Blood Pressure Sensor Array Radial Artery Positioning
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing blood pressure measurement methods, such as the volume oscillometric method, face inaccuracies due to differences between internal air pressure of a pressurizing element and actual pressure in the radial artery, leading to errors in systolic and diastolic blood pressure readings.
Innovation Solution
A blood pressure measuring apparatus and method utilizing a plurality of sensors to sense sphygmus waves at a measurement site, selecting the sensor nearest to the radial artery based on waveform characteristics filtered through high-pass and low-pass filters, to accurately estimate blood pressure.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If a single sensor is used to measure blood pressure, then the device complexity is reduced, but the measurement precision deteriorates due to inability to accurately identify the radial artery position
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the measurement task into multiple stages: first using multiple sensors to detect sphygmus waves across different positions, then segmenting the data to identify the radial artery location based on waveform characteristics, and finally using only the sensor nearest to the radial artery for accurate blood pressure measurement. This segmentation approach resolves the contradiction by using multiple sensors only when necessary for positioning, not for continuous measurement.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent performs preliminary detection and identification of the radial artery position before the actual blood pressure measurement. By using multiple sensors to scan and identify the optimal measurement location in advance, the system ensures that subsequent measurements are taken from the correct position, thereby improving measurement precision without requiring all sensors to be actively involved in every measurement cycle.
2Measurement precision
If multiple sensors are deployed to detect sphygmus waves, then the measurement precision improves, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts and utilizes only the critical information from multiple sensors - specifically, the sphygmus wave characteristics that indicate radial artery proximity. Rather than processing data from all sensors equally, the system extracts the relevant waveform features (such as amplitude, shape, and timing) that directly correlate with arterial position, thereby reducing the effective complexity while maintaining measurement precision.
Solution Approach 2:
The multiple sensors perform self-service by automatically identifying which sensor is nearest to the radial artery based on their own detected sphygmus wave characteristics. The sensor that detects the strongest or most characteristic radial artery waveform effectively selects itself as the optimal measurement point, eliminating the need for complex external control logic to determine which sensor to use.
3Reliability
If sensors are placed at multiple positions, then the reliability of blood pressure measurement improves, but the ease of operation deteriorates due to difficulty in sensor selection
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a feedback mechanism where the detected sphygmus wave characteristics from each sensor are continuously monitored and used to automatically determine which sensor provides the most accurate radial artery signal. This feedback loop enables the system to adaptively select the optimal sensor based on real-time physiological data, improving reliability while keeping the operation simple through automated decision-making.
Solution Approach 2:
The sensor array performs self-service by automatically identifying the optimal measurement location through analysis of sphygmus wave characteristics. The system autonomously determines which sensor is positioned nearest to the radial artery without requiring manual intervention or complex user decisions, thereby maintaining ease of operation while improving measurement reliability through multi-position sensing.
Data Source
AI summary
A blood pressure measuring apparatus includes a sensing unit including a plurality of sensors sensing sphygmus waves at a measurement site, a selection unit selecting one sensor of the plurality of sensors based on the sphygmus waves sensed by the plurality of sensors, and a blood pressure estimation unit estimating blood pressure of the measurement site based on a sphygmus wave sensed by the selected sensor.