Electronic blood pressure monitor calculating average value of blood pressure

• US 9,113,791 B2
• Filed: 08/10/2006
• Issued: 08/25/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 08/12/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Omron Healthcare Company Limited (Omron Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Omron Healthcare Company Limited (Omron Corporation)
• Inventors: Kishimoto, Hiroshi, Sawanoi, Yukiya, Tanaka, Takahide, Eda, Kenji
• Primary Examiner(s): Mallari, Patricia
• Assistant Examiner(s): TOTH, KAREN E
• Application Number:
  US11/501,726
• Publication Number:
  US 20070038129A1
• Time in Patent Office: 3,302 Days
• Field of Search: 600/485, 600/481
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/021 Measuring pressure in heart or blood vessels A61B5/0205 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/02108 from analysis of pulse wave characteristics
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/022 by applying pressure to close blood vessels, e.g. against the skin; Ophthalmodynamometers
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/72 Signal processing specially adapted for physiological signals or for diagnostic purposes character recognition, recognising digital ink, document-oriented image-based pattern recognition G06V30/00; recognition or understanding of postal images G06V30/424
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/7275 Determining trends in physiological measurement data; Predicting development of a medical condition based on physiological measurements, e.g. determining a risk factor
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/63 for local operation
• CPC Class Codes: G16Z 99/00 Subject matter not provided for in other main groups of this subclass

Abstract

Measured blood pressure data is stored in a memory in association with information related to a measurement time. In response to manipulation of a manipulation portion (memory recall switch), blood pressure data associated with the measurement time within a prescribed time period (for example, 10 minutes) from the measurement time of reference blood pressure data, among the blood pressure data stored in the memory, is retrieved as specific data. Then, an average value is calculated based on the specific data, and the calculated average value is displayed as an evaluation index.

Claims

1. An electronic blood pressure monitor, comprising:

a measurement unit for measuring blood pressure of a subject and generating blood pressure data;

a time counting unit for counting time;

a memory for storing the measured blood pressure data in association with information related to a measurement time;

a manipulation portion configured to be manipulated by said subject;

a first retrieving unit for retrieving, as specific data, blood pressure data associated with a measurement time within a prescribed time period measured from a measurement time of predetermined reference blood pressure data from among the blood pressure data stored in said memory, the reference data being part of the measured and stored blood pressure data, wherein said first retrieving unit includes a first selection unit for selecting a prescribed number of pieces of blood pressure data from among the specific data, where, if the prescribed number of pieces is greater than the total number of pieces of specific data, the selection unit selects all of the specific data to serve as the selected prescribed number of pieces of blood pressure data;

an average value calculation unit for calculating an average value based on adding together said selected pieces of blood pressure data and said reference blood pressure data;

a generation unit generating a signal for displaying said calculated average value as an evaluation index;

and a display unit for displaying a display corresponding to said signal generated by said generation unit.

2. The electronic blood pressure monitor according to claim 1, wherein

it is predetermined that said reference blood pressure data is most recent blood pressure data among the blood pressure data stored in said memory, and

said first retrieving unit retrieves, as said specific data, blood pressure data associated with a measurement time within said prescribed time period from a measurement time of said most recent blood pressure data.

3. The electronic blood pressure monitor according to claim 1, wherein

it is predetermined that said reference blood pressure data is oldest blood pressure data among the blood pressure data stored in said memory, and

said first retrieving unit retrieves, as said specific data, blood pressure data associated with a measurement time within said prescribed time period from a measurement time of said oldest blood pressure data.

4. The electronic blood pressure monitor according to claim 1, wherein

it is predetermined that said reference blood pressure data is blood pressure data designated by said subject, among the blood pressure data stored in said memory, and

said first retrieving unit retrieves, as said specific data, blood pressure data associated with a measurement time within said prescribed time period from a measurement time of said designated blood pressure data.

5. The electronic blood pressure monitor according to any one of claims 2 to 4, wherein

said manipulation portion includes a manipulation switch provided in order to recall information on the blood pressure data stored in said memory, and

said reference blood pressure data is specified in response to pressing of said manipulation switch.

6. The electronic blood pressure monitor according to claim 1, further comprising:

a second retrieving unit for retrieving, as intended blood pressure data, blood pressure data stored in association with a measurement time within said prescribed time period from said measurement time of said measured blood pressure data for each blood pressure measurement;

a blood pressure data piece number determination unit for determining whether a prescribed plurality of pieces of blood pressure data within a prescribed allowable range of fluctuation from the reference blood pressure data are present among said intended blood pressure data; and

a notification unit for urging measurement again upon said subject if said blood pressure data piece number determination unit determines that there are not as many blood pressure data as said prescribed plurality of pieces.

