Motion recognition clothing [TM] with flexible electromagnetic, light, or sonic energy pathways

• US 9,582,072 B2
• Filed: 03/21/2015
• Issued: 02/28/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 09/17/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Medibotics, LLC
• Original Assignee: Medibotics, LLC
• Inventors: Connor, Robert A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Larkin, Daniel S
• Assistant Examiner(s): KOLB, NATHANIEL J
• Application Number:
  US14/664,832
• Publication Number:
  US 20150309563A1
• Time in Patent Office: 710 Days
• Field of Search: 738/654
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A41D 13/1281 with incorporated means for medical monitoring
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2505/09 Rehabilitation or training
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2562/0247 Pressure sensors
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2562/046 in a matrix array
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/002 Monitoring the patient using a local or closed circuit, e.g. in a room or building A61B5/0017 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0024 for multiple sensor units attached to the patient, e.g. using a body or personal area network
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1071 measuring angles, e.g. using goniometers A61B5/1123 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1121 Determining geometric values, e.g. centre of rotation or angular range of movement
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1126 using a particular sensing technique
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/4528 Joints A61B5/4533, A61B5/4538 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/4585 Evaluating the knee
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6804 Garments; Clothes
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6831 Straps, bands or harnesses
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/163 Wearable computers, e.g. on a belt
• 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 3/017 Gesture based interaction, e.g. based on a set of recognized hand gestures interaction based on gestures traced on a digitiser G06F3/04883
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 19/0038 Sports
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49826 Assembling or joining

Abstract

This invention is an article of clothing or clothing accessory for measuring body motion, posture, and/or configuration comprising sets of multiple flexible electromagnetic, light, and/or sound energy pathways, wherein each set longitudinally spans the same body joint in a selected configuration to increase measurement accuracy. Multiple flexible energy pathways longitudinally spanning the same body joint can transmit the same type or different types of energy (e.g. electromagnetic, light, or sound) and can transmit energy flows with the same flow parameters or different flow parameters.

Claims

1. An article of clothing or clothing accessory for capturing body motion comprising:

an article of clothing or clothing accessory worn by a person which is configured to span at least one body joint, wherein this article of clothing or clothing accessory further comprises;

a mid-joint perimeter portion which is configured around the cross-section of the person'"'"'s body which includes the center of the joint;

a first proximal perimeter portion which is configured around a cross-section of the person'"'"'s body which is proximal relative to the mid joint perimeter portion, wherein proximal is defined as being closer to the person'"'"'s heart along the circulatory system;

a second proximal perimeter portion which is configured around a cross-section of the person'"'"'s body which is proximal relative to the mid-joint perimeter;

a first distal perimeter portion which is configured around a cross-section of the person'"'"'s body which is distal relative to the mid joint perimeter portion, wherein distal is defined as being further from the person'"'"'s heart along the circulatory system;

a second distal perimeter portion around a cross-section of the person'"'"'s body which is distal relative to the mid-joint perimeter;

a first flexible energy pathway, wherein this energy pathway spans from the first proximal perimeter portion to the first distal perimeter portion, wherein movement of the joint changes the configuration of this pathway, wherein changes in the configuration of this pathway change a flow of energy through this pathway, and wherein changes in the flow of energy through this pathway can be used alone to estimate movement of the joint with a first level of accuracy;

a second flexible energy pathway, wherein this energy pathway spans from the second proximal perimeter portion to the second distal perimeter portion, wherein movement of the joint changes the configuration of this pathway, wherein changes in the configuration of this pathway change a flow of energy through this pathway, wherein changes in the flow of energy through this pathway can be used alone to estimate movement of the joint with a second level of accuracy, wherein changes in the flows of energy through the first and second flexible energy pathways can be jointly used to estimate movement of the joint with a third level of accuracy, wherein the third level is greater than either the first level or the second level, and wherein the type of energy that flows through the first flexible energy pathway is different than the type of energy that flows through the second energy pathway;

at least one energy emitter which emits energy into one or both of the flexible energy pathways; and

at least one energy sensor which senses energy from and/or through one or both of the flexible energy pathways, wherein the flow of energy through the one or both of the flexible energy pathways is measured by the at least one energy sensor.