System and method for power driven shoe device control

Abstract

A power driven shoe is disclosed having a distributed control system configured to maintain synchronization between paired power driven shoes. A power driven shoe includes: a sole having a sole portion and a toe portion; the plurality of rotatable rollers are arranged below the sole; the motor is arranged below the sole and is in driving connection with at least one rotatable roller in the plurality of rotatable rollers; an interface of the control circuit is connected to the motor; and a network adapter interfaced to the control circuit and configured to communicate with the paired power-driven shoe using one-way communication.

Description

[0001] CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

[0002] This application claims priority to and the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 63 / 319,014, filed on March 11, 2022, the disclosure of which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety. Technical Field

[0003] The present application relates to a power-driven shoe device having a distributed control circuit. Background Art

[0004] With the increasing population of cities and concerns about the spread of diseases in shared commuting modes such as public transportation, the last mile problem, i.e., the relatively long and time-consuming final walking distance, remains an issue for the commuting public. Various solutions exist on the market to improve the last mile problem, including electric powered transportation devices, such as electric roller skates.

[0005] Current market solutions for electric roller skates have problems in terms of ergonomics and safety. Abnormal postures and gait cycles may cause discomfort and require excessive body load. These problems are exacerbated by the increasing complexity of urban roads and sidewalks, where commuters must enter and leave sidewalks while avoiding obstacles such as holes, grates, and puddles. This complexity prevents users from walking normally with electric roller skates, greatly reducing the practicality of current technology. The current roller configuration under the sole of the user presents challenges when crossing obstacles, and there are dangerous scenarios caused by sudden deceleration or unexpected stops. Moreover, the volume of electrical equipment required to drive traffic devices reduces usability and ergonomic use due to increased weight and width. Therefore, during use, roller skates may hit each other or hit obstacles. In addition, with respect to the appearance of multi-body electric roller skates in recent years, the hinge points produce undesirable compression on the user's feet, resulting in a source of instability of the foot at a certain angle relative to the ground plane, whereby the number of rollers contacting the ground is suddenly reduced.

[0006] Safety concerns stem from the fact that current electric roller skates lack the ability to manage the wearer's speed in emergency scenarios. In particular, current electric roller skates suffer from synchronization issues between the two roller skates. In some models, the individual roller skates cannot communicate at all, which may cause the two roller skates to produce different speeds. In some models, the two roller skates communicate using two-way communication, which may cause decision making delays for the roller skates. A distributed control method using one-way communication is needed to keep the two roller skates synchronized and responsive. Summary of the invention

[0007] In some embodiments, a power-driven shoe includes: a sole comprising a sole portion and a toe portion; a plurality of rotatable rollers disposed under the sole; a motor disposed under the sole, wherein the motor is drivingly connected to at least one of the plurality of rotatable rollers; a control circuit whose interface is connected to the motor; and a network adapter whose interface is connected to the control circuit, wherein the network adapter is configured to communicate with a second power-driven shoe using unidirectional communication.

[0008] In some embodiments, the plurality of rotatable rollers include a toe grouping of rotatable rollers disposed under a toe portion, a middle grouping of rotatable rollers disposed under a front portion of a heel portion, and a heel grouping of rotatable rollers disposed under a rear portion of the heel portion.

[0009] In some embodiments, the motor interface is connected to at least one rotatable roller in the middle grouping and at least one rotatable roller in the rear grouping.

[0010] In some embodiments, the powered shoe includes a gearbox housing including a gear drive train system.

[0011] In some embodiments, the power-driven shoe includes a strap configured to attach the power-driven shoe to a shoe or foot of a user, and the strap interfaces directly to the gearbox housing.

[0012] In some embodiments, the control circuit is located within the gearbox housing.

[0013] In some embodiments, the power-driven shoe further includes a power module within the gearbox housing.

[0014] In some embodiments, the power module is connected to the control circuit via one or more electromechanical connector interfaces.

[0015] In some embodiments, the motor is a brushless DC motor.

[0016] In some embodiments, the powered shoe includes a Hall Effect sensor that is integrated into the motor and interfaces with the control circuit.

[0017] In some embodiments, the magnets of the motor extend beyond the length of the coils of the motor.

[0018] In some embodiments, the powered shoe includes an inertial measurement unit that is interfaced to the control circuit.

[0019] In some embodiments, the powered shoe includes a remote control configured to interface to the network adapter.

