The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
May. 08, 2001
Filed:
Jul. 20, 1998
Gregory I. Voss, Solana Beach, CA (US);
Alvis J. Somerville, San Diego, CA (US);
Stephen H. O'Leary, Encinitas, CA (US);
Tensys Medical, Inc., San Diego, CA (US);
Abstract
Apparatus is disclosed for non-invasively monitoring a subject's blood pressure, in which a pressure sensor assembly that includes a pressure transducer is compressed against tissue overlying an artery, with sufficient force to compress the artery. A motor first servo control system optimizes the amount of artery compression, which occurs at a mean transmural pressure of about zero, by modulating one side of a lever arm compressing the assembly against the tissue, creating a pressure signal indicative of transmural pressure. Since different pressure effects are realized according to the amount of artery compression, an appropriate control signal can be produced that provides for a second motor to adjust the other side of the lever arm to provide the optimum compression of the assembly into the tissue overlying the artery. The apparatus is optimally positioned over an artery by including an ultrasonic blood flow sensor configured to sense the flow of blood under the pressure transducer.