Variable channel controllable electrical muscle stimulation system and method

Abstract

A variable channel controllable electrical muscle stimulation system and method are disclosed that transmit control signals to a plurality of electrode channels through individual channels to apply electrical muscle stimulation to a specific body part. The electrical muscle stimulation system according to an embodiment of the present invention includes a plurality of electrode pads that are provided on a body that is wearable by a user or that is contactable with the user's body and spaced apart at positions corresponding to various body parts, and a controller that outputs a plurality of control signals to the plurality of electrode pads through a plurality of individual channels and individually controls the plurality of electrode pads according to the plurality of control signals. The controller selects one or more active electrode pads from the plurality of electrode pads according to a target position and a target strength of the electrical muscle stimulation to be induced in the user's body, and determines the control signal.

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to an electrical muscle stimulation system, and more particularly to a variable channel controllable electrical muscle stimulation system and method. [Background technology]

[0002] Electrical Muscle Stimulation (EMS) devices have recently been used to attach to certain areas of the body surface to enhance the effects of massage, treatment, and exercise. Electrical muscle stimulation devices electrically stimulate the muscles adjacent to the area where they are attached, causing them to contract, allowing the user to increase muscle strength, promote blood circulation, recover from fatigue, and get massages without any strain on the joints or other exercises that would result from them.

[0003] Conventional electrical muscle stimulation devices have a problem that it is difficult to focus electrical stimulation on a specific body part desired by a user because a control signal is transmitted to multiple electrode pads through a single channel, and also, because electrical muscle stimulation is limited to the attachment positions of the electrode pads, it is difficult to effectively deliver electrical stimulation to body areas where electrode pads are not attached, and it is difficult to diversify the locations where electrical muscle stimulation occurs. Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] The present invention provides a variable channel controllable electrical muscle stimulation system and method that transmits control signals to a plurality of electrode channels through individual channels to apply electrical muscle stimulation to specific body parts.

[0005] In addition, the present invention provides an electrical muscle stimulation system and method that can effectively deliver electrical stimulation to body areas where electrode pads are not attached and can diversify the locations at which electrical muscle stimulation occurs.

[0006] The technical problems to be solved by the present invention are not limited to those mentioned above. Other technical problems not mentioned will be clearly understood by those having ordinary skill in the art to which the present invention pertains from the following description. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] An electrical muscle stimulation system according to an embodiment of the present invention includes a main body that is wearable by a user or that is capable of coming into contact with a user's body, a plurality of electrode pads that are provided on the main body and spaced apart at positions corresponding to various parts of the body, and a controller that outputs a plurality of control signals to the plurality of electrode pads through a plurality of individual channels and individually controls the plurality of electrode pads in response to the plurality of control signals.

[0008] The control unit selects one or more active electrode pads from the plurality of electrode pads according to a target position and a target strength of electrical muscle stimulation to be induced in the user's body and determines the control signal.

[0009] The plurality of electrode pads selectively operate as the active electrode pads in response to the control signals transmitted through the individual channels, and the active electrode pads generate electrical signals for electrical muscle stimulation in response to the control signals.

[0010] The control unit may determine the plurality of control signals according to at least one of the user type and the body part where the electrical muscle stimulation is to be induced, and may determine the plurality of control signals differently according to a plurality of preset setting modes.

[0011] The controller may transmit the control signal to the electrode pads through a plurality of channels and may generate the control signal independently for each of the channels corresponding to the plurality of setting modes to adjust a frequency and intensity of the electrical signal.

[0012] The control unit can select a plurality of working electrode pads from among the plurality of electrode pads that generate the electrical signal according to a target position and a target strength of the electrical muscle stimulation, and can determine a frequency and strength of the electrical signal according to the positions of the plurality of working electrode pads, the target position, and the target strength.

[0013] The control unit can set an electrical muscle stimulation area according to a target position and a target intensity of the electrical muscle stimulation, and select an electrode pad located within the electrical muscle stimulation area among the multiple electrode pads as the active electrode pad.

[0014] The control unit can extract a plurality of electrode pad combinations for three or more electrode pads located within the electrical muscle stimulation area, analyze the generation position and generation intensity of the electrical muscle stimulation for each of the plurality of electrode pad combinations, determine an electrode pad combination among the plurality of electrode pad combinations that shows the generation position and generation intensity that best match the target position and the target intensity, and select it as the operating electrode pad.

[0015] An electrical muscle stimulation method according to an embodiment of the present invention includes a step of outputting a plurality of control signals through a plurality of individual channels to a plurality of electrode pads disposed at positions corresponding to various parts of the human body, the electrode pads being disposed on a main body that is wearable by a user or that is capable of contacting the user's body, by a control unit, and individually controlling the plurality of electrode pads in response to the plurality of control signals.

[0016] The controlling step includes a step of selecting one or more active electrode pads from the plurality of electrode pads according to a target position and a target strength of electrical muscle stimulation to be induced in the user's body and determining the control signal, and a step of generating an electrical signal for electrical muscle stimulation in response to the control signal by an active electrode pad selectively operating in response to the control signal transmitted through the individual channel among the plurality of electrode pads.