[0020] In some embodiments, a method for controlling the speed of a power-driven shoe includes: calculating a first speed of the power-driven shoe based on inputs from an inertial measurement unit and a motor sensor; sending the first speed to a paired power-driven shoe; receiving a second speed from the paired power-driven shoe; determining whether the first speed and the second speed match; determining a safer speed between the first speed and the second speed and operating the motor at the safer speed in response to the first speed and the second speed not matching; and operating the motor at the first speed in response to the first speed and the second speed matching.

[0021] In some embodiments, calculating the first speed further includes: detecting motor torque from a motor sensor; determining a gait state of the power-driven shoe based on the motor torque; converting the motor torque into a force tangential to a roller of the power-driven shoe; and obtaining a roller force in response to detecting a predetermined gait state, normalizing the roller force based on a baseline roller force, determining an acceleration based on the normalized roller force, and determining the first speed based on the acceleration. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0022] Various aspects and embodiments of this application are depicted in the accompanying drawings, in which:

[0023] Figure 1A A perspective view of a powered shoe is depicted according to an embodiment.

[0024] Figure 1B Depicted is a perspective view of a lacing mechanism for a power-driven shoe, according to an embodiment.

[0025] Figure 2 Depicted is a side view of a powered shoe according to an embodiment.

[0026] Figure 3 Depicted is a view of an underside of a powered shoe, according to an embodiment.

[0027] Figure 4A An illustrative logical block diagram of a control system for a powered shoe is depicted in accordance with an embodiment.

[0028] Figure 4B Depicted is a small brushless DC motor configuration according to an embodiment.

[0029] Figure 5A Depicted are internal components of a control system according to an embodiment.

[0030] Figure 5B Depicted are alternative views of internal components of a control system according to an embodiment.

[0031] Figure 5C Depicted is another alternative view of internal components of a control system according to an embodiment.

[0032] Fig. 6ADepicted is an interface of a motor and a gearbox according to an embodiment.

[0033] Figure 6B Depicted are alternative views of the interface of a motor and a gearbox according to an embodiment.

[0034] Figure 7 An illustrative flow chart of a method of controlling the speed of a powered shoe is depicted in accordance with an embodiment.

[0035] Figure 8 An illustrative flow diagram of data for use in a powered shoe system including a remote controller is depicted according to an embodiment.

[0036] Fig. 9 An illustrative flow chart for determining unloaded roller force according to an embodiment is depicted.

[0037] Fig.10 An illustrative flow chart for determining force-based acceleration is depicted in accordance with an embodiment.

[0038] Fig.11 An illustrative flow chart for changing an operating mode according to an embodiment is depicted. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0039] The disclosure is not limited to the specific systems, devices and methods described, as these may vary. The terminology used in the description is for the purpose of describing the particular versions or embodiments only and is not intended to limit the scope of the disclosure.

[0040] For the purpose of this application, the following terms shall have the corresponding meanings described below. Unless otherwise defined, all technical and scientific terms used herein have the same meanings as those commonly understood by those of ordinary skill in the art. Nothing in this disclosure shall be construed as an admission that the embodiments described in this disclosure are not entitled to antedate these disclosures of prior inventions.

[0041] As used herein, the singular forms "a", "an", and "the" include plural references unless the context clearly dictates otherwise. Thus, for example, a reference to "an element" is a reference to one or more elements and equivalents thereof known to those skilled in the art.

[0042] As used herein, the term "about" means plus or minus 10% of the numerical value of the number with which it is used. Thus, about 50 mm means a range of 45 mm to 55 mm.

[0043] As used herein, the terms "consisting of" or "composed of" mean that an apparatus or method includes only those elements, steps or components specifically recited in a particular claimed embodiment or claim.

[0044] In embodiments or claims using the term "comprising" as a transitional phrase, such embodiments may also be contemplated as replacing "comprising" with the terms "consisting of" or "consisting essentially of."

[0045] As will be understood by those skilled in the art, for any and all purposes, such as in terms of providing a written description, all ranges disclosed herein are intended to cover each intermediate value between the upper and lower limits of the range and any other statements or intermediate values ​​in the range. All ranges disclosed herein also cover any and all possible subranges and combinations of subranges thereof. Any listed range can be easily identified as fully describing and enabling the same range to be decomposed into at least equal halves, one-third, one-quarter, one-fifth, one-tenth, etc. As a non-limiting example, each range discussed herein can be easily decomposed into the lower third, the middle third, and the upper third, etc. As will be understood by those skilled in the art, all languages ​​such as "up to", "at least", etc. include the recorded numbers and refer to the ranges that can be subsequently decomposed into subranges, as described above. Finally, as will be understood by those skilled in the art, the range includes each individual member. Therefore, for example, a group with 1-3 components refers to a group with 1, 2 or 3 components and a range of values ​​greater than or equal to 1 component and less than or equal to 3 components. Similarly, a group having 1-5 components refers to groups having 1, 2, 3, 4, or 5 components, as well as ranges of values ​​greater than or equal to 1 component and less than or equal to 5 components, and so forth.

