Shoe type device and control method of shoe type device

Abstract

A shoe-type device and a control method of the shoe-type device are disclosed. A control method of a shoe-type device including an actuator and at least one sensor includes estimating a posture of a user wearing the shoe-type device based on sensor data output from the sensor, and controlling the actuator based on the estimated posture of the user.

Description

[0001] This application claims the benefit of Korean Patent Application No. 10-2018-0159807, filed on December 12, 2018, in the Korean Intellectual Property Office, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety. Technical Field

[0002] At least one example embodiment relates to a shoe-type device and / or a method of controlling a shoe-type device. Background Art

[0003] Users wear shoes in daily life. Shoes are used to comfortably and safely protect the user's feet. Recently, wearable devices provided in a shoe including sensors and / or actuators have been developed to sense the user's walking pattern and help the user walk more comfortably and stably. Summary of the invention

[0004] Some example embodiments relate to a control method of a shoe-type device including an actuator and at least one sensor.

[0005] In some example embodiments, the control method may include estimating a posture of a user wearing the shoe-type device based on sensor data output from a sensor, and controlling the actuator based on the estimated posture of the user.

[0006] The controlling of the actuator may include determining whether to operate the actuator or to stop operating the actuator based on a gesture of the user.

[0007] In response to the posture of the user being estimated as a sitting posture, the controlling of the actuator may include determining to stop operating the actuator.

[0008] In response to determining to operate the actuator, controlling the actuator may include determining a maximum vibration intensity of the actuator based on sensor data of a foot pressure sensor configured to measure foot pressure.

[0009] The determining of the maximum vibration intensity of the actuator may include setting a first maximum vibration intensity of the actuator corresponding to the first foot pressure and a second maximum vibration intensity of the actuator corresponding to the second foot pressure to be different from each other.

[0010] The step of estimating the posture may include determining whether the user's posture is a sitting posture based on the sensor data.

[0011] Other example embodiments relate to a shoe-type apparatus.

[0012] In some example embodiments, the shoe-type device may include: an actuator; a foot pressure sensor configured to measure foot pressure; and a processor configured to estimate a posture of a user wearing the shoe-type device based on sensor data output from the foot pressure sensor, and generate a control signal for controlling the actuator based on the estimated user posture.

[0013] The processor may determine whether to operate the actuator or to stop operating the actuator based on the user's gesture.

[0014] In response to the user's posture being estimated as a sitting posture, the processor may generate a control signal for stopping the operation of the actuator.

[0015] In response to determining to operate the actuator, the processor may determine a maximum vibration intensity of the actuator based on the foot pressure measured by the foot pressure sensor.

[0016] The shoe-type device may further include a motion sensor configured to measure a motion of the shoe-type device. The processor may control the actuator based on sensor data output from the foot pressure sensor and sensor data output from the motion sensor.

[0017] Other example embodiments relate to a shoe-type apparatus.

[0018] In some example embodiments, the shoe-type device may include: an actuator; a foot pressure sensor configured to measure a foot pressure of a user wearing the shoe-type device; and a processor configured to generate a control signal for controlling a maximum vibration intensity of the actuator based on the foot pressure measured by the foot pressure sensor.

[0019] Additional aspects of example embodiments will be set forth in the description which follows and, in part, will be apparent from the description, or may be learned by practice of the disclosure. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0020] These and / or other aspects will become clear and more readily understood from the following description of example embodiments in conjunction with the accompanying drawings:

[0021] Figure 1 is a perspective view of a shoe-type apparatus according to at least one example embodiment;

[0022] Figure 2 is an exploded perspective view of a shoe-type device with an insole body separated according to at least one example embodiment;

[0023] Figure 3 is a cross-sectional view of a shoe apparatus according to at least one example embodiment;

[0024] Figure 4is a diagram illustrating a relative positional relationship between an electronic component and a user's foot according to at least one example embodiment;

[0025] Figure 5 is a diagram illustrating examples of various postures of a user wearing a shoe-type device according to at least one example embodiment;

[0026] Figure 6 and Figure 7 is a flow chart illustrating an example of a control method of a shoe-type device according to at least one example embodiment;

[0027] FIG. 8A to FIG. 8C is a diagram showing an example of how to estimate a user's posture based on foot pressure according to at least one example embodiment;

[0028] Fig. 9 is a diagram showing an example of how to estimate a user's posture based on foot pressure and movement size according to at least one example embodiment;

[0029] Fig.10 is a flow chart illustrating another example of a control method of a shoe-type device according to at least one example embodiment;

[0030] FIG. 11A to FIG. 11C is a diagram illustrating an example of how to adjust a maximum vibration intensity of an actuator based on foot pressure according to at least one example embodiment;

[0031] Fig.12 is a diagram illustrating an example of a control device of a shoe-type device according to at least one example embodiment. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0032] Hereinafter, some example embodiments will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. With respect to the reference numerals assigned to the elements in the accompanying drawings, it should be noted that the same elements will be designated by the same reference numerals wherever they are used, even if the reference numerals are shown in different drawings. In addition, in the description of the embodiments, when it is considered that a detailed description of a well-known related structure or function will lead to an ambiguous interpretation of the present disclosure, such description will be omitted.

