METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR SELECTIVE INITIAL TELEVISION CHANNEL DISPLAY

摘要

A novel electronic program guide(EPG)based method and system for the distribution and display of programs enables the system service provider to determine which program a subscriber will initially see upon power−up of the subscriber's television receiver.The service provider maintains one or more Initial Program Display Tables that list information about programs to be displayed upon power−up of subscribers' receivers,from highest priority to least priority.The Initial Program Display Table or Tables are periodically transmitted to all of the subscribers and stored by the subscribers' set−top boxes(208).Upon power−up of a subscriber's receiver,the set−top box will attempt to cause the receiver to immediately display the highest ranked program from the Initial Program Display Table(212).If for some reason the highest ranked program cannot be located or displayed(214),the set−top box causes the receiver to attempt to display the next highest ranked program until a program from the Initial Program Display Table is displayed(216).Which programs are displayed upon initial power−up and the ranking of programs in the case where there is difficulty displaying the highest ranked program,are controlled by the service provider.The service provider can decide the makeup of the Initial Program Display Table(s)based upon commercial arrangements with content providers and advertisers.