[0046] In addition, even if a specific number is explicitly stated, those skilled in the art will recognize that such a statement should be interpreted as meaning at least the stated number (e.g., a pure statement of "two statements" without other modifiers means at least two statements, or two or more statements). In addition, in those examples where a convention similar to "at least one of A, B, and C, etc." is used, generally speaking, such a construction is intended in the sense that a person skilled in the art will understand the convention (e.g., "a system having at least one of A, B, and C" will include, but is not limited to, systems having A alone, B alone, C alone, A and B together, A and C together, B and C together, and / or A, B, and C together, etc.). In those examples where a convention similar to "at least one of A, B, or C, etc." is used, generally speaking, such a construction is intended in the sense that a person skilled in the art will understand the convention (e.g., "a system having at least one of A, B, or C" will include, but is not limited to, systems having A alone, B alone, C alone, A and B together, A and C together, B and C together, and / or A, B, and C together, etc.). Those skilled in the art will also understand that, whether in the specification, sample embodiments or drawings, almost any transition word and / or phrase presenting two or more alternative terms should be understood to contemplate the possibility of including one of the terms, either of the terms, or both of the terms. For example, the phrase "A or B" will be understood to include the possibility of "A" or "B" or "A and B".

[0047] In addition, where features of the disclosure are described with reference to Markush groups, those skilled in the art will recognize that the disclosure is also thereby described with reference to any individual member or subgroup of members of the Markush group.

[0048] The present disclosure provides control methods and systems configured for safe and ergonomic operation of power-driven shoes. In addition, the power-driven shoes feature an emergency braking system for slowing the shoes in the event of a loss of signal from the control circuit, which most likely indicates a loss of power (i.e., the shoe is disconnected during operation, the battery is exhausted / failed, or an electrical connection problem).

[0049] refer to Figure 1A, depicting a stereogram of a power-driven shoe 100 according to an embodiment. The power-driven shoe 100 includes a sole. In some embodiments, the sole includes two or more independent elements configured to rotate or translate with respect to each other. For example, the power-driven shoe 100 may include a heel portion 101 and a toe portion 102. In some embodiments, the heel portion 101 and the toe portion 102 may be combined via one or more translation hinges. In some embodiments, one or more translation hinges may be arranged below the metatarsal ball of the user. An example of the use of hinges in the power-driven shoe context is described in U.S. Patent Application No. 17 / 507,270, entitled "Power-Driven Shoe Device Wheel Configuration with Combined Translational and Rotational Hinge Mechanism and Integrated Gear-Bushing Assembly," filed on October 21, 2021, which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

[0050] In some embodiments, strap mechanism 107 may be disposed above heel portion 101. Figure 1B , the strap mechanism 107 can be configured to adapt one or more straps or buckles, thereby allowing the user to attach the power-driven shoe to its foot. In some embodiments, the strap mechanism 107 is connected to the sole under the sole using a plurality of cylindrical pins 110 and a fastener drive compression component 111 connected to the sole using an interface. In a specific embodiment, a plurality of cylindrical pins 110 directly connect the strap mechanism 107 to the gearbox housing. In some embodiments, the strap mechanism 107 can be a magnetic buckle. In some embodiments, the strap mechanism 107 is semi-rigid (i.e., flexible) and is configured to allow the correct positioning position of the strap element, which allows the user's foot to be used for a long time and comfortably fixed to the sole portion of the shoe. In a further embodiment, the positioning is also assisted by a slot 112 in the strap mechanism, which allows a slight translation during use. In some embodiments, the strap mechanism 107 is configured to be used as a handle to take the power-driven shoe when not in use.

[0051] In certain embodiments, the power-driven shoe 100 includes a plurality of rollers disposed under the sole. In some embodiments, the plurality of rollers are divided into one or more groups. In further embodiments, the one or more groups of rollers may include at least one of a group 103 disposed under the toe of the shoe, a group 104 disposed under the middle portion of the shoe, and a group 105 disposed under the heel of the shoe.