[0033] However, it should be understood that the disclosure is not intended to be limited to the specific example embodiments disclosed. On the contrary, the example embodiments will cover all modifications, equivalents and substitutes that fall within the scope of the example embodiments. Throughout the description of the drawings, the same reference numerals represent the same elements.

[0034] In addition, terms such as first, second, A, B, (a), (b), etc. may be used herein to describe components. Each of these terms is not used to define the substance, order, or sequence of the corresponding component, but is only used to distinguish the corresponding component from other components. It should be noted that although a first component may be directly connected, coupled, or linked to a second component, if a component is described in this specification as being "connected," "coupled," or "coupled" to another component, a third component may be "connected," "coupled," or "coupled" between the first component and the second component.

[0035] The terms used herein are for the purpose of describing specific embodiments only and are not intended to be limiting. As used herein, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise, the singular form is also intended to include the plural form. It will also be understood that when the terms "comprise" and / or "comprising" are used herein, it indicates the presence of the stated features, wholes, steps, operations, elements and / or components, but does not exclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, wholes, steps, operations, elements, components and / or groups thereof.

[0036] It should also be noted that in some alternative implementations, the functions / actions recorded may not occur in the order recorded in the figures. For example, two figures shown in succession may actually be executed substantially simultaneously, or may sometimes be executed in reverse order, depending on the functions / actions involved.

[0037] Unless otherwise defined, all terms (including technical and scientific terms) used herein have the same meaning as those commonly understood by those skilled in the art to which the disclosure of this application belongs. Unless explicitly defined as such herein, terms (such as those defined in general dictionaries) should be interpreted as having a meaning consistent with their meaning in the context of the relevant art and not interpreted in an idealized or overly formal manner.

[0038] Furthermore, in the description of the exemplary embodiments, when it is considered that a detailed description of thus-known structures or functions will lead to obscure interpretation of the exemplary embodiments after understanding the disclosure of the present application, such description will be omitted.

[0039] Various example embodiments will now be described more fully with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which some example embodiments are shown. In the drawings, the thicknesses of layers and regions are exaggerated for clarity.

[0040] The shoe-type device described herein may include an electronic component configured to generate vibrations. For example, the shoe-type device may include an actuator configured to cause vibration noise by generating physical vibrations based on a control signal. For example, in this example, the actuator may be a vibrator (such as an eccentric motor). The actuator may be embedded in the shoe-type device and provide a stimulation value less than or equal to a stimulation threshold to a user wearing the shoe-type device. The stimulation threshold may be the minimum stimulation value applied to activate cells. The actuator may generate stochastic resonance by generating a vibration noise having an intensity less than or equal to the tactile threshold of the sole of the user's foot. For example, stochastic resonance indicates a phenomenon in which when a measuring device or a sensory organ having a set threshold receives white noise less than or equal to the threshold, the measurement sensitivity of the observed target signal to be observed is increased. For example, the vibration noise generated by the actuator of the shoe-type device may amplify the tactile signal to be transmitted to the sole of the user through stochastic resonance, so that the user may feel the stimulation applied to the sole of the user more sensitively. Therefore, the shoe-type device can help people who are relatively insensitive to the stimulation of their feet feel a normal level of sensation.

[0041] Hereinafter, examples will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings, and like reference numerals denote like elements throughout.

[0042] Figure 1 is a perspective view of a footwear apparatus according to at least one example embodiment. Figure 2 is an exploded perspective view of a shoe-type device with an insole body separated according to at least one example embodiment. Figure 3 is a cross-sectional view of a footwear apparatus according to at least one example embodiment.

[0043] Reference Figures 1 to 3 The shoe-type device 1 includes a sole 10, a control module 20 and a shoe upper 90. The sole 10 includes an outer sole 11, a midsole 12 and an inner sole 13.

[0044] The outsole 11 forms at least a portion of the bottom of the shoe-type device 1. For example, the outsole 11 includes a bottom surface that contacts the ground when the user wears the shoe-type device 1. Hereinafter, the shoe-type device 1 in which the outsole 11 and the midsole 12 are separated from each other will be described. However, the outsole 11 and the midsole 12 may also be provided in an integral form. The midsole 12 forms at least a portion of the lower outer shape. The insole 13 is provided in the upper 90 and is arranged on the midsole 12. The insole 13 includes a surface that contacts the sole of the user's foot when the user wears the shoe-type device 1, and the insole 13 is separable from the midsole 12.

