Geolocation system and method for determining mammal locomotion movement

• US 7,610,166 B1
• Filed: 07/23/2007
• Issued: 10/27/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 07/21/2006
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: James Solinsky
• Original Assignee: James Solinsky
• Inventors: Solinsky, James
• Primary Examiner(s): Lau; Tung S
• Assistant Examiner(s): Kundu; Sujoy K
• Application Number:
  US11/878,319
• Time in Patent Office: 827 Days
• Field of Search: 702141-142, 702145-146, 702150-151, 702/160, 73488-490, 734/93, 735/10, 235/105
• US Class Current: 702/160
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1114 Tracking parts of the body
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/4023 Evaluating sense of balance
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6831 Straps, bands or harnesses
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/005 with correlation of navigation data from several sources, e.g. map or contour matching G01C21/30 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/08 involving use of the magnetic field of the earth
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/166 Mechanical, construction or arrangement details of inertial navigation systems
• 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

An example geolocation system for mounting on a mammal incorporates simple sensing sleeves on the calves of the body support members, combined with an accelerometer based gravity direction and force sensing at the center of mass of the body. The example system is connected to a digital processing unit and a battery power supply to integrate the sensing to determine kinetic and potential energy of the body locomotion over time in a method that integrates out the aperiodic motion of the body about the center of mass, and uses the residual motion to measure the center of mass locomotion from a known point.

Claims

1. A geolocation system for mounting on a mammal, comprising:

muscular force sensors for measuring muscular force exerted by support members of the mammal;

movement sensors for sensing movement in the Earth'"'"'s magnetic field;

gravity sensors for sensing gravity forces at the center of mass of the body of the mammal; and

a processing system for using outputs of the muscular force sensors, the movement sensors and the gravity sensors to determine movement of the mammal.

2. The system according to claim 1, wherein the muscular force sensors comprise calf muscle sensors provided as sleeves including interwoven, elastic-resistive strips.

3. The system according to claim 2, wherein the movement sensors comprise magneto-resistive strips in the sleeves.

4. The system according to claim 1, wherein the force sensors comprise accelerometers disposed at the mass center of the mammal.