7. The electronic blood pressure monitor according to claim 1, further comprising:

a second retrieving unit for retrieving, as intended blood pressure data, blood pressure data stored in association with a measurement time within said prescribed time period from said measurement time of said measured blood pressure data for each blood pressure measurement; and

a blood pressure data piece number determination unit for determining whether a prescribed plurality of pieces of blood pressure data within a prescribed allowable range of fluctuation from the reference blood pressure data are present among said intended blood pressure data;

wherein measurement of blood pressure by said measurement unit is repeated until said blood pressure data piece number determination unit determines that said prescribed plurality of pieces of blood pressure data are present.

8. The electronic blood pressure monitor according to claim 6 or 7, wherein it is predetermined that said reference blood pressure data is blood pressure data corresponding to any one of oldest blood pressure data, most recent blood pressure data, and blood pressure data designated by said subject, among said intended blood pressure data.

9. The electronic blood pressure monitor according to claim 1, further comprising:

a sensing unit for sensing interruption of continuity among a plurality of pieces of blood pressure data measured within said prescribed time period; and

an excluding unit for excluding from said specific data, blood pressure data before or after a time at which said interruption is sensed by said sensing unit;

wherein said average value calculation unit calculates an average value of the blood pressure data after exclusion by said excluding unit.

10. The electronic blood pressure monitor according to claim 9, wherein

said measurement unit includes

a cuff that can be placed on a blood pressure measurement site,

a pressure application/reduction unit for regulating a pressure to be applied to said cuff,

a pressure detection unit for detecting a pressure in said cuff, and

a blood pressure calculation unit for calculating blood pressure based on a signal obtained in said pressure detection unit, and

said sensing unit senses placement or removal of said cuff as said interruption of continuity.

11. The electronic blood pressure monitor according to claim 9, wherein said sensing unit senses an ON/OFF signal from said manipulation portion as said interruption of continuity.

12. The electronic blood pressure monitor according to claim 9, further comprising a cover connected to a main unit of said electronic blood pressure monitor in a freely opening/closing manner, wherein said sensing unit senses opening/closing of said cover as said interruption of continuity.

13. The electronic blood pressure monitor according to claim 1, further comprising:

a first time zone determination unit for determining whether a measurement time is included in a prescribed time zone for each blood pressure measurement;

a selection unit for selecting blood pressure data measured within said prescribed time period from a measurement time of said reference blood pressure data, if said first time zone determination unit determines that the measurement time is included in said prescribed time zone; and

a storing operation unit for storing blood pressure data selected by said second selection unit in said memory in association with said prescribed time zone.

14. The electronic blood pressure monitor according to claim 13, wherein

it is predetermined that said reference blood pressure data is most recent blood pressure data in said prescribed time zone among the blood pressure data stored in said memory, and

said storing operation unit stores a prescribed plurality of pieces of blood pressure data in said memory sequentially from said most recent blood pressure data in a reverse chronological order.

15. The electronic blood pressure monitor according to claim 13, wherein

it is predetermined that said reference blood pressure data is oldest blood pressure data in said prescribed time zone among the blood pressure data stored in said memory, and

said storing operation unit stores a prescribed plurality of pieces of blood pressure data in said memory sequentially from said oldest blood pressure data in a chronological order.

16. The electronic blood pressure monitor according to claim 14 or 15, wherein said storing operation unit stores all blood pressure data measured in said prescribed time zone in said memory, if number of pieces of blood pressure data measured in said prescribed time zone is smaller than number of said prescribed plurality of pieces of blood pressure data.

17. The electronic blood pressure monitor according to claim 1, further comprising:

a time zone determination unit for determining whether the measurement time is included in any one of a first time zone and a second time zone for each blood pressure measurement;

a second selection unit for selecting, as said specific data, blood pressure data measured within said prescribed time period from the measurement time of said reference blood pressure data and within said first time zone if said time zone determination unit determines that the measurement time is included in said first time zone; and

a storing operation unit for storing said specific data selected by said second selection unit in said memory in association with a measurement day and said first time zone.

18. The electronic blood pressure monitor according to claim 17, wherein

said manipulation portion includes a first manipulation switch associated with said first time zone and a second manipulation switch associated with said second time zone that are provided to recall an average value of said specific data associated with each of said time zones in said memory,

wherein when said first manipulation switch is pressed, said average value calculation unit further calculates an average value of the stored data in said first time zone, and

wherein when said second manipulation switch is pressed after said first manipulation switch is pressed, said average value calculation unit further calculates an average value of the stored data in said second time zone in any of the same day, next day, and previous day of a day of measurement of the specific data that was averaged as being part of the first time zone.

19. The electronic blood pressure monitor according to claim 1, wherein said prescribed time period can be set by said subject.

20. The electronic blood pressure monitor according to claim 1, further comprising:

a time measuring unit for measuring a prescribed time interval based on time data from said time counting unit; and

a repeating unit for repeating blood pressure measurement by said measurement unit at prescribed times, each time said prescribed time interval elapses within said prescribed time period.

21. The electronic blood pressure monitor according to claim 20, further comprising a setting unit for setting the time interval and number of times of blood pressure measurement in said repeating unit;

wherein said prescribed time period is a time period determined based on said time interval and said number of times.