[0052] In certain embodiments, the powered shoe 100 includes a motor 106 drivingly connected to at least a portion of the plurality of rollers. In some embodiments, the portion of the plurality of rollers drivingly connected to the motor 106 includes at least one roller in the middle grouping 104 and at least one roller in the heel grouping 105. In some embodiments, the motor 106 drivingly connected to at least a portion of the plurality of rollers using one or more gears. Figure 2 , which depicts an alternative view of a power-driven shoe 100, according to an embodiment, one or more gears may be housed in a gearbox housing 201. In some embodiments, the gearbox housing 201 is disposed below the shoe sole.

[0053] In some embodiments, the gearbox housing 201 includes a gear train system, wherein the gear train system includes a bushing integrated into at least one drive gear.

[0054] Figure 3 A view of the bottom surface of a power-driven shoe 100 according to an embodiment is depicted. In some embodiments, a gearbox housing 201 is mounted under the sole of the power-driven shoe. In some embodiments, the gearbox housing 201 can accommodate a power module. In some embodiments, the gearbox housing 201 can be divided into two or more housings. In some embodiments, a first housing of the gearbox housing 201 can include a power module and a second housing of the gearbox housing can include a drive gear.

[0055] In a particular embodiment, the power-driven shoe 100 includes a power module. The power module may include circuit components, batteries, and one or more connectors between the circuit components and the batteries. In some embodiments, the power module may constrain the movement of the batteries and prevent intrusion of external elements. In some embodiments, the circuit components may be installed in the power module. In such embodiments, the power module may fixedly maintain the position and configuration of the circuit components during the use of the power-driven shoe. The exterior of the power module may also prevent debris and water vapor from contacting the circuit components, batteries, and / or connectors. In some embodiments, line routing and movement may also be constrained within the power module to improve the reliability of the power drive device.

[0056] In some embodiments, the circuit components may include control circuitry, one or more sensors, and one or more network communications adapters.

[0057] Figure 4AAn illustrative block diagram of a control system 400 for a power-driven shoe according to an embodiment is depicted. In some embodiments, the control system includes a control circuit 401. In further embodiments, the control circuit 401 includes one or more processors and a non-transitory storage medium, such as one or more memory devices containing programming instructions for one or more processors. In some embodiments, the non-transitory storage medium includes a non-volatile memory or a flash memory. An illustrative control system in the context of a power-driven shoe is described in U.S. patent application No. 17 / 421,479, entitled "A Method and Device for Control of a Mobility Device Using an Estimated Gait Trajectory," filed on July 8, 2021, which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

[0058] In certain embodiments, control circuit 401 is in operable communication with motor 402 and is configured to control operation of motor 402. In some embodiments, control circuit 401 receives status information from at least one sensor associated with motor 402. In some embodiments, the status information includes at least one of current, position, speed, and / or direction of the rotating motor.

[0059] In certain embodiments, the control circuit 401 is operably connected to the battery 403. The battery 403 may include one or more batteries connected in series or in parallel, as will be clear to those skilled in the art. In some embodiments, the control circuit 401 may be configured to monitor the state of the battery 403 via an integrated sensor. In some embodiments, the integrated sensor may measure the current at one or more terminals of the battery. In some embodiments, the control circuit 401 may electrically couple or decouple one or more electrical components within the power-driven shoe 100 to the battery 403. Coupling or decoupling one or more electrical components may be performed in response to state information received from other components of the power-driven shoe 100, such as the motor 402.

[0060] In some embodiments, the control circuit 401 is in operable communication with the network adapter 404. In some embodiments, the network adapter 404 comprises a wireless adapter. The wireless adapter is configured to communicate via IEEE 802.11 wireless, Or receive and / or send signals through any other wireless technology or protocol.In some embodiments, network adapter 404 can alternatively or additionally include a wired interface.In such embodiments, the wired interface can include a universal serial bus connection.

[0061] In particular embodiments, the network adapter 404 facilitates communication with an external processor and / or storage device for at least one of updating programming instructions for the control circuit 401 (e.g., a firmware update or pairing two shoes together), relaying system data, relaying usage data, or relaying data for external control processing.

[0062] In certain embodiments, the network adapter 404 facilitates communication between two power-driven shoes worn by a user. In some embodiments, the shoe-to-shoe communication is configured to maintain synchronization between the two power-driven shoes during the user's gait. In further embodiments, synchronization is improved by distributed control between the two power-driven shoes.

