Remote movement guidance

• US 9,256,281 B2
• Filed: 09/16/2011
• Issued: 02/09/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 01/28/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Boogio, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Empire Technology Development LLC (Allied Inventors Management, LLC)
• Inventors: Ur, Shmuel
• Primary Examiner(s): Lao, Lun-Yi
• Assistant Examiner(s): Lau, Johny
• Application Number:
  US13/500,657
• Publication Number:
  US 20130069862A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,607 Days
• Field of Search: 340/4.1, 340/573.1, 340/573.7, 348/77, 482/8, 482/142, 345/156, 600/595
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 2003/063 with tactile perception
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 2201/5012 using the internet
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 2201/5061 Force sensors
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 2201/5064 Position sensors
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 2201/5092 Optical sensor
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 2201/5097 wireless
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 3/061 with electronic detecting or guiding means
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2071/0027 visually handicapped
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2071/0683 Input by handheld remote control
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/52 Weight, e.g. weight distribution
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/803 Motion sensors
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/806 Video cameras
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2225/20 with means for remote communication, e.g. internet or the like
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2225/50 Wireless data transmission, e.g. by radio transmitters or telemetry
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2244/18 Skating
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2244/19 Skiing
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2244/24 Horse riding
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/01 Input arrangements or combined input and output arrangements for interaction between user and computer G06F3/16 takes precedence
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/016 Input arrangements with force or tactile feedback as computer generated output to the user
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 19/0015 : Dancing

Abstract

In one example of a user-guidance system, a remote control may be configured to guide a user'"'"'s physical movements by transmitting movement signals that are to be translated into haptic instructions, and cooperative actuators may be configured to be worn by the user to translate the movement signals received from the remote control into the haptic instructions. The movement signals may be translated into the haptic instructions for physical movements of any limb or extremity of the user in either of a vertical direction or a horizontal direction; after the first movement signal, the movement signals may be transmitted prior to completion of an immediately previous physical movement; and the movement signals may include horizontal and vertical directional signal components that indicate the horizontal and vertical direction for the user'"'"'s next physical movement. The haptic instructions that are translated from the horizontal and vertical directional signal components may differ in either duration or magnitude. The movement signals may include horizontal directional signal components that indicate the horizontal direction for the user'"'"'s next physical movement, and the haptic instructions that are translated from the horizontal directional signal components may differ in either duration or magnitude.

Claims

1. A remote movement guidance system, comprising:

a visual sensor configured to gather visual data regarding physical surroundings of a user;

weight/motion sensors configured to be attached to limbs and extremities of the user and configured to measure current weight disposition and movements of the user;

a remote control device configured to guide the user'"'"'s physical movements by transmitting real-time movement signals that are to be translated into haptic instructions,

wherein the real-time movement signals include velocity signal components to indicate a change in velocity for the user'"'"'s next physical movement, and

wherein the real-time movement signals for the user'"'"'s next physical movement are determined based at least in part on the visual data gathered by the visual sensor and the current weight disposition and movements of the user measured by the weight/motion sensors; and

cooperative actuators configured to be worn by the user on a belt and to translate the movement signals, received from the remote control, into the haptic instructions that include one or more coordinated pulses that guide the user'"'"'s next movements in an activity

and to provide movement guidance in the form of a tactile stimulus,

wherein the haptic instructions are for physical movements of any limb or extremity of the user in either of a vertical direction or a horizontal direction,

wherein the movement signals, after a first of the movement signals, are transmitted prior to completion of an immediately previous physical movement to guide the user'"'"'s physical movement,

wherein the movement signals include horizontal and vertical directional signal components that indicate the horizontal and vertical direction for the user'"'"'s next physical movement,

wherein the haptic instructions translated from the horizontal and vertical directional signal components differ in either duration or magnitude,

wherein the movement signals include horizontal directional signal components that indicate the horizontal direction for the user'"'"'s next physical movement,

wherein further the haptic instructions translated from the horizontal directional signal components differ in either duration or magnitude,

and wherein the haptic instructions are reconfigurable for respective limbs or extremities according to user preferences.

