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KR-102962087-B1 - Determination of device location

KR102962087B1KR 102962087 B1KR102962087 B1KR 102962087B1KR-102962087-B1

Abstract

The present invention discloses a computer-implemented method (1600) for determining the location of a personal care device on the skin surface of a subject, wherein the personal care device is configured to perform a personal care treatment on the skin when in contact with the skin surface. The method comprises the steps of: receiving data representing a measured degree of curvature of the skin surface within a first region of the skin surface of the subject that the personal care device contacts (1602); determining an indication of the location of the first region of the skin surface on the subject by comparing the measured degree of curvature with curvature information for a plurality of regions of the skin surface of the subject included in a database (1604); and performing an operation relating to the personal care device based on the determined indication of the location of the first region (1606). A processing device, a system, a personal care device, and a computer program product are also disclosed.

Inventors

  • 반 아베엘렌 프랑크 안톤
  • 부르킨 야니크 파룰리안 줄리안
  • 반 덴 아커 카렐 요하네스 아드리아누스
  • 바기스 바부

Assignees

  • 코닌클리케 필립스 엔.브이.

Dates

Publication Date
20260511
Application Date
20200929
Priority Date
20191002

Claims (15)

  1. A computer-implemented method (1600) for determining the position of a personal care device on the surface of a subject's skin, wherein the personal care device is configured to perform a personal care treatment on the skin when in contact with the surface of the skin, the computer-implemented method (1600). Step (1602) of receiving data representing the measured degree of curvature of the skin surface within a first region of the skin surface of the target that the personal care device contacts; A step (1604) of determining an indication indicating the location of the first region of the skin surface on the target by comparing the measured curvature with curvature information for a plurality of regions of the skin surface of the target included in a database; and The method includes the step (1606) of performing an operation regarding the personal care device based on the determined instruction of the position of the first region, and A computer-implemented method (1600), wherein data representing the measured curvature of the skin surface within the first region of the skin surface includes a measurement of the relative orientation of a first surface-contact element and a second surface-contact element in a skin surface curvature measuring instrument, wherein the first surface-contact element and the second surface-contact element are movable relative to each other, and the relative orientation is the difference between the orientation of the first surface-contact element which is the direction in which the first surface-contact element is arranged and the orientation of the second surface-contact element which is the direction in which the second surface-contact element is arranged.
  2. In paragraph 1, The method further includes the step (1702) of receiving data representing the measured displacement of the personal care device between the first region of the skin surface and the second region of the skin surface that the personal care device previously contacted. A computer-implemented method (1600, 1700) in which the step of determining the indication of the position of the first region is also based on comparing the data representing the measured displacement with position information for the plurality of regions of the skin surface of the target included in the database.
  3. In paragraph 1 or 2, Before the step (1602) of receiving the data representing the measured curvature of the skin surface within the first region of the skin surface: A step (1704) of receiving calibration displacement data representing the measured displacement of the personal care device between a plurality of regions of the skin surface of the subject; A step (1706) of fitting a computer model of the skin surface of the above target to the received correction displacement data; A step (1708) of determining curvature information for each of the plurality of regions from the correction displacement data and the customized computer model; and Step (1710) of storing the determined curvature information in the database in relation to the corresponding area on the skin surface of the object A computer-implemented method that further includes
  4. A processing apparatus (1200) configured to determine the position of a personal care device on the skin surface of a subject, wherein the personal care device is configured to perform a personal care treatment on the skin when in contact with the skin surface, the processing apparatus (1200). Receiving data representing the measured curvature of the skin surface within a first region of the skin surface of the target that the personal care device contacts; Retrieves curvature information for a plurality of regions of the skin surface of the object from a storage medium; By comparing the measured curvature with the curvature information for the plurality of regions of the skin surface, the position of the first region of the skin surface on the target is determined; Based on the determined location of the first area above, it is configured to generate a command for an operation to be performed in relation to the personal care device, and A processing device (1200), wherein data representing the measured curvature of the skin surface within the first region of the skin surface includes a measurement of the relative orientation of a first surface-contact element and a second surface-contact element in a skin surface curvature measuring device, wherein the first surface-contact element and the second surface-contact element are movable relative to each other, and the relative orientation is the difference between the orientation of the first surface-contact element which is the direction in which the first surface-contact element is arranged and the orientation of the second surface-contact element which is the direction in which the second surface-contact element is arranged.
