US 11,744,764 B2
Method and device for assisting walking
Jusuk Lee, Hwaseong-si (KR); Youngjin Park, Seoul (KR); Keehong Seo, Seoul (KR); Bokman Lim, Yongin-si (KR); Jun-Won Jang, Seoul (KR); Hyun Do Choi, Yongin-si (KR); and Seungyong Hyung, Yongin-si (KR)
Assigned to Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd., Gyeonggi-do (KR)
Filed by Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd., Suwon-si (KR)
Filed on Oct. 26, 2018, as Appl. No. 16/171,511.
Claims priority of application No. 10-2018-0003823 (KR), filed on Jan. 11, 2018.
Prior Publication US 2019/0209413 A1, Jul. 11, 2019
Int. Cl. A61H 3/00 (2006.01); A61H 1/00 (2006.01)
CPC A61H 3/00 (2013.01) [A61H 1/00 (2013.01); A61H 2003/007 (2013.01); A61H 2201/164 (2013.01); A61H 2201/5007 (2013.01); A61H 2201/5064 (2013.01); A61H 2201/5069 (2013.01); A61H 2201/5071 (2013.01); A61H 2201/5084 (2013.01); A61H 2230/085 (2013.01)] 11 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A walking assistance method performed by a walking assistance device, the method comprising:
receiving, from at least one pressure sensor, a pressure value indicating an amount of pressure applied to a sole of a user;
receiving, from an acceleration sensor, acceleration information associated with a movement of the user;
determining whether the user is in a walking state in response to the acceleration information indicating that a magnitude of acceleration is greater than an acceleration threshold;
determining a gait phase of the user based on the pressure value only in response to determining that the user is in the walking state based on the magnitude of acceleration being greater than the acceleration threshold;
determining an assist torque corresponding to the gait phase; and
controlling a driver to output the assist torque,
wherein the determining the gait phase comprises:
determining whether a change of a contact state occurs within a pre-set time period, the pre-set time period being a duration of time in the past relative to a present time;
maintaining a current contact state in response to the change of the contact state occurring within the pre-set time period;
determining whether a foot of the user is in contact with a ground based on the pressure value, in response to the change of the contact state not occurring within the pre-set time period; and
determining the gait phase based on whether the foot of the user is in contact with the ground.