2. The remote movement guidance system of claim 1, wherein the remote control is configured to be communicatively coupled to the actuator via a short-range communication system.

3. The remote movement guidance system of claim 1, wherein the remote control is further configured to transmit pre-recorded movement signals.

4. The remote movement guidance system of claim 1, wherein the user'"'"'s activity includes pointing, grabbing, walking, running, jumping, biking, skiing, skating, surfing, sailing, or horseback riding.

5. The remote movement guidance system of claim 1, wherein the movement signals include angle signal components to indicate a change in angle magnitude for the user'"'"'s next physical movement.

6. The remote movement guidance system of claim 1, wherein the belt is configured to include a front-left actuator, a front-right actuator, a rear-left actuator, a rear-right actuator, a side-left actuator, and a side-right actuator.

7. The remote movement guidance system of claim 6, wherein the cooperative actuators are configured to translate the horizontal and vertical directional signal components into the haptic instructions that include one or more coordinated pulses by at least one or more of the actuators worn on the belt to simulate a pushing action on the user.

8. The remote guidance system of claim 6, wherein the cooperative actuators are configured to translate the horizontal directional signal components into the haptic instructions that include one or more coordinated pulses by the left-side actuator and the right-side actuator on the belt.

9. The remote guidance system of claim 6, wherein the cooperative actuators are configured to translate the velocity signal components into the haptic instructions that include one or more coordinated pulses by at least three of the actuators worn on the belt.

10. The remote guidance system of claim 6, wherein the movement signals include angle signal components to indicate a change in angle magnitude for the user'"'"'s next physical movement, and wherein further the cooperative actuators are configured to translate the velocity signal components into the haptic instructions that include one or more coordinated pulses by at least three of the actuators worn on the belt.

11. The remote guidance system of claim 1, wherein the movement signals include a stoppage signal to indicate a change from movement of one set of limbs or extremities to another set of limbs of extremities and the stoppage signal is to be translated into one or more coordinated pulses to all of the cooperative actuators worn on the belt.

12. The remote guidance system of claim 1, wherein the movement signals for the user'"'"'s left hand is to be translated into one or more coordinated pulses to at least the left-front actuator on the belt.

13. The remote guidance system of claim 1, wherein the movement signals for the user'"'"'s right hand is to be translated into one or more coordinated pulses to at least the right-front actuator on the belt.

14. A non-transitory computer-readable medium that stores one or more executable instructions that, when executed, cause one or more processors to:

receive, via a visual sensor, visual data regarding physical surroundings of a user,

measure, via weight/motion sensors configured to be attached to limbs and extremities of the user, current weight disposition and movements of the user,

produce signals in real-time to guide movements of the user'"'"'s limbs or extremities,

wherein the signals include velocity signal components to indicate a change in velocity for the user'"'"'s next physical movement, and

wherein the signals for the user'"'"'s next physical movement are produced based at least in part on the visual data received via the visual sensor,

and the current weight disposition and movements of the user measured by the weight/motion sensors;

and transmit the signals to a receiver at which the signals are to be translated into coordinated prompts to guide the movements of the user'"'"'s limbs or extremities,

wherein the signals are to be translated into coordinated prompts to guide the movements of the user'"'"'s limbs or extremities in either of a vertical direction or a horizontal direction,

wherein the signals, after a first of the signals, are to be transmitted prior to completion of an immediately previous movement to guide the user'"'"'s physical movement,

wherein the signals include horizontal and vertical directional signal components that indicate the horizontal and vertical direction for the user'"'"'s next movement,

wherein further the coordinated prompts translated from the horizontal and vertical directional signal components differ in either duration or magnitude,

wherein the signals include horizontal directional signal components that indicate the horizontal direction for the user'"'"'s next movement,

wherein further the coordinated prompts translated from the horizontal directional signal components differ in either duration or magnitude,

wherein the receiver is configured to be worn by the user on a belt and to include a processor and cooperative actuators to translate the signals into one or more coordinated pulses at various ones of the cooperative actuators, and the one or more coordinated pulses guide the user'"'"'s next movements in an activity, and

wherein the one or more coordinated pulses are reconfigurable for respective limbs or extremities according to user preferences.

15. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 14, wherein the computer-readable medium is configured in a remote control device, and wherein further the signals are prerecorded as part of a guidance application.

16. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 14, wherein the user is an avatar.

17. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 14, wherein the user'"'"'s activity includes athletic activities.

18. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 14, wherein the signals include angle signal components to indicate a change in angle magnitude for the user'"'"'s next physical movement.

19. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 14, wherein the cooperative actuators are configured on the belt to include a front-left actuator, a front-right actuator, a rear-left actuator, a rear-right actuator, a side-left actuator, and a side-right actuator.

20. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 19, wherein the receiver is configured to translate the horizontal directional signal components into the coordinated pulses by the left-side actuator and the right-side actuator on the belt.

21. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 19, wherein the cooperative actuators are configured to translate the velocity signal components into the coordinated pulses by at least three of the coordinated actuators.

22. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 19, wherein the signals include angle signal components to indicate a change in angle magnitude for the user'"'"'s next movement, and wherein further the receiver is configured to translate the velocity signal components into the coordinated pulses by at least three of the coordinated actuators.

23. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 19, wherein the signals include a stoppage signal, to be translated by all of the cooperative actuators, to indicate a change from movement of one set of limbs or extremities to another set of limbs of extremities.

24. At least one non-transitory computer-readable medium that stores one or more executable instructions that, when executed, cause one or more processors to:

receive, via a visual sensor, visual data regarding physical surroundings of a user,

measure, via weight/motion sensors configured to be attached to limbs and extremities of the user, current weight disposition and movements of the user,

receive real-time signals to guide movements of the user'"'"'s limbs or extremities,

wherein the signals include velocity signal components to indicate a change in velocity for the user'"'"'s next movement, and

wherein the real-time signals for the user'"'"'s next movement are determined based at least in part on the visual data received by the visual sensor and the current weight disposition and movements of the user measured by the weight/motion sensors; and

translate the signals into coordinated prompts to guide the movements of the user'"'"'s limbs or extremities,

wherein the signals are to be translated into coordinated pulses to guide the movements of the user'"'"'s limbs or extremities in either of a vertical direction or a horizontal direction,

wherein the signals include horizontal and vertical directional signal components that indicate the horizontal and vertical direction for the user'"'"'s next physical movement,

wherein further the coordinated pulses translated from the horizontal and vertical directional signal components differ in either duration or magnitude,

wherein the signals include horizontal directional signal components that indicate the horizontal direction for the user'"'"'s next physical movement,

wherein further the coordinated pulses translated from the horizontal directional signal components differ in either duration or magnitude,

wherein the at least one computer-readable medium is configured in a processing receiver and in cooperative actuators, the processing receiver and the cooperative actuators are configured to be worn by the user on a belt,

the cooperative actuators translate the signals into one or more coordinated pulses at various ones of the cooperative actuators, and the one or more coordinated pulses guide the user'"'"'s next movements in an activity, and

wherein the one or more coordinated pulses are reconfigurable for respective limbs or extremities according to user preferences.

25. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 24, wherein the user'"'"'s activity includes sporting activities.

26. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 24, wherein the signals include angle signal components to indicate a change in angle magnitude for the user'"'"'s next movement.

27. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 24, wherein the coordinated actuators include a front-left actuator, a front-right actuator, a rear-left actuator, a rear-right actuator, a side-left actuator, and a side-right actuator.

28. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 27, wherein the receiver is configured to translate the horizontal directional signal components into the coordinated pulses by the left-side actuator and the right-side actuator on the belt.

29. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 27, wherein the receiver processor is configured to translate the velocity signal components into the coordinated pulses by at least three of the coordinated actuators.

30. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 27, wherein the signals include angle signal components to indicate a change in angle magnitude for the user'"'"'s next movement, and wherein further the receiver processor is configured to translate the velocity signal components into the coordinated pulses by at least three of the coordinated actuators.

31. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 27, wherein the signals include a stoppage signal, to be actuated by all of the cooperative actuators, to indicate a change from movement of one set of limbs or extremities to another set of limbs of extremities.