System and method for promoting viewer interaction in a television system

An apparatus for use in an interactive television system having a broadcast station, a transmission medium and a display device, the apparatus being designed to promote viewer interaction with a television program, the apparatus comprising:

• a signal processing unit configured to receive a program signal from said broadcast station, said program signal including said television program,
• a memory unit configured to store data used by an application, said data being indicative of a level of said viewer interaction,
• a microprocessor configured to execute said application, said application being configured to generate an icon, said icon being indicative of said level of said viewer interaction, said microprocessor further being configured to update said data in response to said viewer interaction,
• a display unit configured to combine said television program and said icon into a display signal and to transmit said display signal to said display device;
• said icon being displayed in a preferred manner when said level of viewer interaction is high, and said icon being displayed in a non-preferred manner when said level of viewer interaction is low.

A method for encouraging a plurality of viewers' participation in an interactive television system having a broadcast station and one or more receiving stations, each receiving station having a monitor, the method comprising the steps of:

• (a) transmitting a television program from said broadcast station to said one or more receiving stations;
• (b) performing steps (i)-(iii) one or more times for each receiving station;
• (i) detecting a level of participation of one of said viewers associated with said receiving station;
• (ii) generating an adaptable depiction of a living entity, said depiction having an appearance of a level of healthfulness corresponding to said level of said associated viewer's participation;
• (iii) displaying said television program and said depiction on said monitor;
• and
• (c) storing viewer data for each of said receiving stations, said viewer data being indicative of said level of each of said viewer's participation.

A method for encouraging viewer participation in a television system, said method comprising:

• generating an icon on a television, wherein said icon is indicative of a state corresponding to a first level of viewer participation;
• detecting a second level of participation of said viewer;
• updating said state of said icon to correspond to said second level of participation, in response to detecting said second level of participation;
• and
• regenerating said icon on said television, wherein said regenerated icon is indicative of said updated states;
• said icon being displayed in a preferred manner when said level of viewer interaction is high, and said icon being displayed in a non-preferred manner when said level of viewer interaction is low.

An apparatus for promoting viewer participation in a television system, said apparatus comprising:

• a signal processing unit configured to receive a television programming signal;
• and
• a control unit configured to generate an icon for display, wherein said icon is indicative of a level of viewer participation;
• said icon being generated for display in a preferred manner when said level of viewer participation is high, and said icon being generated for display in a non-preferred manner when said level of viewer participation is low.

A television system for increasing viewership comprising:

• a broadcast station configured to broadcast a programming signal including a first program and an executable application, said application comprising program instructions executable to:
• detect a level of viewer participation in a first program;
• and
• generate an icon indicative of said level of participations;
• said icon being displayed in a preferred manner when said level of viewer interaction is high, and said icon being displayed in a non-preferred manner when said level of viewer interaction is low.

A method for encouraging viewer participation in an interactive television system having a broadcast station and one or more receiving stations, each receiving station having a monitor, the method comprising:

• transmitting a television program from said broadcast station to said one or more receiving stations;
• detecting a level of participation of one of said viewers associated with said receiving station;
• generating an icon having an attribute indicative of a level of said associated viewer's participation;
• and
• displaying said television program and said icon on said monitor;
• wherein detecting said level of said viewer's participation further comprises comparing one or more actions of said viewer to one or more corresponding standards and modifying said viewer data according to whether said one or more actions meet said one or more corresponding standards.

A method for encouraging viewer participation in an interactive television system having a broadcast station and one or more receiving stations, each receiving station having a monitor, the method comprising:

• transmitting a television program from said broadcast station to said one or more receiving stations;
• detecting a level of participation of one of said viewers associated with said receiving station;
• generating an icon having an attribute indicative of a level of said associated viewer's participation;
• and
• displaying said television program and said icon on said monitor;
• wherein said viewer data comprises an index value and wherein detecting said level of said viewer's participation further comprises incrementing said index value when said viewer watches one or more predetermined portions of said television program and decrementing said index value when said viewer fails to watch said one or more predetermined portions of said television program.

A method for encouraging viewer participation in an interactive television system having a broadcast station and one or more receiving stations, each receiving station having a monitor, the method comprising:

• transmitting a television program from said broadcast station to said one or more receiving stations;
• detecting a level of participation of one of said viewers associated with said receiving station;
• generating an icon having an attribute indicative of a level of said associated viewer's participation;
• displaying said television program and said icon on said monitor;
• storing viewer data for each of said receiving stations, said viewer data being indicative of said level of each of said viewer's participation;
• transmitting a portion of said viewer data from each of said receiving stations to said broadcast station;
• selecting said viewer data from one of said receiving stations;
• transmitting to each of said receiving stations a selected depiction of said icon corresponding to said selected viewer data from said one of said receiving stations;
• and
• awarding a prize to a selected viewer corresponding to said one of said receiving stations if said selected viewer contacts said broadcast station in response to said transmitting of said selected depiction.

A method for maintaining a viewer state in a television system comprising:

• receiving a programming signal including a first program at a receiver;
• executing a first application in said receiver, in response to detecting said first program;
• generating a first data, wherein said first data indicates a viewer state corresponding to said first program;
• storing said first data;
• receiving a programming signal including a second program at said receiver;
• executing a second application in said receiver, in response to detecting said second program;
• retrieving said stored first data;
• detecting said viewer state in said retrieved first data.

An apparatus for maintaining a viewer state in a television system, said apparatus comprising:

• a signal processing unit configured to receive a television programming signal;
• and
• a storage device;
• and
• a control unit, wherein said control unit is configured to:
• execute a first application, in response to detecting a first program in a first programming signal received by said signal processing unit;
• generate a first data, wherein said first data indicates a viewer state corresponding to said first program;
• store said first data on said storage device;
• execute a second application in said receiver, in response to detecting a second program in a second programming signal received by said signal processing unit;
• retrieve said stored first data from said storage device;
• and
• detect said viewer state in said retrieved first data.