WO-2026095759-A1 - WEARABLE DEVICE AND METHOD OF OPERATING SAME

WO2026095759A1WO 2026095759 A1WO2026095759 A1WO 2026095759A1WO-2026095759-A1

Abstract

This wearable device can: acquire the angle for a hip joint of a user through an angle sensor; acquire a first state value for a motion state of the hip joint on the basis of the acquired angle; acquire a second state value related to angular velocity of the hip joint on the basis of the first state value; determine at least one weight of the second state value on the basis of the first state value; determine, on the basis of the second state value and the at least one weight, a torque control value used to control a driving module; and control the driving module such that the torque corresponding to the torque control value is output by the driving module.

Inventors

KIM, DONGHYUN
KIM, SANGHUN
PARK, JUNGHOON
SHIN, Gyowook
LEE, MINHYUNG
KIM, YONGTAE

Assignees

삼성전자주식회사

Dates

Publication Date: 20260507
Application Date: 20250911
Priority Date: 20241028

Claims (15)

In a wearable device (100; 500), Driving module(112; 113; 400; 612; 613); Angle sensor (607; 609); Memory for storing instructions (603); and At least one processor (601) including a processing circuit Includes, When the above instructions are executed individually or collectively by the at least one processor, the wearable device: The method comprises obtaining an angle for a user's hip joint through the angle sensor, obtaining a first state value for the motion state of the hip joint based on the obtained angle, obtaining a second state value related to the angular velocity of the hip joint based on the first state value, determining at least one weight of the second state value based on the first state value, determining a torque control value used to control the driving module based on the second state value and the at least one weight, and controlling the driving module so that a torque corresponding to the torque control value is output by the driving module. Wearable device.
In paragraph 1, When the above instructions are executed individually or collectively by the at least one processor, the wearable device: A first function that provides a function value that increases as the absolute value of the first state value decreases, and a first weight to be applied to the second state value based on the first state value. Wearable device.
In any one of paragraphs 1 to 2, When the above instructions are executed individually or collectively by the at least one processor, the wearable device: A second function that provides different function values in the first motion direction of the hip joint and the second motion direction of the hip joint, respectively, and a second weight to be applied to the second state value based on the first state value, thereby determining the second weight to be applied to the second state value. Wearable device.
In any one of paragraphs 1 through 3, When the above instructions are executed individually or collectively by the at least one processor, the wearable device: Determining a first weight corresponding to the first state value through a first function, determining a second weight corresponding to the first state value through a second function, and determining the torque control value by applying the first weight and the second weight to the second state value. Wearable device.
In any one of paragraphs 1 through 4, When the above instructions are executed individually or collectively by the at least one processor, the wearable device: Calculating an adjustment value used to adjust the torque control value based on a third state value related to the angular velocity of the hip joint, determining an adjusted torque control value by subtracting the adjustment value from the torque control value, and controlling the drive module so that a torque corresponding to the adjusted torque control value is output by the drive module. Wearable device.
In paragraph 5, The above third state value is obtained after the above second state value, and the time difference between the acquisition of the above second state value and the acquisition of the above third state value is based on a time value related to the torque output time, Wearable device.
In any one of paragraphs 1 through 6, When the above instructions are executed individually or collectively by the at least one processor, the wearable device: The first state value is stored in a first buffer and the second state value is stored in a second buffer, and after a time delay equal to a time value, the first state value is received from the first buffer and the second state value is received from the second buffer. Wearable device.
In any one of paragraphs 1 through 7, The above-mentioned drive module is, A motor that outputs the above torque; A transmission member that transmits the above torque; A first spool that rotates based on torque received from the transmission member and winds or unwinds the first cable of the wearable device; and A second spool that rotates in a direction opposite to the rotation direction of the first spool based on torque received from the transmission member, and winds or unwinds the second cable of the wearable device. including, Wearable device.
In paragraph 8, The above-mentioned drive module is, When the above torque control value is positive, an assisting force is provided to the user performing the first motion by winding the first cable using the first spool and unwinding the second cable using the second spool, and When the above torque control value is negative, providing an assisting force to the user performing the second motion by unwinding the first cable using the first spool and winding the second cable using the second spool. Wearable device.
In a method of operating a wearable device (100; 500), The action of obtaining the angle of the user's hip joint through an angle sensor (607; 609); An action of obtaining a first state value for the motion state of the hip joint based on the above-mentioned obtained angle; An operation to obtain a second state value related to the angular velocity of the hip joint based on the first state value; An operation to determine at least one weight of the second state value based on the first state value; An operation to determine a torque control value of a driving module (112; 113; 400; 612; 613) of the wearable device based on the second state value and at least one weight; and Operation of outputting torque corresponding to the torque control value through the above driving module including, Method of operation of a wearable device.
In Paragraph 10, The operation of determining at least one weight above is, An operation to determine a first weight to be applied to a second state value based on a first function that provides a function value that increases as the absolute value of the first state value decreases, and the first state value. including, Method of operation of a wearable device.
In any one of paragraphs 10 to 11, The operation of determining at least one weight above is, An operation to determine a second weight to be applied to a second state value based on a second function that provides different function values in each of the first motion direction of the hip joint and the second motion direction of the hip joint, and the first state value. including, Method of operation of a wearable device.
In any one of paragraphs 10 through 12, An operation to calculate an adjustment value used to adjust the torque control value based on a third state value related to the angular velocity of the hip joint; An operation to determine an adjusted torque control value by subtracting the adjustment value from the torque control value; and Operation of outputting torque corresponding to the adjustment torque control value through the above driving module including, Method of operation of a wearable device.
In any one of paragraphs 10 through 13, The above-mentioned drive module is, A motor that outputs the above torque; A transmission member that transmits the above torque; A first spool that rotates based on torque received from the transmission member and winds or unwinds the first cable of the wearable device; and A second spool that rotates in a direction opposite to the rotation direction of the first spool based on torque received from the transmission member, and winds or unwinds the second cable of the wearable device. including, Method of operation of a wearable device.
In Paragraph 14, When the torque control value is positive, an operation of providing an assisting force to the user who performs a first motion by winding the first cable using the first spool and unwinding the second cable using the second spool; and When the torque control value is negative, an operation to provide auxiliary force to the user performing the second motion by unwinding the first cable using the first spool and winding the second cable using the second spool. including, Method of operation of a wearable device.