  5. A system (1300) for determining the position of a personal care device on the skin surface of a subject, wherein the personal care device is configured to perform a personal care treatment on the skin when in contact with the skin surface, the system (1300). Housing (1302) for accommodating a communication unit; A skin surface curvature measuring device (104) coupled to the housing and comprising a first surface-contact element and a second surface-contact element movable relative to each other, configured to measure the degree of curvature of the skin surface of the object within a first region of the skin surface; and Processing device (106, 1200) according to paragraph 4 Includes, The above skin surface curvature measuring device is configured to generate data representing the measured degree of curvature of the skin surface within the first region of the skin surface, and the data includes a measurement of relative orientation representing the difference between the orientation of the first surface-contact element, which is the direction in which the first surface-contact element is arranged, and the orientation of the second surface-contact element, which is the direction in which the second surface-contact element is arranged. A system (1300) configured such that the communication unit transmits the data representing the measured curvature of the skin surface within the first region of the skin surface to the processing device.
  6. In paragraph 5, It further includes at least one orientation sensor configured to measure the orientation of the first surface-contact element with respect to the housing and the orientation of the second surface-contact element with respect to the housing, and The data representing the measured curvature of the skin surface within the first region of the skin surface comprises a measurement of the orientation of the first surface-contact element with respect to the housing, and a measurement of the orientation of the second surface-contact element with respect to the housing, system (1300).
  7. In claim 5 or 6, the first surface-contact element and the second surface-contact element are pivotally mounted so that they are pivotable with respect to the housing and to each other, respectively, and The system (1300), wherein the data representing the measured curvature includes the average curvature of the skin surface within the first region.
  8. A personal care device (100) configured to perform personal care treatment on the skin when in contact with the skin surface, Main body (102); A skin surface curvature measuring device (104) comprising a first surface-contact element and a second surface-contact element movable relative to each other, configured to measure the degree of curvature of the skin surface within a first region of the skin surface of a target that the personal care device contacts; and It includes a processing device (106) according to claim 4 configured to receive data representing the measured curvature of the skin surface from the skin surface curvature measuring device, and The above data includes a measurement of relative orientation indicating the difference between the orientation of the first surface-contact element, which is the direction in which the first surface-contact element is arranged, and the orientation of the second surface-contact element, which is the direction in which the second surface-contact element is arranged. Personal care device (100).
  9. In paragraph 8, It further includes an attachment (202) that accommodates a communication unit (204) and is detachably mountable to the main body, and The above skin surface curvature measuring device is coupled to the above attachment, and The above main body accommodates the processing device, and A personal care device (100) configured such that the communication unit above transmits the data representing the measured curvature of the skin surface to the processing device.
  10. In Article 8 or 9, It further includes a sensor (206) for acquiring movement data for the above personal care device, and A personal care device (100) configured such that the processing device further determines the location of the first region of the skin surface on the target based on the motion data obtained using the sensor.
  11. In Article 8 or 9, It further includes a housing (302) that supports at least a first treatment element and a second treatment element, and The first treatment element includes a first surface-contact element, and the second treatment element includes a second surface-contact element, and the first surface-contact element and the second surface-contact element are each pivotally mounted to the housing so as to be pivotable relative to each other. A personal care device (100) comprising a first sensor configured to measure the orientation of the first surface-contact element, which is the direction in which the first surface-contact element is arranged with respect to the housing, and a second sensor configured to measure the orientation of the second surface-contact element, which is the direction in which the second surface-contact element is arranged with respect to the housing.
  12. In claim 11, the personal care device is an electric shaver, and both the first treatment element and the second treatment element comprise a shaving unit having an outer cutting member, an inner cutting member movably arranged with respect to the outer cutting member, and a skin-supporting rim pivotally mounted with respect to the housing surrounding the outer cutting member, wherein the first surface-contacting element and the second surface-contacting element each comprise the skin-supporting rim of the shaving unit of the first treatment element and the second treatment element, respectively.
  13. As a non-transient computer-readable recording medium (1804) having computer-readable code implemented internally, The above computer-readable code is a non-transient computer-readable recording medium (1804) configured to cause the computer or processor to perform the method of claim 1 or 2 when executed by a suitable computer or processor (1802).
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Description

