Patent ID: 12232884

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The above and other aspects, features, and advantages of the inventive concept will become apparent from the following description of the following embodiments given in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. However, the inventive concept is not limited by the embodiments disclosed herein but will be realized in various different forms, and the embodiments are provided only to make the disclosure of the inventive concept complete and fully inform the scope of the inventive concept to an ordinary person in the art, to which the inventive concept pertains, and the inventive concept will be defined by the scope of the claims.

The terms used herein are provided to describe the embodiments but not to limit the inventive concept. In the specification, the singular forms include plural forms unless particularly mentioned. The terms “comprises” and/or “comprising” used herein does not exclude presence or addition of one or more other elements, in addition to the aforementioned elements. Throughout the specification, the same reference numerals denote the same elements, and “and/or” includes the respective elements and all combinations of the elements. Although “first”, “second” and the like are used to describe various elements, the elements are not limited by the terms. The terms are used simply to distinguish one element from other elements. Accordingly, it is apparent that a first element mentioned in the following may be a second element without departing from the spirit of the inventive concept.

Unless otherwise defined, all terms (including technical and scientific terms) used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood by those skilled in the art to which the inventive concept pertains. It will be further understood that terms, such as those defined in commonly used dictionaries, should be interpreted as having a meaning that is consistent with their meaning in the context of the specification and relevant art and should not be interpreted in an idealized or overly formal sense unless expressly so defined herein.

The terms, such as “below”, “beneath”, “lower”, “above”, and “upper”, which are spatially relative may be used to easily describe a correlation between one element and other elements as illustrated in the drawings. The spatially relative terms have to be understood as terms including different directions of the elements during use or an operation, in addition to the direction illustrated in the drawings. For example, when the elements illustrated in the drawings are overturned, the elements “below” or “beneath” another element may be positioned “above” the other element. Accordingly, the term “below” or “beneath” may include “below” or “beneath” and “above”. The element may be oriented in different directions, and accordingly, the spatially relative terms may be construed according to the orientation.

Hereinafter, a “lengthwise direction” may mean a direction, in which the height of a patient is substantially formed when the patient is laid. Furthermore, a “widthwise direction” may mean a direction, in which both shoulders of the patient are substantially spaced apart from each other when the patient is laid. A “vertical direction” may mean a direction that is substantially perpendicular to both the “lengthwise direction” and the “widthwise direction”. The “vertical direction” may be referred to as an “upward/downward direction”.

Hereinafter, a posture monitoring system1000according to the inventive concept will be described with reference to the drawings.FIG.1is a conceptual view illustrating a posture monitoring system according to the inventive concept.FIG.2is a perspective view illustrating a robot according to the inventive concept.FIG.3is an exploded view illustrating a robot according to the inventive concept.FIG.4is a flowchart illustrating a method for deriving heart rate information according to the inventive concept.FIG.5is a conceptual view illustrating a method for deriving heart rate information according to the inventive concept.FIGS.6to8are perspective views and conceptual views illustrating that a first leg and a second leg are driven when a user takes a correct posture and a posture with crossed legs.FIG.9(1) is a perspective view illustrating a second driver of a robot according to the inventive concept, andFIG.9(2) is a perspective view illustrating the second driver of the robot according to the inventive concept, when viewed from a direction that is opposite to that ofFIG.9(1).FIGS.10and11are perspective views illustrating that an upper case of a robot is tilted when a user takes a poor upper body posture.

Hereinafter, although it will be described as an example that a posture monitoring system1000according to the inventive concept is provided for a user who performs an operation on a standing disk, the posture monitoring system1000according to the inventive concept is not limited to the standing disk. As an example, the posture monitoring system1000according to the inventive concept may be provided for a user who performs an operation in various environments, such as a standing disk.

The posture monitoring system1000according to the inventive concept may include a robot100, a pad200, and a user device300.

The pad200may be seated under both feet of the user, and may sense a magnitude and a distribution of pressures applied to both the feet of the user to derive a pressure signal. To achieve this, a pressure sensor may be embedded in the pad200. However, the pad200according to the inventive concept is not limited thereto. That is, various kinds of sensors that provide a source for determining a posture of the user may be used in the pad200according to the inventive concept.

