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

Abstract

Provided are a method, system, and article of manufacture for providing information to a user of the computer program on using a medical therapy to treat a medical condition. A virtual environment is displayed and a user controlled virtual patient is displayed within the virtual environment. The user controlled virtual patient is simulating receiving the medical therapy and simulating real life activity in the virtual environment. Input control signals are received from the user controlling movement of the user controlled virtual patient through the virtual environment and interactions are rendered between the user controlled virtual patient and the virtual environment in response to the input control signals to enable the user to virtually engage in a simulated daily activity through the actions of the user controlled virtual patient. The simulated daily activity is other than simulated receiving of the simulated medical therapy. Information is displayed on how the simulated medical therapy positively impacts the user controlled virtual patient engaged in the daily activity to promote the medical therapy. Other embodiments are described and claimed.

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: 
 displaying a virtual environment;    displaying a user controlled virtual patient within the virtual environment, wherein the user controlled virtual patient is simulating receiving the medical therapy and simulating real life activity in the virtual environment;    receiving input control signals from the user controlling movement of the user controlled virtual patient through the virtual environment;    rendering interactions between the user controlled virtual patient and the virtual environment in response to the input control signals to enable the user to virtually engage in a simulated daily activity through the actions of the user controlled virtual patient, wherein the simulated daily activity is other than simulated receiving of the simulated medical therapy; and    displaying information on how the simulated medical therapy positively impacts the user controlled virtual patient engaged in the simulated daily activity to promote the simulated medical therapy for the user to treat a medical condition in real life.    
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the simulated medical therapy involves use of a medical device to dispense medication, further comprising: 
 displaying a representation of the medical device; and    receiving input control signals from the user to simulate dispensing medication from the displayed medical device when the user controlled virtual patient is interacting in the virtual environment.    
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the medical device comprises an insulin pump and wherein the medical condition comprises diabetes.  
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising: 
 prompting the user to check a health state of the user controlled virtual patient in response to receiving user input control signals to cause the user controlled virtual patient to perform the simulated daily activity;    receiving user input control signals to check the health state of the user controlled virtual patient; and    displaying information on the health state.    
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 4 , further comprising: 
 after receiving user input control signals to check the health state, displaying information on applying the simulated medical therapy.    
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 4 , 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 simulated biometric parameter of the user controlled virtual patient;    determining whether the measured biometric parameter requires application of the simulated medical therapy; and    prompting the user to apply the simulated medical therapy after determining that application of the simulated medical therapy is required.    
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising: 
 receiving user input control signals to check a health state before the user directs the user controlled virtual patient to perform the simulated daily activity; and    displaying information on checking the health state in response to the user input control signals to check the health state.    
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein displaying the information further comprises displaying positive reinforcement to the user for checking the health state before performing the simulated daily activity.  
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8 , further comprising: 
 displaying positive reinforcement to the user for proactively engaging in positive behavior unrelated to the simulated medical therapy.    
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein rendering interactions between the user controlled virtual patient and the virtual environment further comprises: 
 rendering interactions between the user controlled virtual patient and a non-user controlled 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.    
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the non-user controlled virtual person is receiving an alternative medical therapy to treat the medical condition, wherein the rendered interactions between the non-user controlled virtual person and the user controlled virtual patient are used to convey information contrasting the alternative medical therapy the non-user controlled virtual person is receiving to the medical therapy the user-controlled virtual patient is receiving.  
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the medical condition is diabetes, wherein the promoted medical therapy received by the user controlled virtual patient comprises insulin pump therapy and wherein the alternative medical therapy received by the non-user controlled virtual person comprises insulin injections.  
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein one scene of the displayed virtual environment includes simulated medical items related to the simulated medical therapy that the user must cause the user controlled virtual patient to gather for use in subsequent scenes of the virtual environment.  
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein displaying the virtual environment comprises: 
 displaying a plurality of scenes, wherein the scenes include the daily activities of the user controlled virtual patient that are capable of being impacted by the medical therapy.    
     