[0045] The insole 13 includes an insole body 131, a support layer 132, an electronic component 133, a connection line 134, and a connector 135. The insole body 131 is placed on the upper surface of the midsole 12 and can be provided in various shapes. The support layer 132 is provided on the inner side of the insole body 131 and supports the electronic component 133 and the connection line 134. The connection line 134 electrically connects the electronic component 133 and the control module 20, and the connector 135 electrically connects the electronic component 133 to the control module 20.

[0046] The electronic component 133 is arranged on the upper surface of the support layer 132, and both the electronic component 133 and the support layer 132 are arranged in the insole body 131. The electronic component 133 includes an actuator (e.g., actuator 133a and actuator 133b as shown in the figure) and a pressure sensor (e.g., pressure sensor 133c and pressure sensor 133d as shown in the figure). The actuator generates a physical vibration with a vibration intensity less than or equal to a set maximum vibration intensity. Here, the vibration intensity may change irregularly with the change of noise. The pressure sensor may be a foot pressure sensor (e.g., a piezoelectric pressure sensor and a force sensitive resistor (FSR)) configured to measure or sense the foot pressure transmitted from the sole of the user's foot when the user wears the shoe-type device 1.

[0047] According to an example, the electronic component 133 may also include a motion sensor or an inertial sensor. The motion sensor refers to a sensor (e.g., an acceleration sensor) configured to measure or sense the motion or movement of the shoe-type device 1 or the user wearing the shoe-type device 1. The motion sensor is arranged at various locations in the shoe-type device 1 (including, for example, in the support layer 132). For example, the motion sensor may also be arranged in the control module 20, the sole 10, or the upper 90.

[0048] The control module 20 is electrically connected to the electronic component 133, and receives sensor data from a pressure sensor or a motion sensor included in the electronic component 133. In addition, the control module 20 transmits a control signal for controlling the actuator to the actuator.

[0049] The control module 20 includes a housing 21, a connection portion 22, a battery 23, and a processor 24. The housing 21 is provided in a shape corresponding to the receiving groove 121 formed in the midsole 12. The connection portion 22 includes a terminal to be electrically connected to the connection line 134, and the connection portion 22 is arranged on the upper side of the housing 21. The battery 23 supplies power to the electronic element 133 and the processor 24. In addition to the processor 24, the control module 10 may also include a memory containing instructions, wherein, when executed by the processor 24, the instructions configure the processor 24 as a dedicated processor for generating a control signal for controlling the operation of the electronic element 133. For example, when the electronic element 133 includes a vibrator, the processor 24 may generate a control signal for amplifying the level of the signal by adding white noise having a wide frequency range to a signal associated with a stimulus that is too low for the user to sense, so that a portion of the white noise having the same frequency as the signal resonates with the signal, thereby amplifying the signal and allowing the user to sense the stimulus.

[0050] For example, the processor 24 may generate a control signal for controlling the activation of the actuator and / or a control signal for adjusting the frequency (or the amount of vibration) and / or the maximum vibration intensity of the actuator based on the sensor data. More specifically, the processor 24 may be configured as a dedicated processor for determining whether the user is sitting, standing, or walking and deactivating the actuator when the user is sitting and / or automatically adjusting the maximum vibration intensity of the actuator based on foot pressure when the user is standing or walking. Therefore, the processor 24 itself can improve the operation of the shoe-type device 1 by reducing the power consumption of the battery 23 and / or increasing the comfort that can be experienced by the user.

[0051] Figure 4 is a diagram illustrating a relative positional relationship between an electronic component and a user's foot according to at least one example embodiment.

[0052] Reference Figure 4 , the electronic element 133 includes a front actuator 133a arranged at the front of the support layer 132, a rear actuator 133b arranged at the rear of the support layer 132, a front pressure sensor 133c arranged in an area adjacent to the area where the front actuator 133a is arranged, and a rear pressure sensor 133d arranged in an area adjacent to the area where the rear actuator 133b is arranged. The front actuator 133a generates vibration noise at the front of the foot of the user wearing the shoe-type device 1, and the rear actuator 133b generates vibration noise at the rear of the user's foot. In one example, the processor 24 is configured to determine the maximum vibration intensity of the front actuator 133a based on the foot pressure measured by the front pressure sensor 133c, and determine the maximum vibration intensity of the rear actuator 133b based on the foot pressure measured by the rear pressure sensor 133d.

[0053] As described above, the shoe-type device 1 receives power from the battery 23 embedded in the shoe-type device 1 for portability, and therefore it may be important to minimize the power consumption of the battery 23 and increase the amount of available time for using the shoe-type device 1. Therefore, permanently activating or operating the actuators 133a and 133b included in the shoe-type device 1 may consume a large amount of power, resulting in reduced usability of the shoe-type device 1. Therefore, it is necessary to intelligently control the activation or operation of the actuators 133a and 133b based on the situation to reduce the power consumption of the battery 23.