[0063] In certain embodiments, the powered shoe may include one or more inertial measurement units 405 in operable communication with the control circuit 401. In some embodiments, the one or more inertial measurement units 405 include one or more accelerometers and / or gyroscopes.

[0064] In certain embodiments, motor 402 may be a brushless direct current (BLDC) motor. In some embodiments, the BLDC motor may feature magnetic Hall effect sensors to aid in speed control. Typical BLDC motors with large rotors (i.e., greater than 45 mm) integrate magnetic Hall effect sensors directly into the motor's coils. Smaller BLDC motors (i.e., less than 45 mm) have coils that are too small for the magnets and require an external interface for the magnets. A problem with this configuration in small BLDC motors is that magnetic interference from the coils may distort the magnetic field caused by the moving magnets. Reference Figure 4B , depicts an alternative small BLDC motor configuration 410 according to an embodiment. To ensure that the magnetic Hall effect sensor 413 consistently detects motion regardless of the current in the coil 411, the length of the magnet 412 extends beyond the length of the coil 411 so that the magnetic field of the magnet 412 is stronger than the magnetic interference. This arrangement ensures that the magnetic field is measurable relative to the magnetic interference of the coil 411 at peak operating current even at the farthest distance between the magnet 412 and the Hall effect sensor 413.

[0065] refer to Figure 5A, depicting the internal components of a control system 500 according to an embodiment. In a particular embodiment, the control system includes a power module 501, which further includes a circuit component 502, a battery 503, and one or more connectors between the circuit component 502 and the battery 503. In a particular embodiment, the power module 501 can be installed inside the gearbox housing 201. In some embodiments, the power module 501 can constrain the movement of the battery 503. In some embodiments, the circuit component 502 can be installed within the power module 501. In such an embodiment, the power module 501 can fixedly maintain the position and configuration of the circuit component 502 during operation of the power-driven shoe.

[0066] Simple reference Figure 5B and Figure 5C , battery current is routed directly to circuit components 502 through electromechanical connectors 505, where additional electrical signals are relayed through multiple connectors 506. Electromechanical connectors 505 eliminate wired connections and accurately position circuit components 502, including sensors required for control. Wireless connections eliminate the need for large-capacity capacitors and improve the reliability of the power drive.

[0067] refer to Fig. 6A , depicting the interface of a motor and a gearbox 601 according to an embodiment. In a particular embodiment, a plurality of low-friction circumferential locators 602 are used to ensure that the input shaft 603 is properly aligned to the input gear 604. In some embodiments, this construction provides efficient torque transfer from the motor to the gearbox 601 without using fasteners to secure the rotating shafts together. In further embodiments, this construction compensates for misalignment of the shafts and reduces runout errors of the connection, which can extend gear life and greatly reduce stress concentration at the connection interface. In some embodiments, the circumferential locators are located inside the gearbox 601. The resulting construction can allow multiple replacement of the input shaft without ring destruction. Moreover, the embodied rapid installation and removal assembly method can reduce the takt time in assembly and improve serviceability.

[0068] refer to Figure 6B , depicting Fig. 6A 605 and gearbox 601. In certain embodiments, alignment of the input shaft 603 to the gearbox 601 is achieved using geometric features 606 / 607 applied to both the motor 605 and the gearbox 601, respectively. In some embodiments, assembly of the drive train can include sliding the alignment features 606 on the motor into the alignment features 607 on the gearbox and positioning and securing the motor to the gearbox. Fig. 6A and Figure 6BThe embodiments depicted in allow for repeatable, simple alignment during installation without reliance on fasteners.

[0069] refer to Figure 7 , discloses an illustrative method for controlling the speed of a power-driven shoe according to an embodiment. In some embodiments, method 700 may include calculating the speed 701 of one shoe independently of another shoe based on one or more factors. In some embodiments, one or more factors include data received from one or more sensors, as disclosed herein. In a particular embodiment, calculating the speed 701 may further include estimating a gait trajectory and calculating a reference acceleration, as disclosed in U.S. Patent Application No. 17 / 421,479. The algorithm can be refined by introducing data from sensors associated with a motor and a battery. As a non-limiting example, data from a motor sensor can allow a control circuit 401 to amplify a gait trajectory based on a true trend (i.e., torque) of activity in the motor. In another non-limiting example, if a battery sensor detects a current indicating that a battery may be failing, the control circuit 401 can enhance the reference acceleration to maintain battery life. In some embodiments, the currently collected gait data can be referenced for stored historical gait data. In a further embodiment, the historical gait data may include the most recent steps taken by the user. Those of ordinary skill in the art will recognize that the inertial measurement unit may acquire extraneous data when the powered shoe is traveling on an uneven surface. In some embodiments, data collected from sensors associated with the motor or battery may be used to compensate for the extraneous data.

