Systems and methods for prosthetic device control

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10792170-B2
Application number	US-201615550556-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 11, 2016
Priority date	Feb 12, 2015
Publication date	Oct 6, 2020
Grant date	Oct 6, 2020

Abstract

Systems and methods for prosthetic device control with a unified virtual constraint that controls an entire gait cycle of the prosthetic device.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A method for controlling a prosthetic device, the method comprising:
measuring a plurality of variables with one or more sensors, wherein:
the one or more sensors are operatively coupled to a controller; and
the controller is configured to control the prosthetic device comprising a plurality of joint elements;

determining a value of a monotonic phasing variable based on measurements of the plurality of variables; and
adjusting a joint element of the plurality of joint elements in response to the value of the monotonic phasing variable by enforcing a unified virtual constraint that controls an entire gait cycle of the prosthetic device, wherein the monotonic phasing variable is monotonic throughout the entire gait cycle.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the monotonic phasing variable is a hip position of a user of the prosthetic device.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the monotonic phasing variable is a hip phase angle of a user of the prosthetic device.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the monotonic phasing variable is a location of a center of mass of a user of the prosthetic device.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the entire gait cycle is an ambulatory cycle.

6. The method of claim 5 wherein the ambulatory cycle is a walking cycle.

7. The method of claim 5 wherein the ambulatory cycle is a running cycle.

8. The method of claim 5 wherein the ambulatory cycle is a stair climbing cycle.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein the unified virtual constraint is created utilizing a Discrete Fourier Transform (DFT).

10. The method of claim 1 wherein the unified virtual constraint is created utilizing a polynomial regression fit.

11. The method of claim 1 wherein the joint element of the plurality of joint elements comprises a knee joint.

12. The method of claim 1 wherein the joint element of the plurality of joint elements comprises an ankle joint.

13. The method of claim 1 wherein the plurality of joint elements comprises a knee joint and an ankle joint.

14. The method of claim 1 wherein the plurality of variables comprises an angle of a knee joint.

15. The method of claim 1 wherein the plurality of variables comprises a velocity of a knee joint.

16. The method of claim 1 wherein the plurality of variables comprises an angle of an ankle joint.

17. The method of claim 1 wherein the plurality of variables comprises a velocity of an ankle joint.

18. The method of claim 1 wherein the entire gait cycle comprises a stance phase and a swing phase.

19. The method of claim 18 wherein different control parameters are used for the stance phase and the swing phase to enforce the unified virtual constraint for the entire gait cycle of the prosthetic device.

20. A control system comprising:
a plurality of sensors configured to measure a plurality of variables relating to a prosthetic device; and
a controller operatively coupled to the plurality of sensors, wherein the controller is configured to:
determine a value of a monotonic phasing variable based on measurements of the plurality of variables; and
adjust a joint element of the prosthetic device in response to the value of the monotonic phasing variable by enforcing a unified virtual constraint that controls an entire gait cycle of the prosthetic device, wherein the monotonic phasing variable is monotonic throughout the entire gait cycle.

21. The control system of claim 20 wherein the monotonic phasing variable is a hip position of a user of the prosthetic device.

22. The control system of claim 20 wherein the monotonic phasing variable is a hip phase angle of a user of the prosthetic device.

23. The control system of claim 20 wherein the monotonic phasing variable is a location of a center of mass of a user of the prosthetic device.

24. The control system of claim 20 wherein the entire gait cycle is an ambulatory cycle.

25. The control system of claim 24 wherein the ambulatory cycle is a walking cycle.

26. The control system of claim 24 wherein the ambulatory cycle is a running cycle.

27. The control system of claim 24 wherein the ambulatory cycle is a stair climbing cycle.

28. The control system of claim 20 wherein the unified virtual constraint is created utilizing a Discrete Fourier Transform (DFT).

29. The control system of claim 20 wherein the unified virtual constraint is created utilizing a polynomial regression fit.

30. The control system of claim 20 wherein the joint element comprises a knee joint.

31. The control system of claim 20 wherein the joint element comprises an ankle joint.

32. The control system of claim 20 wherein the plurality of joint elements comprises a knee joint and an ankle joint.

33. The control system of claim 20 wherein the plurality of variables comprises an angle of a knee joint.

34. The control system of claim 20 wherein the plurality of variables comprises an angle of an ankle joint.

35. The control system of claim 20 wherein the entire gait cycle comprises a stance phase and a swing phase.

36. The control system of claim 35 wherein the system further comprises different control parameters for the stance phase and the swing phase to enforce the unified virtual constraint for the entire gait cycle of the prosthetic device.

37. A prosthetic device comprising:
a plurality of sensors configured to measure a plurality of variables relating to the prosthetic device; and
a controller operatively coupled to the plurality of sensors, wherein the controller is configured to:
determine a value of a monotonic phasing variable based on measurements of the plurality of variables; and
adjust a joint element of the prosthetic device in response to the value of the monotonic phasing variable by enforcing a unified virtual constraint that controls an entire gait cycle of the prosthetic device, wherein the monotonic phasing variable is monotonic throughout the entire gait cycle.

38. The prosthetic device of claim 37 wherein the monotonic phasing variable is a hip position of a user of the prosthetic device.

39. The prosthetic device of claim 37 wherein the monotonic phasing variable is a hip phase angle of a user of the prosthetic device.

40. The prosthetic device of claim 37 wherein the monotonic phasing variable is a location of a center of mass of a user of the prosthetic device.

41. The prosthetic device of claim 37 wherein the entire gait cycle is an ambulatory cycle.

42. The prosthetic device of claim 41 wherein the ambulatory cycle is a walking cycle.

43. The prosthetic device of claim 41 wherein the ambulatory cycle is a running cycle.

44. The control system of claim 41 wherein the ambulatory cycle is a stair climbing cycle.

45. The prosthetic device of claim 37 wherein the unified virtual constraint is created utilizing a Discrete Fourier Transform (DFT).

46. The prosthetic device of claim 37 wherein the unified virtual constraint is created utilizing a polynomial regression fit.

47. The prosthetic device of claim 37 wherein the j

Assignees

• Univ Texas
• Board Of Regents The Univ Of Texas Systems

Inventors

• Gregg Robert D
• Quintero David
• Martin Anne E
• Villarreal Suárez Darío J

Classifications

• A61F2/70 Primary

  electrical · CPC title

• A61F2/60 Primary

  Artificial legs or feet or parts thereof · CPC title

• A61F2002/701

  operated by electrically controlled means, e.g. solenoids or torque motors · CPC title

• A61F2002/704

  computer-controlled, e.g. robotic control · CPC title

• A61F2002/7615

  Measuring means · CPC title