[0054] Figure 5 are diagrams illustrating examples of various postures of a user wearing a shoe-type device according to at least one example embodiment.

[0055] Reference Figure 5 , the shoe-type device 500 determines whether the posture of the user wearing the shoe-type device 500 is a standing posture 510, a walking posture 520, or a sitting posture 530. When the user is standing or walking, the shoe-type device 500 may need to generate vibration noise to cause stochastic resonance, but when the user is sitting, the shoe-type device 500 may not need to generate vibration noise. This is because the need to feel the sensation on the sole of the user's foot when the user is sitting may be less than the need to feel the sensation on the sole when the user is standing or walking. Therefore, when the user is sitting, the vibration generated by the shoe-type device 500 may make the user quite uncomfortable.

[0056] According to at least one example embodiment to be described below, the shoe-type device may determine whether to operate the actuator in the current situation based on sensor data. When the shoe-type device determines that the actuator does not need to be operated, the shoe-type device may stop operating the actuator or deactivate the actuator to reduce power consumption of a battery of the shoe-type device, thereby increasing the amount of time available for using the shoe-type device. In addition, in the case where the actuator does not need to be operated, the shoe-type device may stop operating the actuator, thereby reducing inconvenience or discomfort that may be felt by a user wearing the shoe-type device.

[0057] Figure 6 and Figure 7 is a flowchart illustrating an example of a control method of a shoe-type device according to at least one example embodiment.

[0058] Reference Figure 6 In operation 610, the shoe-type device estimates a posture of a user wearing the shoe-type device. To estimate the posture of the user, the shoe-type device may use sensor data output from at least one sensor. For example, the shoe-type device may determine whether the user is currently standing or walking or sitting based on sensor data obtained from a foot pressure sensor and / or a motion sensor.

[0059] In one example, the shoe-type device may estimate the user's posture based on the foot pressure measured by the foot pressure sensor and the change of the foot pressure over time. For example, when the foot pressure is greater than a first threshold and the foot pressure does not change or does not change significantly over time, or the change of the foot pressure over time is within a specific range, the user's posture may be estimated as a standing posture. When the foot pressure is less than a second threshold and the foot pressure does not change or does not change significantly over time, or the change of the foot pressure over time is within the range, the user's posture may be estimated as a sitting posture. When the foot pressure changes in a specific pattern over time, the user's posture may be estimated as a walking posture. In this example, the first threshold may be the same as the second threshold, or the first threshold may be greater than the second threshold.

[0060] In another example, the shoe-type device may include both a foot pressure sensor and a motion sensor, and estimate the user's posture based on the foot pressure information obtained from the foot pressure sensor and the motion information obtained from the motion sensor. In this example, the user's movement can be measured by a motion sensor (such as an accelerometer). When the spatial size of the acceleration value measured by the accelerometer exceeds a specific value, the shoe-type device can estimate that the user is currently moving. When the foot pressure measured by the foot pressure sensor and the motion size measured by the motion sensor (for example, the absolute value of the acceleration value) are both small, the shoe-type device can estimate that the user is currently sitting. For example, when the measured foot pressure is less than or equal to a first threshold and the measured motion size is less than or equal to a second threshold, the shoe-type device can determine the user's posture as a sitting posture. However, in other cases or situations, the shoe-type device may determine the user's posture as not a sitting posture.

[0061] In operation 620, the shoe-type device controls the actuator of the shoe-type device based on the user's posture estimated in operation 610. The shoe-type device may determine whether to operate the actuator or stop operating the actuator based on the user's posture. When it is determined to stop operating the actuator, the shoe-type device determines the maximum vibration intensity of the actuator based on the foot pressure measured by the foot pressure sensor. Figure 7 Operation 620 is described in further detail.

[0062] Reference Figure 7 In operation 710, the shoe-type device determines whether the current posture of the user is a sitting posture based on the sensor data. In operation 720, when the posture of the user is estimated to be not a sitting posture, the shoe-type device operates the actuator. Here, for example, when the actuator continues to operate from the previous time, the shoe-type device may continue to operate the actuator.

