System for rehabilitation and/or physical therapy for the treatment of neuromotor disorders

• US 8,491,502 B2
• Filed: 03/12/2008
• Issued: 07/23/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 03/16/2007
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Koninklijke Philips N.V.
• Original Assignee: Koninklijke Philips N.V.
• Inventors: Te Vrugt, Juergen, Lanfermann, Gerd, Willmann, Richard Daniel, Bongers, Edwin Gerardus Johannus Maria
• Primary Examiner(s): HINDENBURG, MAX F
• Application Number:
  US12/530,631
• Publication Number:
  US 20100105991A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,959 Days
• Field of Search: 600/485, 600/490, 600/587, 600/595
• US Class Current: 600/587
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2560/0456 Apparatus provided with a docking unit
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/061 Determining position of a probe within the body employing means separate from the probe, e.g. sensing internal probe position employing impedance electrodes on the surface of the body A61B1/00158 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1114 Tracking parts of the body
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6824 Arm or wrist
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6828 Leg
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/70 Means for positioning the patient in relation to the detecting, measuring or recording means

Abstract

A sensor docking unit for attaching and removing sensor or marker onto/from a user'"'"'s limb includes a guiding portion and a limb localization unit having a detector to determine if an insertion of the user'"'"'s limb into a pre-specified position within the sensor docking unit has been completed correctly. A sensor or marker mounting device includes at least one sensor or marker entity to enable at least semi-automatic attachment and/or removal of the at least one sensor or marker to/from the user'"'"'s limb in a reproducible manner. The sensor or marker mounting device is activatable to start with an attachment and/or removal of the at least one sensor or marker when a correct insertion of the user'"'"'s limb has been determined by the limb localization unit.

Claims

1. A sensor docking unit for attaching a sensor to a limb of a user comprising:

a guiding portion configured to facilitate insertion of the limb into the sensor docking unit by guiding the limb into a predetermined position;

a limb localization unit located in the guiding portion and comprising a detector configured to determine whether the limb is located at the predetermined position, wherein the limb localization unit is configured to generate a signal when the limb is located at the predetermined position; and

a sensor mounting device including a sensor and configuring to enable attachment of the sensor to the limb in response to the signal.

2. The sensor docking unit according to claim 1,

further comprising an activator configured to activate the sensor mounting to device in response to activation by the user when the signal is generated.

3. The sensor docking unit according to claim 2, wherein the activation by the user includes one of pressing a button and issuing a voice command.

4. The sensor docking unit according to claim 1,

wherein a length of the guiding portion is adaptable to a length of the limb of the arm by shifting a location of the limb localization unit in the guiding portion.

5. A method for attaching a sensor to a limb of a user comprising the act of:

inserting the limb into a guiding portion of a sensor docking unit until a predetermined position;

detecting by a detector that the limb reached the predetermined position;

generating a signal in response to the detecting act;

in response to the generating act, enabling activation of a sensor mounting device including a sensor and configured to attach the sensor to the limb; and

removing the user'"'"'s limb out of the sensor docking unit.

6. The method of claim 5, further comprising the act of activating the sensor mounting device in response to one of pressing a button and issuing a voice command by the user in presence of the signal.