Xbox One patent outlines Achievement implementation for watching TV programs

An Xbox One patent filed by Microsoft could see the firm implementing Achievements for watching certain TV programs using the new system.

According to the patent application posted by GI International, handing out Achievements is an opportunity for TV viewers to feel as if they are participating in something instead of just being a "passive" viewer.

"Television viewing tends to be a passive experience for a viewer, without many opportunities for the viewer to engage or have interactive experiences with the presented content," the application states. "To increase interactive viewing and encourage a user to watch one or more particular items of video content, awards and achievements may be tied to those items of video content."

One such example was by watching the Super Bowl, which is interesting considering the firm's deal with the NFL, and another example was an Achievement for watching an entire season of a TV show.

"Tying the awards and achievements to particular items of video or advertising content, viewers may be encouraged to increase their viewership of the content, thus increasing advertising opportunities," the application stated.

More Achievements could be handed out by using Kinect along with the system, and handing them out when users perform certain actions while they watch a show.

This can also be achieved through asking the user to hold up a specific product which Kinect would scan and reward an Achievement.

Rewards possible for such could also vary from GamerScore like points to actual physical rewards.

Other Kinect patents we told you about last night, and updated this morning, could see Kinect acting as a watchdogof sorts by monitoring the number of viewers in a room.

This would allow content providers to set a threshold which if exceeded would trigger a prompt for the device owner to purchase a license for more viewers.