Interactive, off-screen entertainment guide for program selection and control

摘要

A set top box for a television interactive television system receives a television signal and television program schedule information. The set top box transmits the television program schedule information to a remote control using a wireless transmission method. The remote control uses the television program schedule information to generate an interactive electronic programming guide (EPG) on a display device integrated with the remote control. The remote control may also receive the television program schedule information from a network, such as the Internet, and then a user can control the set top box or other device using controls added to the schedule information received from the network.