Patent ID: 6719702
Filing Date: 2004-04-13
Classification: A61B

Abstract:
An apparatus for measuring blood pressure using linearly varying air pressure, comprising:a compression unit to be applied to surround a predetermined site of an individual's body, the compression unit being inflatable and deflatable; an air pump that injects air into the compression unit in response to a first control signal; a pressure sensor that senses the air pressure of the compression unit and outputs the result of the sensing; an analog-to-digital converter (ADC) that converts the result of the sensing from an analog form into a digital form and outputs the result of the conversion as a pressure signal; a controller that calculates a current pressure value of the compression unit from the pressure signal and a linear pressure of the compression unit that is linearly dropped corresponding to the calculated current pressure value, generates the first control signal in response to the current pressure value, and generates a second control signal from the result of a comparison of the current pressure value and the linear pressure to measure the blood pressure of the individual; a digital-to-analog converter that converts the second control signal into an analog form and outputs the result of the conversion as an exhaust control signal; and a proportional control valve that exhausts air from the compression unit in response to the exhaust control signal.