[0063] In addition, when the actuator is operated, the shoe-type device may control the vibration output of the actuator. In one example, the shoe-type device may determine the maximum vibration intensity of the actuator based on sensor data of a foot pressure sensor configured to sense the user's foot pressure. For example, when the foot pressure increases within a specific range, the shoe-type device may set the maximum vibration intensity of the actuator to be greater. For example, the shoe-type device may set a first maximum vibration intensity of the actuator corresponding to a first foot pressure and a second maximum vibration intensity of the actuator corresponding to a second foot pressure to be different from each other. In this example, the first foot pressure and the second foot pressure may be different from each other. The intensity of the vibration output generated by the actuator may be changed within a range less than the set maximum vibration intensity. As described, the shoe-type device may adjust the maximum vibration intensity of the actuator based on the measured foot pressure to reduce the power consumption of the battery of the shoe-type device and reduce the inconvenience or discomfort that may be felt by the user.

[0064] In operation 730 , when the user's posture is estimated to be a sitting posture, the shoe-type device deactivates the actuator, stops operating the actuator, or sets the actuator to a standby state.

[0065] As described above, the shoe-type device can determine whether the actuator needs to be activated or operated, for example, when the user is standing or walking. When the actuator does not need to be activated or operated, the shoe-type device can deactivate the actuator, stop operating the actuator, or set the actuator to a standby state, thereby reducing the power consumption of the battery and increasing the amount of time available for using the shoe-type device.

[0066] FIG. 8A to FIG. 8C is a diagram illustrating an example of how to estimate a user's posture based on foot pressure according to at least one example embodiment.

[0067] Fig. 8A , Figure 8B and Figure 8C Shown is a change in foot pressure based on the time at which the foot pressure is measured from each of different postures of a user wearing the footwear-type device. Fig. 8A The change 810 of the foot pressure measured by the first foot pressure sensor arranged at the front of the sole of the user's foot when the user is walking, and the change 820 of the foot pressure measured by the second foot pressure sensor arranged at the rear of the sole of the user's foot when the user is walking are shown. In this case where the user is walking, the foot pressure may change relatively drastically over time, and a specific pattern may be repeatedly shown. Therefore, when the change in foot pressure over time is relatively large and the change in foot pressure is repeated in a specific pattern, the current posture of the user may be estimated as a walking posture.

[0068] Figure 8B830 and 840 are shown of the foot pressure changes measured by the first foot pressure sensor and the second foot pressure sensor when the user is sitting. In this case, the foot pressure may be relatively small, and the change in foot pressure over time may also be relatively small. Therefore, when the foot pressure is less than a threshold value (e.g., Figure 8B A) shown in and the change in foot pressure over time is relatively small, the user's current posture can be estimated to be a sitting posture.

[0069] Figure 8C 850 and 860 are shown of the foot pressure changes measured by the first foot pressure sensor and the second foot pressure sensor when the user is standing. In this case, the foot pressure may be relatively large, and the change in foot pressure over time may be relatively small. Therefore, when the foot pressure is greater than a threshold value (e.g., Figure 8C A) shown in FIG. 1 and the change in foot pressure over time is relatively small, the user's current posture can be estimated as a standing posture.

[0070] Fig. 9 is a diagram illustrating an example of how to estimate a user's posture based on foot pressure and motion size according to at least one example embodiment.

[0071] Reference Fig. 9 The shoe-type device can classify the current posture of the user wearing the shoe-type device into four postures based on the foot pressure and the movement size. The shoe-type device can control the actuator based on the current posture of the user.

[0072] For example, when both the foot pressure and the movement size are relatively large, the shoe-type device may determine the user's posture as a heel-strike posture. When the foot pressure is relatively small although the movement size is relatively large, the shoe-type device may determine the user's posture as a toe-off posture or a swinging posture. When the foot pressure is relatively large although the movement size is relatively small, the shoe-type device may determine the user's posture as a standing posture. When both the foot pressure and the movement size are relatively small, the shoe-type device may determine the user's posture as a sitting posture. In this example, the heel-strike posture and the toe-off posture or the swinging posture may be included in the walking posture.

[0073] When the user's posture is determined to be a standing posture or a walking posture, the shoe-type device may determine to activate or operate the actuator. When the user's posture is determined to be a sitting posture, the shoe-type device may determine to deactivate the actuator or stop operating the actuator.

[0074] Fig. 9The range 910 indicated by the hatching in the figure may indicate the range required to distinguish the user's posture based on the boundary value. For example, when the foot pressure and the movement size are within the range 910, the shoe-type device may control the actuator to maintain its previous state. In this example, when the actuator was previously operating, the actuator continues to operate. When the actuator was previously deactivated, the actuator continues to be deactivated.

[0075] Fig.10 is a flowchart illustrating another example of a control method of a shoe-type device according to at least one example embodiment.

[0076] Reference Fig.10 In operation 1010, the shoe-type device measures foot pressure through a foot pressure sensor. In operation 1020, the shoe-type device determines a maximum vibration intensity of an actuator based on the measured foot pressure. In one example, the shoe-type device may set a first maximum vibration intensity of an actuator corresponding to a first foot pressure and a second maximum vibration intensity of an actuator corresponding to a second foot pressure to be different from each other. In this example, the shoe-type device may set the maximum vibration intensity of the actuator to be small when the foot pressure is small, and set the maximum vibration intensity of the actuator to be large when the foot pressure is large. Therefore, the foot pressure and the maximum vibration intensity to be set based on the foot pressure may be a linear relationship or a nonlinear relationship.

