US4375674A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Kinesimetric method and apparatus
Assignee: National Aeronautics and Space Administration
•
Filing: 1980-10-17
•
Granted: 1983-03-01
•
Expires: 2000-10-17
Abstract
Abstract Disclosed are apparatus and method for the determination of functional capability of bodies. Reach as well as velocity, acceleration and force generation at various positions may be determined for a body by a three dimensional kinesimeter equipped with an ergometer. A general data package indicative of performance potential of a subject body or collection of bodies is provided for interfacing with data characteristic of various environments.
Inventors
- 👤 William E. Thornton
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-23 21:03
CPC Classifications
A; A61; A61B; A61B5/00; A61B5/103; A61B5/11; A61B5/1107; A61B5/22; A61B2562/00; A61B2562/02; A61B2562/0219; A61B5/70; A61B5/702; Y; Y10; Y10S; Y10S273/00; Y10S273/06
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 30
Claim 1
Independent Claim
88 words
Apparatus for determining functional capability of bodies comprising: a. position detector means for sensing the location of such a body in three dimensions; b. force detector means for sensing force exerted by said body; c. data acquisition means for acquiring information of positions of said body in three dimensions as a function of time from said position detector means and force exertion information from said force detector means; and d. means for presenting information acquired by said data acquisition means descriptive of the limits of a selected envelope.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
88 words
Apparatus for determining functional capability of bodies comprising: a. position detector means for sensing the location of such a body in three dimensions; b. force detector means for sensing force exerted by said body; c. data acquisition means for acquiring information of positions of said body in three dimensions as a function of time from said position detector means and force exertion information from said force detector means; and d. means for presenting information acquired by said data acquisition means descriptive of the limits of a selected envelope.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
21 words
Apparatus as defined in claim 1 further comprising data processing means for operating on information acquired by said data acquisition means.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
19 words
Apparatus as defined in claim 1 further comprising means for storing information so acquired by said data acquisition means.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
31 words
Apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein said position detector means and said force detector means may be operated simultaneously to sense location of, and force exerted by, said body, respectively.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
14 words
Apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein said force detector means comprises ergometer means.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
25 words
Apparatus as defined in claim 1 further comprising means for comparing said position information and force exertion information with information characteristic of a selected environment.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
15 words
Apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein said position detector means comprises optical sensor means.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
22 words
Apparatus as defined in claim 7 wherein said optical sensor means comprises at least two video cameras arrayed generally in a plane.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
29 words
Apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein said data acquisition means further comprises means for digitizing detection signals from said position detector means and from said force detector means.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
78 words
Kinesimetric apparatus comprising: a. a plurality of video cameras arranged in a plane and oriented to sense the position and movement of a subject body so that at least two of said video cameras may so sense said body at any time; b. means for acquiring output signal from said video cameras carrying information of the position and motion of said subject body; and c. means for reducing said output information into position trajectory and reach envelope information.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
78 words
Kinesimetric apparatus comprising: a. a plurality of video cameras arranged in a plane and oriented to sense the position and movement of a subject body so that at least two of said video cameras may so sense said body at any time; b. means for acquiring output signal from said video cameras carrying information of the position and motion of said subject body; and c. means for reducing said output information into position trajectory and reach envelope information.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
20 words
Apparatus as defined in claim 10 further comprising ergometer means for acquiring information of force exerted by said subject body.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
13 words
Apparatus as defined in claim 11 wherein said ergometer means comprises dynamometer means.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
23 words
Apparatus as defined in claim 11 wherein said data processing means further comprises means for combining said force information and said position information.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
21 words
Apparatus as defined in claim 10 further comprising means for interfacing said output information with information characteristic of a selected environment.
Claim 17
Independent Claim
112 words
A method of determining functional capability of bodies comprising the following steps: a. providing a detector for sensing the location of such a body in three dimensions as a function of time; b. providing data acquisition means for acquiring data from said detector including information of the position of said body as a function of time; c. sensing the location of said body as a function of time by said detector; d. so acquiring said information from said detector by said data acquisition means; e. reducing said information so acquired; and f. so processing information from said detector sensing positions assumed by said body at the limits of a selected reach envelope.
Claim 18
Independent Claim
112 words
A method of determining functional capability of bodies comprising the following steps: a. providing a detector for sensing the location of such a body in three dimensions as a function of time; b. providing data acquisition means for acquiring data from said detector including information of the position of said body as a function of time; c. sensing the location of said body as a function of time by said detector; d. so acquiring said information from said detector by said data acquisition means; e. reducing said information so acquired; and f. so processing information from said detector sensing positions assumed by said body at the limits of a selected reach envelope.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
25 words
A method as defined in claim 15, further comprising the additional steps of so processing said reach envelope information to generate corresponding reach envelope data.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
27 words
A method as defined in claim 16 further comprising the additional steps of processing said position information to generate data defining a plane intersecting said reach envelope.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
42 words
A method as defined in claim 15 further comprising the additional steps of so processing information from said detector sensing positions assumed by said body at the limits of a maximum reach envelope, a functional reach envelope and a restricted reach envelope.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
32 words
A method as defined in claim 15 further comprising the additional steps of processing said position information to determine information describing the velocity of said body motion as a function of time.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
30 words
A method as defined in claim 15 further comprising the additional steps of processing said position information to determine acceleration information of said body motion as a function of time.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
28 words
A method as defined in claim 15 further comprising the additional steps of interfacing said information concerning positions of said body with information characteristic of a preselected environment.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
33 words
A method as defined in claim 15 further comprising the additional steps of providing an ergometer and sensing the position and motion of said body as said body effects force on said ergometer.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
28 words
A method as defined in claim 22 further comprising the additional steps of acquiring information from said ergometer concerning said force exerted on said ergometer by said body.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
37 words
A method as defined in claim 23 further comprising the additional steps of processing said force information and said position information and generating data reflecting the generation of force by said body as a function of position.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
34 words
A method as defined in claim 24 further comprising the additional steps of interfacing said information concerning force generated by said body and position of said body with information characteristic of a selected environment.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
30 words
A method as defined in claim 23 further comprising the additional steps of processing information from said detector and from said ergometer descriptive of the limits of a selected envelope.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
43 words
A method as defined in claim 15 further comprising the additional steps of reducing said position information to obtain information of the velocity and acceleration of said body, and interfacing said position, velocity and acceleration information with information characteristic of a selected environment.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US3973332A
Cited
US4146924A
Cited
US4112463A
Cited
US4197855A
Cited
US4128316A
Cited
US4136387A
Cited
US4137566A
Cited
US4238828A
Cited
US4163941A
Cited
US4307608A
Cited
US4236180A
Cited
US4281342A
Cited
US4172661A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1986-02-28 | 1986-08-30 | 1987-03-01 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1990-02-28 | 1990-08-30 | 1991-03-01 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1994-02-28 | 1994-08-30 | 1995-03-01 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |