency less than or equal to a predetermined frequency of the electrical signals converted by the microphone, for detecting a gait of the pedestrian, and for generating information on the detected gait; and

output means for outputting the information on the detected gait.

2. The gait detection system according to claim 1, wherein the analysis means determines a pattern of the gait of the pedestrian based on at least one of a duration and a frequency intensity of a signal in a frequency band less than or equal to 100 Hz.

3. The gait detection system according to claim 1, wherein the analysis means estimates a stride length of the pedestrian based on a gait cycle detected by the analysis means and a pre-input height of the pedestrian.

4. The gait detection system according to claim 3, wherein the analysis means estimates a distance traveled by the pedestrian based on the stride length and a number of steps detected by the analysis means.

5. A gait detection apparatus comprising:

analysis means for analyzing a frequency component of a signal based on a vibration transmitted through the body of a pedestrian while walking and for detecting a gait of the pedestrian; and

output means for outputting information on the gait detected by the analysis means.

6. The gait detection apparatus according to claim 5, further comprising a filter for passing only a signal in a predetermined frequency band,

wherein the analysis means detects the gait of the pedestrian based on a presence or absence of the signal having passed through the filter.

7. The gait detection apparatus according to claim 5, further comprising data storage means for storing signal data corresponding to a gait model pattern,

wherein the analysis means analyzes a signal by comparing the signal with the signal data stored in the data storage means and by determining whether a pattern of the signal detected by the analysis means matches the signal data.

8. A device to be mounted on a user, comprising:

a microphone for picking up ambient sounds and for converting the ambient sounds into electrical signals;

analysis means for analyzing variations in signals corresponding to a frequency less than or equal to a predetermined frequency based on the electrical signals converted by the microphone and for detecting a gait of the user; and

display means for outputting information concerning the gait detected by the analysis means using characters.

9. The device according to claim 8, wherein the analysis means detects a number of steps walked by the user.

10. A gait detection method comprising the steps of:

detecting components in a frequency band less than or equal to 100 Hz from vibrations transmitted through the body of a pedestrian while walking; and

converting the detected components into signals and analyzing the signals, wherein a gait of the pedestrian is detected.