# US 2014/0190536 A1 · Systems and Methods for Assisted Ambulation > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2014/0190536 A1 - Document ID: US20140190536A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 14/096,909 - Filed: 2013-12-04 - Published: 2014-07-10 - Earliest claimed: 2012-12-04 - Assignees: Scott & White Healthcare - Inventors: Paul A. Friedman - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20140190536A1 ## CPC - A61H 3/00: Appliances for aiding patients or disabled persons to walk about (apparatus for helping babies to walk A47D13/04 {; applying electrical currents by contact electrodes for stimulating motor muscles, e.g. walking assistance A61N1/36003}) - G08C 17/02: using a radio link - G08C 19/00: Electric signal transmission systems (G08C17/00 takes precedence) - A61G 5/00: Chairs or personal conveyances specially adapted for patients or disabled persons, e.g. wheelchairs (devices enabling patients or disabled persons to operate an apparatus or device not forming part of the body A61F4/00; bicycles specially adapted for disabled riders B62K3/16) - A61H 3/02: Crutches - A61H 3/04: Wheeled walking aids for patients or disabled persons - A61H 2003/0205: {Crutches with no pivoting movement during use, e.g. tripods} - A61H 2201/0184: by raising an alarm - A61H 2201/5007: computer controlled - A61H 2201/5028: Contact activation, i.e. activated at contact with a surface of the user to be treated - A61H 2201/5048: Audio interfaces, e.g. voice or music controlled - A61H 2201/5069: Angle sensors - A61H 2201/5097: wireless - G08B 21/0415: {detecting absence of activity per se} - G08B 21/0461: {integrated or attached to an item closely associated with the person but not worn by the person, e.g. chair, walking stick, bed sensor} - A61H: PHYSICAL THERAPY APPARATUS, e.g. DEVICES FOR LOCATING OR STIMULATING REFLEX POINTS IN THE BODY; ARTIFICIAL RESPIRATION; MASSAGE; BATHING DEVICES FOR SPECIAL THERAPEUTIC OR HYGIENIC PURPOSES OR SPECIFIC PARTS OF THE BODY (electrotherapy, magnetotherapy, radiation therapy or ultrasound therapy A61N) - G08C: TRANSMISSION SYSTEMS FOR MEASURED VALUES, CONTROL OR SIMILAR SIGNALS (fluid pressure transmitting systems F15B; mechanical means for transferring the output of a sensing member into a different variable G01D5/00; mechanical control systems G05G) - A61G: TRANSPORT, PERSONAL CONVEYANCES OR ACCOMMODATION SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR PATIENTS OR DISABLED PERSONS (appliances for aiding patients or disabled persons to walk A61H3/00); OPERATING TABLES OR CHAIRS; CHAIRS FOR DENTISTRY; FUNERAL DEVICES (embalming corpses A01N1/00) - G08B: SIGNALLING SYSTEMS, e.g. PERSONAL CALLING SYSTEMS; ORDER TELEGRAPHS; ALARM SYSTEMS ## Abstract Cognitive orthotics. More specifically, assistive ambulation systems and methods, including systems that can detect a person who uses an assistive ambulation device (such as a walker) and produce a signal in response to the detection, which signal is designed to encourage or motivate the person to use the device. They system may also stop the signal when the person engages the device and/or produce an additional signal or a different signal when the person engages the device. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A system comprising: an initiator sensor configured to detect a person; a controller couplable to the initiator sensor; a signaling device couplable to the controller, the controller configured to cause the signaling device to produce a signal based on input received by the controller from the initiator sensor after the initiator sensor detects a person; an engagement sensor couplable to the controller and configured such that, if coupled to an assistive ambulation device, the engagement sensor can detect if a person has engaged the assistive ambulation device; and a power supply couplable to at least one of the controller, the initiator sensor, the signaling device, and the engagement sensor. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, where the controller is configured such that, when the system is coupled to or includes an assistive ambulation device, the controller prevents the signaling device from producing a signal after the engagement sensor has detected that a person has engaged the assistive ambulation device. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, where the controller is configured such that, when the system is coupled to or includes an assistive ambulation device, the controller causes the signaling device to produce a different signal after the engagement sensor has detected that a person has engaged the assistive ambulation device. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, further comprising: an autodialer couplable to the controller. ### Claim at position 5 5-6. (canceled) ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, further comprising: a second signaling device couplable to the controller; where the controller is configured such that, when the system is coupled to or includes an assistive ambulation device, the controller causes the second signaling device to produce a signal after the engagement sensor has detected that a person has engaged the assistive ambulation device. ### Claim at position 7 8-15. (canceled) ### Claim 16 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, further comprising: an assistive ambulation device coupled to the initiator sensor, the controller, the signaling device, the engagement sensor, and the power supply. ### Claim at position 9 17-23. (canceled) ### Claim 24 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, where the controller is configured such that, when the system is coupled to or includes an assistive ambulation device, the controller can determine at least one of a distance between a person and the assistive ambulation device and a change in distance between a person and the assistive ambulation device. ### Claim at position 11 25-45. (canceled) ### Claim 46 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, further comprising: a recording device couplable to the controller and configured to record information relating to the system when the system is coupled to an assistive ambulation device. ### Claim at position 13 47-48. (canceled) ### Claim 49 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, further comprising: a transmitter couplable to the controller and configured to transmit to a remote device a signal relating to the system. ### Claim 50 (depends on 49) The system of claim 49, where the controller is configured to cause the transmitter to transmit a signal relating to whether the initiator sensor has detected a person. ### Claim 51 (depends on 49) The system of claim 49, where the controller is configured to cause the transmitter to transmit a signal relating to whether the engagement sensor has detected that a person has engaged the assistive ambulation device. ### Claim at position 17 52-99. (canceled) ### Claim 100 A system comprising: an initiator sensor configured to detect a person; a controller couplable to the initiator sensor; a signaling device couplable to the controller, the controller configured to cause the signaling device to produce a first signal based on input received by the controller from the initiator sensor after the initiator sensor detects a person; and a power supply couplable to at least one of the controller, the initiator sensor, the signaling device, and the engagement sensor; where the controller is configured such that, when the system is coupled to or includes an assistive ambulation device, the controller can stop the signaling device from producing the first signal after a person has engaged the assistive ambulation device. ### Claim 101 (depends on 100) The system of claim 100, where the controller is configured such that, when the system is coupled to or includes an assistive ambulation device, the controller causes the signaling device to produce a different signal as a result of a person having engaged the assistive ambulation device. ### Claim 102 (canceled) ### Claim 103 (depends on 100) The system of claim 100, further comprising: an engagement sensor couplable to the controller and configured to detect if a person has engaged an assistive ambulation device when the system is coupled to or includes the assistive ambulation device. ### Claim at position 22 104-105. (canceled) ### Claim 106 (depends on 100) The system of claim 100, where the system further comprises: a second signaling device couplable to the controller; where the controller is configured such that, when the system is coupled to or includes an assistive ambulation device, the controller causes the second signaling device to produce a signal after a person has engaged the assistive ambulation device. ### Claim at position 24 107-114. (canceled) ### Claim 115 (depends on 100) The system of claim 100, further comprising: an assistive ambulation device coupled to the initiator sensor, the controller, the signaling device, and the power supply. ### Claim at position 26 116-119. (canceled) ### Claim 120 (depends on 118) The system of claim 118, where the initiator sensor comprises a first initiator sensor that is coupled to a lower portion of the assistive ambulation device, and the system further comprises: a second initiator sensor coupled to an upper portion of the assistive ambulation device. ### Claim at position 28 121-142. (canceled) ### Claim 143 (depends on 103) The system of claim 103, where the engagement sensor comprises at least one of a tactile sensor and an accelerometer. ### Claim at position 30 144-147. (canceled) ### Claim 148 (depends on 100) The system of claim 100, further comprising: a transmitter couplable to the controller and configured to transmit to a remote device a signal relating to the system. ### Claim at position 32 149-151. (canceled) ### Claim 152 A system comprising: an initiator sensor configured to detect a person; a signaling device couplable to the initiator sensor and configured to produce a signal based on input received from the initiator sensor after the initiator sensor detects a person; an engagement sensor couplable configured such that, if coupled to an assistive ambulation device, the engagement sensor can detect if a person has engaged the assistive ambulation device; and a power supply couplable to at least one of the initiator sensor, the signaling device, and the engagement sensor.