[0070] In some embodiments, the independent speed is communicated 702 with the control circuit 401 on the other shoe 100. In a particular embodiment, each shoe 100 cross-checks the locally calculated speed 704 against the speed 703 calculated by the other shoe and received from the other shoe. In the case where the locally calculated speed matches the remotely calculated speed, the system directs the motor to cause the shoe 100 to move at the calculated speed 706. In some cases where the locally calculated speed and the remotely calculated speed do not match, the correct speed 705 can be determined. In some embodiments, the correct speed includes a speed that causes safer user transportation. In some embodiments, calculating the correct speed includes selecting a smaller speed, selecting a speed closest to a previously determined speed, or selecting at least one of a speed within a threshold of a previously selected speed. In some cases where the locally calculated speed and the remotely calculated speed do not match, the control circuit 401 can send a signal indicating the mismatch via the network adapter 404. In some embodiments, the signal can be a negative confirmation. In other embodiments, the signal can include the calculated correct speed.

[0071] Those skilled in the art will note that in the distributed control system proposed herein, the power-driven shoes can improve performance because each shoe only requires one-way communication from the other shoe. By eliminating the feedback requirement for each command (i.e., two-way communication), both power-driven shoes can operate with improved responsiveness and synchronization. Moreover, the control circuit 401 on each power-driven shoe will face a smaller computational load due to the distribution, thereby limiting the computational bottleneck.

[0072] In certain embodiments, the network adapter 404 facilitates communication with a remote device configured to provide control input to the powered shoe. Figure 8 , depicts a system configuration 800 including a remote controller 801 and a left power-driven shoe 802 and a right power-driven shoe 803 according to an embodiment. In some embodiments, the remote controller 801 may be a mobile computing device, such as a cellular phone. In other embodiments, the remote controller 801 may be a dedicated device configured for control of the power-driven shoe 802 / 803. In some embodiments, the remote controller 801 may only set the configuration of the power-driven shoe 802 / 803 and read the status of the power-driven shoe 802 / 803. In some embodiments, the remote controller 801 may facilitate control of the entire system 800. In some embodiments, the remote controller 801 may receive a gait estimate 804 based on input from a single shoe. In further embodiments, the shoe may additionally calculate gait control based on real-time pre-processed data 805 exchange between the two power-driven shoes 802 / 803, as disclosed herein. Limiting the remote controller 801 to receiving estimates based on each single shoe may prevent communication or computational bottlenecks of the remote controller 801. In an alternative embodiment, the remote controller 801 may receive status information based on previously stored gait data based on the data exchange 805 between the powered shoes 802 / 803 .

[0073] In certain embodiments, the control circuit 401 can interpret the force applied to the roller of the power-driven shoe by sensing the motor torque. In some embodiments, the applied force is used as an additional input to classify whether the leg is in the swing phase or the stance phase by comparing the current roller force to a predetermined unloaded roller force. Fig. 9, depicts a method for predetermining no-load roller force 900 according to an embodiment. In some embodiments, predetermining no-load roller force 900 may require the use of a remote controller. In some embodiments, predetermining no-load roller force 900 may include positioning a shoe that is not subject to any external load 901, requesting calibration 902, commanding the shoe through a series of various drive train speeds 903, determining drive train load 904, and storing parameters 905. In some embodiments, calibration may be performed on the user's foot. In some embodiments, calibration may be performed on a mount of a power-driven shoe. Calibration of the mount may provide an initial calibration during manufacturing. In an alternative embodiment, the user may be required to provide an initial calibration before using the power-driven shoe. No-load roller force 900 is a significant indicator. Because during the swing phase, when the user's legs are in the air, only the motor torque may be required to overcome the friction in the gearbox. In comparison, during the stance phase, the motor torque will additionally overcome the friction between the roller and the ground.

[0074] In certain embodiments, the acceleration of the power-driven shoe can be determined based on the force applied to the shoe. In some embodiments, force-based acceleration is used in addition to gait-based acceleration. In other embodiments, force-based acceleration can be used as an alternative to gait-based acceleration.

