APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR PROMOTING VIEWER INTERACTION IN A TELEVISION SYSTEM

摘要

An interactive television system configured to display an animated character which has an appearance indicative of a viewer's interaction and time spent watching a particular television program. In one embodiment, the character is a genie which appears more healthy when the viewer's watching/interaction increases and less healthy when it decreases. Various features of the genie, such as hair color, clothing and name, are viewer-selectable. The genie may prompt the viewer for responses, which responses result in the awarding of points to the genie, which in turn make it appear more healthy or give it certain powers or characteristics. The genie is implemented in an interactive application which is transmitted to a set-top box coupled to the viewer's television. Transmission of related data through a return path to the broadcast station which originated the application enables the viewer to participate in lotteries and other special promotions.