[0017] The controlling step may include a step of determining the plurality of control signals according to at least one of the type of the user and the body part in which the electrical muscle stimulation is to be induced, and determining the plurality of control signals differently for each of a plurality of preset setting modes.

[0018] The controlling step may include transmitting the control signal to the electrode pads through a plurality of channels, and generating the control signal independently for each of the channels corresponding to the plurality of setting modes to adjust a frequency and intensity of the electrical signal.

[0019] The controlling step may include the steps of selecting a plurality of working electrode pads from among the plurality of electrode pads that generate the electrical signal in response to a target position and a target strength of the electrical muscle stimulation, and determining a frequency and strength of the electrical signal in response to positions of the plurality of working electrode pads, the target position, and the target strength.

[0020] The controlling step may include a step of setting an electrical muscle stimulation area according to a target position and a target intensity of the electrical muscle stimulation, and a step of selecting an electrode pad located within the electrical muscle stimulation area from among the plurality of electrode pads as the active electrode pad.

[0021] The controlling step may include a step of extracting a plurality of electrode pad combinations for three or more electrode pads located within the electrical muscle stimulation area, a step of analyzing the generation position and generation intensity of the electrical muscle stimulation for each of the plurality of electrode pad combinations, and a step of determining an electrode pad combination that shows a generation position and generation intensity that best match the target position and the target intensity from among the plurality of electrode pad combinations and selecting it as the operating electrode pad.

[0022] The controlling step may include the steps of: comparing a distance between the target position of the electrical muscle stimulation and the plurality of working electrode pads with an electrode distance between each of the plurality of working electrode pads; predicting energy of an electrical pulse to be transmitted from each of the working electrode pads to the target position according to an electrical pulse propagation characteristic, taking into account a human tissue characteristic between each of the working electrode pads and the target position; and determining a control signal to be applied to the plurality of working electrode pads by attenuating at least one of an electrical pulse size and an electrical pulse frequency generated at each of the working electrode pads from a target pulse size or a target pulse frequency, reflecting a ratio of the distance to the electrode distance and the electrical pulse propagation characteristic.

[0023] According to an embodiment of the present invention, there is provided a non-transitory computer-readable recording medium having a program recorded thereon for executing the electrical muscle stimulation method. Effect of the Invention

[0024] According to an embodiment of the present invention, a variable channel controllable electrical muscle stimulation system and method are provided that transmit control signals to a plurality of electrode channels through individual channels to apply electrical muscle stimulation to a specific body part.

[0025] In addition, according to an embodiment of the present invention, an electrical muscle stimulation system and an electrical muscle stimulation method are provided that can effectively deliver electrical stimulation to body areas where electrode pads are not attached and can diversify the location where electrical muscle stimulation occurs.

[0026] The effects that can be obtained by the present invention are not limited to those mentioned above. Other effects not mentioned will be clearly understood by those having ordinary skill in the art to which the present invention pertains from the following description. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0027] [Figure 1] 1 illustrates an electrical muscle stimulation system according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Diagram 2] 1 is a diagram showing an electrical muscle stimulation system according to another embodiment of the present invention. [Diagram 3] 3 is a diagram illustrating a schematic diagram of the electrical muscle stimulation system according to the embodiment of FIG. 2 in use; [Figure 4] 3 is a diagram showing the shape of a bathtub constituting the electrical muscle stimulation system of FIG. 2 as seen from above. [Diagram 5] FIG. 1 is a block diagram of an electrical muscle stimulation system in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 6] 1 is a flow diagram of a method for electrical muscle stimulation according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 7] 1 is a flow chart of a method for electrical muscle stimulation according to an embodiment of the present invention; [Figure 8] FIG. 8 is a flow chart showing step S40 of FIG. 7. [Figure 9] 1 is an exemplary diagram illustrating an electrical muscle stimulation method according to an embodiment of the present invention; [Figure 10] 4 is a flow chart of an electrical muscle stimulation method according to another embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 11] 11 is an exemplary diagram for explaining the electrical muscle stimulation method according to the embodiment of FIG. 10. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0028] Other advantages and features of the present invention, and methods for achieving the same, will become apparent from the following detailed description of the embodiments in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. However, the present invention is not limited to the embodiments disclosed below, and may be embodied in various different forms, and the present embodiments are merely provided to complete the disclosure of the present invention and to fully inform those skilled in the art of the invention of the scope of the invention, and the present invention is only defined by the scope of the claims.

[0029] Even if not defined, all terms (including technical or scientific terms) used herein have the same meaning as commonly accepted by the art common to the prior art to which this invention belongs. Terms defined by general dictionaries can be interpreted to have the same meaning as they have in the relevant art and / or the text of this application, and are not to be conceptualized or interpreted excessively formally even if they are not clearly defined expressions.

[0030] The same reference numerals refer to the same elements throughout the specification. This specification does not describe all elements of the embodiments, and content common in the technical field to which the disclosed invention belongs or content that overlaps with the embodiments will be omitted. The term 'module' used in the specification refers to a unit that processes at least one function or operation, and may be embodied in, for example, software, FPGA, or hardware.