[0075] refer to Fig.10 , a method 1000 for determining force-based acceleration according to an embodiment is shown. The method 1000 may include sensing the motor torque from the standing leg and the stride speed from the swinging leg 1001. Determining the standing of the leg may be performed using the above-mentioned comparison with the unloaded roller force. The system may convert the motor torque into a force tangential to the roller 1002. In some embodiments, the system may wait until a detectable consistent state in the gait 1003. In some embodiments, the state in the gait is the peak stride speed. In some embodiments, the system may obtain the current roller force 1004. In some embodiments, the roller force may be obtained a predefined number of times from the detection event. The roller force 1006 may be compared with the baseline roller force 1005. In some embodiments, the comparison includes subtracting the roller force 1006 from the baseline roller force 1005. In some embodiments, the baseline roller force is obtained at the detection event. In some embodiments, if there is no baseline roller force available, the controlled acceleration is set to zero for safety 1008. After comparison 1006 , the difference between the current roller force and the baseline roller force may be applied to determine a force-based acceleration 1007 .

[0076] In certain embodiments, various operating modes may be needed to accommodate changing commuting scenarios. The standard mode as described above allows the user to control the movement of the device (e.g., acceleration, deceleration, steering, and cruising) with their natural gait. In some embodiments, a stationary mode in which the rollers are locked may be introduced. Locking the rollers may include applying a braking system or applying a motor torque to keep the rollers in place. As a non-limiting example, the stationary mode may be advantageous when the user needs to use steps, board a vehicle, or traverse rough terrain. In further embodiments, additional modes may be available, such as freewheeling.

[0077] In certain embodiments, the user can change the mode through the interface on the remote controller or the power-driven shoe. In some embodiments, the user can change the mode through a gesture. In some embodiments, at least a portion of the mode change requires the shoe to be stationary to accommodate a safe transition. In some embodiments, a single input can be used to switch between multiple modes. In some embodiments, a first input can be bound to a transition from a first mode to a second mode, and a second input can be used for a transition from a second mode to a first mode. In some embodiments, the gesture for changing the mode can be preconfigured by the manufacturer or configured by the user. To switch to another mode, the user can perform a preconfigured gesture. In some embodiments, the gesture can include some combination of lifting the foot, putting the foot down, and tilting the foot vertically or horizontally. In further embodiments, a series of philosophical actions can be combined in a specified order to create a gesture sequence. In additional embodiments, a gesture sequence can be required to be completed in a predetermined time frame to change the mode. In some embodiments, a visual, sound, or tactile feedback response can inform the user of the change of mode. In some embodiments, a feedback response interface can be included in the power-driven shoe. In some embodiments, the feedback response interface can be included in the remote controller.

[0078] In certain embodiments, the system may start in an initialization mode. In some embodiments, for safety reasons, the initialization mode may include the roller being in a locked state. In some embodiments, the system may include one or more additional requirements for leaving the locked state of the initialization. In some embodiments, the requirements include the execution of a recent calibration.

[0079] refer to Fig.11, depicts an exemplary control method 1100 for two modes of operation according to an embodiment. In some embodiments, the device may enter a locked state or "mode one" 1101 upon power-up. The control circuitry may check whether the device is stationary 1102 and / or whether an unlock gesture is completed 1103 as a requirement for allowing the device to enter the standard mode "mode two" 1104. To return to "mode one" 1101, the control circuitry may check whether the device is stationary 1105 and / or whether a lock gesture is completed 1107. In some embodiments, entering "mode one" 1101 may additionally require performing an unlock gesture 1106.

[0080] While the present disclosure has been illustrated by its exemplary embodiments, and while the embodiments have been described in specific details, the applicant does not intend to narrow or in any way limit the scope of the appended claims to such details. Additional advantages and variations will readily occur to those skilled in the art. Therefore, the present disclosure in its broader aspects is not limited to any specific details, representative devices and methods, and / or illustrative examples shown and described. Therefore, departures from these details may be made without departing from the spirit or scope of the applicant's overall inventive concept.

[0081] In the above detailed description, reference is made to the accompanying drawings which form a part thereof. In the accompanying drawings, similar symbols generally identify similar parts unless the context dictates otherwise. The illustrative embodiments described in the present disclosure are not meant to be restrictive. Other embodiments may be used, and other changes may be made, without departing from the spirit or scope of the subject matter presented herein. It will be readily understood that the various features of the present disclosure as generally described herein and shown in the accompanying drawings may be arranged, replaced, combined, separated and designed in a variety of different configurations, all of which are clearly contemplated herein.

