Variable channel controllable electrical muscle stimulation system and electrical muscle stimulation 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 an electrical muscle stimulation method.

Background Art

[0002] An electrical muscle stimulation (EMS) device that adheres to a partial area of the body surface to enhance massage, treatment, and exercise effects has recently been used. The electrical muscle stimulation device utilizes the fact that the muscles adjacent to the adhered area are electrically stimulated to contract, so that effects such as increasing the user's muscle strength, promoting blood circulation, recovering fatigue, and massage can be obtained without any difficulty for another exercise and the joints involved thereby.

[0003] In a conventional electrical muscle stimulation device, since a control signal is transmitted to a plurality of electrode pads through a single channel, it is difficult to concentrate an electrical stimulation on a specific body part desired by the user. Further, since the electrical muscle stimulation is limited to the adhesion position of the electrode pad, it is difficult to effectively transmit an electrical stimulation to a body area where the electrode pad is not adhered, and there is a problem that the generation position of the electrical muscle stimulation cannot be diversified.

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] The present invention provides a variable channel controllable electrical muscle stimulation system and an electrical muscle stimulation method that can transmit a control signal through an individual channel to a plurality of electrode channels to apply an electrical muscle stimulation to a specific human body part.

[0005] Further, the present invention provides an electrical muscle stimulation system and an electrical muscle stimulation method that can effectively transmit an electrical stimulation to a body area where an electrode pad is not adhered and can diversify the generation position of the electrical muscle stimulation.

[0006] The technical problems that this invention aims to solve are not limited to those mentioned above. Other technical problems not mentioned should be clearly understood by those with ordinary skill in the art to which this invention pertains from the description below. [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 can be in contact with the user's body, a plurality of electrode pads provided on the main body and arranged at intervals corresponding to various parts of the human body, and 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 accordance with the plurality of control signals.

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

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

[0010] The control unit can determine the plurality of control signals according to the user type and at least one of the body parts that induce the electrical muscle stimulation, and can determine the plurality of control signals differently for each of the preset setting modes.

[0011] The control unit can transmit the control signals to the plurality of electrode pads through a plurality of channels, and can independently generate the control signals for each channel corresponding to the plurality of setting modes to adjust the frequency and intensity of the electrical signals.

[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 the target position and target intensity of the electrical muscle stimulation, and can determine the frequency and intensity of the electrical signal according to the position of the plurality of working electrode pads, the target position, and the target intensity.

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

[0014] The control unit can extract multiple electrode pad combinations from three or more electrode pads located within the electrical muscle stimulation area, analyze the location and intensity of electrical muscle stimulation for each of the multiple electrode pad combinations, and determine which electrode pad combination among the multiple electrode pad combinations best matches the location and intensity of stimulation to the target location and select it as the working electrode pad.

[0015] The electrical muscle stimulation method according to an embodiment of the present invention includes the step of a control unit outputting a plurality of control signals through a plurality of individual channels to a plurality of electrode pads provided on a main body that is wearable by a user or in contact with the user's body, and which are arranged to be spaced apart to correspond to various parts of the human body, and individually controlling the plurality of electrode pads in accordance with the plurality of control signals.

[0016] The control step includes the step of selecting one or more working electrode pads from among the plurality of electrode pads according to the target position and target intensity of electrical muscle stimulation induced in the user's body and determining the control signal, and the step of having working electrode pads that operate selectively in response to the control signal transmitted through the individual channels among the plurality of electrode pads generate an electrical signal for electrical muscle stimulation in response to the control signal.

[0017] The control step may include determining the plurality of control signals according to the user type and at least one of the body parts that induce the electrical muscle stimulation, and determining the plurality of control signals differently for a plurality of preset setting modes.

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

[0019] The control step may include selecting a plurality of working electrode pads that generate the electrical signal from among the plurality of electrode pads according to the target position and target intensity of the electrical muscle stimulation, and determining the frequency and intensity of the electrical signal according to the position of the plurality of working electrode pads, the target position, and the target intensity.

