Method, system, and program for using a virtual environment to provide information on using a product

• US 20040121295A1
• Filed: 12/20/2002
• Published: 06/24/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 12/20/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Medtronic Minimed Incorporated (Medtronic Plc)
• Original Assignee: Medtronic Minimed Incorporated (Medtronic Plc)
• Inventors: Stuart, Steven, Zierenberg, Terry, Gratton, Fabio
• Granted Patent: US 7,229,288 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 434/262
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 23/28 for medicine

Abstract

Provided are a method, system, and program for providing information on a promoted product to a user. A virtual environment is rendered and a virtual customer is rendered within the virtual environment, wherein the virtual customer utilizes the promoted product by receiving input control signals from the user indicating movement of the virtual customer through the virtual environment. Interactions are rendered between the virtual customer and the virtual environment in response to the input control signals to enable the user to virtually experience how the promoted product is capable of impacting daily activities of the user and to promote the product.

Claims

1. A method implemented by a computer program for providing information to a user of the computer program on using a medical therapy to treat a medical condition, comprising:

rendering a virtual environment;

rendering a virtual patient within the virtual environment, wherein the virtual patient is receiving the medical therapy;

receiving input control signals from the user indicating movement of the virtual patient through the virtual environment; and

rendering interactions between the virtual patient and the virtual environment in response to the input control signals to enable the user to virtually experience how the medical therapy is capable of impacting daily activities of the user and to promote the medical therapy.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein rendering the virtual environment includes rendering daily activities the user would experience when receiving the medical therapy.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the medical therapy involves use of a medical device to dispense medication, further comprising:

rendering a representation of the medical device; and

receiving input control signals from the user to dispense medication from the medical device when the virtual patient is interacting in the virtual environment.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the medical device comprises an insulin pump and wherein the medical condition comprises diabetes.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the rendered virtual environment enables the user to control the virtual patient to perform an activity, further comprising:

prompting the user to check a health state of the virtual patient in response to receiving user input control signals to cause the virtual patient to perform the activity;

receiving user input control signals to check the health state of the virtual patient; and

rendering information on the health state.

6. The method of claim 5, further comprising:

after receiving user input control signals to check the health state, rendering information on applying the medical therapy.

7. The method of claim 5, wherein the rendered information describes how the medical therapy affects the medical condition when the virtual patient performs the activity.

8. The method of claim 5, wherein receiving user input control signals to check the health state comprises:

receiving user input control signals to use a virtual health meter to measure a biometric parameter of the virtual patient;

determining whether the measured biometric parameter requires application of the medical therapy; and

prompting the user to apply the medical therapy after determining that application of the medical therapy is required.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the rendered virtual environment enables the user to direct the virtual patient to perform an activity, further comprising:

receiving user input control signals to check a health state before the user directs the virtual patient to perform the activity; and

rendering information on checking the health state in response to the user input control signals to check the health state.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein rendering the information further comprises rendering positive reinforcement to the user for checking the health state before performing the activity.

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

rendering positive reinforcement to the user for proactively engaging in positive behavior unrelated to the medical therapy.

12. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

rendering information explaining how the medical therapy affects rendered interactions.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein rendering interactions between the virtual patient and the virtual environment further comprises:

rendering interactions between the virtual patient and a virtual person rendered in the virtual environment to provide the user further information on the medical therapy, wherein the virtual person is not controlled by the user.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the virtual person is receiving an alternative medical therapy to treat the medical condition, wherein the rendered interactions between the virtual person and the virtual patient are used to convey information contrasting the alternative medical therapy the virtual person is receiving to the medical therapy the virtual patient is receiving.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the conveyed information demonstrates how the virtual person is less able to engage in daily activities than the virtual patient as a result of the alternative medical therapy the virtual person is receiving versus the medical therapy the virtual patient is receiving.

16. The method of claim 14, wherein the medical condition is diabetes, wherein the promoted medical therapy received by the virtual patient comprises insulin pump therapy and wherein the alternative medical therapy received by the virtual person comprises insulin injections.

17. The method of claim 1, wherein one scene of the rendered virtual environment includes medical items related to the medical therapy that the user must cause the virtual patient to gather for use in subsequent scenes of the virtual environment.

