In the present invention, a pump driving circuit includes a step-up unit that steps up a first DC voltage from a power supply and outputs it as a second DC voltage, and an H bridge unit that has first and second series circuits that each include two switching elements connected in series between a high potential corresponding to the second DC voltage and a reference potential. According to a control signal from the control unit, the two switching elements of the first series circuit and the two switching elements of the second series circuit are switched on and off. A voltage generated between a first contact point between the two switching elements of the first series circuit, and a second contact point between the two switching elements of the second series circuit is used as a driving voltage for driving a pump.

The invention describes a measuring system for the continuous non-invasive determination of blood pressure at one or more fingers. The fingers chosen for measurement and the adjacent parts of the palm rest on a supporting surface of a housing, which has the shape of a computer mouse. Inside the housing of the “CNAP Mouse”, i.e. underneath the supporting surface for the hand, the pressure generating system is located. The finger sensors are mounted on the supporting surface for the hand. The forearm and the back of the hand are left free and may be used to place intra-venous or intra-arterial access elements. Since the hand will rest on the supporting surface motion artefacts are largely avoided. Tilting or turning of the sensors is hardly possible since the fit of the sensors and thus the coupling of light and pressure are optimized.

A blood pressure measuring cuff according to the present invention includes a pressing cuff which is belt-shaped, is wrapped around a part to be measured, and receives supply of a pressurizing fluid to press the part to be measured. An arterial pressure sensor for detecting pressure applied to an artery passing portion of the part to be measured by the pressing cuff is disposed at a portion of an inner peripheral surface of the pressing cuff which should face an artery of the part to be measured, separately from the pressing cuff.

An electronic blood pressure meter includes a cuff that is to be worn on a measurement area, a piezoelectric pump that adjusts a pressure applied to the cuff, a drive circuit that drives the piezoelectric pump, and a controller that outputs, to the drive circuit, a pulse signal defining a driving timing of the piezoelectric pump. The drive circuit includes a switching circuit for switching a connection relationship between respective voltages applied to both ends of the piezoelectric pump in response to corresponding first and second driving signals, and a signal generation circuit that outputs the first and second driving signals based on the pulse signal outputted from the controller. The signal generation circuit has a signal conditioning circuit that adjusts timings of the first and second driving signals so that the phases of the first and second driving signals do not overlap.

An electronic blood pressure meter includes a cuff that is to be worn on a measurement area, a piezoelectric pump that adjusts a pressure applied to the cuff, a drive circuit that drives the piezoelectric pump, and a controller that outputs, to the drive circuit, a pulse signal defining a driving timing of the piezoelectric pump. The drive circuit includes a switching circuit for switching a connection relationship between respective voltages applied to both ends of the piezoelectric pump in response to corresponding first and second driving signals, and a signal generation circuit that outputs the first and second driving signals based on the pulse signal outputted from the controller. The signal generation circuit has a signal conditioning circuit that adjusts timings of the first and second driving signals so that the phases of the first and second driving signals do not overlap.

A method (200) of deriving systolic blood pressure and/or diastolic blood pressure of a subject is disclosed. The method comprises: (i) receiving (202) data related to at least one cardiac cycle of a bio-signal from the subject; (ii) calculating (208) a rise time and a fall time of the at least one cardiac cycle based on the received data; (iii) calculating (208) a parameter derived from a function of the rise time and fail time; and (iv) determining (210) the systolic blood pressure and/or diastolic blood pressure of the subject based on the calculated parameter. A related apparatus is also disclosed.

A hemadynamometer and a mobile terminal including the same are disclosed. The hemadynamometer includes first and second pulse wave sensors disposed apart from each other, each converting a pulse wave signal corresponding to a blood pressure into an electric signal, a pressurization unit for applying a pressure to a wrist to change a diameter of a blood vessel, and a controller to measure the blood pressure based on first and second pulse wave signals detected respectively by the first and second pulse wave sensors before a predetermined pressure is applied to the wrist by the pressurization unit, and third and fourth pulse wave signals detected respectively by the first and second pulse wave sensors after the predetermined pressure is applied to the wrist by the pressurization unit. Accordingly, it is possible to simply and accurately measure the blood pressure.

A system for non-invasively determining an indication of an individual's blood pressure is described. In certain embodiments, the system calculates pulse wave transit time using two acoustic sensors. The system can include a first acoustic sensor configured to monitor heart sounds of the patient corresponding to ventricular systole and diastole and a second acoustic sensor configured to monitor arterial pulse sounds at an arterial location remote from the heart. The system can advantageously calculate a arterial pulse wave transit time (PWTT) that does not include the pre-ejection period time delay. In certain embodiments, the system further includes a processor that calculates the arterial PWTT obtained from the acoustic sensors. The system can use this arterial PWTT to determine whether to trigger an occlusive cuff measurement.

A pulse wave detecting device includes a sensor section and a control unit. The sensor section is rotatable about a first axis and is rotatable about a second axis. The control unit determines a rotation angle about the first axis based on DC components of pressure detecting elements included in element rows. Then, in a state where the sensor section is controlled to the optimal pitch angle, the sensor section is pressed against the body surface, and a pulse wave is detected based on pressure signals detected by pressure detecting elements in this state, and vital information is calculated based on the detected pulse wave.

A pulse wave detecting device includes a sensor section and a control unit. The sensor section is rotatable about a first axis and is rotatable about a second axis. The control unit determines a rotation angle about the first axis based on DC components of pressure detecting elements included in element rows. Then, in a state where the sensor section is controlled to the optimal pitch angle, the sensor section is pressed against the body surface, and a pulse wave is detected based on pressure signals detected by pressure detecting elements in this state, and vital information is calculated based on the detected pulse wave.