     
         15 . A system for providing training information to a user of the system on using a simulated medical therapy to treat a medical condition, comprising: 
 a display for displaying information;    means for displaying a virtual environment;    means for displaying a user controlled virtual patient within the virtual environment, wherein the user controlled virtual patient is simulating receiving the simulated medical therapy and simulating real life activity in the virtual environment;    means for receiving input control signals from the user controlling movement of the user controlled virtual patient through the virtual environment;    means for rendering interactions between the user controlled virtual patient and the virtual environment in response to the input control signals to enable the user to virtually engage in a simulated daily activity through the actions of the user controlled virtual patient, wherein the simulated daily activity is other than simulating receiving of the simulated medical therapy; and    means for displaying information on how the simulated medical therapy positively impacts the user controlled virtual patient engaged in the simulated daily activity in the virtual environment to promote the simulated medical therapy for the user to treat a medical condition in real life.    
     
     
         16 . The system of  claim 15 , wherein the simulated medical therapy involves use of a medical device to dispense medication, further comprising: 
 means for displaying a representation of the medical device; and    means for receiving input control signals from the user to simulate dispensing medication from the displayed medical device when the user controlled virtual patient is interacting in the virtual environment.    
     
     
         17 . The system of  claim 16 , wherein the medical device comprises an insulin pump and wherein the medical condition comprises diabetes.  
     
     
         18 . The system of  claim 15 , further comprising: 
 means for prompting the user to check a health state of the user controlled virtual patient in response to receiving user input control signals to cause the user controlled virtual patient to perform the simulated daily activity;    means for receiving user input control signals to check the health state of the user controlled virtual patient; and    means for displaying information on the health state.    
     
     
         19 . The system of  claim 15 , further comprising: 
 means for receiving user input control signals to check a health state before the user directs the user controlled virtual patient to perform the simulated daily activity; and    means for displaying information on checking the health state in response to the user input control signals to check the health state.    
     
     
         20 . The system of  claim 19 , wherein the means for displaying the information further renders positive reinforcement to the user for checking the health state before performing the simulated daily activity.  
     
     
         21 . The system of  claim 20 , further comprising: 
 means for displaying positive reinforcement to the user for proactively engaging in positive behavior unrelated to the simulated medical therapy.    
     
     
         22 . The system of  claim 15 , wherein the means for rendering interactions between the user controlled virtual patient and the virtual environment further performs: 
 rendering interactions between the user controlled virtual patient and a non-user controlled virtual person rendered in the virtual environment to provide the user further information on the medical therapy, wherein the non-user controlled virtual person is not controlled by the user.    
     
     
         23 . The system of  claim 22 , wherein the non-user controlled virtual person is receiving an alternative simulated medical therapy to treat the medical condition, wherein the rendered interactions between the non-user controlled virtual person and the user controlled virtual patient are used to convey information contrasting the alternative medical therapy the non-user controlled virtual person is receiving to the medical therapy the user controlled virtual patient is receiving.  
     
     
         24 . The system of  claim 23 , wherein the medical condition is diabetes, wherein the simulated medical therapy received by the user controlled virtual patient comprises insulin pump therapy and wherein the alternative simulated medical therapy received by the non-user controlled virtual person comprises insulin injections.  
     
     
         25 . The system of  claim 15 , wherein the means for displaying the virtual environment further performs: 
 displaying a plurality of scenes, wherein the scenes include the simulated daily activities of the user controlled virtual patient that are capable of being impacted by the simulated medical therapy.    
     
