Method for treating medical conditions using a microprocessor-based video game

• US 5,678,571 A
• Filed: 05/23/1994
• Issued: 10/21/1997
• Est. Priority Date: 05/23/1994
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Health Hero Network Incorporated (Robert Bosch GmbH)
• Original Assignee: RAYA Systems Incorporated
• Inventors: Brown, Stephen J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Lacyk, John P.
• Application Number:
  US08/247,716
• Time in Patent Office: 1,247 Days
• Field of Search: 128/897-98, 128/668, 128/905, 364/413.02-413.11
• US Class Current: 128/898
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 90/00 Instruments, implements or accessories specially adapted for surgery or diagnosis and not covered by any of the groups A61B1/00 - A61B50/00, e.g. for luxation treatment or for protecting wound edges protective face masks A41D13/11; surgeon's or patient's gowns or dresses A41D13/12; devices for carrying-off, for treatment of, or for carrying-over, body liquids A61M1/00
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/212 using sensors worn by the player, e.g. for measuring heart beat or leg activity
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/23 for interfacing with the game device, e.g. specific interfaces between game controller and console
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/45 Controlling the progress of the video game
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/55 Controlling game characters or game objects based on the game progress
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/63 by the player, e.g. authoring using a level editor
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/80 Special adaptations for executing a specific game genre or game mode
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/807 Gliding or sliding on surfaces, e.g. using skis, skates or boards
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/822 Strategy games; Role-playing games A63F13/825, A63F13/828 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/92 Video game devices specially adapted to be hand-held while playing
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/1012 involving biosensors worn by the player, e.g. for measuring heart beat, limb activity
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/1025 details of the interface with the game device, e.g. USB version detection
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/204 the platform being a handheld device
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/6018 where the game content is authored by the player, e.g. level editor or by game device at runtime, e.g. level is created from music data on CD
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/63 for controlling the execution of the game in time
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/80 specially adapted for executing a specific type of game
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 128/905 Feedback to patient of biological signal other than brain electric signal

Abstract

Method for treating a medical condition in a human patient comprising choosing a psychological strategy for treating the medical condition, encoding electronic instructions for an interactive video game in such a way that the interactive video game implements the psychological strategy, loading the electronic instructions into a microprocessor-based unit (10, 30) equipped with a display (14, 34) for displaying the interactive video game and with an patient input device (16, 36a, 36b, 36c, 36d, 36e) for receiving responses to the interactive video game from the human patient, and instructing the human patient how and when to use the microprocessor-based unit (10) to play the interactive video game. The interactive video game contains instructions for a scoring procedure for quantitatively analyzing the medical condition of the human patient, and/or counseling instructions or self-care instructions. The video game can be used in conjunction with a physical parameter measuring device (54) connected to the microprocessor-based unit (10).

Claims

1. A method for treating a medical condition in a human patient comprising the following steps:

a) choosing a psychological strategy for treating said medical condition;

b) encoding electronic instructions for an interactive video game, said interactive video game being selected to said psychological strategy;

c) loading said electronic instructions into a microprocessor-based unit equipped with a display means for displaying said interactive video game and with an input means for receiving responses to said interactive video game from said human patient; and

d) instructing said human patient how and when to use said microprocessor-based unit to play said interactive video game.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said psychological strategy implemented by said interactive video game comprises a graphical game character faced with fictitious challenges representative of said medical condition and said responses of said human patient to said challenges of said graphical game character define the game success of said graphical game character, thereby causing a psychological response in said human patient which will improve said medical condition.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein said psychological strategy implemented by said interactive video game comprises a graphical game character faced with fictitious game challenges, including predetermining said fictitious game challenges by a health care professional and determining the fate of said graphical game character by said responses of said human patient.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein said psychological strategy implemented by said interactive video game comprises distraction.

5. A method for treating a medical condition in a human patient comprising the following steps:

a) choosing a set of self-care directions for treating said medical condition;

b) encoding a first set of electronic instructions for an interactive video game, said set of self-care directions being embedded in said interactive video game;

c) loading said first set of electronic instructions into a microprocessor-based unit equipped with a display means for displaying said interactive video game and with an input means for receiving responses to said interactive video game from said human patient; and

d) instructing said human patient how and when to use said microprocessor-based unit to play said interactive video game.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein said set of self-care directions is being communicated to said human patient in said interactive video game by a graphical game character faced with fictitious challenges representative of said medical condition and said responses of said human patient to said challenges of said graphical game character defining the game success of said graphical game character.

7. The method of claim 5, wherein said set of self-care directions comprises a subconscious strategy for said human patient.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein said subconscious strategy is substitution and said medical condition is smoking.

9. The method of claim 7, wherein said subconscious strategy is role-playing and said medical condition is diabetes.

10. The method of claim 5, comprising the additional steps of:

a) connecting to said micro-processor based unit a monitoring means for measuring a physical parameter of said human patient'"'"'s medical condition;

b) encoding a second set of electronic instructions for operating said monitoring means, said second set of electronic instructions being compatible with said first set of electronic instructions; and

c) merging said second set of electronic instructions with said first set of electronic instructions.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein said interactive video game comprises a graphical game character, said graphical game character communicating said self-care directions which comprise directives about how and when to use said monitoring means while playing said interactive video game.

12. A method for treating a medical condition in a human patient comprising the following steps:

a) choosing a set of counseling directions for treating said medical condition;

b) encoding electronic instructions for an interactive video game, said set of counseling directions being embedded in said interactive video game;

c) loading said electronic instructions into a microprocessor-based unit equipped with a display means for displaying said interactive video game and with an input means for receiving responses to said interactive video game from said human patient; and

d) instructing said human patient how and when to use said microprocessor-based unit to play said interactive video game.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein said counseling directions embedded in said interactive video game comprise a graphical game character faced with fictitious challenges representative of said medical condition and said responses of said human patient to said challenges of said graphical game character define the game success of said graphical game character.

14. A method for evaluating a medical condition in a human patient comprising the following steps:

a) encoding electronic instructions for an interactive video game, said interactive video game having a scoring procedure for quantitatively analyzing said medical condition of said human patient;

b) delivering said electronic instructions to a microprocessor-based unit equipped with a display means for displaying said interactive video game and an input means for receiving responses to said interactive video game from said human patient; and

c) instructing said human patient how and when to use said microprocessor-based unit to play said interactive video game.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein said scoring procedure comprises recording said responses of said human patient, assigning values to said responses, and performing a computation on said assigned values to obtain a final score, whereby said final score is used as a quantitative measure of said medical condition.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein said interactive video game comprises a graphical game character faced with fictitious challenges representative of said medical condition and said responses of said human patient to said challenges of said graphical game character define the game success of said graphical game character.

17. The method of claim 14, wherein said interactive video game comprises a graphical game character faced with fictitious challenges, said fictitious challenges being predetermined by a health care professional and said responses of said human patient determining the fate of said graphical game character.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the fate of said graphical character is represented by said final score.