An application (APP) for the posture monitoring system1000may be provided in the user device300. The user device300may receive “heart rate information” and “posture information” through communication with the robot100and the pad200, provide an app image list (day records for health) expressed in tables or graphs by converting the information to a database and performing a diagnosis, and provide various coating contents (videos for a method for relieving stresses, correction of posture, and the like) corresponding to the diagnosis result.

To achieve this, one or more of an electric communication device, such as a smartphone, a tablet, a PDA, or a laptop, and a remote controller may be used for the user device300, the user device300according to the inventive concept is not limited thereto.

Hereinafter, the robot100according to the inventive concept will be described. The robot100may measure the “heart rate information (related to a stress index) of a user1and may induce the user1to perceive his or her stresses and voluntarily manage the stress by reproducing the measured heart rate information in various “display images”.

Further, the robot100may receive the pressure signal from the pad200, and may induce the user1to perceive his or her posture and voluntarily take a correct posture by deriving the “posture information” of the user1from the received pressure signal and expressing the posture information in various “display images” and through “driving of mimicking of the user”.

The robot100may include a case110, a camera120, a display130, a board140, a first leg150, a second leg160, a first driver170, a second driver180, an artificial intelligence speaker190, and an electronic control unit (ECU) (not illustrated).

The case110may be an external member that forms an external appearance of the robot100. The case110may be manufactured through plastic injection-molding, but the inventive concept is not limited thereto.

The camera120, the display130, the board140, the first driver170, and the second driver180may be disposed in an interior of the case110. A first window111-1for providing an optical path of the camera120may be formed in the case110. Furthermore, a second window111-2for exposing the display130to the outside may be formed in the case110.

The first leg150and the second leg160may be disposed at lower portions of the case110. The first leg150and the second leg160may be driven to mimic the posture of the user, and may be exposed to the outside of the case110to allow the user to perceive his or her posture.

The artificial intelligence speaker190may be disposed on a lower side of the case110. The case110may be supported or held by the artificial intelligence speaker190.

The case110may include an upper case111and a lower case112. An interior space of the case110may be formed through coupling of the upper case111and the lower case112.

Meanwhile, the first window111-1and the second window111-2may be formed in the upper case111, the first leg150and the second leg160may be disposed in the lower case112, and the lower case112may be supported by the artificial intelligence speaker190.

Furthermore, the upper case111may be disposed on an upper side of the lower case112, and may be tilted in at least one of a forward/rear direction and a leftward/rightward direction by the second driver180when the user takes a poor upper body posture.

The camera120may generate a captured image by photographing the user1. The captured image of the camera120may be utilized to derive the “heart rate information (related to a stress index)”. As an example, the electronic control unit may derive a blood flow change signal from the captured image of the camera120, and may derive the “heart rate information” by processing the derived blood flow change signal.

To achieve this, the camera120may be an infrared (IR) camera that acquires light of an infrared wavelength band and generates a captured image, but the inventive concept is not limited thereto.

That is, various kinds of cameras that provide a source for determining the “heart rate information” of the user1may be utilized as the camera120according to the inventive concept, and moreover, the camera120according to the inventive concept may be replaced by various kinds of sensors that show substantially the same functions.

The camera120may mainly photograph at least one of a face portion and a neck portion of the user as a subject. This is because the face portion and the neck portion of the user1may be easily derived by analyzing changes in vibration and temperatures of aortas.

Meanwhile, the camera120may be controlled by the electronic control unit, and may photograph the face portion and the neck portion of the user1while focusing on them when it is determined that the user is located in a photographing area.

A “display image” may be reproduced on the display130. The “display image” may include at least one of a background, a letter, a number, a graph, and an emoji corresponding to the “heart rate information” and/or the “posture information” of the user1(see a1, a2, a3, and a4ofFIG.2).

In this case, the at least one of the background, the letter, the number, the symbol, the graph, and the emoji corresponding to the “heart rate information” of the user1and the at least one of the background, the letter, the number, the symbol, the graph, and the emoji corresponding to the “posture information” of the user1may be reproduced on the display130at the same time or alternately at different times.

