Residual pressure control in a compression device

A method of controlling a compression device, the method comprising:

• during an inflation phase, delivering pressurized fluid from a source of pressurized fluid to a first inflatable bladder disposed about a portion of a subject's body;
• during a vent phase, venting the pressurized fluid from the first inflatable bladder to atmosphere by opening a first valve to a venting position, the first valve being free of a check valve;
• measuring fluid pressure in the first inflatable bladder during said venting;
• and
• based at least in part on the measured fluid pressure, during the vent phase, moving the first valve to a non-venting position when a predetermined residual pressure in the first inflatable bladder is detected in said step of measuring fluid pressure;
• and
• after moving the first valve to the non-venting position when the predetermined residual pressure is detected, continuing to measure fluid pressure in the first inflatable bladder and based at least in part on the pressure values measured in said continued measuring of fluid pressure in the first bladder, moving the first valve between the venting position and the non-venting position to maintain fluid pressure in the first inflatable bladder within a desired residual pressure range around the predetermined residual pressure, the first inflatable bladder being in fluid communication with the source of pressurized fluid when the first valve is moved to the non-venting position, the non-venting position occurring during the vent phase of the first inflatable bladder when the source of pressurized fluid is not activated to inflate the first inflatable bladder, wherein during the vent phase after the desired residual pressure is reached, the first inflatable bladder is placed in fluid communication with the source of pressurized fluid causing an increase in the fluid pressure in the first inflatable bladder toward an upper end of the desired residual pressure range, and after placing the first inflatable bladder in fluid communication with the pressurized source, placing the first inflatable bladder in fluid communication with atmosphere causing a decrease in the fluid pressure in the first inflatable bladder toward a lower end of the desired residual pressure range.