[0031] The functions provided by the 'module' may be performed separately by multiple components or may be integrated with other additional components, and multiple 'modules' may be embodied in one component. The 'module' in this specification is not necessarily limited to software or hardware, and may be configured to be in an addressable storage medium or to execute one or more processors.

[0032] The terms "first", "second", etc. are used to distinguish one component from another component, and are not intended to limit the components to the terms previously described. The singular term "a" includes the plural term unless the context clearly dictates otherwise. As used herein, the term "and / or" refers to each of the listed components or various combinations thereof.

[0033] The identification numbers given to each step constituting the method according to the embodiment of the present invention are used merely for the sake of simplicity of description, and do not indicate the order of each step, and unless a specific order is clearly stated in the context, the steps may be performed in a different order than that specified. Hereinafter, the operation principle and embodiments of the disclosed present invention will be described with reference to the attached drawings.

[0034] 1 is a diagram showing an electrical muscle stimulation system according to an embodiment of the present invention. Referring to FIG 1, an electrical muscle stimulation system 100 according to an embodiment of the present invention may include a main body 110, a plurality of electrode pads 120 provided on the main body 110, and a control device 130 that controls the plurality of electrode pads 120 to generate an electrical signal for electrical muscle stimulation through at least one active electrode pad among the plurality of electrode pads 120.

[0035] The electrical muscle stimulation system 100 can be used in the form of a suit, band, patch, etc. worn by the user in the air or underwater, or in the form of a spa in a bathtub. The user can wear the suit, band, patch, etc. constituting the electrical muscle stimulation system 100 in the air or underwater state, or in the form of a spa in a bathtub equipped with a plurality of electrode pads 120, and apply stimulation to the muscles in an electrical manner by the electrical muscle stimulation system 100 to provide health care and rejuvenation treatment, or provide human body sensory stimulation realized by a virtual reality and / or augmented reality system such as a virtual reality (VR) / augmented reality (AR) game.

[0036] The main body 110 may be provided to be wearable by a user or to be in contact with the user's body as a component supporting the electrode pad 120. The main body 110 may be provided in the form of a suit, band, patch, etc. that can be worn by a user. Alternatively, as in the embodiment of Figs. 2 to 4 described below, the main body 110 may be provided in the form of a bathtub so that the user can receive electrical muscle stimulation in a spa-like manner.

[0037] 1, the main body 110 may include an upper suit 112 that is provided so that the user can wear it on the upper body, an undergarment suit 114 that is provided so that the user can wear it on the lower body, and one or more bands 116, 118 that are provided so that the user can wear it by wrapping it around a body part such as an arm, a leg, or an abdomen. Alternatively, the main body 110 may be provided in the form of a patch that is attached to the user's body.

[0038] A plurality of electrode pads 120 may be provided on one or more of the main bodies 110 and spaced apart at positions corresponding to various body parts of the user. For example, the electrode pads 120 may include one or more electrode pads 122 provided on the outerwear suit 112, one or more electrode pads 124 provided on the innerwear suit 114, and one or more electrode pads 126, 128 provided on one or more bands 116, 118 worn on the arms, legs, etc.

[0039] The electrode pads 120 are made of a conductive material and may be disposed on the inner surface of the main body 110 that comes into contact with the user's body when the user wears the main body 110 so as to effectively transmit electrical stimulation to the user's muscles. Each electrode pad 120 may selectively operate as an active electrode pad in response to a control signal transmitted from the control device 130 through an individual channel. The electrode pads 120 operating as active electrode pads may generate an electrical signal for applying electrical stimulation to the user's muscles in response to the control signal transmitted from the control device 130.

[0040] The control device 130 may be provided in the main body 110 or outside the main body 110. The control device 130 may be connected to each electrode pad 120 via wired or wireless communication. The control device 130 may include a controller. The controller may include at least one processor. The controller may output a plurality of control signals to the plurality of electrode pads 120 through a plurality of individual channels. The controller may individually control the plurality of electrode pads 120 in response to the plurality of control signals transmitted through the plurality of individual channels.

[0041] For example, the control signal output from the controller may be an electrical signal. That is, the controller may be provided with an electrical signal output unit (not shown) from which the control signal may be transmitted in the form of an electrical signal to the electrode pad 120 through an individual channel and output through the electrode pad 120. In this case, the control signal may be transmitted to the electrode pad 120 in the form of an electrical pulse having a pulse size and a pulse frequency.

[0042] As another example, the control signal output from the controller may be an electrode control signal, not an electrical pulse, and transmitted to the electrode pad 120. In this case, the control signal output from the controller may include pulse size information and pulse frequency information of the electrical signal output through the electrode pad 120, or may include information for identifying the electrical pulse of the electrical signal, and the electrode pad 120 may include an electrical signal output unit that generates and outputs an electrical pulse in response to the control signal transmitted from the controller.

[0043] The control device 130 may be provided with an input unit (not shown) that allows the user to input a target position and a target intensity of the electrical muscle stimulation. When the target position and the target intensity of the electrical muscle stimulation to be induced in the user's body are input through the input unit of the control device 130, the control unit may select one or more operating electrode pads from the plurality of electrode pads 120 according to the input target position and the target intensity of the electrical muscle stimulation, and determine a control signal to be applied to the selected operating electrode pads.