     
         26 . An article of manufacture for providing training information to a user of the article of manufacture on a display on using a simulated medical therapy to treat a medical condition, wherein the article of manufacture causes operations to be performed, the operations comprising: 
 displaying a virtual environment;    displaying a user controlled virtual patient within the virtual environment, wherein the user controlled virtual patient is simulating receiving the simulated medical therapy and simulating real life activity in the virtual environment;    receiving input control signals from the user controlling movement of the user controlled virtual patient through the virtual environment;    rendering interactions between the user controlled virtual patient and the virtual environment in response to the input control signals to enable the user to virtually engage in a simulated daily activity through the actions of the user controlled virtual patient, wherein the simulated daily activity is other than simulated receiving of the simulated medical therapy; and    displaying information on how the simulated medical therapy positively impacts the user controlled virtual patient engaged in the simulated daily activity in the virtual environment to promote the simulated medical therapy for the user to treat a medical condition in real life.    
     
     
         27 . The article of manufacture of  claim 26 , wherein the simulated medical therapy involves use of a medical device to dispense medication, further comprising: 
 displaying a representation of the medical device; and    receiving input control signals from the user to simulate dispensing medication from the displayed medical device when the user controlled virtual patient is interacting in the virtual environment.    
     
     
         28 . The article of manufacture of  claim 27 , wherein the medical device comprises an insulin pump and wherein the medical condition comprises diabetes.  
     
     
         29 . The article of manufacture of  claim 26 , further comprising: 
 prompting the user to check a health state of the user controlled virtual patient in response to receiving user input control signals to cause the user controlled virtual patient to perform the simulated daily activity;    receiving user input control signals to check the health state of the user controlled virtual patient; and    displaying information on the health state.    
     
     
         30 . The article of manufacture of  claim 29 , further comprising: 
 after receiving user input control signals to check the health state, displaying information on applying the simulated medical therapy.    
     
     
         31 . The article of manufacture of  claim 29 , 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 user controlled virtual patient;    determining whether the measured biometric parameter requires application of the simulated medical therapy; and    prompting the user to apply the simulated medical therapy after determining that application of the simulated medical therapy is required.    
     
     
         32 . The article of manufacture of  claim 26 , further comprising: 
 receiving user input control signals to check a health state before the user directs the user controlled virtual patient to perform the simulated daily activity; and    displaying information on checking the health state in response to the user input control signals to check the health state.    
     
     
         33 . The article of manufacture of  claim 32 , wherein displaying the information further comprises displaying positive reinforcement to the user for checking the health state before performing the simulated daily activity.  
     
     
         34 . The article of manufacture of  claim 33 , further comprising: 
 displaying positive reinforcement to the user for proactively engaging in positive behavior unrelated to the simulated medical therapy.    
     
     
         35 . The article of manufacture of  claim 26 , wherein rendering interactions between the user controlled virtual patient and the virtual environment further comprises: 
 rendering interactions between the user controlled virtual patient and a non-user controlled virtual person rendered in the virtual environment to provide the user further information on the medical therapy, wherein the non-user controlled virtual person is not controlled by the user.    
     
     
         36 . The article of manufacture of  claim 35 , wherein the non-user controlled virtual person is receiving an alternative medical therapy to treat the medical condition, wherein the rendered interactions between the non-user controlled virtual person and the user controlled virtual patient are used to convey information contrasting the alternative medical therapy the non-user controlled virtual person is receiving to the medical therapy the user controlled virtual patient is receiving.  
     
     
         37 . The article of manufacture of  claim 36 , wherein the medical condition is diabetes, wherein the promoted medical therapy received by the user controlled virtual patient comprises insulin pump therapy and wherein the alternative medical therapy received by the non-user controlled virtual person comprises insulin injections.  
     
     
         38 . The article of manufacture of  claim 26 , wherein one scene of the displayed virtual environment includes simulated medical items related to the simulated medical therapy that the user must cause the user controlled virtual patient to gather for use in subsequent scenes of the virtual environment.  
     
     
         39 . The article of manufacture of  claim 26 , wherein rendering the virtual environment comprises: 
 displaying a plurality of scenes, wherein the scenes include the simulated daily activities of the user controlled virtual patient that are capable of being impacted by the simulated medical therapy.