Patent ID: 7390301

Claim:
A method for the continuous, non-invasive measurement of blood pressure based on the principle of the unloaded arterial wall, comprising positioning a first and a second pressure cuff of identical or comparable size with a first and a second inflatable pressure measuring chamber on at least one first and one second neighboring finger, each containing an artery of identical or comparable size, controlling pressure in the first pressure measuring chamber in dependence on a measurement signal of a plethysmographic sensor device in such a way that an amplitude of the plethysmographic measurement signal is minimized, obtaining a pressure measuring signal from the first pressure measurement chamber, operating the second pressure measuring chamber as a reference pressure chamber independently of the first pressure measuring chamber, controlling the pressure in the reference pressure chamber in dependence on a measurement signal of a second plethysmographic sensor device and in accordance with a preselectable pressure function, a reference signal being obtained simultaneously with the pressure measuring signal, and the reference signal used in the interpretation of the pressure measuring signal wherein an amplitude of said obtained reference signal is minimized while a reference pressure signal is measured, and analyzing the reference pressure signal, measured at various pre-selectable pressure values of the pressure function, compared to predetermined ideal pulse curves, and, when the deviation from a given pulse curve is at a minimum, determining the setpoint for the pressure measuring signal therefrom.