Measurement of transmission velocity of pulse wave

An apparatus for measuring a transmission velocity of a pulse wave comprising:

• sensor means for sensing heart sounds, and pulse wave signals at upstream and downstream sides of a blood flow;
• analog to digital conversion means, coupled to said sensor means, for converting signals from said sensor means from analog to digital form;
• data processing means, coupled to said analog to digital conversion means, for processing data received from said analog to digital conversion means;
• and
• display means, coupled to said data processing means, for displaying waveforms and numerical data received from said data processing means,
• wherein said data processing means comprises:
• first processor means, coupled to said analog to digital conversion means, for detecting a first heart sound and generating a marker signal;
• second and third processor means, coupled to said analog to digital conversion means, for transforming digital signals received from said analog to digital conversion means into data for display;
• fourth processor means, coupled to the first, second, and third processor means, for detecting the marker signal from the first processor means and obtaining predetermined data from the data received from said second and third processor means;
• fifth processor means, coupled to the second and third processor means, for temporarily storing data received from said second and third processor means;
• sixth processor means, coupled to said fourth processor means, for determining a transmission time of a pulse wave to derive a transmission velocity of the pulse wave;
• and
• seventh processor means, coupled to said sixth processor means, for transforming signals from the sixth processor means for display.