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

[0021] The control step may include steps of extracting a plurality of electrode pad combinations from 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, and determining the electrode pad combination among the plurality of electrode pad combinations that shows the location and intensity of stimulation that best matches the target location and target intensity, and selecting it as the working electrode pad.

[0022] The controlling step may include comparing the distances between the target position of the electrical muscle stimulation and the plurality of active electrode pads with the electrode distances between the plurality of active electrode pads respectively, predicting the energy of the electrical pulses transmitted from each of the active electrode pads to the target position according to the propagation characteristics of the electrical pulses in consideration of the human tissue characteristics between each of the active electrode pads and the target position, and determining a control signal applied to the plurality of active electrode pads by attenuating at least one of the electrical pulse sizes and electrical pulse frequencies generated at each of the active electrode pads from a target pulse size or a target pulse frequency based on the ratio of the distance to the electrode distance and reflecting the propagation characteristics of the electrical pulses.

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

Advantages of the Invention

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

[0025] Also, according to an embodiment of the present invention, there are provided an electrical muscle stimulation system and an electrical muscle stimulation method that can effectively transmit electrical stimulation to a body area where no electrode pad is attached and can diversify the generation positions of electrical muscle stimulation.

[0026] The effects that can be obtained by the present invention are not limited to the effects mentioned above. Other effects not mentioned should be clearly understood by those with ordinary knowledge in the technical field to which the present invention pertains from the following description.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0027] [Figure 1] It is a drawing showing an electrical muscle stimulation system according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2] A drawing showing an electrical muscle stimulation system according to another embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 3] A drawing schematically showing the usage state of an electrical muscle stimulation system according to the embodiment of FIG. 2. [Figure 4] A drawing showing the shape of the bathtub constituting the electrical muscle stimulation system of FIG. 2 as viewed from above. [Figure 5] A configuration diagram of an electrical muscle stimulation system according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 6] A sequence diagram of an electrical muscle stimulation method according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 7] A sequence diagram of an electrical muscle stimulation method according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 8] A sequence diagram showing step S40 of FIG. 7. [Figure 9] An exemplary drawing for explaining an electrical muscle stimulation method according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 10] A sequence diagram of an electrical muscle stimulation method according to other embodiments of the present invention. [Figure 11] An exemplary drawing for explaining an electrical muscle stimulation method according to the embodiment of FIG. 10.

Embodiments for Carrying Out the Invention

[0028] Other advantages and features of the present invention, and the methods for achieving them, will become clear by referring to the embodiments described in detail below together with the accompanying drawings. However, the present invention is not limited to the embodiments disclosed below, and can be embodied in various different forms. Merely this embodiment is provided so that the disclosure of the present invention is complete, and that those with ordinary knowledge in the technical field to which the present invention pertains are fully informed of the scope of the invention. The present invention is only defined by the scope of the claims.

[0029] Where not defined, all terms used herein (including technical or scientific terms) have the same meaning as they generally encompass the prior art to which this invention belongs. Terms defined by a general dictionary may be interpreted as having the same meaning as they do in the relevant art and / or in the text of this application, and should not be conceptualized or interpreted excessively formally, even if they are not explicitly defined.

[0030] Throughout this specification, the same reference numerals refer to the same component. This specification does not describe all elements of the embodiments, and general content in the art to which the disclosed invention belongs or content that overlaps with the embodiments is omitted. As used in this specification, the term '~part' can be embodied in, for example, software, an FPGA, or hardware, as a unit that processes at least one function or operation.

[0031] The functions provided by a '~ section' may be performed separately by multiple components or integrated with other additional components, and multiple '~ sections' may be embodied in a single component. The '~ section' as described herein is not necessarily limited to software or hardware, and may be configured to reside on an addressable storage medium, or to regenerate one or more processors.