Description

Wearable device and method of operation thereof The embodiments relate to a wearable device and/or a method of operating the same. An assistance device refers to a device or apparatus that helps a user perform exercise or movement. An assistance device may be worn on the user's body and may provide the user with the force necessary to perform exercise or movement. FIG. 1 is a front view of a wearable device according to one embodiment and shows a user wearing the wearable device. FIG. 2 is a rear view of a wearable device according to one embodiment and shows a user wearing the wearable device. FIG. 3 is a drawing illustrating a wearable device unfolded according to one embodiment. FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram illustrating the internal view of a driving module of a wearable device according to one embodiment. FIG. 5 is a side view of a wearable device according to one embodiment and illustrates a user wearing the wearable device. FIG. 6 is a block diagram illustrating an example of the configuration of a wearable device according to one embodiment. FIGS. 7, FIGS. 8, FIGS. 9, FIGS. 10, FIGS. 11, and FIGS. 12 are drawings illustrating examples of the operation of a wearable device according to one embodiment. FIG. 13 is a diagram illustrating a graph of the assisting force of a wearable device according to one embodiment. FIG. 14 is a flowchart illustrating an example of an operation method of a wearable device according to one embodiment. Specific structural or functional descriptions of the embodiments are disclosed for illustrative purposes only and may be modified and implemented in various forms. Accordingly, actual implementations are not limited to the specific embodiments disclosed, and the scope of this specification includes modifications, equivalents, or substitutions included in the technical concept described by the embodiments. Terms such as "first" or "second" may be used to describe various components, but these terms should be interpreted solely for the purpose of distinguishing one component from another. For example, the first component may be named the second component, and similarly, the second component may be named the first component. When it is stated that a component is "connected" to another component, it should be understood that it may be directly connected to or coupled with that other component, or that there may be other components in between. The singular expression includes the plural expression unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. In this specification, terms such as "comprising" or "having" are intended to specify the existence of the described features, numbers, steps, actions, components, parts, or combinations thereof, and should be understood as not precluding the existence or addition of one or more other features, numbers, steps, actions, components, parts, or combinations thereof. Unless otherwise defined, all terms used herein, including technical or scientific terms, have the same meaning as generally understood by those skilled in the art. Terms such as those defined in commonly used dictionaries should be interpreted as having a meaning consistent with their meaning in the context of the relevant technology, and should not be interpreted in an ideal or overly formal sense unless explicitly defined in this specification. Hereinafter, embodiments will be described in detail with reference to the attached drawings. In the description with reference to the attached drawings, identical components are given the same reference numeral regardless of the drawing number, and redundant descriptions thereof will be omitted. FIG. 1 is a front view of a wearable device according to one embodiment and illustrates a user wearing the wearable device. FIG. 2 is a rear view of a wearable device according to one embodiment and illustrates a user wearing the wearable device. FIG. 3 is a drawing illustrating a wearable device according to one embodiment laid out. Referring to FIGS. 1, 2, and 3, a wearable device (100) according to one embodiment may be worn by a user. The wearable device (100) may be worn around the user's waist. The wearable device (100) may be worn around the user's thigh. The wearable device (100) may apply force to the user's thigh or leg. The wearable device (100) may assist the movement of the user's hip joint. The wearable device (100) may assist the user's walking. According to one embodiment, the wearable device (100) may include a body (11), a waist belt (121, 122), a fixing band (13), front straps (14-1, 14-2), rear straps (15-1, 15-2), thigh belts (16-1, 16-2), front power transmission cables (17-1, 17-2), power distribution cables (18-1, 18-2), rear power transmission cables (19-1, 19-2), driving modules (112, 113), a guide (2), and a support plate (31). According to one embodiment, the body (11) can support the user's waist. For example, the body (11) can support the user's back. The body (11) may include a body case (111) having an internal