[0044] In one embodiment, the user may input a target position and a target strength by selecting one or more of various body parts such as shoulders, chest, neck, arms, wrists, waist, thighs, calves, etc., through the input unit. As another example, the user may determine a target position of electrical muscle stimulation by inputting, for example, by touching a position to which electrical muscle stimulation is to be applied or focused on a human body image displayed on the input unit.

[0045] The control unit of the control device 130 can select one or more working electrode pads that match the target position and target intensity of electrical muscle stimulation input by the user through the input unit from among the plurality of electrode pads 120. To this end, position information on where each electrode pad 120 is positioned when the user wears the main body 110 can be preset in a storage unit of the control device 130.

[0046] The electrode pad 120 can generate an electrical signal in response to a control signal transmitted from the control unit of the control device 130 to provide electrical stimulation to a user's muscle corresponding to a target position of electrical muscle stimulation. The current strength and / or frequency of the electrical signal generated from the electrode pad 120 can be adjusted in response to a control signal transmitted from the control unit through an individual channel.

[0047] The control device 130 can individually (independently) set the level (current strength level and / or frequency level) of the electrical signal generated by each part through the electrode pad 120. The control device 130 can further include a notification unit (not shown). The notification unit can perform a function of notifying the user of various electrical muscle stimulation information such as the position and intensity of the electrical stimulation applied to the user. The notification unit can notify the user of information in any manner, such as by displaying information on a display screen or by outputting sound through a speaker.

[0048] Fig. 2 is a diagram showing an electrical muscle stimulation system according to another embodiment of the present invention. Fig. 3 is a diagram showing a schematic state of use of the electrical muscle stimulation system according to the embodiment of Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is a diagram showing the shape of a bathtub constituting the electrical muscle stimulation system of Fig. 2 as viewed from above.

[0049] 2 to 4, an electrical muscle stimulation system 100 according to an embodiment of the present invention is different from the embodiment of Fig. 1 in that it is configured to deliver electrical muscle stimulation in a spa-like manner while the user is underwater in a bathtub. The electrical muscle stimulation system 100 includes a main body 110 embodied in the form of a bathtub, a number of electrode pads 120 distributed and arranged on the main body 110, a control device 130, and a user terminal 140.

[0050] Bathtubs are installed in various facilities such as homes, accommodations, and businesses, and can be filled with water and replaced with various items that people enter. The electrode pads 120 can be provided in an area that comes into contact with the human body within the inner area of ​​the bathtub-shaped body 110. The electrode pads 120 can stimulate the user's motor nerves by outputting electrical pulses in response to a control signal in the form of an electrical signal provided by the control device 130 to apply electrical stimulation to the human body. Through this, the user can strengthen the muscles of the body or obtain a massage effect.

[0051] For example, the electrode pad 120 may be provided on an area that contacts or is adjacent to at least one of the trapezius, back, waist, upper hips, lower hips, upper thighs, lower thighs, calves, or soles when a person lies down in the bathtub. A battery for operating the electrode pad 120 may be installed inside the bathtub and may be connected to the control device 130 or an external power source through an electric wire.

[0052] The control unit of the control device 130 may include an oscillator unit. The oscillator unit of the control device 130 may generate electrical pulses through the electrode pads 120 based on the control data, and may generate electrical pulses having various sizes and frequencies according to the purpose of massage, muscle strengthening, electrical stimulation position, etc.

[0053] For example, the oscillator may include a pulse generating unit capable of generating an electric pulse, a display unit capable of displaying a pulse output mode or a pulse output intensity, an adjustment unit capable of adjusting the pulse output mode or the pulse output intensity, etc. The control device 130 may generate control data for controlling the electric pulse, for example, data for controlling the size of the current and the size of the voltage constituting the pulse (pulse size) or the frequency (pulse frequency) and the level of the pulse.

[0054] The oscillator may generate an electrical pulse whose size and frequency are controlled based on the control data generated by the controller 130, and the generated electrical pulse may be output through the electrode pad 120. The controller 130 may generate control data based on a control command input from a user for controlling the size or frequency of the electrical pulse and the level of the electrical pulse. The control data thus generated may be used to control the electrical pulse generated by the oscillator.

[0055] The user terminal 140 may be provided as a device such as a smartphone, tablet, or PC. An application capable of controlling the electrical muscle stimulation system 100 may be stored in a storage medium in the user terminal 140. A user of the electrical muscle stimulation system 100 may input a control command after executing the application installed in the user terminal 140. The user terminal 140 may generate control data based on the input control command and transmit the control data to the control device 130 via wired / wireless communication. An electrical pulse generated through an oscillator of the control device 130 may be controlled based on the control data transmitted from the user terminal 140.

[0056] The control command may be a command to output electrical pulses having different sizes and frequencies for each electrode pad 120 corresponding to various electrical muscle stimulation target positions 12, 14, 16. For example, the control command may be a command to output electrical pulses of a first level from the electrode pad 120 corresponding to the thigh position, and to output electrical pulses of a second level from the electrode pad 120 corresponding to the waist position.

[0057] The control data may be data that causes an electrical pulse of the same level as the control command to be generated through the oscillator of the control device 130. More specifically, the first control data may be data that causes an electrical pulse of the first level to be output from the electrode pads 120 corresponding to the thigh position and an electrical pulse of the second level to be output from the electrode pads 120 corresponding to the waist position, similar to the control command.

[0058] 5 is a block diagram of an electrical muscle stimulation system according to an embodiment of the present invention. Referring to FIG. 5, a plurality of electrode pads 120 (120A, 120B, 120C) can selectively operate as active electrode pads in response to control signals transmitted through individual channels (channel A, channel B, channel C). In response to control signals provided from the control device 130 through the individual channels (channel A, channel B, channel C), the active electrode pads among the plurality of electrode pads 120 can generate electrical signals for electrical muscle stimulation.

[0059] The control device 130 may include a communication unit 132 for communicating with the user terminal 140 and the electrode pads 120, a control unit 134 for generating control signals to be provided to the electrode pads 120 and outputting them to the electrode pads 120 through individual channels, and a storage unit 136 for storing data related to electrical muscle stimulation.

[0060] The control unit 134 can generate a wired control signal and / or a wireless control signal for controlling the operation of the electrical muscle stimulation system 100. The communication unit provided in the control device 130 can communicate with the user terminal 140 through a wired / wireless communication network and transmit a wired / wireless control signal to the electrode pads 120 provided on a suit, a bathtub, or the like.

[0061] 6 is a flow chart of an electrical muscle stimulation method according to an embodiment of the present invention. Referring to FIG. 5 and FIG. 6, the controller 134 can select a plurality of working electrode pads that generate an electrical signal from among the plurality of electrode pads 120 according to a target position and a target strength of the electrical muscle stimulation (S10).

[0062] The control unit 134 may determine a plurality of different control signals for a plurality of preset modes according to the type of user (gender, age, body type, etc.), the body part inducing the electrical muscle stimulation, and the type of electrical muscle stimulation (exercise, revitalization, fatigue recovery, massage, etc.) (S20). The plurality of preset modes may be set for various body parts, for example, the chest, shoulders, back, waist, thighs, arms, etc.

[0063] The controller 134 can determine a control signal to be applied to a selected operating electrode pad from among the plurality of electrode pads 120 and transmit the control signal to the operating electrode pad through an individual channel (S30). Thus, the controller 134 can generate a control signal independently for each channel corresponding to a plurality of setting modes and adjust the frequency and intensity of the electrical signal output through the plurality of operating electrode pads.

[0064] 7 is a flow chart of an electrical muscle stimulation method according to an embodiment of the present invention. Referring to FIG. 5 and FIG. 7, the control unit 134 can select one or more active electrode pads from among the plurality of electrode pads according to a target position and a target strength of the electrical muscle stimulation to be induced in the user's body (S40). The control unit 134 can determine the frequency and strength of the electrical signal according to the positions, target positions, and target strength of the plurality of active electrode pads (S50).

[0065] Fig. 8 is a flow chart showing step S40 of Fig. 7. Fig. 9 is an example diagram for explaining an electrical muscle stimulation method according to an embodiment of the present invention. Referring to Figs. 5, 7 to 9, the control unit 134 can set an electrical muscle stimulation area within a set distance centered on a target position PT according to a target position PT and a target strength of the electrical muscle stimulation (S42). The electrical muscle stimulation area can be set to, for example, a circular, spherical, square, etc. The control unit 134 can select an electrode pad located within the electrical muscle stimulation area from among the plurality of electrode pads as an active electrode pad (S44).

[0066] 9, the controller 134 can select two electrode pads located within an electrical muscle stimulation area set according to a target position and a target strength of the electrical muscle stimulation 20 as the active electrode pads 120A and 120B. The controller 134 can determine the control signals to be applied to the active electrode pads 120A and 120B to apply the electrical muscle stimulation 20 to the target position PT.

[0067] The control unit 134 can determine the stimulation strength and frequency of the control signal applied to the working electrode pads 120A, 120B according to the distances DA, DB between the target position PT of the electrical muscle stimulation 20 and the working electrode pads 120A, 120B. For example, the control unit 134 can determine the control signal applied to the working electrode pads 120A, 120B by attenuating the stimulation strength and / or frequency in proportion to the distances DA, DB between the target position PT of the electrical muscle stimulation 20 and the working electrode pads 120A, 120B.

[0068] For example, the control unit 134 may compare a first distance DA between the target position PT of the electrical muscle stimulation 20 and the first working electrode pad 120A with the electrode distance between the first working electrode pad 120A and the second working electrode pad 120B, and attenuate the electrical pulse size generated at the first working electrode pad 120A to a first pulse magnitude with a target pulse size (target intensity) reflecting the ratio of the first distance DA to the electrode distance.

[0069] In addition, the control unit 134 compares the second distance DB between the target position PT of the electrical muscle stimulation 20 and the second working electrode pad 120B with the electrode distance between the first working electrode pad 120A and the second working electrode pad 120B, and can attenuate the electrical pulse size generated at the second working electrode pad 120B to a second pulse magnitude at the target pulse size (target intensity) by reflecting the ratio of the second distance DB to the electrode distance.