[0032] The terms "first," "second," etc., are used to distinguish one component from another, and not to limit the components by the aforementioned terms. A singular expression includes plural expressions unless explicitly stated otherwise in the context. In this specification, the terms 'and / or' refer to each of the listed components or various combinations thereof.

[0033] The identification codes assigned to each step constituting the method according to the embodiments of the present invention are used merely for the purpose of simplifying the explanation and do not indicate the order of the steps. Since no specific order is explicitly stated in the context, the steps may be carried out in a different order than that specified. The operating principles and embodiments of the present invention disclosed below will be described with reference to the attached drawings.

[0034] Figure 1 is a diagram showing an electrical muscle stimulation system according to an embodiment of the present invention. Referring to Figure 1, the 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 working electrode pad among the plurality of electrode pads 120.

[0035] The electrical muscle stimulation system 100 can be used by the user in the form of a suit, band, patch, etc., worn in the air or underwater, or in a spa setting in a bathtub. The user can wear the suit, band, patch, etc., that make up the electrical muscle stimulation system 100 in the air or underwater, or in a spa setting in a bathtub equipped with multiple electrode pads 120, to apply electrical stimulation to the muscles for healthcare, reactivation therapy, or to provide human sensory stimulation embodied by virtual reality and / or augmented reality systems such as VR (virtual reality) / AR (Augmented Reality) games.

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

[0037] In the embodiment shown in Figure 1, the main body 110 may include an upper suit 112 that can be worn on the upper body, an undersuit 114 that can be worn on the lower body, and one or more bands 116, 118 that can be wrapped around body parts such as the arms, legs, or abdomen. Alternatively, the main body 110 may be provided in the form of a patch that adheres to the user's body.

[0038] Multiple electrode pads 120 can be provided on one or more main units 110 and arranged at intervals corresponding to various parts of the user's body. For example, the electrode pads 120 may include one or more electrode pads 122 provided on the outer suit 112, one or more electrode pads 124 provided on the underwear 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 can be positioned on the inner surface of the main unit 110, which comes into contact with the user's body when the user wears the main unit 110, so as to effectively transmit electrical stimulation to the user's muscles. Each electrode pad 120 can selectively operate as an active electrode pad in response to a control signal transmitted from the control device 130 through an individual channel. When operating as an active electrode pad, the electrode pads 120 can generate an electrical signal to apply 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 installed on the main body 110 or on the outside of the main body 110. The control device 130 can be connected to each electrode pad 120 via wired or wireless communication. The control device 130 may include a control unit. The control unit may include at least one processor. The control unit can output multiple control signals to multiple electrode pads 120 through multiple individual channels. The control unit can individually control multiple electrode pads 120 in accordance with the multiple control signals transmitted through the multiple individual channels.

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

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

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

[0044] In one embodiment, the user can select one or more body parts such as the shoulder, chest, neck, arm, wrist, waist, thigh, and calf through the input unit and input the target position and target intensity. As another example, the user may determine the target position for electrical muscle stimulation by having electrical muscle stimulation applied to a human body image displayed on the input unit, or by touching the area they wish to focus on.

[0045] The control unit of the control device 130 can select one or more working electrode pads from among a plurality of electrode pads 120 that match the target position and target intensity of electrical muscle stimulation input by the user through the input unit. For this purpose, positional information for where each electrode pad 120 is placed while the user is wearing the main unit 110 can be pre-set in the storage unit of the control device 130.

[0046] The electrode pad 120 generates an electrical signal in response to a control signal transmitted from the control unit of the control device 130, and can provide electrical stimulation to the user's muscles corresponding to the target location for 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 individual channels.

[0047] The control device 130 can individually (independently) set the level of electrical signals (current strength level and / or frequency level) generated at different locations through the electrode pads 120. The control device 130 may further include a notification unit (not shown). The notification unit can perform the function of notifying the user of various electrical muscle stimulation information, such as the location and intensity of the electrical stimulation applied to the user. The notification unit may use any method to notify the user of the information, such as displaying the information on a display screen or outputting sound through a speaker.

