Apparatus and method for assisting user to maintain correct posture
First Claim
Patent Images
1. An apparatus for assisting a user to maintain a correct posture, the apparatus being a portable terminal and comprising:
- a processor configured to estimate a state of a user'"'"'s cervical spine based on an angle of inclination sensed by a sensor of the portable terminal, the sensor being in communication with the processor so that the processor is configured to determine a result of whether the user is using the portable terminal in a correct posture based on the state of the user'"'"'s cervical spine not being in a predefined range for a predefined amount of time based on a result of a comparison between a predefined threshold value and the angle of inclination sensed by the sensor of the portable terminal; and
an alarming unit in communication with the processor and configured to generate a predetermined alarm according to the determination result determined by the processor.
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Abstract
An apparatus for assisting a user to maintain a correct posture is provided. The apparatus includes a determining unit configured to determine whether the user is using a portable terminal in a correct posture based on a user'"'"'s face image captured by the portable terminal, an angle of inclination of the portable terminal, or any combination thereof, and an alarming unit configured to provide a predetermined alarm according to a result of determination by the determining unit.
15 Citations
12 Claims
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1. An apparatus for assisting a user to maintain a correct posture, the apparatus being a portable terminal and comprising:
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a processor configured to estimate a state of a user'"'"'s cervical spine based on an angle of inclination sensed by a sensor of the portable terminal, the sensor being in communication with the processor so that the processor is configured to determine a result of whether the user is using the portable terminal in a correct posture based on the state of the user'"'"'s cervical spine not being in a predefined range for a predefined amount of time based on a result of a comparison between a predefined threshold value and the angle of inclination sensed by the sensor of the portable terminal; and an alarming unit in communication with the processor and configured to generate a predetermined alarm according to the determination result determined by the processor. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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8. An apparatus for assisting a user to maintain a correct posture, the apparatus being a portable terminal and comprising:
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a processor configured to estimate a state of a user'"'"'s cervical spine based on at least one of a user'"'"'s face image captured by an imaging device of a portable terminal and an angle of inclination sensed by a sensor of the portable terminal, each of the imaging device and the sensor being in communication with the processor so that the processor is configured to determine a result of whether the user is using the portable terminal in a correct posture based on the state of the user'"'"'s cervical spine not being in a predefined range for a predefined amount of time, wherein the result is based preliminarily on a result of a comparison between a previously stored reference face image and a current face image captured by the imaging device of the portable terminal and finally on a result of a comparison between a predefined threshold value and the angle of inclination of the portable terminal sensed by the sensing device of the portable terminal; and an alarming unit in communication with the processor and configured to generate a predetermined alarm according to the determination result determined by the processor.
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9. An apparatus for assisting a user to maintain a correct posture, the apparatus being a portable terminal and comprising:
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a processor configured to estimate a state of a user'"'"'s cervical spine based on at least one of a user'"'"'s face image captured by an imaging device of a portable terminal and an angle of inclination sensed by a sensor of the portable terminal, each of the imaging device and the sensor being in communication with the processor so that the processor is configured to determine a result of whether the user is using the portable terminal in a correct posture based on the state of the user'"'"'s cervical spine not being in a predefined range for a predefined amount of time; an alarming unit in communication with the processor and configured to generate a predetermined alarm according to the determination result determined by the processor; a sensor unit comprising the imaging device configured to capture the user'"'"'s face image and the sensor configured to sense the angle of inclination of the portable terminal; and a storage device configured to receive the user'"'"'s face image and the angle of inclination of the portable terminal from the sensor unit, to extract features from the face image, and to store a result of matching between the extracted features and the angle of inclination of the portable terminal.
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10. A method for assisting a user to maintain a correct posture when using a portable terminal, the method comprising:
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estimating a state of a user'"'"'s cervical spine based on at least one of a user'"'"'s face image captured by an imaging device of a portable terminal and an angle of inclination sensed by a sensing device of the portable terminal; determining, based on communication between each of the imaging device and the sensing device with the portable terminal, whether the user is using the portable terminal in a correct posture based on the state of the user'"'"'s cervical spine not being in a predefined range for a predefined amount of time, wherein the determining comprises determining whether the state of the user'"'"'s cervical spine is in a predefined range or falls outside the predefined range based on a result of a comparison between a predefined threshold value and the angle of inclination of the portable terminal; and generating a predetermined alarm in response to the state of the user'"'"'s cervical spine falling outside the predefined range. - View Dependent Claims (11)
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12. A method for assisting a user to maintain a correct posture when using a portable terminal, the method comprising:
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estimating a state of a user'"'"'s cervical spine based on at least one of a user'"'"'s face image captured by an imaging device of a portable terminal and an angle of inclination sensed by a sensing device of the portable terminal; determining, based on communication between each of the imaging device and the sensing device with the portable terminal, whether the user is using the portable terminal in a correct posture based on the state of the user'"'"'s cervical spine not being in a predefined range for a predefined amount of time, wherein the determining comprises preliminarily determining whether the state of the user'"'"'s cervical spine is in a predetermined range or falls outside the predefined range based on a result of a comparison between a previously stored reference face image and a current face image captured by the imaging device of the portable terminal and finally determining whether the state of the user'"'"'s cervical spine is in the predefined range or falls outside the predefined range based on a result of a comparison between a predefined threshold value and the angle of inclination of the portable terminal sensed by the sensing device of the portable terminal, and generating a predetermined alarm in response to the state of the user'"'"'s cervical spine falling outside the predefined range.
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Specification