Granted Patent B2

US 12,207,703 · App. 17/649,533 · Granted Jan 28, 2025

Inventors: Michael Shawn Gray (Dripping Springs, TX); Richard Stuart Seger, Jr. (Belton, TX); Timothy W. Markison (Mesa, AZ); Kevin Joseph Derichs (Buda, TX)

Assignee: SIGMASENSE, LLC.

A43B3/44A43B3/48A63B24/0062

Abstract

Claims (59)

1. A foot force detection system comprises:

a first shoe force detection unit including:

a first plurality of variable capacitors, wherein capacitance of a first variable capacitor of the first plurality of variable capacitors varies based on pressure applied to the first variable capacitor; and

a first plurality of drive sense circuits operably coupled to the first plurality of variable capacitors, wherein a first drive sense circuit of the first plurality of drive sense circuits is operable to supply a first drive signal to the first variable capacitor;

a second shoe force detection unit including:

a second plurality of variable capacitors, wherein capacitance of a second variable capacitor of the second plurality of variable capacitors varies based on pressure applied to the second variable capacitor; and

a second plurality of drive sense circuits operably coupled to the second plurality of variable capacitors, wherein a second drive sense circuit of the second plurality of drive sense circuits is operable to:

receive, via the body of a wearer of the foot force detection system, a first sensed signal regarding a characteristic of the first variable capacitor;

convert the first sensed signal into a first digital signal;

supply a second drive signal to the second variable capacitor;

generate a second sensed signal regarding a characteristic of the second variable capacitor;

convert the second sensed signal into a second digital signal;

a processing module operably coupled to:

generate a first digital impedance value for the first variable capacitor based on the first digital signal; and

generate a second digital impedance value for the second variable capacitor based on the second digital signal.

2. The foot force detection system of claim 1 , wherein the second shoe force detection unit further comprises:

a communication unit operably coupled to the processing module; wherein the communication unit communicates with a computing entity.

3. The foot force detection system of claim 1 , wherein the second shoe force detection unit further comprises:

memory, wherein the processing modules writes the first and second digital impedance value into the memory.

4. The foot force detection system of claim 1 further comprises:

a third drive sense circuit of the first plurality of drive sense circuits is operable to supply a third reference signal to a third variable capacitor;

a fourth drive sense circuit of the second plurality of drive sense circuits is operable to supply a fourth reference signal to a fourth variable capacitor;

the second drive sense circuit is further operable to:

receive, via the body, a third sensed signal regarding a characteristic of the third variable capacitor;

convert the third sensed signal into a third digital signal;

receive, via the body, a fourth sensed signal regarding a characteristic of the fourth variable capacitor; and

convert the fourth sensed signal into a fourth digital signal.

5. The foot force detection system of claim 4 further comprises:

the first reference signal having an oscillating component at a first frequency;

the second reference signal having an oscillating component at a second frequency;

the third reference signal having an oscillating component at a third frequency;

the fourth reference signal having an oscillating component at a fourth frequency.

6. The foot force detection system of claim 5 , wherein the processing module is further operable to:

bandpass filter the first digital signal to generate a first digital value, wherein the bandpass filtering incudes a center frequency corresponding to the first frequency;

processing the first digital value to produce the first digital impedance value;

bandpass filter the second digital signal to generate a second digital value, wherein the bandpass filtering incudes a center frequency corresponding to the second frequency;

processing the second digital value to produce the second digital impedance value;

bandpass filter the third digital signal to generate a third digital value, wherein the bandpass filtering incudes a center frequency corresponding to the third frequency;

processing the third digital value to produce the third digital impedance value;

bandpass filter the fourth digital signal to generate a fourth digital value, wherein the bandpass filtering incudes a center frequency corresponding to the fourth frequency; and

processing the fourth digital value to produce the fourth digital impedance value.

7. The foot force detection system of claim 4 further comprises:

the first reference signal having an oscillating component at a first frequency and is active during a first interval of a sampling period;

the second reference signal having an oscillating component at the first frequency and is active during a second interval of the sampling period;

the third reference signal having an oscillating component at the first frequency and is active during a third interval of the sampling period; and

the fourth reference signal having an oscillating component at the first frequency and is active during a fourth interval of the sampling period.

8. The foot force detection system of claim 7 , wherein the processing module is further operable to:

during the first interval:

bandpass filter the first digital signal to generate a first digital value, wherein the bandpass filtering incudes a center frequency corresponding to the first frequency; and

processing the first digital value to produce the first digital impedance value;

during the second interval:

bandpass filter the second digital signal to generate a second digital value, wherein the bandpass filtering incudes a center frequency corresponding to the first frequency; and

processing the second digital value to produce the second digital impedance value;

during the third interval:

bandpass filter the third digital signal to generate a third digital value, wherein the bandpass filtering incudes a center frequency corresponding to the first frequency; and

processing the third digital value to produce the third digital impedance value;

during the fourth interval:

bandpass filter the fourth digital signal to generate a fourth digital value, wherein the bandpass filtering incudes a center frequency corresponding to the first frequency; and

processing the fourth digital value to produce the fourth digital impedance value.

Assignments (1)

Continuity (5)

References Cited (137)