[0077] In one example, a shoe-type device may include a first actuator arranged in a first area (e.g., the front) of the shoe-type device and a second actuator arranged in a second area (e.g., the rear) of the shoe-type device. In this example, a first foot pressure sensor may be arranged in an area adjacent to the first area, and a second foot pressure sensor may be arranged in an area adjacent to the second area. In this example, the shoe-type device may determine a maximum vibration intensity of the first actuator based on a foot pressure measured by the first foot pressure sensor, and determine a maximum vibration intensity of the second actuator based on a foot pressure measured by the second foot pressure sensor. Therefore, in a detailed step of walking including, for example, a toe-off posture and a heel-strike posture, the actuators may be controlled individually.

[0078] Although the intensity of the vibration generated by the actuator changes frequently, the maximum vibration intensity may be set to be less than or equal to a threshold. The set maximum vibration intensity may not be suitable for some environments or conditions. Therefore, when the intensity of the vibration of the actuator to be applied to the user wearing the shoe-type device exceeds the threshold based on the foot pressure, the user may experience inconvenience or discomfort due to such excessive vibration, and noise and unnecessary battery power consumption may occur. For example, when the user lifts the user's foot off the ground, the space between the sole of the user's foot and the insole of the shoe-type device may increase. In this example, when the intensity of the vibration of the actuator increases to a greater intensity than required, the user may feel uncomfortable. Therefore, in one or more example embodiments, the processor 24 of the shoe-type device 1 may automatically adjust the maximum vibration intensity of the actuator based on the foot pressure as described herein to reduce unnecessary battery 23 power consumption and reduce discomfort that may be experienced by the user.

[0079] FIG. 11A to FIG. 11C is a diagram illustrating an example of how to adjust a maximum vibration intensity of an actuator based on foot pressure according to at least one example embodiment.

[0080] Fig.11A An example of a linear change in the proportionality factor to be applied to the maximum vibration intensity of the actuator based on the foot pressure is shown. Fig. 11B and 11C Examples of nonlinear changes in the proportionality coefficient of the maximum vibration intensity to be applied to the actuator based on the foot pressure are shown. In these examples, the maximum vibration intensity of the actuator can be changed based on the proportionality coefficient to be applied thereto. The shoe-type device can set the maximum vibration intensity to be small when the foot pressure is small, and set the maximum vibration intensity to be large when the foot pressure is large. Therefore, by controlling the actuator accordingly as described above, the shoe-type device can reduce the inconvenience or discomfort that can be experienced by a user wearing the shoe-type device due to excessive vibration intensity.

[0081] Fig.12 is a diagram illustrating an example of a control device of a shoe-type device according to at least one example embodiment.

[0082] Reference Fig.12 , the control device 1200 of the shoe-type device includes a sensor 1210, a processor 1220, an actuator 1230, and a battery 1240. The control device 1200 may be embedded in the shoe-type device and operate therein.

[0083] Sensor 1210 may include a foot pressure sensor and / or a motion sensor, wherein the foot pressure sensor is configured to measure the foot pressure of a user wearing the shoe-type device, and the motion sensor is configured to measure the motion of the user wearing the shoe-type device. The foot pressure sensor may be arranged in the sole of the shoe-type device, and the motion sensor may be arranged in the sole and / or the upper of the shoe-type device.

[0084] The battery 1240 supplies power to each component of the shoe-type device.

[0085] The processor 1220 controls each component of the shoe-type device. The processor 1220 estimates the posture of the user wearing the shoe-type device based on the sensor data obtained from the sensor 1210, and determines whether to operate the actuator 1230 based on the estimated posture of the user. For example, when the posture of the user is estimated to be a sitting posture, the processor 1220 may generate a control signal for stopping the operation of the actuator 1230 or setting the actuator 1230 to be in a standby state. For another example, when the posture of the user is estimated to be not a sitting posture, the processor 1220 may determine to operate the actuator 1230.

[0086] In this example, when the processor 1220 determines to operate the actuator 1230, the processor 1220 may determine the maximum vibration intensity of the actuator 1230 based on the foot pressure of the user's foot. For example, the processor 1220 may determine the first maximum vibration intensity of the actuator corresponding to the first foot pressure and the second maximum vibration intensity of the actuator corresponding to the second foot pressure to be different from each other. In this example, when the foot pressure increases within a specific range, the processor 1220 may set the maximum vibration intensity of the actuator to be greater.

