Position monitoring device

• US 7,503,878 B1
• Filed: 04/27/2004
• Issued: 03/17/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 04/27/2004
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Performance Health Technologies, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Performance Health Technologies, Inc.
• Inventors: Mellman, Michael P., Amsbury, Burl W., Repenning, William C., Granof, Joshua K., Herr, David W., Gerber, Susan L., Silverman, Marc R., Holme, Robert M.
• Primary Examiner(s): TRAN, MY CHAU T
• Application Number:
  US10/834,289
• Time in Patent Office: 1,785 Days
• Field of Search: 345/156, 345/158, 701/201, 701/207, 482 1- 9, 482/51, 482/52, 482/54, 482900-902, 434/247
• US Class Current: 482/9
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0002 Remote monitoring of patients using telemetry, e.g. transmission of vital signals via a communication network A61B5/07 takes precedence; transmission systems for measured values G08C; transmission H04B; transmission of digital information H04L; wireless communication networks H04W
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1112 Global tracking of patients, e.g. by using GPS
• 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 5/486 Bio-feedback A61B5/375 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6824 Arm or wrist
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6828 Leg
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6831 Straps, bands or harnesses
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/7475 User input or interface means, e.g. keyboard, pointing device, joystick

Abstract

In accordance with one embodiment of the present invention, a device for monitoring a movement of a user includes a sensor module, a processor, and a feedback module. The sensor module is capable of generating positional information describing a movement of a user. The processor is capable of determining based on the positional information that the user has performed a predetermined movement. The feedback module is capable of generating sensory feedback in response to determining that the user has performed the predetermined movement.

Claims

1. A device for monitoring a movement of a user, comprising:

a sensor module operable to generate positional information, the positional information describing a movement of a portion of a user'"'"'s body relative to one of the user'"'"'s joints;

a processor operable to;

receive positional information from the sensor module;

compare the received positional information to stored positional information; and

determine based on a comparison of the received positional information and the stored positional information that the user has performed a predetermined movement;

a feedback module operable to generate sensory feedback in response to determining that the user has performed the predetermined movement; and

a housing enclosing at least a portion of each of the sensor module, the processor, and the feedback module.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein the sensor module is further operable to generate positional information based on an angular difference associated with a motion of the user.

3. The device of claim 1, further comprising a memory operable to store the received positional information.

4. The device of claim 3, wherein the memory is operable to store the received positional information by storing a count of a number of times the user performs the predetermined movement.

5. The device of claim 3, wherein the memory is further operable to store a plurality of user profiles associated with a plurality of users and wherein the memory is further operable to store the received positional information by storing the received positional information in a user profile associated with a current user.

6. The device of claim 3, wherein the memory is operable to store a plurality of movement profiles, each movement profile containing stored positional information associated with a particular predetermined movement, and wherein the processor is further operable to determine that the user has performed the predetermined movement by:

identifying a movement profile associated with an exercise being performed by the user; and

comparing the generated positional information with stored positional information from the identified movement profile.

7. The device of claim 3, wherein the processor is further operable to generate the stored positional information by:

receiving model positional information associated with the predetermined movement from the sensor module;

storing the model positional information associated with the predetermined movement.

8. The device of claim 1, further comprising a belt coupled to the housing, the belt operable to attach the housing to the user.

9. The device of claim 1, further comprising one or more fastening straps coupled to the housing, the fastening straps operable to attach the housing to the user.

10. The device of claim 1, further comprising a sleeve, the sleeve comprising a pocket, the pocket operable to hold the housing while the user exercises, and wherein the housing is further operable to be removed from the pocket.

11. The device of claim 1, wherein the feedback module is operable to generate sensory feedback by generating one or more of visual, audio or tactile feedback.

20. The device of claim 1, wherein the housing comprises a handle, the handle operable to hold resistive elements, and wherein the motion sensor is operable to detect movement associated with resistance training.

21. The device of claim 1, wherein the processor is operable to compare the received positional information to stored positional information by comparing the received positional information to stored positional information associated with a therapeutic exercise.

22. The device of claim 1, wherein the processor is operable to compare the received positional information to stored positional information by comparing the received positional information to stored positional information associated with a movement to be learned by the user.

12. A method for monitoring a movement of a user, comprising:

generating positional information at a sensor module enclosed at least in part by a housing, the positional information describing a movement of a portion of a user'"'"'s body relative to one of the user'"'"'s joints;

receiving the generated positional information at a processor enclosed at least in part by the housing;

comparing the generated positional information to stored positional information using the processor;

determining based on a comparison of the generated positional information and the stored positional information that the current user has performed a predetermined movement; and

generating sensory feedback with a feedback module in response to determining that the current user has performed the predetermined movement, the feedback module enclosed at least in part by the housing.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein generating positional information comprises generating positional information based on an angular difference associated with a motion of the user.

14. The method of claim 12, further comprising storing a count of a number of times the user performs the predetermined movement.

15. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

storing a plurality of movement profiles;

identifying a movement profile associated with an exercise being performed by the user, and wherein comparing the generated positional information to stored positional information comprises comparing the generated positional information with stored positional information from the identified movement profile.

16. The method of claim 12, wherein generating positional information comprises:

generating positional information associated with the predetermined movement;

storing the positional information associated with the predetermined movement; and

generating positional information associated with a user movement; and

wherein the processor is further operable to determine whether the user has performed the predetermined movement by comparing the positional information associated with the user movement with the positional information associated with the predetermined movement.

17. The method of claim 12, wherein generating sensory feedback comprises generating one or more of visual, audio or tactile feedback.

23. The method of claim 12, wherein comparing the generated positional information to stored positional information comprises comparing the generated positional information to stored positional information associated with a therapeutic exercise.

24. The method of claim 12, wherein comparing the generated positional information to stored positional information comprises comparing the generated positional information to stored positional information associated with a movement to be learned by the user.

25. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

identifying one of a plurality of stored user profiles that is associated with a current user; and

storing the generated positional information in a user profile associated with the current user.

18. A system for monitoring a movement of a user, the system comprising:

means for generating positional information associated with a portion of a user'"'"'s body relative to one of the user'"'"'s joints;

means for comparing the generated positional information to stored positional information;

means for determining based on a comparison of the generated positional information and the stored positional information that the current user has performed a predetermined movement;

means for generating sensory feedback in response to determining that the current user has performed the predetermined movement; and

housing means enclosing at least a portion of each of the means for generating positional information, the means for comparing, and the means for generating sensory feedback.

26. The system of claim 18, further comprising:

means for identifying one of a plurality of stored user profiles that is associated with a current user; and

means for storing the generated positional information in a user profile associated with the current user.

19. A method for monitoring a movement of a user, comprising:

generating positional information at a sensor module enclosed at least in part by a housing, the positional information describing a movement of a portion of a user'"'"'s body relative to one of the user'"'"'s joints;

receiving the generated positional information at a processor enclosed at least in part by the housing;

comparing the generated positional information to stored positional information using the processor;

determining based on a comparison of the generated positional information and the stored positional information that the user has performed a predetermined movement;

generating sensory feedback with a feedback module in response to determining that the user has performed the predetermined movement, the feedback module enclosed at least in part by the housing; and

storing a count of a number of times the user performs the predetermined movement.