That is, the image corresponding to the “heart rate information” of the user1and the image corresponding to the “posture information” of the user1may be expressed in one frame, and may be expressed in different frames.

However, the inventive concept is not limited thereto, and the “display image” according to the inventive concept may be reproduced in various methods. As an example, only an image corresponding to the “heart rate information” of the user1may be reproduced on the display130, but to the contrary, only an image corresponding to the “posture information” of the user1may be reproduced on the display130.

Meanwhile, various kinds of display panels (an LED, an LCD, and the like) may be used for the display130. As an example, a thin film transistor liquid crystal display (TFT LCD) may be used as the display130according to the inventive concept.

The board140may be a printed circuit board (PCB). Various electronic components may be mounted on the board140. As an example, the camera120and the display130may be mounted on the board140, and the electronic control unit may be mounted on the board140. Accordingly, the camera120and the display130may transmit and receive signals to and from the electronic control unit, and may receive a control signal from the electronic control unit.

The first leg150and the second leg160are members corresponding to both the legs of the user1, and may be driven to mimic the user1in a posture with the crossed legs of the user1.

The first driver170may be a member that rotates the first leg150and the second leg160, and the second driver180may a member that tilts the upper case111.

The artificial intelligence speaker190is configured to provide information that is useful for an operation of the user1, and may understand the question of the user1through natural language processing (NLP), neutral machine translation (NMT), and the like and provide an answer that is matched with a question of the user1by using AI-based big data (provision of a chatter robot service).

The electronic control unit (not illustrated) may communicate with the camera120, the display130, the driver170, and the pad200, and may receive the captured image from the camera120and receive the pressure signal from the pad200to generate the “heart rate information” and the “posture information”. Moreover, the electronic control unit may control the display130and the first driver170according to the “heart rate information” and the “posture information”.

The electronic control unit may be embedded in the robot100and be embedded in the user device300, and may be divided and be embedded in the robot100and the user device300, respectively.

When the electronic control unit is embedded in the user device300, the user device300may perform the function of providing the above-described app image list or providing the coaching contents and the functions performed by the electronic control unit as well in substantially the same way.

Hereinafter, it will be described that the robot100according to the inventive concept expresses a state of the user1in a “display image” by using the “heart rate information”.

As illustrated inFIG.4, a method for deriving a “heart rate information” from a captured image may include an operation S100of determining a location of the user1, an operation S200of deriving a blood flow change signal through image-processing of the captured image, an operation S300of deriving a heart rate signal from the blood flow change signal, and an operation S400of deriving “heart rate information” by processing the heart rate signal.

In the operation S100of determining the location of the user1, the electronic control unit may analyze the captured image of the camera120or may determine whether the user1is located in a photographing area by using a sensing signal of a location detection sensor (to achieve this, the robot or the posture monitoring system according to the inventive concept may further include a location detection sensor as an element).

The operation S200of deriving the blood flow change signal through the image-processing of the captured image may be performed after it is identified that the user1is located in the photographing area.

When the user1is located in the photographing area, the electronic control unit may determine the locations of the face portion and the neck portion of the user1by utilizing an image, location information, or 3-dimensional depth data, and may drive the camera120such that the photographing area of the camera120faces the face portion and the neck portion of the user1. To achieve this, the robot100according to the inventive concept may further include a “camera driving device”.

The electronic control unit may derive a blood flow change signal of at least one of the face portion (particularly, a temple portion) and the neck portion of the user. In this case, the blood flow change signal, as illustrated inFIG.5(1), may be a signal obtained by deriving at least one of a vibration value and a temperature change value of aortas of at least one of the face portion and the neck portion of the user by analyzing a thermal image that is captured in real time. That is, the blood flow change signal may be a signal on the at least one of the vibration value and the temperature change value of the aortas of the at least one of the face portion and the neck portion of the user1.

