US 11,998,459 B2
Gait assistance apparatus and operating method thereof
Bokman Lim, Hwaseong-si (KR); Kyung-Rock Kim, Seoul (KR); Youngbo Shim, Seoul (KR); Jun-Won Jang, Seoul (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 Sep. 1, 2021, as Appl. No. 17/463,900.
Application 17/463,900 is a continuation of application No. 15/439,075, filed on Feb. 22, 2017, granted, now 11,135,073.
Claims priority of application No. 10-2016-0143626 (KR), filed on Oct. 31, 2016.
Prior Publication US 2021/0393419 A1, Dec. 23, 2021
This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.
Int. Cl. A61H 3/00 (2006.01); A61B 5/11 (2006.01); A61F 2/70 (2006.01); A63B 21/00 (2006.01); A63B 23/04 (2006.01); A63B 24/00 (2006.01)
CPC A61F 2/70 (2013.01) [A61B 5/112 (2013.01); A61H 3/00 (2013.01); A63B 21/4009 (2015.10); A63B 21/4011 (2015.10); A63B 23/0405 (2013.01); A63B 24/0006 (2013.01); A63B 24/0087 (2013.01); A61B 2505/09 (2013.01); A61B 2562/0219 (2013.01); A61B 2562/0247 (2013.01); A61B 2562/0252 (2013.01); A61B 2562/0261 (2013.01); A61H 2003/007 (2013.01); A61H 2201/165 (2013.01); A61H 2201/1652 (2013.01); A61H 2201/50 (2013.01); A61H 2201/5069 (2013.01); A61H 2201/5079 (2013.01); A63B 2024/0009 (2013.01)] 17 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A method of operating a gait assistance apparatus, the method comprising:
sensing, using a sensor, step motion information of a user during a first gait cycle;
determining, by at least one processor, a first assistance force for assisting one leg of the user and a second assistance force for assisting another leg of the user during a second gait cycle occurring after the first gait cycle;
sensing, using the sensor, the step motion information of the user during the second gait cycle;
determining a variable ratio based on a difference between the step motion information of the user during the first gait cycle and the step motion information of the user during the second gait cycle;
adjusting, by the at least one processor, the first assistance force based on the variable ratio to generate an adjusted first assistance force such that an amount that a motion of the another leg influences the adjusted first assistance force applied to the one leg by the gait assistance apparatus varies based on the variable ratio; and
controlling, by the at least one processor, the gait assistance apparatus to apply the adjusted first assistance force to the one leg during a step of the one leg in a third gait cycle occurring after the second gait cycle.