[0048] Figure 2 is a diagram showing an electrical muscle stimulation system according to another embodiment of the present invention. Figure 3 is a schematic diagram showing the usage state of the electrical muscle stimulation system according to the embodiment of Figure 2. Figure 4 is a diagram showing the shape of the bathtub that constitutes the electrical muscle stimulation system of Figure 2, viewed from above.

[0049] Referring to Figures 2 to 4, the electrical muscle stimulation system 100 according to an embodiment of the present invention differs from the embodiment in Figure 1 in that it is configured so that electrical muscle stimulation is transmitted in a spa-like manner to the user while submerged in a bathtub. The electrical muscle stimulation system 100 may include a main body 110 that is 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 can be installed in various facilities such as homes, accommodations, and businesses, and can be filled with water and replaced with various items into which people enter. Electrode pads 120 can be provided in the area that comes into contact with the human body within the inner region of the bathtub-shaped main body 110. The electrode pads 120 can stimulate the user's motor nerves by applying electrical stimulation to the human body by outputting electrical pulses in response to control signals in the form of electrical signals provided by the control device 130. Through this, the user can strengthen their body's muscles or obtain a massage effect.

[0051] For example, when a person lies in a bathtub, the electrode pads 120 can be provided in contact with or adjacent to at least one of the following areas: the trapezius, back, waist, upper hips, lower hips, upper thighs, lower thighs, calves, or soles of the feet. The bathtub may have a built-in battery for operating the electrode pads 120, which can be connected via wires to a control device 130 or an external power source.

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

[0053] For example, the oscillator unit may include a pulse generation unit capable of generating electrical pulses, a display unit capable of displaying pulse output mode and pulse output intensity, and an adjustment unit capable of adjusting pulse output mode and pulse output intensity. The control device 130 can generate control data for controlling electrical pulses, such as data for controlling the size of the current and voltage that constitute the pulse (pulse size) or frequency (pulse frequency) and the level of the pulse.

[0054] The oscillator can generate electrical pulses of controlled size and frequency based on control data generated by the control device 130, and the generated electrical pulses can be output through the electrode pads 120. The control device 130 can generate control data based on control commands input from the user to control the size or frequency and level of the electrical pulses. The control data thus generated can be used to control the electrical pulses generated by the oscillator.

[0055] The user terminal 140 can be provided as a device such as a smartphone, tablet, or PC. The storage medium within the user terminal 140 may contain an application that can control the electrical muscle stimulation system 100. After running the application installed on the user terminal 140, the user of the electrical muscle stimulation system 100 can input control commands. Based on the input control commands, the user terminal 140 can generate control data and transmit it to the control device 130 via wired or wireless communication. Based on the control data transmitted from the user terminal 140, the control device 130 can control the electrical pulses generated through its oscillator.

[0056] The control command may be an instruction to output electrical pulses of different sizes and frequencies to each electrode pad 120 corresponding to the target positions 12, 14, and 16 of various electrical muscle stimulations. The control command may be an instruction to output a first level electrical pulse to the electrode pad 120 corresponding to the thigh position, and a second level electrical pulse to the electrode pad 120 corresponding to the waist position.

[0057] The control data may be data that causes electrical pulses 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 a first level electrical pulse to be output at the electrode pad 120 corresponding to the thigh position, and a second level electrical pulse to be output at the electrode pad 120 corresponding to the waist position, similar to the control command.

[0058] Figure 5 is a diagram showing the configuration of an electrical muscle stimulation system according to an embodiment of the present invention. Referring to Figure 5, the multiple electrode pads 120 (120A, 120B, 120C) can selectively operate as working 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 individual channels (channel A, channel B, channel C), the working electrode pads among the multiple 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 wired and / or wireless control signals to control 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 via a wired / wireless network and transmit wired / wireless control signals to electrode pads 120 installed in a suit, bathtub, etc.

