Patent ID: 8316393

Claim:
An internet protocol television system, comprising: a memory storing computer instructions; and a controller coupled to the memory, wherein the controller, responsive to executing the computer instructions, performs operations comprising: detecting a search for media content that is initiated from a set-top box supported by the internet protocol television system, wherein the controller operates in a server that is remote from the set top box, and wherein the server is in communication with the set top box over an internet protocol television network; retrieving a user profile associated with a user of the set-top box; causing the set-top box to present an avatar having characteristics that correlate to the user profile; receiving from the set-top box one or more responses of the user, wherein the one or more responses are collected by the set-top box from a communication exchange between the avatar and the user; analyzing the received one or more responses to identify a change in an emotional state of the user; adapting the detected search for the media content to generate an adapted search according to the user profile and the identified change in the emotional state of the user; adapting a portion of the characteristics of the avatar relating to emotional feedback to generate an adapted avatar according to the user profile and the identified change in the emotional state of the user; and causing the set-top box to present the adapted avatar presenting content from a media content source identified from the adapted search for the media content without providing search results from an unmodified search.