[0070] When an electrical pulse of a first pulse size is output from the first working electrode pad 120A and an electrical pulse of a second pulse size is output from the second working electrode pad 120B, an electrical pulse corresponding to the target strength (target magnitude) is induced at the target position PT of the electrical muscle stimulation 20, so that the effects of exercise, revitalization, massage, etc. can be concentrated on the specific body part desired by the user.

[0071] As another example, the control unit 134 can compare a first distance DA between the target position PT of the electrical muscle stimulation 20 and the first working electrode pad 120A with the electrode distance between the first working electrode pad 120A and the second working electrode pad 120B, and attenuate the frequency of the electrical pulse generated at the first working electrode pad 120A from the target pulse frequency (target pulse energy) to a first pulse frequency (first pulse energy) reflecting the ratio of the first distance DA to the electrode distance.

[0072] In addition, the control unit 134 compares the second distance DB between the target position PT of the electrical muscle stimulation 20 and the second working electrode pad 120B with the electrode distance between the first working electrode pad 120A and the second working electrode pad 120B, and can attenuate the frequency of the electrical pulse generated at the second working electrode pad 120B from the target pulse frequency (target pulse energy) to a second pulse frequency (second pulse energy) reflecting the ratio of the second distance DB to the electrode distance.

[0073] When an electrical pulse of a first pulse frequency is output from the first operating electrode pad 120A and an electrical pulse of a second pulse frequency is output from the second operating electrode pad 120B, an electrical pulse corresponding to a target intensity (target energy) is induced at the target position PT of the electrical muscle stimulation 20, so that the effects of exercise, revitalization, massage, etc. can be concentrated on a specific body part desired by the user.

[0074] In addition, the control unit 134 may determine a control signal that induces electrical muscle stimulation of a target strength at the target position PT by the electrical pulse generated by the operating electrode pads 120A, 120B by adjusting the pulse size and pulse frequency in a composite manner according to the positions of the operating electrode pads 120A, 120B and the target position PT of the electrical muscle stimulation.

[0075] At this time, the control unit 134 attenuates the electrical pulse energy generated at each of the operating electrode pads 120A, 120B in proportion to the operating electrode pads 120A, 120B and the target position PT, and can determine the size and frequency of the electrical pulse generated at the operating electrode pads 120A, 120B so that the sum of the electrical pulse energies generated at the operating electrode pads 120A, 120B and transmitted to the target position PT is equal to the target pulse energy.

[0076] In an embodiment of the present invention, the control unit 134 can predict the energy of the electrical pulse to be transmitted to the target position PT according to the propagation characteristics of the electrical pulse, taking into consideration not only the distance between the operating electrode pads 120A, 120B and the target position PT for electrical muscle stimulation, but also the characteristics of the human tissue (fat, muscle ratio, bone, etc.) between the operating electrode pads 120A, 120B and the target position PT for electrical muscle stimulation.

[0077] At this time, the human tissue and electrical pulse propagation characteristics may be preset for each body region. For example, the human tissue / electrical pulse propagation characteristics for each body region may be determined by summing the electrical pulse propagation characteristics defined for each tissue type, such as fat, muscle, bone, etc., while reflecting the ratio of fat, muscle, and bone in each body region.

[0078] 9, two working electrode pads 120A and 120B are illustrated as an example, but a control signal may be applied to three or more working electrode pads through individual channels to induce a targeted electrical pulse at a target position PT. In this case, the electrical pulse propagation may be analyzed in three-dimensional directions to determine the control signal to be applied to three or more working electrode pads so as to satisfy all of the targeted electrical muscle stimulation conditions for each direction.

[0079] The embodiment of Fig. 9 can be applied to applications that apply a realistic stimulus to the user's body according to the impact position (position where an impact was received) in, for example, VR / AR games, survival games, etc. In this case, a sensor (e.g., a pressure sensor or other sensor) can be provided on a suit, band, patch, etc., or the impact position received by the user can be detected through information on an opponent's attack, etc., and the detected impact position can be set as the target position for electrical muscle stimulation.

[0080] The active electrode pads selected among the electrode pads 120 can be adjusted according to the impact size and the electrical muscle stimulation area that changes accordingly. For example, if the impact size is large, the number of active electrode pads can be increased in proportion to the impact size so that the area of ​​stimulation received by the user is larger.

[0081] Meanwhile, the control unit 134 may determine a control signal (such as the pulse size and pulse frequency of the electrical signal) to be generated by the electrode pad 120 to apply electrical muscle stimulation to a specific body position of the user based on an artificial intelligence model trained on the learning data.

[0082] The target strength (target magnitude) of the electrical muscle stimulation can be adjusted according to the impact received by the user in VR / AR games, survival games, etc. For example, in the case of a survival game, it can be adjusted according to the pressure (impact) value sensed by the suit worn by the user and the degree of pain felt by the user according to the location of the impact. The degree of pain felt by the user according to the impact location can be preset for each body part.

[0083] The embodiment of the present invention may be used not only for VR / AR games and survival games, but also for receiving electrical muscle stimulation for the purpose of exercise, revitalization, fatigue recovery, massage, etc. for body parts where electrode pads are not located. That is, if a user inputs a body part for which electrical muscle stimulation is to be received through a user terminal, the control unit accordingly determines an operating electrode pad and a control signal, so that appropriate electrical muscle stimulation can be applied to the input body part, thereby maximizing the effect of electrical muscle stimulation on the corresponding body part.