[0087] The actuator 1230 generates vibrations based on the control signal generated by the processor 1220 to apply nerve stimulation to the user's foot. In one example, the actuator 1230 may include a first actuator arranged in a first area of ​​the shoe-type device and a second actuator arranged in a second area of ​​the shoe-type device. In this example, the foot pressure sensor may include a first foot pressure sensor arranged in an area adjacent to the first area and a second foot pressure sensor arranged in an area adjacent to the second area. In this example, the processor 1220 may determine the maximum vibration intensity of the first actuator based on the foot pressure measured by the first foot pressure sensor, and determine the maximum vibration intensity of the second actuator based on the foot pressure measured by the second foot pressure sensor.

[0088] The processor 1220 may also perform at least one of the control operations of the above-mentioned shoe-type device, and for the sake of clarity and conciseness, repetition and detailed description thereof are omitted here.

[0089] The units and / or modules described herein can be implemented using hardware components and software components. For example, the hardware components may include: a microphone, an amplifier, a bandpass filter, an audio digital converter, and a processing device. The processing device can be implemented using one or more hardware devices configured to implement and / or execute program codes by performing arithmetic operations, logical operations, and input / output operations. One or more processing devices may include: a processor, a controller and an arithmetic logic unit, a digital signal processor, a microcomputer, a field programmable array, a programmable logic unit, a microprocessor, or any other device capable of responding to and executing instructions in a defined manner. The processing device may run an operating system (OS) and one or more software applications running on the OS. The processing device may also access, store, operate, process, and create data in response to the execution of the software. For simplicity, the description of the processing device is used as a singular; however, those skilled in the art will understand that the processing device may include multiple processing elements or multiple types of processing elements. For example, the processing device may include multiple processors or a processor and a controller. In addition, different processing configurations (such as parallel processors) are feasible.

[0090] Software may include computer programs, code segments, instructions, or some combination thereof, to individually or collectively instruct and / or configure a processing device to operate as desired, thereby converting the processing device into a special-purpose processor. Software and data may be embodied permanently or temporarily in any type of machine, component, physical or virtual device, computer storage medium or device, or permanently or temporarily in a propagating signal wave capable of providing instructions or data to a processing device or capable of being interpreted by a processing device. Software may also be distributed on networked computer systems so that the software is stored and executed in a distributed manner. Software and data may be stored by one or more non-transitory computer-readable recording media.

[0091] The method according to the above-described example embodiment may be recorded in a non-transitory computer-readable medium including program instructions for implementing various operations of the above-described example embodiment. The medium may also include program instructions, data files, data structures, etc., alone, or a combination thereof. The program instructions recorded on the medium may be program instructions specifically designed and constructed for the purpose of the example embodiment, or they may be well known and available to technicians in the field of computer software. Examples of non-transitory computer-readable media include: magnetic media (such as hard disks, floppy disks, and tapes); optical media (such as CD-ROM disks, DVDs, and / or Blu-ray discs); magneto-optical media (such as optical discs); hardware devices (such as read-only memory (ROM), random access memory (RAM), flash memory (e.g., USB flash drives, memory cards, memory sticks, etc.)) specifically configured to store and execute program instructions, etc. Examples of program instructions include both machine codes such as those generated by a compiler and files containing high-level codes that can be executed by a computer using an interpreter. The above-mentioned devices may be configured to be used as one or more software modules to perform the operations of the above-described example embodiments, and vice versa.

[0092] A number of example embodiments have been described above. However, it should be understood that various modifications may be made to these example embodiments. For example, if the described techniques are performed in a different order and / or if components in the described systems, architectures, devices, or circuits are combined in a different manner and / or replaced or supplemented by other components or their equivalents, suitable results may be achieved. Therefore, other implementations are within the scope of the claims.

Claims

1. A control method for a shoe-type device comprising an actuator and at least one sensor, the control method include: estimating a posture of a user wearing the shoe-type device based on sensor data output from the at least one sensor; as well as controlling the actuator based on the estimated user's posture, The step of controlling the actuator includes: determining whether to operate the actuator or stop operating the actuator based on the user's gesture, Wherein, the step of controlling the actuator further comprises: In response to determining to operate the actuator, a maximum vibration intensity of the actuator is adjusted based on sensor data of a foot pressure sensor configured to measure foot pressure, wherein the actuator generates a physical vibration having a vibration intensity less than or equal to the adjusted maximum vibration intensity, and the vibration intensity of the physical vibration generated by the actuator changes within a range less than or equal to the adjusted maximum vibration intensity, The step of adjusting the maximum vibration intensity of the actuator includes: In response to the measured foot pressure increasing within a specific range, setting the maximum vibration intensity to be greater; and / or A first maximum vibration intensity of the actuator corresponding to the first foot pressure and a second maximum vibration intensity of the actuator corresponding to the second foot pressure are set to be different from each other.