[0061] Figure 6 is a sequence diagram of an electrical muscle stimulation method according to an embodiment of the present invention. Referring to Figures 5 and 6, the control unit 134 can select a plurality of working electrode pads from among the plurality of electrode pads 120 that generate an electrical signal according to the target position and target intensity of the electrical muscle stimulation (S10).

[0062] The control unit 134 can determine multiple control signals differently for each of the multiple pre-set setting modes according to the user's type (gender, age, body type, etc.), the body part to induce electrical muscle stimulation, and the type of electrical muscle stimulation (exercise, reactivation, fatigue recovery, massage, etc.) (S20). Multiple setting modes can be set for various body parts, such as the chest, shoulders, back, waist, thighs, and arms.

[0063] The control unit 134 determines a control signal to be applied to a selected working electrode pad among the multiple electrode pads 120 and can transmit the control signal to the working electrode pad through an individual channel (S30). Therefore, it is possible to independently generate control signals for each channel corresponding to multiple setting modes and adjust the frequency and intensity of the electrical signals output through the multiple working electrode pads.

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

[0065] Figure 8 is a sequence diagram showing step S40 of Figure 7. Figure 9 is an illustrative diagram illustrating an electrical muscle stimulation method according to an embodiment of the present invention. Referring to Figures 5, 7 to 9, the control unit 134 can set an electrical muscle stimulation area within a set distance centered on the target position PT according to the target position PT and target intensity of the electrical muscle stimulation (S42). The electrical muscle stimulation area can be set to, for example, a circle, a sphere, a square, etc. The control unit 134 can select an electrode pad located within the electrical muscle stimulation area from among a plurality of electrode pads as the working electrode pad (S44).

[0066] In the example shown in Figure 9, the control unit 134 can select two electrode pads located within the electrical muscle stimulation area, which is set according to the target position and target intensity of the electrical muscle stimulation 20, as the working electrode pads 120A and 120B. The control unit 134 can determine the control signals to be applied to the working electrode pads 120A and 120B in order to apply the electrical muscle stimulation 20 to the target position PT.

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

[0068] For example, the control unit 134 compares the 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 can 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] Furthermore, 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 by the second working electrode pad 120B to the target pulse size (target intensity) of the second pulse, reflecting the ratio of the second distance DB to the electrode distance.

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

[0071] As another example, the control unit 134 compares the 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 can attenuate the frequency of the electrical pulse generated at the first working electrode pad 120A to a first pulse frequency (first pulse energy) at a target pulse frequency (target pulse energy), reflecting the ratio of the first distance DA to the electrode distance.

[0072] Furthermore, 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 reflects the ratio of the second distance DB to the electrode distance, thereby attenuating the frequency of the electrical pulse generated at the second working electrode pad 120B to the second pulse frequency (second pulse energy) at the target pulse frequency (target pulse energy).

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

[0074] Furthermore, the control unit 134 may determine a control signal that adjusts the pulse size and pulse frequency in combination according to the position of the working electrode pads 120A and 120B and the target position PT for electrical muscle stimulation, so that the electrical pulses generated by the working electrode pads 120A and 120B induce electrical muscle stimulation of a target intensity at the target position PT.

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

[0076] In embodiments of the present invention, the control unit 134 can predict the energy of the electrical pulses transmitted to the target position PT not only by considering the distance between the working electrode pads 120A and 120B and the target position PT for electrical muscle stimulation, but also by considering the characteristics of the human tissue (fat, muscle ratio, bone, etc.) between the working electrode pads 120A and 120B and the target position PT for electrical muscle stimulation, according to the propagation characteristics of the electrical pulses.

