Foot pad device and method of obtaining weight data

• US 9,131,873 B2
• Filed: 01/23/2014
• Issued: 09/15/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 02/09/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: AlterG, Inc.
• Original Assignee: AlterG, Inc.
• Inventors: Horst, Robert W., Jardine, Robert L., Arnold, Edith, Smith, Jonathan
• Primary Examiner(s): Barbee, Manuel L
• Application Number:
  US14/162,553
• Publication Number:
  US 20140131120A1
• Time in Patent Office: 600 Days
• Field of Search: 702/41, 702/44, 702/101, 702/102, 702/141, 702/173, 702/174, 731/72, 177/245, 177/264, 600/592
• US Class Current: 1/1
• 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: G01G 19/44 for weighing persons
• CPC Class Codes: G01G 23/3735 using a digital network

Abstract

A foot pad device includes a foot pad, force sensors that provide force data, sensor electronics coupled to the force sensors, and a processor. The foot pad includes a ball region configured to be located under a ball of the foot of the user or a heel region configured to be located under a heel of the foot of the user. At least a portion of the force sensors is located in the ball region or the heel region of the foot pad. The sensor electronics include a flexible circuit with force sensor connection paths adapted to transmit force data from the force sensors and are configured to condition the force data to be within a conditioned force data range. The processor is configured to calculate a weight value based on the conditioned force data, a gain value, and an offset value.

Claims

1. A foot pad device worn on the foot of a user for obtaining weight data comprising:

a foot pad including a ball region configured to be located under a ball of the foot of the user or a heel region configured to be located under a heel of the foot of the user;

a plurality of force sensors that provide force data, wherein at least a portion of the plurality of force sensors is located in the ball region or the heel region of the foot pad;

sensor electronics coupled to the plurality of force sensors, wherein the sensor electronics include a flexible circuit with a plurality of force sensor connection paths adapted to transmit force data from the plurality of force sensors, wherein the sensor electronics are configured to condition the force data to be within a conditioned force data range; and

a processor configured to calculate a weight value based on the conditioned force data, a gain value, and an offset value, wherein the processor is configured to compare the calculated weight value with an entered patient weight in a first comparison, and compare the calculated weight value to zero in a second comparison, and adjust the gain based on the first comparison and adjust the offset based on the second comparison.

2. The foot pad device of claim 1, wherein the processor is further configured to calculate the weight value based on a scaling parameter that includes the gain value.

3. The foot pad device of claim 1, wherein the foot pad is wearable.

4. The foot pad device of claim 1, wherein the food pad is adapted to be integrated into a wearable foot article.

5. The foot pad device of claim 1, wherein the foot pad is invertible.

6. The foot pad device of claim 1, wherein the plurality of force sensors are pressure sensors.

7. The foot pad device of claim 1, wherein the plurality of force sensors are piezoelectric sensors.

8. The foot pad device of claim 1, wherein the plurality of force sensors are capacitive sensors.

9. The foot pad device of claim 1, wherein the plurality of force sensors are force sensitive resistors.

10. A foot pad device worn on the foot of a user for obtaining weight data comprising:

a foot pad including a ball region configured to be located under a ball of the foot of the user or a heel region configured to be located under a heel of the foot of the user;

a plurality of force sensors that provide force data, wherein at least a portion of the plurality of force sensors is located in the ball region or the heel region of the foot pad;

sensor electronics coupled to the plurality of force sensors, wherein the sensor electronics include a flexible circuit with a plurality of force sensor connection paths adapted to transmit force data from the plurality of force sensors, wherein the sensor electronics are configured to condition the force data to be within a conditioned force data range; and

a processor configured to calculate a weight value based on the conditioned force data, a gain value, and an offset value, wherein the processor is configured to calculate multiple weight values during a footstep cycle and decrease the offset value if a minimum of the multiple calculated weight values is greater than zero.

11. The foot pad device of claim 10, wherein the processor is further configured to calculate a weight value based on a scaling parameter that includes the gain value.

12. The foot pad device of claim 10, wherein the foot pad is wearable.

13. The foot pad device of claim 10, wherein the food pad is adapted to be integrated into a wearable foot article.

14. The foot pad device of claim 10, wherein the foot pad is invertible.

15. The foot pad device of claim 10, wherein the plurality of force sensors are pressure sensors.

16. The foot pad device of claim 10, wherein the plurality of force sensors are piezoelectric sensors.

17. The foot pad device of claim 10, wherein the plurality of force sensors are capacitive sensors.

18. The foot pad device of claim 10, wherein the plurality of force sensors are force sensitive resistors.