Patent ID: 11883140
Assignee: TRUSTEES OF TUFTS COLLEGE
Field: Medical technology (Instruments)
Classification: CPC A  G | IPC A

Claim 17:
18. A method for continuously, non-invasively, and directly measuring blood pressure in an artery, the method comprising:
providing a calibrated measurement device having a strap for mounting on a limb, the strap having mounted on its internal surface a balloon, a strap control balloon, and a strap force sensor, the balloon having mounted on its internal surface a sensor array, the strap further having a frame with a first side and a second side, the balloon being mounted to the second side, the strap further having an optical system between the first side and the balloon;
placing the strap over a limb such that the sensor array is in contact with a skin surface over an artery in a non-invasive manner;
inflating the balloon with a controlled amount of pressure without compromising venous and lymphatic circulation or flow in other arteries of the limb containing the artery;
in response to inflating the balloon, detecting signals, via the optical system and the sensor array, caused by changes in the artery size and shape during a heartbeat cycle;
inflating the strap control balloon with a controlled amount of pressure to apply a tension force between the strap and the skin surface of the limb;
based on detection by the sensor array and the strap force sensor, fine-tuning pressure applied by at least one of the balloon or the strap control balloon to enhance detection of the signals; and
measuring and processing, via a controller, the signals to determine blood-pressure parameters.