System, method and apparatus for orientation control

• US 8,453,340 B2
• Filed: 02/16/2010
• Issued: 06/04/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 02/06/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Deka Products Limited Partnership
• Original Assignee: Deka Products Limited Partnership
• Inventors: van der Merwe, Dirk Albertus, Doyon, Thomas A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Bennett, G. Bradley
• Application Number:
  US12/706,471
• Publication Number:
  US 20100211185A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,204 Days
• Field of Search: 333/16, 333/18, 333/24, 335/12
• US Class Current: 33/512
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1036 Measuring load distribution, e.g. podologic studies
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1038 Measuring plantar pressure during gait
• 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 5/389 Electromyography [EMG]
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/54 Artificial arms or hands or parts thereof
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/60 Artificial legs or feet or parts thereof
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/70 electrical
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/72 Bioelectric control, e.g. myoelectric
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/76 Means for assembling, fitting or testing prostheses, e.g. for measuring or balancing, e.g. alignment means
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/701 operated by electrically controlled means, e.g. solenoids or torque motors
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/704 computer-controlled, e.g. robotic control
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/705 Electromagnetic data transfer for implantable prostheses A61F2250/0002
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/707 Remote control
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/762 for measuring dimensions, e.g. a distance
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/7625 for measuring angular position
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/763 for measuring spatial position, e.g. global positioning system [GPS]
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/7635 for measuring force, pressure or mechanical tension
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/764 for measuring acceleration
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/765 for measuring time or frequency
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/7685 located on natural or sound-site limbs, e.g. comparison measuring means
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/166 : Mechanical, construction or arrangement details of inertial navigation systems
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 9/00 : Measuring inclination, e.g. by clinometers, by levels
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 15/02 : electric
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/011 : Arrangements for interaction with the human body, e.g. for user immersion in virtual reality blind teaching G09B21/00

Abstract

A system for control of a device includes at least one sensor module detecting orientation of a user'"'"'s body part. The at least one sensor module is in communication with a device module configured to command an associated device. The at least one sensor module detects orientation of the body part. The at least one sensor module sends output signals related to orientation of the user'"'"'s body part to the device module and the device module controls the associated device based on the signals from the at least one sensor module.

Claims

1. A sensor module comprising:

an IMU having at least one orientation sensor;

a sensor CPU in communication with the at least one orientation sensor; and

a sensor module communicator in communication with the sensor CPU;

wherein the sensor CPU receives input signals from the at least one orientation sensor of the IMU; and

wherein the sensor CPU outputs a pitch, a roll and a yaw of the IMU through the sensor module communicator.

2. The sensor module according to claim 1, wherein the IMU includes at least three orientation sensors including at least two accelerometers.

3. The sensor module according to claim 2, wherein the third orientation sensor is a gyroscope.

4. The sensor module according to claim 1, wherein the at least one orientation sensor is an accelerometer.

5. The sensor module according to claim 1, additionally comprising a power supply for supplying power to the sensor module.

6. The sensor module according to claim 5, wherein the power supply includes a battery and a power antenna connected to the battery for wirelessly charging the battery.

7. The sensor module according to claim 5, additionally comprising a support structure;

wherein the IMU, sensor CPU, sensor module communicator and power supply are each disposed on the support structure.

8. The sensor module according to claim 7, wherein the support structure includes at least one circuit board.

9. The sensor module according to claim 5, additionally comprising a housing,

wherein the IMU, sensor CPU, sensor module communicator and power supply are each disposed in the housing.

10. The sensor module according to claim 9, additionally comprising a strap attached to the housing and adapted to connect the housing to a body part of a user.

11. The sensor module according to claim 9, wherein the housing includes a main portion with the sensor CPU, sensor module communicator and power supply disposed therein and an IMU portion connected to the main portion by a conduit, the IMU portion having the IMU disposed therein.

12. A sensor module adapted to be attached to footwear, the sensor module comprising:

a support including at least one circuit board;

at least one orientation sensors disposed on the support and adapted to detect orientation in at least three axes;

a sensor CPU disposed on the support and in communication with the at least one orientation sensor through the at least one circuit board;

a sensor module communicator disposed on the support and in communication with the sensor CPU through the at least one circuit board; and

a power supply having a battery disposed on the support for supplying power to the sensor module through the circuit board.

13. The sensor module according to claim 12, wherein the sensor CPU receives input signals from the at least one orientation sensor;

and

wherein the sensor CPU outputs a pitch, a roll and a yaw of the sensor module through the sensor module communicator.

14. The sensor module according to claim 12, additionally comprising at least a second orientation sensor;

wherein the at least two orientation sensors are accelerometers detecting accelerations in two axes.

15. The sensor module according to claim 14, additionally comprising at least a third orientation sensor;

wherein the third orientation sensor is a gyroscope.

16. The sensor module according to claim 12, comprising at least three orientation sensors that are accelerometers.

17. The sensor module according to claim 12, wherein the power supply includes a power antenna connected to the battery for wirelessly charging the battery.

18. A control system for controlling an associated device, the control system comprising:

a sensor module having an IMU detecting orientation in three axes, a sensor CPU in communication with the IMU and a sensor module communicator adapted to transmit signals from the sensor CPU; and

a device module in communication with the sensor module through the sensor module communicator, the device module in communication with the associated device;

wherein the device module receives a pitch signal, a roll signal and a yaw signal from the sensor module and commands the associated device based on at least one of the pitch signal, the roll signal and the yaw signal.

19. The control system according to claim 18, wherein the sensor module is in wireless communication with the device module.

20. The control system according to claim 18, wherein the IMU includes three orientation sensors including at least two accelerometers detecting accelerations in at least two orthogonal axes.