2. The control method according to claim 1, in, The steps of determining whether to operate the actuator or to stop operating the actuator include: In response to the user's posture being estimated as a sitting posture, it is determined to stop operating the actuator.

3. The control method according to claim 1, in, The steps of determining whether to operate the actuator or to stop operating the actuator include: In response to the user's posture being estimated as not being a sitting posture, determining to operate the actuator.

4. The control method according to claim 1, in, The steps to estimate pose include: Estimate whether the user's posture is a sitting posture based on sensor data.

5. The control method according to claim 1, in, The at least one sensor comprises a foot pressure sensor, The steps of estimating posture include: The user's posture is estimated based on the foot pressure measured by the foot pressure sensor and the change in the foot pressure over time.

6. The control method according to claim 1, in, The at least one sensor includes a foot pressure sensor and a motion sensor, The steps of estimating posture include: The user's posture is estimated based on foot pressure information measured by the foot pressure sensor and motion information measured by the motion sensor.

7. The control method according to claim 6, in, The steps of estimating pose also include: In response to the foot pressure measured by the foot pressure sensor being less than or equal to a first threshold and the motion magnitude measured by the motion sensor being less than or equal to a second threshold, the user's posture is estimated as a sitting posture.

8. A non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising computer-readable instructions for causing a computer to execute the control method of claim 1.

9. A shoe-shaped device, include: Actuator; A foot pressure sensor is configured to: measure foot pressure; as well as a processor configured to estimate a posture of a user wearing the shoe-type device based on sensor data output from a foot pressure sensor, and generate a control signal for controlling the actuator based on the estimated posture of the user, The processor is further configured to: determine whether to operate the actuator or stop operating the actuator based on the user's gesture, wherein, in response to determining to operate the actuator, the processor is further configured to: adjust the maximum vibration intensity of the actuator based on the foot pressure measured by the foot pressure sensor, wherein the actuator generates a physical vibration having a vibration intensity less than or equal to the adjusted maximum vibration intensity, and the vibration intensity of the physical vibration generated by the actuator changes within a range less than or equal to the adjusted maximum vibration intensity, The processor is further configured to: In response to the measured foot pressure increasing within a specific range, setting the maximum vibration intensity to be greater; and / or A first maximum vibration intensity of the actuator corresponding to the first foot pressure and a second maximum vibration intensity of the actuator corresponding to the second foot pressure are set to be different from each other.

10. The shoe-type device according to claim 9, in, In response to the user's posture being estimated as a sitting posture, the processor is further configured to generate a control signal for stopping the operation of the actuator.

11. The shoe-type device according to claim 9, further comprising: include: a motion sensor configured to: measure the motion of the shoe-type device; Wherein, the processor is further configured to control the actuator based on sensor data output from the foot pressure sensor and sensor data output from the motion sensor.

12. The shoe-type device according to claim 11, in, A foot pressure sensor is arranged in the sole of the shoe-type device, The motion sensor is disposed in at least one of the sole and the upper of the footwear device.

13. The shoe-type device according to claim 9, in, The actuator is configured to generate vibrations to apply neural stimulation to the user's foot.

14. A shoe-shaped device, include: Actuator; A foot pressure sensor configured to: measure foot pressure of a user wearing the shoe-type device; as well as a processor configured to generate a control signal for adjusting a maximum vibration intensity of the actuator based on a foot pressure measured by the foot pressure sensor, wherein the actuator generates a physical vibration having a vibration intensity less than or equal to the adjusted maximum vibration intensity, and the vibration intensity of the physical vibration generated by the actuator varies within a range less than or equal to the adjusted maximum vibration intensity, The processor is further configured to: In response to the measured foot pressure increasing within a specific range, setting the maximum vibration intensity to be greater; and / or A first maximum vibration intensity of the actuator corresponding to the first foot pressure and a second maximum vibration intensity of the actuator corresponding to the second foot pressure are set to be different from each other.

15. The shoe-type device according to claim 14, in, The processor is further configured to determine whether to operate the actuator or to cease operating the actuator based on the measured foot pressure.

16. The shoe-type device according to claim 14, in, The actuator includes: A first actuator disposed in a first region of the shoe-type device; and a second actuator disposed in a second region of the shoe-type device, Among them, the foot pressure sensor includes: a first foot pressure sensor disposed in an area adjacent to the first area; and The second foot pressure sensor is arranged in an area adjacent to the second area.

17. The shoe-type device according to claim 16, in, The processor is also configured to: adjusting a maximum vibration intensity of the first actuator based on the foot pressure measured by the first foot pressure sensor; as well as A maximum vibration intensity of the second actuator is adjusted based on the foot pressure measured by the second foot pressure sensor.

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