Next, the electronic control unit may classify the blood flow change signal of the user1according to its frequency, and may derive a heart rate signal by filtering out a noise signal. That is, the blood flow change signal, as illustrated inFIG.5(2), may include a signal that is not related to heart rates. The electronic control unit may extract only the heart rate signal through a process of classifying the blood flow change signal according to its frequency through a fast Fourier transform (FFT) and removing the noise signal, other than the heart rate signal, through a digital band pass filter (DBPF).

Next, the electronic control unit may derive the heart rate information from the heart rate signal by using a maximum extraction algorithm. As a result, as illustrated inFIG.5(3), the “heart rate information” may be derived.

The electronic control unit may change the display image such that the display image includes at least one of a background, a letter, a number (value), a symbol, a graph, and an emoji corresponding to the “heart rate information” As an example, as illustrated inFIG.2(a4), a heart rate graph may be reproduced on the display130.

Meanwhile, because the “heart rate information” is renewed in real time, the image corresponding to the “heart rate information” may be changed in real time. That is, because the “heart rate information” is expressed on the display130as the image that is changed in real time, the user1may monitor his or her state (stress state) in real time.

The electronic control unit may classify the state of the user1into a normal heart rate state, a low heart rate state, and a high heart rate state, by using the “heart rate information”. In this case, the at least one of the background, the letter, the number, the symbol, the graph, and the emoji corresponding to the “heart rate information” may be expressed differently according to the states of the user1. Accordingly, the user1may intuitively recognize the normal heart rate state, the low heart rate state, and the high heart rate state.

As an example, because the heart rate fluctuates with a high width when the user1receives many stresses, images corresponding to the low heart rate state and the high heart rate state mainly appear on the display130. In this case, the user1may take an appropriate rest by recognizing the stresses by himself or herself, through monitoring of the display image.

To the contrary, because the heart rates show a stable aspect when the user1hardly receives stresses, images corresponding to the normal heart rate state mainly appear on the display130. In this case, the user1may recognize by himself or herself that he or she is in a normal state, through monitoring of the display image.

Hereinafter, it will be described that the robot100according to the inventive concept expresses a posture of the user1in a “display image” and through “driving of mimicking of the user”, by using “posture information”.

A magnitude and a distribution of pressures applied to both feet of the user may be sensed by the pad200and may be derived as a pressure signal. The electronic control unit may derive “posture information” on the posture of the user1by processing the pressure signal. Meanwhile, various technologies for allowing an ordinary person to easily perform the method for deriving “posture information” from the pressure signal may be used.

The electronic control unit may change the display image such that the display image includes at least one of a background, a letter, a number (value), a symbol, a graph, and an emoji corresponding to the “posture information”.

Meanwhile, because the “posture information” is renewed in real time, the image corresponding to the “posture information” may be changed in real time. That is, because the “posture information” is expressed on the display130as an image that is changed in real time, the user1may monitor his or her posture in real time.

The electronic control unit may classify the postures of the user1into a correct posture, a poor upper body posture, and a posture with the crossed legs, by using the “posture information”. In this case, the at least one of the background, the letter, the number, the symbol, the graph, and the emoji corresponding to the “posture information” may be expressed differently according to the postures of the user1.

Meanwhile, the poor upper body posture may include at least one of a first posture, in which the upper body or the neck is bent to any one of the upper side, the lower side, the left side, and the right side, and a second posture, in which the body is leaned or supported by any one of both the legs, or may be a combination form of the first and second postures.

As an example, the emoji as inFIG.2(a1) may be reproduced in the correct posture on the display130, the emoji as inFIG.2(a2) may be reproduced in the poor upper body posture, and the emoji as inFIG.2(a3) may be reproduced in the posture with the crossed legs. Accordingly, the user1may intuitively recognize his or her posture.

Moreover, the electronic control unit may classify the correct posture, the poor upper body posture, and the posture with the crossed legs more finely, by using the “posture information”, and the image corresponding to the “posture information” may be expressed differently according to the case.

Meanwhile, as described above, the electronic control unit may reproduce the image corresponding to the “heart rate information” and the image corresponding to the “posture information” at the same time, or may reproduce the images at different times. Moreover, the electronic control unit may perform a control to reproduce the image corresponding to the “heart rate information” and the image corresponding to the “posture information” alternately.