[0084] As described above, according to the electrical muscle stimulation method according to an embodiment of the present invention, the location at which electrical stimulation occurs is not limited to the location of the electrode pads, and electrical pulses of appropriate size and / or frequency can be applied to various body locations between the electrode pads, thereby applying electrical muscle stimulation to the user.

[0085] Figure 10 is a flow chart of an electrical muscle stimulation method according to another embodiment of the present invention. Figure 11 is an example diagram for explaining the electrical muscle stimulation method according to the embodiment of Figure 10. Referring to Figures 5, 10 and 11, the control unit 134 can extract a plurality of electrode pad combinations for three or more electrode pads located within an electrical muscle stimulation area (S60).

[0086] At this time, the control unit 134 can determine the same electrode pad combination for the electrode pads located in areas symmetrical to each other on both sides of the target position PT of the electrical muscle stimulation 20 among three or more electrode pads located within the electrical muscle stimulation area.

[0087] Alternatively, the control unit 134 may determine three or more electrode pads that are part of all the electrode pads located within the electrical muscle stimulation area as an electrode pad combination. In this case, at least two electrode pads included in the same electrode pad combination are located in areas symmetrical to each other on both sides of the target position PT.

[0088] Taking the example of Figure 11, the control unit 134 can extract two electrode pad combinations G1 and G2 for four electrode pads 120A, 120B, 120C, and 120D located within an electrical muscle stimulation area that is set according to the target position PT and target intensity of the electrical muscle stimulation 20.

[0089] The control unit 134 can analyze the generation position and generation strength of the electrical muscle stimulation for each of the plurality of electrode pad combinations (S70). The control unit 134 can determine the electrode pad combination showing the generation position and generation strength that best match the target position and target strength from among the plurality of electrode pad combinations G1 and G2, and finally select it as the operating electrode pad to which the electrical pulse is applied (S80).

[0090] The control unit 134 can, for example, first analyze the electrical pulses induced at the target positions PT for each electrode pad combination G1, G2 according to the embodiment of Figure 9, and then compare the electrical pulses analyzed to be induced at the target positions PT for each electrode pad combination G1, G2 with the target electrical pulses to determine the electrical pulse similarity.

[0091] As described above, the control unit 134 determines the stimulation strength and frequency, etc. of the control signal to be applied to the working electrode pads 120A, 120B, 120C, 120D according to the distances DA, DB, DC, DD between the target position PT of the electrical muscle stimulation 20 and the working electrode pads 120A, 120B, 120C, 120D, and can compare the generation position and generation strength of the electrical stimulation induced at the target position PT with the target stimulation position and target stimulation strength.

[0092] The control unit 134 analyzes the generation position and generation strength of the electrical muscle stimulation for each of the multiple electrode pad combinations G1 and G2, determines one electrode pad combination (the electrode pad combination that shows the result most similar to the target pulse) that shows the generation position and generation strength that best match the target position and target strength among the multiple electrode pad combinations, and selects the electrode pad of the corresponding electrode pad combination as the active electrode pad.

[0093] The control unit 134 can select, as active electrode pads, two or more electrode pads located within an electrical muscle stimulation area that is set according to a target position and a target strength of the electrical muscle stimulation 20. The control unit 134 can determine a control signal to be applied to the active electrode pads to apply the electrical muscle stimulation 20 to the target position PT.

[0094] The electrical muscle stimulation system and method according to the described embodiments of the present invention may be embodied in the form of a program that can be driven by a processor. Here, the program may include program instructions, data files, data structures, etc., either alone or in combination. The program may be designed and created using machine code or high-level language code.

[0095] The program may be specially designed to implement the above-mentioned method, and may be implemented using various functions and definitions known and available to those of ordinary skill in the art in the field of computer software. The program for implementing the above-mentioned method may be recorded on a recording medium readable by a processor. In this case, the recording medium may be a memory.

[0096] The memory can store programs for performing the above-mentioned and below-mentioned operations, and the memory can execute the stored programs. When there are multiple processors and memories, they can be integrated into one chip, or can be provided in physically separated locations. The memory can include volatile memories such as SRAM (Static Random Access Memory, S-RAM) and DRAM (Dynamic Random Access Memory) for temporarily storing data.

[0097] The memory may include non-volatile memory such as ROM (Read Only Memory), EPRPM (Erasable Programmable Read Only Memory), EEPROM (Electrically Erasable Programmable Read Only Memory) for long-term storage of control programs and control data. The processor may include various logic circuits and arithmetic circuits, and may process data according to a program provided from the memory and generate a control signal according to the processing result.

[0098] At least one component may be added or removed depending on the performance of the components described above, and the relative positions of the components may be changed depending on the performance or structure of the system, as will be easily understood by those skilled in the art.

[0099] The disclosed embodiments have been described above with reference to the attached drawings. It is understood by those skilled in the art that the present invention can be embodied in other forms than the disclosed embodiments without changing the technical concept or essential features of the present invention. The disclosed embodiments are illustrative and should not be construed as being limited.