18. The method of claim 1, wherein rendering the virtual environment comprises:

rendering a plurality of scenes, wherein the scenes include the daily activities of the virtual patient that are capable of being impacted by the medical therapy.

19. A method implemented by a computer program for providing information to a user of the computer program on a promoted product, comprising:

rendering a virtual environment;

rendering a virtual customer within the virtual environment, wherein the virtual customer utilizes the promoted product;

receiving input control signals from the user indicating movement of the virtual customer through the virtual environment; and

rendering interactions between the virtual customer and the virtual environment in response to the input control signals to enable the user to virtually experience how the promoted product is capable of impacting daily activities of the user and to promote the product.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein rendering the virtual environment includes rendering daily activities the user would experience when using the promoted product.

21. The method of claim 19, wherein the rendered virtual environment enables the user to control the virtual customer to perform an activity, further comprising:

receiving user input control signals to cause the virtual customer to perform the activity in the virtual environment utilizing the promoted product.

22. The method of claim 21, further comprising:

rendering information related to an impact of the promoted product on the performed activity.

23. The method of claim 19, wherein rendering interactions between the virtual customer and the virtual environment further comprises:

rendering interactions between the virtual customer and a virtual person rendered in the virtual environment to provide the user further information on the promoted product, wherein the virtual person is not controlled by the user.

24. The method of claim 23, wherein the virtual person is using an alternative product, wherein the rendered interactions between the virtual person and the virtual customer are used to convey information contrasting the alternative product the virtual person is using to the promoted product the virtual customer is using.

25. The method of claim 19, wherein rendering the virtual environment comprises:

rendering a plurality of scenes, wherein the scenes include the daily activities of the virtual customer that are capable of being impacted by the promoted product.

26. The method of claim 19, wherein the promoted product comprises a device and/or a service.

27. A system for providing information to a user of the system on using a medical therapy to treat a medical condition, comprising:

means for rendering a virtual environment;

means for rendering a virtual patient within the virtual environment, wherein the virtual patient is receiving the medical therapy;

means for receiving input control signals from the user indicating movement of the virtual patient through the virtual environment; and

means for rendering interactions between the virtual patient and the virtual environment in response to the input control signals to enable the user to virtually experience how the medical therapy is capable of impacting daily activities of the user and to promote the medical therapy.

28. The system of claim 27, wherein the means for rendering the virtual environment renders daily activities the user would experience when receiving the medical therapy.

29. The system of claim 28, wherein the medical therapy involves use of a medical device to dispense medication, further comprising:

means for rendering a representation of the medical device; and

means for receiving input control signals from the user to dispense medication from the medical device when the virtual patient is interacting in the virtual environment.

30. The system of claim 29, wherein the medical device comprises an insulin pump and wherein the medical condition comprises diabetes.

31. The system of claim 27, wherein the rendered virtual environment enables the user to control the virtual patient to perform an activity, further comprising:

means for prompting the user to check a health state of the virtual patient in response to receiving user input control signals to cause the virtual patient to perform the activity;

means for receiving user input control signals to check the health state of the virtual patient; and

means for rendering information on the health state.

32. The system of claim 27, wherein the rendered virtual environment enables the user to direct the virtual patient to perform an activity, further comprising:

means for receiving user input control signals to check a health state before the user directs the virtual patient to perform the activity; and

means for rendering information on checking the health state in response to the user input control signals to check the health state.

33. The system of claim 32, wherein the means for rendering the information further renders positive reinforcement to the user for checking the health state before performing the activity.

34. The system of claim 33, further comprising:

means for rendering positive reinforcement to the user for proactively engaging in positive behavior unrelated to the medical therapy.

35. The system of claim 27, further comprising:

means for rendering information explaining how the medical therapy affects rendered interactions.

36. The system of claim 27, wherein the means for rendering interactions between the virtual patient and the virtual environment further performs:

rendering interactions between the virtual patient and a virtual person rendered in the virtual environment to provide the user further information on the medical therapy, wherein the virtual person is not controlled by the user.