[0077] In this case, the propagation characteristics of human tissues and electrical pulses can be pre-set for each body region. For example, the propagation characteristics of human tissues / electrical pulses for each body region can be determined by summing the electrical pulse propagation characteristics defined for each tissue type such as fat, muscle, and bone, while reflecting the ratio of fat, muscle, and bone in each body region.

[0078] In the embodiment shown in Figure 9, two working electrode pads 120A and 120B were described as an example. However, control signals may be applied to three or more working electrode pads through individual channels to induce a target electrical pulse at the target position PT. In this case, the propagation of the electrical pulse may be analyzed in each of the three dimensions, and the control signals applied to the three or more working electrode pads may be determined so as to satisfy all the target electrical muscle stimulation conditions in each direction.

[0079] The embodiment shown in Figure 9 can be applied to applications that apply tactile stimulation to the user's body according to the impact location (the location where they were struck), such as in VR / AR games or survival games. In this case, a sensing unit (for example, a pressure sensor) can be provided on a suit, band, patch, etc., or the impact location received by the user can be sensed through information about the opponent's attack, and the sensed impact location can be set as the target location for electrical muscle stimulation.

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

[0081] On the other hand, the control unit 134 may determine control signals (such as the pulse size and pulse frequency of the electrical signal) to be generated by the electrode pads 120 in order to apply electrical muscle stimulation to a specific body position of the user, based on an artificial intelligence model learned from the training data.

[0082] The target intensity (target magnitude) of electrical muscle stimulation can be adjusted according to the impact the user receives in VR / AR games, survival games, etc. For example, in the case of survival games, it can be adjusted according to the pressure (impact) value sensed by the suit worn by the user and the degree of pain the user feels depending on the location of the impact. The degree of pain the user feels depending on the impact location can be pre-set for each body part.

[0083] Embodiments of the present invention may be used not only for VR / AR games and survival games, but also for receiving electrical muscle stimulation for purposes such as exercise, reactivation, fatigue recovery, and massage on body parts where electrode pads are not located. That is, if a user inputs any body part that they wish to receive electrical muscle stimulation from through a user terminal, the control unit will determine the operating electrode pads and control signals accordingly, thereby applying appropriate electrical muscle stimulation to the input body part and maximizing the effect of electrical muscle stimulation on that body part.

[0084] As described above, according to the electrical muscle stimulation method of the embodiment of the present invention, the location of electrical stimulation is not limited to the position of the electrode pads, and electrical muscle stimulation can be applied to the user in such a way that electrical pulses of an appropriate size and / or frequency are applied to various body positions between the electrode pads.

[0085] Figure 10 is a sequence diagram of an electrical muscle stimulation method according to another embodiment of the present invention. Figure 11 is an illustrative diagram for illustrating 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 multiple electrode pad combinations for three or more electrode pads located within the electrical muscle stimulation area (S60).

[0086] At this time, the control unit 134 can determine, using the same combination of electrode pads, that are located in mutually symmetrical regions on both sides of the target position PT of the electrical muscle stimulation 20, from among the three or more electrode pads located within the electrical muscle stimulation region.

[0087] Alternatively, the control unit 134 may determine three or more electrode pads, which are part of the total 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 that are symmetrical to each other on both sides with respect to the target position PT.

[0088] As shown in the example in 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 the electrical muscle stimulation area, which 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 location and intensity of electrical muscle stimulation for each of the multiple electrode pad combinations (S70). The control unit 134 can determine which of the multiple electrode pad combinations G1 and G2 best matches the location and intensity of electrical stimulation, and finally select it as the working electrode pad to which electrical pulses are applied (S80).

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

[0091] As explained earlier, the control unit 134 determines the stimulation intensity and frequency of the control signals applied to the working electrode pads 120A, 120B, 120C, and 120D according to the distances DA, DB, DC, and DD between the target position PT of the electrical muscle stimulation 20 and the working electrode pads 120A, 120B, 120C, and 120D. Accordingly, it can compare the generation position and generation intensity of the electrical stimulation induced at the target position PT with the target stimulation position and target stimulation intensity.