Claims

1. A main body that is wearable by a user or that can come into contact with a human body of a user; A plurality of electrode pads are provided on the main body and spaced apart from each other at positions corresponding to various body parts; a control unit that outputs a plurality of control signals to the plurality of electrode pads through a plurality of individual channels and individually controls the plurality of electrode pads in response to the plurality of control signals; The control unit selects one or more active electrode pads from the plurality of electrode pads according to a target position and a target strength of an electrical muscle stimulation to be induced in the user's body, and determines the control signal; The plurality of electrode pads selectively operate as the active electrode pads in response to the control signal transmitted through the individual channels, and the active electrode pads generate electrical signals for electrical muscle stimulation in response to the control signal.

2. 2. The electrical muscle stimulation system of claim 1, wherein the control unit determines the plurality of control signals according to at least one of the user type and the body part in which the electrical muscle stimulation is to be induced, and determines the plurality of control signals differently for each of a plurality of preset setting modes.

3. 3. The electrical muscle stimulation system of claim 2, wherein the control unit transmits the control signal to the electrode pads through a plurality of channels and generates the control signal independently for each of the channels corresponding to the plurality of setting modes to adjust a frequency and intensity of the electrical signal.

4. 2. The electrical muscle stimulation system of claim 1, wherein the control unit selects a plurality of working electrode pads from among the plurality of electrode pads that generate the electrical signal in accordance with a target position and a target strength of the electrical muscle stimulation, and determines a frequency and strength of the electrical signal in accordance with the positions of the plurality of working electrode pads, the target position, and the target strength.

5. 5. The electrical muscle stimulation system of claim 4, wherein the control unit sets an electrical muscle stimulation area according to a target position and a target intensity of the electrical muscle stimulation, and selects an electrode pad located within the electrical muscle stimulation area from among the multiple electrode pads as the active electrode pad.

6. 6. The electrical muscle stimulation system of claim 5, wherein the control unit extracts a plurality of electrode pad combinations for three or more electrode pads located within the electrical muscle stimulation area, analyzes the generation position and generation intensity of the electrical muscle stimulation for each of the plurality of electrode pad combinations, determines an electrode pad combination among the plurality of electrode pad combinations that shows the generation position and generation intensity that best match the target position and the target intensity, and selects it as the active electrode pad.

7. outputting a plurality of control signals through a plurality of individual channels to a plurality of electrode pads disposed at positions corresponding to various body parts on a main body that is wearable by a user or that is contactable with a human body of a user, by a control unit, and individually controlling the plurality of electrode pads in response to the plurality of control signals; The controlling step includes: selecting one or more active electrode pads from the plurality of electrode pads according to a target location and a target strength of electrical muscle stimulation to be induced in the user's body and determining the control signal; and generating an electrical signal for electrical muscle stimulation in response to the control signal from among the plurality of electrode pads, the active electrode pad selectively operating in response to the control signal transmitted through the individual channel.

8. The controlling step includes: The electrical muscle stimulation method of claim 7, further comprising a step of determining the plurality of control signals according to at least one of the user type and the body part in which the electrical muscle stimulation is to be induced, and determining the plurality of control signals differently for each of a plurality of preset setting modes.

9. The controlling step includes:

9. The method of claim 8, further comprising the steps of: transmitting the control signal to the electrode pads through a plurality of channels; and generating the control signal independently for each of the channels corresponding to the plurality of setting modes to adjust a frequency and intensity of the electrical signal.

10. The controlling step includes: selecting a plurality of active electrode pads from among the plurality of electrode pads that generate the electrical signal according to a target location and a target intensity of the electrical muscle stimulation; and determining a frequency and intensity of the electrical signal in response to the positions of the plurality of active electrode pads, the target position and the target intensity.

11. The controlling step includes: setting an electrical muscle stimulation area according to a target position and a target intensity of the electrical muscle stimulation; and selecting, from among the plurality of electrode pads, an electrode pad located within the electrical muscle stimulation area as the active electrode pad.

12. The controlling step includes: extracting a plurality of electrode pad combinations for three or more electrode pads located within the electrical muscle stimulation area; Analyzing the location and intensity of electrical muscle stimulation for each of the plurality of electrode pad combinations; The method of claim 11, further comprising the step of determining an electrode pad combination that shows a generation position and generation intensity that best match the target position and the target intensity from among the plurality of electrode pad combinations and selecting it as the active electrode pad.

13. The controlling step includes: comparing the distance between the target location of electrical muscle stimulation and the plurality of active electrode pads with an electrode distance between each of the plurality of active electrode pads; predicting energy of an electrical pulse to be delivered to the target location from each of the working electrode pads according to a propagation characteristic of the electrical pulse, taking into account a human tissue characteristic between each of the working electrode pads and the target location; 12. The method of claim 11, further comprising determining control signals to be applied to the plurality of working electrode pads by attenuating at least one of an electrical pulse size and an electrical pulse frequency generated at each working electrode pad from a target pulse size or target pulse frequency reflective of the ratio of the distance to the electrode distance and the electrical pulse propagation characteristics.

14. A non-transitory computer readable recording medium having a program recorded thereon for executing the electrical muscle stimulation method of claim 7.

Images