Infant Feeding Score Algorithm for Objective Assessment

The patent replaces subjective human observation and manual assessment with an automated electronic system that uses sensors to detect feeding parameters (sucking pressure, flow rate, swallowing patterns) and a computer algorithm to analyze the data. This substitution of mechanical/electronic systems for human judgment achieves objective, quantitative measurement while maintaining operational simplicity through automated analysis.

The assessment system performs self-evaluation by automatically collecting data during feeding, processing the signals through embedded algorithms, and generating feeding scores without requiring external expert intervention. The system serves itself by integrating data collection, analysis, and interpretation into a single automated workflow that produces objective results independently.

The patent implements a tiered assessment approach where the automated system continuously monitors feeding parameters and selectively triggers detailed evaluation only when abnormal patterns are detected. This partial action principle allows comprehensive monitoring of all infants while focusing detailed assessment resources only on those showing signs of feeding problems, thereby improving detection reliability without proportionally increasing time investment for all patients.

The system rapidly processes feeding data through automated algorithms that can quickly analyze seconds of feeding behavior to generate assessment scores. This rushing through the assessment process via automated computation enables comprehensive evaluation of multiple infants in the time it would traditionally take to assess one infant manually, significantly reducing time loss while maintaining high detection reliability.

The assessment system is designed to be self-operating with automated data collection, processing, and interpretation that requires minimal human intervention. Any trained personnel can initiate the assessment by placing the sensor on the infant, and the system automatically performs the complex analysis that would otherwise require specialized expertise. This self-service capability democratizes access to high-precision assessment while maintaining measurement accuracy.

The patent introduces an automated computer algorithm as an intermediary between the raw feeding data and the final assessment interpretation. This intermediary processes the complex sensor data and translates it into meaningful feeding scores and recommendations, bridging the gap between simple data collection and expert-level interpretation. This allows non-specialists to achieve expert-level assessment accuracy through the mediating computational system.