The electronic control unit may control the first driver170such that the first leg150and the second leg160rotate in correspondence to the “posture information”, when the user1takes the posture with the crossed legs. In this case, the first leg150and the second leg160allow the user1to perceive the posture with the crossed legs by mimicking the posture with the crossed legs of the user1.

As illustrated inFIG.6, when the user1is in the correct posture (likewise in the case of the poor upper body posture), the first driver170does not perform a driving operation and the first leg150and the second leg160may be fixed in an original state. In this case, the first leg150and the second leg160may be disposed in parallel to each other, and may mimic the correct posture of the user1.

As illustrated inFIG.7, when the user1is in a posture with the right leg crossed, the first leg150may rotate by the first driver170. In this case, the rotational direction of the first leg150is a counterclockwise direction and the rotational radius of the first leg150is about 90 degrees when the first leg150is viewed from the front side, and thus the posture with the right leg crossed of the user may be mimicked.

As illustrated inFIG.8, when the user1is in a posture with the left leg crossed, the second leg160may rotate by the first driver170. In this case, the rotational direction of the second leg160is a clockwise direction and the rotational radius of the second leg160is about 90 degrees when the second leg160is viewed from the front side, and thus the posture with the left leg crossed of the user1may be mimicked.

Meanwhile, the robot100according to the inventive concept may drive the first leg150and the second leg160with one motor to lower production costs and thus secure a price competitiveness.

To achieve this, the first driver170may include a first motor171, a rack gear172, a driving gear173, a first driven gear174, and a second driven gear175.

The driving gear173is a gear that is driven by the first motor171, and may be disposed in a shaft of the first motor171. The rack gear172may be always enmeshed with the driving gear173, and may move to one side and an opposite side through forward rotation and reverse rotation of the first motor171.

The first driven gear174may be disposed in the first leg150, and may be selectively enmeshed with the rack gear172to rotate as the rack gear172moves to one side (to the right side). That is, the first driven gear174may be enmeshed with the rack gear172to rotate when the rack gear172moves to the one side through forward rotation of the first motor171.

The second driven gear175may be disposed in the second leg160, and may be selectively enmeshed with the rack gear172to rotate as the rack gear172moves to an opposite side (to the left side). That is, the second driven gear175may be enmeshed with the rack gear172to rotate when the rack gear172moves to the opposite side through reverse rotation of the first motor171.

Meanwhile, the axes of rotation of the first driven gear174and the second driven gear175may be parallel to each other, and the rotational directions thereof may be opposite to each other. Accordingly, the first leg150and the second leg160rotate in opposite directions while being disposed to be parallel to each other to implement the posture with the crossed legs.

The electronic control unit may control the second driver180such that the upper case111is tilted in correspondence to the “posture information” when the user1takes the poor upper body posture. In this case, the upper case111may mimic the poor upper body posture of the user1(the upper case is tilted in a direction in which the upper body of the user is inclined) so that the user1may perceive the poor upper body posture.

Meanwhile, the second driver180may tilt the upper case111to the front side and the rear side (in the forward/rearward direction) so that the case, in which the upper body of the user1is inclined to the front side, and the case, in which the upper body of the user1is inclined to the rear side, may be mimicked. Further, the second driver180according to the inventive concept may tilt the upper case111to the left side and the right side (in the leftward/rightward direction) so that the case, in which the upper body of the user1is inclined to the left side, and the case, in which the upper body of the user1is inclined to the right side, may be mimicked.

To achieve this, the second driver180may include a (2-1)-th motor181, a first bracket182, a (2-2)-th motor183, and a second bracket184. The (2-1)-th motor181may rotate the first bracket182, the (2-2)-th motor183may rotate the second bracket184, and the upper case111may be supported by the first bracket182and the second bracket184to be tilted in the forward/rearward direction and the leftward/rightward direction.

