Method of and apparatus for generating and searching a database

摘要

A method and apparatus for generating a database in a memory. Program identifying information is received from a service provider, the program identifying information comprising at least one service provider search criteria and information describing a channel on which a program is transmitted. A database is generated in a memory as a function of the channel identifying information and at least one of the service provider search criteria. Preferably, user-input search criteria is also received and it is determined whether the user-input search criteria corresponds to the service provider search criteria. A channel identified by the channel identifying information is selected if the user-input search criteria corresponds to the service provider search criteria.