Calculating a behavioral path based on a statistical profile

Abstract

A system for directing behavior of a first patient of a plurality of patients towards a behavioral objective includes a patient behavioral path calculator, a patient goal calculator, and a patient monitoring processor. The system also includes an information communication processor and a statistical processor. The patient behavioral path calculator calculates a patient behavioral path based on a statistical profile. The patient goal calculator calculates patient goals along the patient behavioral path toward a behavioral objective. The statistical processor can modify the statistical profile based on a response to a targeted message sent by the information communication processor.

We claim: 
     
         1 . A method for directing behavior of a first patient of a plurality of patients towards a behavioral objective, the method comprising:
 calculating, with a processor, a first behavioral path to the behavioral objective for the first patient based on an initial state of the first patient and a first statistical profile of the first patient, the first statistical profile being operative, for an input based on the first patient, to produce a most likely output of a modeled patient-population, based on a comparison of the input of the first patient with the modeled patient-population;   selecting a type of targeted message, wherein the type of targeted message includes a positive reinforcement targeted message or a negative reinforcement targeted message;   generating a first targeted message based on the calculated first behavioral path and the selected type of targeted message;   sending the first targeted message during a first session to motivate the first patient to achieve the behavioral objective and elicit a first response representative of a result thereof;   modifying the first statistical profile based on the first response;   recalculating the first behavioral path to the behavioral objective for the first patient based on the modified first statistical profile of the first patient;   re-selecting the selected type of targeted message based on the first response; and   generating a second targeted message based on the recalculated first behavioral path and the re-selected type of targeted message.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising establishing a first session with the first patient,
 wherein sending the first targeted message comprises sending the first targeted message to the first patient during the first session.   
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the first statistical profile of the patient comprises a statistical profile of the plurality of patients, a patient specific statistical profile, or a combination thereof. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising defining a first plurality of intermediate behavioral goals along the calculated first behavioral path for achieving the behavioral objective. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 establishing a second session with the first patient;   sending the second targeted message to the first patient during the second session to motivate the first patient to achieve the behavioral objective and elicit a second response from the first patient representative of a result thereof; and   modifying, based on the second response, the modified first statistical profile.   
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 calculating a second behavioral path to the behavioral objective for a second patient of the plurality of patients based on an initial state of the second patient and a second statistical profile of the second patient, wherein the second statistical profile of the second patient is based on the first statistical profile of the first patient;   determining a second targeted message based on the second behavioral path;   establishing a second session with the second patient;   sending the second targeted message to the second patient during the second session to motivate the second patient to achieve the behavioral objective of the second behavioral path and elicit a second response from the second patient representative of a result thereof; and   modifying, based on the second response, the second statistical profile.   
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising calculating the first statistical profile of the first patient based on provided statistical information. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising determining whether the first intermediate behavioral goal has been achieved based on the first response. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 9 , further comprising intervening when the first patient fails to achieve the first intermediate behavioral goal. 
     
     
         10 . A method for directing behavior of a first patient of a plurality of patients towards a behavioral objective, the method comprising:
 calculating a first behavioral path for a first patient of a plurality of patients based on an initial state of the first patient and a first statistical profile of the first patient, wherein the first behavioral path comprises a first individual baseline outcome and a first predicted intervention outcome.   
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the first statistical profile of the patient comprises a statistical profile of the plurality of patients, a patient specific statistical profile, or combination thereof. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 10 , further comprising:
 calculating a first baseline fault tolerance limit based on a magnitude of difference between the first individual baseline outcome and the first predicted intervention outcome;   determining a first survey for communicating to the first patient based on the calculated first behavioral path;   sending the first survey to the first patient to motivate the first patient to achieve the first predicted intervention outcome and to elicit a first response from the first patient indicative of a result thereof; and   calculating a first interval outcome based on the elicited first response.   
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12 , further comprising:
 determining a second survey for communicating to the first patient based on the calculated first behavioral path and the calculated first interval outcome;   sending the second survey to the first patient to motivate the first patient to achieve the first predicted intervention outcome and to elicit a second response from the first patient indicative of a result thereof; and   calculating a second interval outcome based on the elicited second response.   
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13 , further comprising:
 calculating a second fault tolerance limit based on comparing the first interval outcome and the second interval outcome with the first baseline fault tolerance limit;   determining a third survey for communicating to the first patient based on the calculated first behavioral path and the calculated second fault tolerance limit;   sending the third survey to the first patient to motivate the first patient to achieve the first predicted intervention outcome and to elicit a third response from the first patient indicative of a result thereof; and   calculating a third interval outcome based on the elicited third response.   
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14 , further comprising:
 comparing the first interval outcome with the calculated first baseline fault tolerance limit; and   intervening when the first interval outcome exceeds the calculated first baseline fault tolerance limit.   
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 12 , further comprising:
 modifying the first statistical profile of the first patient based on the first interval outcome of the first patient;   calculating a second behavioral path for a second patient of the plurality of patients based on an initial state of the second patient and a second statistical profile of the second patient, wherein the second statistical profile of the second patient is based on the first statistical profile of the first patient, and the second behavioral path comprises a second individual baseline outcome and a second predicted intervention outcome;   calculating a second baseline fault tolerance limit based on a magnitude of difference between the second individual baseline outcome and the second predicted intervention outcome;   determining a second survey for communicating to the second patient based on the calculated second behavioral path;   sending the second survey to the second patient to motivate the second patient to achieve the second predicted intervention outcome and to elicit a second response from the second patient indicative of a result thereof; and,   calculating a second interval outcome based on the elicited second response.   
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16 , further comprising:
 comparing the second interval outcome with the calculated second baseline fault tolerance limit;   calculating a third fault tolerance limit based on the comparison of the second interval outcome with the calculated second baseline fault tolerance limit;   determining a third survey for communicating to the second patient based on the calculated second behavioral path and the calculated third fault tolerance limit;   sending the third survey to the second patient to motivate the second patient to achieve the second predicted intervention outcome and to elicit a third response from the second patient indicative of a result thereof; and   calculating a third interval outcome based on the elicited third response.   
     
     
         18 . A method for directing behavior of a first patient of a plurality of patients towards a behavioral objective, the method comprising:
 calculating a first behavioral path to the behavioral objective for the first patient based on an initial state of the patient and a first statistical profile of the patient;   selecting a type of targeted message, wherein the type of targeted message includes a positive reinforcement targeted message or a negative reinforcement targeted message;   generating a first targeted message based on the calculated first behavioral path and the selected type of targeted message;   sending the first targeted message to motivate the first patient to achieve the behavioral objective;   receiving a first response representative of a result of the sending;   modifying the first statistical profile of the first patient based on the first response;   recalculating the first behavioral path to the behavioral objective for the first patient based on the modified first statistical profile of the first patient;   re-selecting the selected type of targeted message based on the first response; and   generating a second targeted message based on the recalculated first behavioral path and the re-selected type of targeted message.   
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein the first statistical profile is operative, for an input of the first patient, to produce a most likely output from among a modeled patient-population, based on a comparison of the input of the first patient with the modeled patient-population. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein the sending comprises sending the first targeted message during the first session to motivate the first patient to achieve the behavioral objective and elicit a first response representative of a result thereof