# US 12,214,128 B2 · Blood pressure measuring apparatus, method and program for measuring blood pressure, and respiration assistance apparatus > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 12,214,128 B2 - Document ID: US12214128B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 16/995,854 - Filed: 2020-08-18 - Published: 2020-12-03 - Granted: 2025-02-04 - Earliest claimed: 2018-02-22 - Assignees: Omron Healthcare Co., Ltd. - Applicants: Omron Healthcare Co., Ltd. - Inventors: Yasushi Matsuoka - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12214128B2 ## CPC - A61M 16/026: {specially adapted for predicting, e.g. for determining an information representative of a flow limitation during a ventilation cycle by using a root square technique or a regression analysis} - A61B 5/021: Measuring pressure in heart or blood vessels - A61B 5/022: by applying pressure to close blood vessels, e.g. against the skin; Ophthalmodynamometers - A61B 5/4818: {Sleep apnoea} - A61B 5/4836: {Diagnosis combined with treatment in closed-loop systems or methods (A61B5/0036 takes precedence)} - A61B 5/7282: {Event detection, e.g. detecting unique waveforms indicative of a medical condition (cough events A61B5/0823; seizures A61B5/4094; sleep apnoea A61B5/4818)} - A61B 5/746: {Alarms related to a physiological condition, e.g. details of setting alarm thresholds or avoiding false alarms} - A61M 16/0069: {the speed thereof being controlled by respiratory parameters, e.g. by inhalation} - A61M 16/0666: {Nasal cannulas or tubing (devices for improving normal breathing through the nose A61F5/08; nose filters A62B23/06; outside holding devices A61M25/02)} - A61M 16/161: {with means for measuring the humidity} - A61M 2205/07: having air pumping means - A61M 2205/3306: Optical measuring means - A61M 2205/3317: Electromagnetic, inductive or dielectric measuring means - A61M 2205/332: Force measuring means - A61M 2205/3334: Measuring or controlling the flow rate - A61M 2205/3358: Measuring barometric pressure, e.g. for compensation - A61M 2205/3368: Temperature - A61M 2205/3375: Acoustical, e.g. ultrasonic, measuring means - A61M 2205/3592: using telemetric means, e.g. radio or optical transmission - A61M 2205/42: Reducing noise - A61M 2205/505: Touch-screens; Virtual keyboard or keypads; Virtual buttons; Soft keys; Mouse touches - A61M 2205/52: with memories providing a history of measured variating parameters of apparatus or patient - A61M 2205/8212: with means or measures taken for minimising energy consumption - A61M 2209/088: on the body - A61M 2210/0618: Nose - A61M 2230/30: Blood pressure (A61M2230/04 takes precedence) - A61M 2230/63: Motion, e.g. physical activity - G16H 20/40: relating to mechanical, radiation or invasive therapies, e.g. surgery, laser therapy, dialysis or acupuncture - G16H 40/60: for the operation of medical equipment or devices - A61M: DEVICES FOR INTRODUCING MEDIA INTO, OR ONTO, THE BODY (introducing media into or onto the bodies of animals A61D7/00; means for inserting tampons A61F13/26; devices for administering food or medicines orally A61J; containers for collecting, storing or administering blood or medical fluids A61J1/05); DEVICES FOR TRANSDUCING BODY MEDIA OR FOR TAKING MEDIA FROM THE BODY (surgery A61B; chemical aspects of surgical articles A61L); DEVICES FOR PRODUCING OR ENDING SLEEP OR STUPOR {(Electrotherapy, e.g. producing anaesthesia by the use of alternating or intermittent currents A61N1/36021)} - A61B: DIAGNOSIS; SURGERY; IDENTIFICATION (usefulness limited to only animals A61D) - G16H: HEALTHCARE INFORMATICS, i.e. INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY [ICT] SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR THE HANDLING OR PROCESSING OF MEDICAL OR HEALTHCARE DATA ## Abstract According to one embodiment, a blood pressure measuring apparatus includes a blood pressure measurement unit, a warning estimator, and a signal output unit. The measurement unit measures blood pressure of a target person. The estimator monitors variation of blood pressure measured by the measurement unit and estimates the variation of the blood pressure as a sign of a blood pressure increase associated with an onset of sleep apnea syndrome if the blood pressure continuously decreases to a preset threshold or lower for a predetermined time or longer. The output unit outputs a sign notification signal to outside of the apparatus if the sign is estimated by the estimator. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A blood pressure monitoring apparatus comprising: a blood pressure sensor configured to measure blood pressure of a target person; a warning estimator configured to monitor variation of blood pressure measured by the blood pressure sensor, estimate a sign of a blood pressure increase associated with an onset of obstructive sleep apnea syndrome based on the blood pressure continuously decreasing to a preset threshold or lower for a predetermined time or longer, and determine the onset of obstructive sleep apnea syndrome when the blood pressure reaches the preset threshold or lower for the predetermined time or longer; and a signal transmitter configured to output a notification signal to a continuous positive airway pressure apparatus when the sign of the blood pressure increase associated with the onset of obstructive sleep apnea syndrome is estimated by the warning estimator; wherein the signal transmitter is configured to output, as the notification signal, an activating signal to the continuous positive airway pressure apparatus to perform continuous positive airway pressure by sending air to a nasal cavity of the target person as a measure against the obstructive sleep apnea syndrome. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The blood pressure monitoring apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the blood pressure sensor is configured to measure blood pressure of the target person per one heartbeat. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The blood pressure monitoring apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the warning estimator is configured to estimate the sign of the blood pressure increase accompanying the onset of the obstructive sleep apnea syndrome when the measured blood pressure continuously decreases to the preset threshold or lower for the predetermined time or longer, and starts to increase. ### Claim 4 A blood pressure monitoring method performed by a blood pressure monitoring apparatus to monitor a blood pressure of a target person, the method comprising: measuring blood pressure of the target person; monitoring variation of the blood pressure measured, estimating a sign of a blood pressure increase associated with an onset of obstructive sleep apnea syndrome based on the blood pressure continuously decreasing to a preset threshold or lower for a predetermined time or longer, and determining the onset of obstructive sleep apnea syndrome when the blood pressure reaches the preset threshold or lower for the predetermined time or longer; and outputting a notification signal to activate a continuous positive airway pressure apparatus when the sign of the blood pressure increase associated with the onset of obstructive sleep apnea syndrome is estimated to perform continuous positive airway pressure by sending air to a nasal cavity of the target person as a measure against the obstructive sleep apnea syndrome. ### Claim 5 A non-transitory computer readable medium storing a computer program which is executable by a computer to provide the steps of: measuring blood pressure of a target person; monitoring variation of the blood pressure measured, estimating a sign of a blood pressure increase associated with an onset of obstructive sleep apnea syndrome based on the blood pressure continuously decreasing to a preset threshold or lower for a predetermined time or longer, and determining the onset of obstructive sleep apnea syndrome when the blood pressure reaches the preset threshold or lower for the predetermined time or longer; and outputting a notification signal to activate a continuous positive airway pressure apparatus when the sign of the blood pressure increase associated with the onset of obstructive sleep apnea syndrome is estimated to perform continuous positive airway pressure by sending air to a nasal cavity of the target person as a measure against the obstructive sleep apnea syndrome.