37. The system of claim 36, wherein the virtual person is receiving an alternative medical therapy to treat the medical condition, wherein the rendered interactions between the virtual person and the virtual patient are used to convey information contrasting the alternative medical therapy the virtual person is receiving to the medical therapy the virtual patient is receiving.

38. The system of claim 37, wherein the conveyed information demonstrates how the virtual person is less able to engage in daily activities than the virtual patient as a result of the alternative medical therapy the virtual person is receiving versus the medical therapy the virtual patient is receiving.

39. The system of claim 37, wherein the medical condition is diabetes, wherein the promoted medical therapy received by the virtual patient comprises insulin pump therapy and wherein the alternative medical therapy received by the virtual person comprises insulin injections.

40. The system of claim 27, wherein the means for rendering the virtual environment further performs:

rendering a plurality of scenes, wherein the scenes include the daily activities of the virtual patient that are capable of being impacted by the medical therapy.

41. A system for providing information to a user of the system on a promoted product, comprising:

means for rendering a virtual environment;

means for rendering a virtual customer within the virtual environment, wherein the virtual customer utilizes the promoted product;

means for receiving input control signals from the user indicating movement of the virtual customer through the virtual environment; and

means for rendering interactions between the virtual customer and the virtual environment in response to the input control signals to enable the user to virtually experience how the promoted product is capable of impacting daily activities of the user and to promote the product.

42. The system of claim 41, wherein the means for rendering the virtual environment renders daily activities the user would experience when using the promoted product.

43. The system of claim 41, wherein the rendered virtual environment enables the user to control the virtual customer to perform an activity, further comprising:

means for receiving user input control signals to cause the virtual customer to perform the activity in the virtual environment utilizing the promoted product.

44. The system of claim 43, further comprising:

means for rendering information related to an impact of the promoted product on the performed activity.

45. The system of claim 41, wherein the means for rendering interactions between the virtual customer and the virtual environment further performs:

rendering interactions between the virtual customer and a virtual person rendered in the virtual environment to provide the user further information on the promoted product, wherein the virtual person is not controlled by the user.

46. The system of claim 45, wherein the virtual person is using an alternative product, wherein the rendered interactions between the virtual person and the virtual customer are used to convey information contrasting the alternative product the virtual person is using to the promoted product the virtual customer is using.

47. The system of claim 41, wherein the means for rendering the virtual environment further performs:

rendering a plurality of scenes, wherein the scenes include the daily activities of the virtual customer that are capable of being impacted by the promoted product.

48. The system of claim 41, wherein the promoted product comprises a device and/or a service.

49. An article of manufacture for providing information to a user of the article of manufacture on using a medical therapy to treat a medical condition, wherein the article of manufacture causes operations to be performed, the operations comprising:

rendering a virtual environment;

rendering a virtual patient within the virtual environment, wherein the virtual patient is receiving the medical therapy;

receiving input control signals from the user indicating movement of the virtual patient through the virtual environment; and

rendering interactions between the virtual patient and the virtual environment in response to the input control signals to enable the user to virtually experience how the medical therapy is capable of impacting daily activities of the user and to promote the medical therapy.

50. The article of manufacture of claim 49, wherein rendering the virtual environment includes rendering daily activities the user would experience when receiving the medical therapy.

51. The article of manufacture of claim 50, wherein the medical therapy involves use of a medical device to dispense medication, further comprising:

rendering a representation of the medical device; and

receiving input control signals from the user to dispense medication from the medical device when the virtual patient is interacting in the virtual environment.

52. The article of manufacture of claim 51, wherein the medical device comprises an insulin pump and wherein the medical condition comprises diabetes.

53. The article of manufacture of claim 49, wherein the rendered virtual environment enables the user to control the virtual patient to perform an activity, further comprising:

prompting the user to check a health state of the virtual patient in response to receiving user input control signals to cause the virtual patient to perform the activity;

receiving user input control signals to check the health state of the virtual patient; and

rendering information on the health state.

54. The article of manufacture of claim 53, further comprising:

after receiving user input control signals to check the health state, rendering information on applying the medical therapy.

55. The article of manufacture of claim 53, wherein the rendered information describes how the medical therapy affects the medical condition when the virtual patient performs the activity.