Determination of device location The present invention relates to a method, apparatus, and system for determining the location of a device, particularly for determining the location of a personal care device on the surface of a target's skin. Personal care devices are used to perform personal care activities on a user's skin. Such personal care activities include, but are not limited to, hair removal, hair care activities such as shaving and trimming, or massage. While the user may know which parts of their body are being treated by the personal care device and may adjust the application of personal care accordingly, the device itself may function in a suboptimal manner for some parts of the body compared to other parts. European Patent Application Publication No. 3 528 091 A1 discloses an apparatus for determining the position of a personal care device on a user. The apparatus includes a processor configured to detect the position of one or more parts of a user's body, detect at least one movement of the parts of the user's body induced by the personal care device when the personal care device is in use, and determine the position of the personal care device on the user based on the detected movements of at least one part of the user's body in relation to the detected position of at least one part of the user's body. To operate in an improved or optimal manner, it may be beneficial for a personal care device to identify its approximate location on the user/subject's body, for example, by identifying a portion of the subject's skin where the personal care activity is being performed. Existing means for determining the location of the device may be ineffective. Therefore, there is a need for more effective means to determine the indication of the device's location relative to the subject's skin surface. The inventors of the present invention have recognized that the position of a personal care device can be determined based on the measured degree of curvature of the relevant surface on which the personal care device is used. For example, it is possible to determine the position of a personal care device on a subject's body by measuring the curvature of a body area that the personal care device contacts, and by determining a portion of the body area having a corresponding curvature based on the measured degree of curvature. By utilizing knowledge of the relevant body part or area where the device is being used, appropriate actions can be taken to improve the performance of the device, for example, by adjusting the device's operating parameters to operate in a manner more appropriate to the body part where the device is being used, analyzing personal care routines, tracking skin parameters over time, or providing feedback on personal care activities. According to the first aspect, a computer-implemented method for determining the location of a personal care device on the skin surface of a subject is provided. The method comprises the steps of: receiving data representing a measured degree of curvature of a skin surface within a first region of the skin surface of a subject that the personal care device contacts; determining an indication of the location of the first region of the skin surface on the subject by comparing the measured degree of curvature with curvature information for a plurality of regions of the skin surface of the subject included in a database; and performing an operation regarding the personal care device based on the determined indication of the location of the first region. Using previously acquired data regarding the curvature of different areas of the subject's skin surface, the position of a personal care device can be determined based on curvature measurements taken while the device is in use. In this way, the device position can be easily determined, allowing appropriate actions to be taken based on the determined position. In some embodiments, the method may further include the step of receiving data representing a measured displacement of a personal care device between a first region of the skin surface and a second region of the skin surface that the personal care device had previously contacted. The step of determining the location of the first region may also be based on comparing the data representing the measured displacement with location information for a plurality of regions of the subject's skin surface included in a database. In some embodiments, the method may further comprise, prior to the step of receiving data representing the measured curvature of the skin surface within a first region of the skin surface: receiving calibration displacement data representing the measured displacement of a personal care device between multiple regions of the subject's skin surface; fitting a computer model of the subject's skin surface to the received calibration displacement data; determining curvature information for each of the multiple regions from the calibration displacement dat