[0092] The control unit 134 analyzes the generation location and intensity of electrical muscle stimulation for each of the multiple electrode pad combinations G1 and G2, and determines one electrode pad combination that best matches the target location and intensity (the electrode pad combination that shows the result with the highest similarity to the target pulse) among the multiple electrode pad combinations, and can select the electrode pads of that electrode pad combination as the working electrode pads.

[0093] The control unit 134 can select two or more electrode pads located within the electrical muscle stimulation area, which is set according to the target position and target intensity of the electrical muscle stimulation 20, as working electrode pads. The control unit 134 can determine the control signals to be applied to the working electrode pads in order to apply the electrical muscle stimulation 20 to the target position PT.

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

[0095] The program is specifically designed to implement the method described above, and may be implemented using various functions and definitions that are commonly known and available to ordinary engineers in the field of computer software. The program for implementing the aforementioned method can be recorded on a recording medium readable by the processor. In this case, the recording medium may be memory.

[0096] Memory can store programs that perform the operations described above and those described below, and memory can execute the stored programs. When there are multiple processors and memory modules, they can be integrated onto a single chip, or they can be located in physically separate locations. Memory can include volatile memory such as SRAM (Static Random Access Memory, S-RAM) and DRAM (Dynamic Random Access Memory) for temporarily storing data.

[0097] Furthermore, the memory may include non-volatile memory such as ROM (Read Only Memory), ERPM (Erasable Programmable Read Only Memory), and EEPROM (Electrically Erasable Programmable Read Only Memory) for storing control programs and control data for extended periods. The processor may include various logic circuits and arithmetic circuits, process data according to the program provided from memory, and generate control signals according to the processing results.

[0098] Depending on the performance of the components described above, at least one component may be added or removed. Furthermore, it is readily apparent to those with ordinary skill in the art that the relative positions of the components can be changed in accordance with the system's performance or structure.

[0099] The disclosed embodiments have been described above with reference to the attached drawings. Those with ordinary skill in the art to which the present invention pertains should understand that the present invention can be carried out in forms other than those disclosed without altering the technical idea or essential features of the invention. The disclosed embodiments are illustrative and should not be construed as restrictive.

Claims

1. A main body that is designed to be worn by the user or to come into contact with the user's body, The main body is provided with a plurality of electrode pads arranged at intervals corresponding to various parts of the human body, The control unit includes a control unit that outputs a plurality of control signals to the plurality of electrode pads through a plurality of individual channels and controls the plurality of electrode pads individually according to the plurality of control signals, The control unit selects one or more working electrode pads from the plurality of electrode pads according to the target position and target intensity of the electrical muscle stimulation applied to the user's body and determines the control signal. The plurality of electrode pads selectively act as the working electrode pads in response to the control signals transmitted through the individual channels, and the working electrode pads generate electrical signals for electrical muscle stimulation in response to the control signals. The control unit sets the electrical muscle stimulation region according to the target position and target intensity of the electrical muscle stimulation, and An electrical muscle stimulation system that extracts multiple electrode pad combinations from three or more electrode pads located within the electrical muscle stimulation area, analyzes the location and intensity of electrical muscle stimulation for each of the multiple electrode pad combinations, determines the electrode pad combination that best matches the target location and intensity among the multiple electrode pad combinations, and selects it as the working electrode pad.

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

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

4. The electrical muscle stimulation system according to claim 1, wherein the control unit selects a plurality of working electrode pads that generate the electrical signal from among the plurality of electrode pads according to the target position and target intensity of the electrical muscle stimulation, and determines the frequency and intensity of the electrical signal according to the position of the plurality of working electrode pads, the target position, and the target intensity.

5. The electrical muscle stimulation system according to claim 4, wherein the control unit selects an electrode pad located within the electrical muscle stimulation region from among the plurality of electrode pads as the working electrode pad.

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