56. The article of manufacture of claim 53, wherein receiving user input control signals to check the health state comprises:

receiving user input control signals to use a virtual health meter to measure a biometric parameter of the virtual patient;

determining whether the measured biometric parameter requires application of the medical therapy; and

prompting the user to apply the medical therapy after determining that application of the medical therapy is required.

57. The article of manufacture of claim 49, wherein the rendered virtual environment enables the user to direct the virtual patient to perform an activity, further comprising:

receiving user input control signals to check a health state before the user directs the virtual patient to perform the activity; and

rendering information on checking the health state in response to the user input control signals to check the health state.

58. The article of manufacture of claim 57, wherein rendering the information further comprises rendering positive reinforcement to the user for checking the health state before performing the activity.

59. The article of manufacture of claim 58, further comprising:

rendering positive reinforcement to the user for proactively engaging in positive behavior unrelated to the medical therapy.

60. The article of manufacture of claim 49, further comprising:

rendering information explaining how the medical therapy affects rendered interactions.

61. The article of manufacture of claim 49, wherein rendering interactions between the virtual patient and the virtual environment further comprises:

rendering interactions between the virtual patient and a virtual person rendered in the virtual environment to provide the user further information on the medical therapy, wherein the virtual person is not controlled by the user.

62. The article of manufacture of claim 61, wherein the virtual person is receiving an alternative medical therapy to treat the medical condition, wherein the rendered interactions between the virtual person and the virtual patient are used to convey information contrasting the alternative medical therapy the virtual person is receiving to the medical therapy the virtual patient is receiving.

63. The article of manufacture of claim 62, wherein the conveyed information demonstrates how the virtual person is less able to engage in daily activities than the virtual patient as a result of the alternative medical therapy the virtual person is receiving versus the medical therapy the virtual patient is receiving.

64. The article of manufacture of claim 62, wherein the medical condition is diabetes, wherein the promoted medical therapy received by the virtual patient comprises insulin pump therapy and wherein the alternative medical therapy received by the virtual person comprises insulin injections.

65. The article of manufacture of claim 49, wherein one scene of the rendered virtual environment includes medical items related to the medical therapy that the user must cause the virtual patient to gather for use in subsequent scenes of the virtual environment.

66. The article of manufacture of claim 49, wherein rendering the virtual environment comprises:

rendering a plurality of scenes, wherein the scenes include the daily activities of the virtual patient that are capable of being impacted by the medical therapy.

67. An article of manufacture for providing information to a user of the article of manufacture on a promoted product, wherein the article of manufacture causes operations to be performed, the operations comprising:

rendering a virtual environment;

rendering a virtual customer within the virtual environment, wherein the virtual customer utilizes the promoted product;

receiving input control signals from the user indicating movement of the virtual customer through the virtual environment; and

rendering interactions between the virtual customer and the virtual environment in response to the input control signals to enable the user to virtually experience how the promoted product is capable of impacting daily activities of the user and to promote the product.

68. The article of manufacture of claim 67, wherein rendering the virtual environment includes rendering daily activities the user would experience when using the promoted product.

69. The article of manufacture of claim 67, wherein the rendered virtual environment enables the user to control the virtual customer to perform an activity, further comprising:

receiving user input control signals to cause the virtual customer to perform the activity in the virtual environment utilizing the promoted product.

70. The article of manufacture of claim 69, further comprising:

rendering information related to an impact of the promoted product on the performed activity.

71. The article of manufacture of claim 67, wherein rendering interactions between the virtual customer and the virtual environment further comprises:

rendering interactions between the virtual customer and a virtual person rendered in the virtual environment to provide the user further information on the promoted product, wherein the virtual person is not controlled by the user.

72. The article of manufacture of claim 71, wherein the virtual person is using an alternative product, wherein the rendered interactions between the virtual person and the virtual customer are used to convey information contrasting the alternative product the virtual person is using to the promoted product the virtual customer is using.

73. The article of manufacture of claim 67, wherein rendering the virtual environment comprises:

rendering a plurality of scenes, wherein the scenes include the daily activities of the virtual customer that are capable of being impacted by the promoted product.

74. The article of manufacture of claim 67, wherein the promoted product comprises a device and/or a service.