To achieve this, one side (an upper bar) of the first bracket182may be fixed to the upper case111, and an opposite side (a pair of links extending from a horizontal bar to the lower side) of the first bracket182may interwork (one-side link) with a shaft of the (2-1)-th motor181and be hinge-coupled (another-side link) to the second bracket184as well.

Furthermore, one side (a front portion) of the second bracket184may be fixed to the upper case111, and an opposite side (a rear portion) of the second bracket184may interwork with a shaft of the (2-2)-th motor183.

Meanwhile, the (2-1)-th motor181may be disposed substantially between the one side (the upper bar) of the first bracket182and the second bracket184, and accordingly, the second driver180according to the inventive concept may have a compact structure.

Moreover, the shaft of the (2-1)-th motor181and the opposite side of the first bracket182, and the shaft of the (2-2)-th motor183and the opposite side of the second bracket184may interwork with each other through a cam181-1to stably implement rotation thereof.

As illustrated inFIG.10(1), when the user1takes a posture, in which the upper body is inclined to the front side, the first bracket182may rotate such that the upper case111is tilted to the front side through forward rotation of the (2-1)-th motor181to mimic the posture of the user1, in which the upper body is inclined to the front side. In this case, the rotational radius of the first bracket182may be about less than 90 degrees (an acute angle).

As illustrated inFIG.10(2), when the user1takes a posture, in which the upper body is inclined to the rear side, the first bracket182may rotate such that the upper case111is tilted to the rear side through reverse rotation of the (2-1)-th motor181to mimic the posture of the user1, in which the upper body is inclined to the rear side. In this case, the rotational radius of the first bracket182may be about less than 90 degrees (an acute angle).

As illustrated inFIG.11(1), when the user1takes a posture, in which the upper body is inclined to the left side, the second bracket184may rotate such that the upper case111is tilted to the left side through forward rotation of the (2-2)-th motor183to mimic the posture of the user1, in which the upper body is inclined to the left side. In this case, the rotational radius of the second bracket184may be about less than 90 degrees (an acute angle).

As illustrated inFIG.11(2), when the user1takes a posture, in which the upper body is inclined to the right side, the second bracket184may rotate such that the upper case111is tilted to the right side through reverse rotation of the (2-2)-th motor183to mimic the posture of the user1, in which the upper body is inclined to the right side. In this case, the rotational radius of the second bracket184may be about less than 90 degrees (an acute angle).

The inventive concept provides a robot that photographs a user with a camera, generates heart rate information to analyze a state of the user, and receives a sensing signal from a pad that measures a pressure applied to both feet of the user and generate posture information to analyze a posture of the user.

The robot according to the inventive concept may analyze a state and a posture of a user and express the state and the posture with various kinds of letters, numbers (values), symbols, and emojis corresponding to the state and the posture on a display, thereby allowing the user to monitor the state and the posture of the user in real time.

Furthermore, because the robot according to the inventive concept mimics the posture of the user and rotates its legs when the user crosses his or her legs, the user may perceive that he or she crosses his or her legs.

Furthermore, because the robot according to the inventive concept mimics the posture of the user and tilts the upper case when the upper body of the user is in a poor posture, the user may perceive that his or her upper body is in the poor posture.

Furthermore, the robot according to the inventive concept rotates his or her legs by using one motor of the first driver, costs for a driving module may be decreased and product costs are economical.

In addition, in the robot according to the inventive concept, because a driving member that tilts the upper case is disposed in the second driver, the size of the product may be reduced.

Moreover, in the posture monitoring system according to the inventive concept, because a user device that receives a state and a posture of a user from a robot and provides various stress relief and posture correction contents matched with the state and the posture, the user may receive a coach for management of health and the posture of the user.

The effects of the inventive concept are not limited thereto, and other unmentioned effects of the inventive concept may be clearly appreciated by those skilled in the art from the following descriptions.

Although the exemplary embodiments of the inventive concept have been described with reference to the accompanying drawings, it will be understood by those skilled in the art to which the inventive concept pertains that the inventive concept can be carried out in other detailed forms without changing the technical spirits and essential features thereof. Therefore, the above-described embodiments are exemplary in all aspects, and should be construed not to be restrictive.