A method is provided for blood pressure measurement by means of an
inflatable cuff (50) applied to a limb of a vertebrate and pneumatically
coupled to a first port (112A) and a second port (112B) of a blood
pressure measurement apparatus (100). A pump (160) coupled to the second
port inflates the cuff pneumatically. During an initial cuff inflation
period, a first pressure sensor (180) pneumatically coupled to the first
port senses a first pressure and a second pressure sensor (182)
pneumatically coupled to the second port senses a second pressure. An
analysis module (142) compares the magnitude of the first pressure to the
magnitude of the second pressure to determine the relative relationship
between the respective magnitudes of the first pressure and the second
pressure. The relative relationship between these pressure may be used to
determine whether a single lumen or dual lumen cuff is use, to determine
whether the blood pressure measurement procedure selected is correct for
the cuff actually in use, or to automatically select the proper blood
pressure measurement procedure to be used for the actual cuff in use.