Method for controlling an artificial orthotic or prosthetic knee joint

Abstract

The invention relates to a method for controlling an artificial orthotic or prosthetic knee joint, on which a lower leg component is arranged and which is assigned a resistance device having at least one actuator, by means of which the bending resistance is modified depending on sensor data that is determined during use of the orthotic or prosthetic knee joint by means of a sensor, wherein the absolute angle of the lower leg component is determined exclusively by means of at least one inertial sensor, the angle determined is compared with at least one threshold value, and the bending Resistance is modified when the threshold value is reached.

1 . (canceled) 
     
     
         2 . A method for controlling an artificial orthotic or prosthetic device, the artificial orthotic or prosthetic device comprising:
 a knee joint;   a lower leg component coupled to the knee joint, the lower leg component being positioned distal to the knee joint;   a resistance device including an actuator, the resistance device being configured to modify a bending or flexion resistance of the knee joint;   at least one sensor configured to provide information about an angular velocity of the lower leg component; and   a control device in electronic communication with the at least one sensor;   the method comprising;   monitoring the angular velocity of the lower leg component using the control device and the information provided to the control device by the at least one sensor; and   modifying the bending or flexion resistance of the knee joint using the resistance device when the angular velocity of the lower leg component reaches zero and a direction of movement of the lower leg component is reversed.   
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2  comprising:
 determining that the angular velocity of the lower leg component is not zero using the control device and the information provided to the control device by the at least one sensor; and 
 reducing the bending or flexion resistance of the knee joint based upon the angular velocity of the lower leg component not being zero. 
 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 2  wherein the at least one sensor is positioned distal to the knee joint. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 2  wherein the at least one sensor comprises at least one inertial sensor. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 5  wherein the at least one inertial sensor includes at least one of a two dimensional magnetic field sensor, a three dimensional magnetic field sensor, a two dimensional acceleration sensor, a three dimensional acceleration sensor, a one dimensional gyroscope, a two dimensional gyroscope, or a three dimensional gyroscope. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 2  wherein determining that the angular velocity of the lower leg component is zero using the control device and the information provided to the control device by the at least one sensor comprises calculating the angular velocity of the lower leg component from the information provided to the control device by the at least one sensor. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 2  wherein the bending or flexion resistance comprises a bending resistance. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 2  wherein the bending or flexion resistance comprises a flexion resistance. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 2  comprising:
 determining, using the control device and the information provided to the control device by the at least one sensor, that the angular velocity of the lower leg component has reached zero signifying a reversal of a movement direction of the lower leg component; and 
 modifying the bending or flexion resistance of the knee joint using the resistance device based upon the angular velocity of the lower leg component reaching zero signifying the reversal of the movement direction of the lower leg component. 
 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 2  comprising:
 determining that an angular acceleration of the lower leg component has exceeded a threshold acceleration value using the control device and the information provided to the control device by the at least one inertial sensor; and 
 maintaining or increasing the bending or flexion resistance of the knee joint based upon the angular acceleration of the lower leg component exceeding the threshold acceleration value. 
 
     
     
         12 . An artificial orthotic or prosthetic device comprising:
 a knee joint;   a lower leg component coupled to the knee joint, the lower leg component being positioned distal to the knee joint;   a resistance device including an actuator, the resistance device being configured to modify a bending or flexion resistance of the knee joint;   at least one sensor configured to provide information about an angular velocity of the lower leg component; and   a control device in electronic communication with the at least one sensor;   wherein the control device is configured to monitor the angular velocity of the lower leg component using the information provided to the control device by the at least one sensor;   wherein the control device is configured to modify the bending or flexion resistance of the knee joint using the resistance device when the angular velocity of the lower leg component reaches zero and a direction of movement of the lower leg component is reversed.   
     
     
         13 . The artificial orthotic or prosthetic device of  claim 12  wherein the control device is configured to determine that an angular velocity of the lower leg component is not zero using the information provided to the control device by the at least one sensor; and
 wherein the control device is configured to reduce the bending or flexion resistance of the knee joint based upon the angular velocity of the lower leg component not being zero. 
 
     
     
         14 . The artificial orthotic or prosthetic device of  claim 12  wherein the at least one sensor is positioned distal to the knee joint. 
     
     
         15 . The artificial orthotic or prosthetic device of  claim 12  wherein the at least one sensor comprises at least one inertial sensor. 
     
     
         16 . The artificial orthotic or prosthetic device of  claim 15  wherein the at least one inertial sensor includes at least one of a two dimensional magnetic field sensor, a three dimensional magnetic field sensor, a two dimensional acceleration sensor, a three dimensional acceleration sensor, a one dimensional gyroscope, a two dimensional gyroscope, or a three dimensional gyroscope. 
     
     
         17 . The artificial orthotic or prosthetic device of  claim 12  wherein the control device is configured to calculate that the angular velocity of the lower leg component is zero using the information provided to the control device by the at least one sensor 
     
     
         18 . The artificial orthotic or prosthetic device of  claim 12  wherein the bending or flexion resistance comprises a bending resistance. 
     
     
         19 . The artificial orthotic or prosthetic device of  claim 12  wherein the bending or flexion resistance comprises a flexion resistance. 
     
     
         20 . The artificial orthotic or prosthetic device of  claim 12  wherein the control device is configured to determine, using the information provided to the control device by the at least one sensor, that the angular velocity of the lower leg component has reached zero signifying a reversal of a movement direction of the lower leg component; and
 wherein the control device is configured to modify the bending or flexion resistance of the knee joint using the resistance device based upon the angular velocity of the lower leg component reaching zero signifying the reversal of the movement direction of the lower leg component. 
 
     
     
         21 . The artificial orthotic or prosthetic device of  claim 12  wherein the control device is configured to determine that an angular acceleration of the lower leg component has exceeded a threshold acceleration value using the information provided to the control device by the at least one sensor; and
 wherein the control device is configured to maintain or increase the bending or flexion resistance of the knee joint based upon the angular acceleration of the lower leg component exceeding the threshold acceleration value.