Patent ID: 6517494
Filing Date: 2003-02-11
Classification: A61B

Abstract:
A system (1) for measuring blood pressure during a limited number of blood pressure cycles at an area (2) overlying an artery (3) of a living subject, comprising:means (4) for applying a pressure (P) to the artery for occluding said artery in response to a pressure signal (Uprise), and for subsequently releasing said pressure to re-open said artery in response to a pressure release signal (Uprelease); means (5) for determining a reference point in time (b), and for providing a reference time signal (Uref) corresponding to said reference point in time (b); means (6) for detecting a first point in time (c) at which a maximum pressure occurs during a blood pressure cycle, and for providing a first time signal (Umax) corresponding to said first point in time (c); means (7) for computing, from the reference time signal (Uref) and the first time signal (Umax), a first time duration (&Dgr;T1) from the reference point in time (b) to the first point in time (c); means (8) for detecting a second point in time (d) at which an opening of the artery occurs after the release of said pressure, and for providing a second time signal (Uopen1) corresponding to said second point in time (d); means (9) for determining the pressure in said means (4) for applying pressure to the artery, at the second point in time (d); means (10) for computing, from the reference time signal (Uref) and the second time signal (Uopen1), a second time duration (&Dgr;T2) from the reference point in time (b) to the second point in time (d); means (11) for computing, by comparing the first time duration (&Dgr;TI) with the second time duration (&Dgr;T2), a delay time (Tdelay1) from said reference point in time (b) after which a next pressure release signal is to be supplied to said means (4) for applying a pressure, and for computing a pressure (P2) to be applied to said artery in a next measuring cycle, and for supplying subsequently a pressure signal (Uprise) and a pressure release signal (Uprelease) corresponding to said computed pressure (P2) and delay time (Tdelay1) to said means (4) for applying a pressure.