[0082] The present disclosure is not limited to the specific embodiments described in the present application, which are intended to serve as illustrations of various features. On the contrary, the present application is intended to cover any variation, use or adaptation of this teaching, and use its general principles. In addition, the present application is intended to cover such deviations from the present disclosure within known or conventional practices in the fields involved in these teachings. As will be apparent to those skilled in the art, many variations and changes can be made to the specific embodiments described without departing from the spirit and scope of the present disclosure. In addition to those listed herein, functionally equivalent methods and devices within the scope of the present disclosure will be apparent to those skilled in the art from the foregoing description. It should be understood that the present disclosure is not limited to specific methods, reagents, compounds, compositions or biological systems, which can certainly vary. It should also be understood that the terms used herein are only used to describe the purpose of specific embodiments, rather than to be limited.

[0083] The various and other features and functions disclosed above or their alternatives may be combined into many other different systems or applications. Various currently unforeseen or unanticipated alternatives, modifications, variations or improvements may be made subsequently by those skilled in the art, each of which is also intended to be covered by the disclosed embodiments.

Claims

1. A power-driven shoe, comprising: A sole, the sole comprising a sole portion and a toe portion; a plurality of rotatable rollers, the plurality of rotatable rollers being disposed below the sole; a motor, the motor being disposed under the sole, wherein the motor is drivingly connected to at least one rotatable roller among the plurality of rotatable rollers; a control circuit interfaced to the motor; and a network adapter, the network adapter interface being connected to the control circuit, Wherein, the network adapter is configured to communicate with the second powered shoe using one-way communication.

2. The power-driven shoe according to claim 1, wherein: The plurality of rotatable rollers include: a toe grouping of a rotatable roller, the toe grouping of the rotatable roller being disposed below the toe portion; a middle grouping of rotatable rollers disposed below a front portion of the heel portion; and A heel grouping of rotatable rollers is disposed below a rear portion of the heel portion.

3. The power-driven shoe according to claim 2, wherein: The motor interface is connected to at least one rotatable roller in the middle grouping and at least one rotatable roller in the rear grouping.

4. The power driven shoe according to any one of claims 1 to 3, further comprising a gear box housing, the gear box housing comprising a gear drive train system.

5. The power-driven shoe of claim 4, further comprising a strap configured to attach the power-driven shoe to a shoe or foot of a user, the strap directly interfacing to the gearbox housing.

6. The power-driven shoe according to claim 4 or 5, wherein: The control circuit is located in the gearbox housing.

7. The power driven shoe according to any one of claims 4 to 6, further comprising a power module within the gear box housing.

8. The power-driven shoe according to claim 7, wherein: The power module is connected to the control circuit via one or more electromechanical connector interfaces.

9. The power-driven shoe according to any one of claims 1 to 8, wherein: The motor is a brushless DC motor.

10. The powered shoe of claim 9, further comprising a Hall Effect sensor integrated into the motor and interfaced with the control circuit.

11. The power-driven shoe according to claim 10, wherein: The magnets of the motor extend beyond the length of the coils of the motor.

12. The power-driven shoe of any one of claims 1 to 11, further comprising an inertial measurement unit, the inertial measurement unit interfaced to the control circuit.

13. The power-driven shoe of any one of claims 1 to 12, further comprising a remote control device configured to interface to the network adapter.

14. A method of controlling the speed of a powered shoe, the method comprising: calculating a first speed of the powered shoe based on inputs from an inertial measurement unit and a motor sensor; sending the first speed to the paired power-driven shoe; receiving a second speed from the paired powered shoe; determining whether the first speed and the second speed match; In response to the first speed and the second speed not matching: determining a safer speed between the first speed and the second speed; as well as Allowing the motor to operate at the safer speed; In response to the first speed and the second speed matching, the motor is operated at the first speed.

15. The method according to claim 14, wherein: Calculating the first speed further comprises: detecting motor torque from the motor sensor; determining a gait state of the power-driven shoe based on the motor torque; converting the motor torque into a force tangential to a roller of the power-driven shoe; and In response to detecting a predetermined gait state: Get the roller force; normalizing the roller force based on a baseline roller force; determining an acceleration based on the normalized roller force; and The first speed is determined based on the acceleration.

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