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  Method, system, and program for using a virtual environment to provide information on using a productUSPTO Application #: 20070087315Title: 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. (end of abstract) Agent: Konrad Raynes & Victor, LLP - Beverly Hills, CA, US Inventors: Steven STUART, Terry ZIERENBERG, Fabio GRATTON USPTO Applicaton #: 20070087315 - Class: 434262000 (USPTO) Related Patent Categories: Education And Demonstration, Anatomy, Physiology, Therapeutic Treatment, Or Surgery Relating To Human Being The Patent Description & Claims data below is from USPTO Patent Application 20070087315. Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS [0001] This application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/326,538, filed on Dec. 20, 2002, which patent application is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. COPYRIGHT NOTICE [0002] A portion of the disclosure of this patent document contains material which is subject to copyright protection. The copyright owner has no objection to the facsimile reproduction by anyone of the patent document or the patent disclosure, as it appears in the Patent and Trademark Office patent file or records, but otherwise reserves all copyright rights whatsoever. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [0003] 1. Field of the Invention [0004] The present invention is related to a method, system, and program for using a virtual environment to provide information on using a product. [0005] 2. Description of the Related Art [0006] Certain products have the ability to alter a person's lifestyle and quality of life. For instance, medical devices may relieve a person's suffering from a medical condition and prevent the condition from interfering with the person's daily life. One such lifestyle altering medical device is an insulin pump used by diabetics, such as the insulin pumps manufactured by Medtronic Minimed, Inc. An insulin pump comprises a small portable unit, similar in size to an electronic pager, that is fastened to the patient's belt or clothing. The pump delivers micro-drops of a fast-acting insulin throughout the day at an insertion site on the patient's body. With an insulin pump, the diabetic does not need daily insulin injections. Further, the insulin pump includes readily accessible controls that the diabetic may easily use to adjust the dispensing of insulin before engaging in an activity that may affect the blood-sugar level. The insulin pump provides the diabetic the freedom to eat, exercise and engage in various life activities at-will when and where they want. [0007] One challenge for product marketers is to convey to potential customers the benefits of such a lifestyle altering product. Marketers have numerous ways to communicate information, such as brochures or advertisements describing technical details of the product, satisfied customer testimonials, etc. However, these prior art marketing techniques are typically inadequate to provide the target customer with an understanding of how the promoted product can dramatically impact and improve the daily life of the target customer. [0008] Medical device distributors have provided customers with computer games to educate the customer on a particular product or therapy. Although such computer games use an interactive entertainment medium to inform patients of a therapy or medical product, especially adolescent patients, such games are generally limited to using entertainment activities to provide information during the course of the game play. Such computer game oriented marketing efforts are often inadequate to convey to the potential customer an understanding of how the medical device or therapy will dramatically improve the customer's quality of life and lifestyle. [0009] Notwithstanding prior art techniques for communicating product information to potential markets and customers, there is a need in the art for improved techniques for making potential customers aware of the lifestyle and quality of life changes that will be realized from a particular medical therapy or product. SUMMARY OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS [0010] Provided are a method, system, and program for providing information to a user on a medical therapy to treat a medical condition. A virtual environment is rendered and a virtual patient is rendered within the virtual environment, wherein the virtual patient is receiving the medical therapy. Input control signals are received from the user indicating movement of the virtual patient through the virtual environment. Interactions are rendered 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. [0011] In further implementations, rendering the virtual environment includes rendering daily activities the user would experience when receiving the medical therapy. [0012] In yet further implementations, the medical therapy may involve use of a medical device to dispense medication. In such case, a representation of the medical device is rendered and input control signals are received from the user to dispense medication from the medical device when the virtual patient is interacting in the virtual environment. [0013] Still further, rendering interactions between the virtual patient and the virtual environment may further comprise 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. [0014] Yet further, the virtual person may be 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. [0015] Further provided are a method, system, and program for providing information to a user on a promoted product. 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. [0016] In further implementations, rendering the virtual environment includes rendering daily activities the user would experience when using the promoted product. [0017] The described implementations provide techniques for rendering a virtual environment with a computer type device that is intended to convey to a user of the computer type device the lifestyle impact and benefits of a new product, service, medical therapy, medical product, etc., being promoted Described implementations enable the user to control actions of a virtual character in the virtual environment in a manner that allows the user to experience virtually the advantages of the promoted item. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS [0018] Referring now to the drawings in which like reference numbers represent corresponding parts throughout: [0019] FIG. 1 illustrates a computing environment in which aspects of the invention are implemented; Continue reading... Full patent description for Method, system, and program for using a virtual environment to provide information on using a product Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims Click on the above for other options relating to this Method, system, and program for using a virtual environment to provide information on using a product patent application. ###  How KEYWORD MONITOR works... a FREE service from FreshPatents1. Sign up (takes 30 seconds). 2. Fill in the keywords to be monitored. 3. Each week you receive an email with patent applications related to your keywords. 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