ADAPTIVE METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR AUTOMATICALLY CUSTOMIZING ENHANCED PROGRAM CONTENT TO USER PREFERENCES

摘要

A method and apparatus are disclosed for providing personalized supplemental programming content that enhances primary programming content. Enhanced program content is automatically and selectively triggered in accordance with a viewer profile. The viewer profile provides a numerical representation indicating the viewer's level of interest a number of attributes. A disclosed viewer preference learning process dynamically adjusts the numerical representations set forth in the viewer profile based on the viewer's acceptance or rejection of enhanced program content. The viewer's profile is thus automatically adjusted by observing the viewer's reactions to presented enhancement content. The inferences contained in the viewer profile that automatically trigger the display of individual enhanced program content are strengthened or weakened based on the viewer's acceptance or rejection of enhanced program content, or based on an inferred determination as to whether the viewer enjoyed presented enhanced program content.