Interactive program guide with continuous data stream and client-server data supplementation

Abstract

An interactive television program guide system is provided. An interactive television program guide implemented on user television equipment obtains program guide data from two data delivery mechanisms. Current program guide data is obtained from a continuous data stream. Other program guide data (which may include the current program guide data) is obtained by the program guide from a program guide server. The continuous data stream may also include program and program grouping identifiers. The program guide may perform real-time actions associated with programs identified in the continuous data stream.

1 - 26 . (canceled) 
     
     
         27 . A method for receiving data related to programs, the method comprising:
 receiving a continuous data stream from a continuous data stream source;   receiving a user request for a real-time action associated with a program;   in response to the user request, determining whether program guide data for the program is available from the continuous data stream; and   in response to determining that the program guide data for the program is not available from the continuous data stream, requesting the program guide data from a non-continuous data stream source.   
     
     
         28 . The method of  claim 27 , wherein determining whether the program guide data is available is based on whether the continuous data stream includes a unique identifier for the program. 
     
     
         29 . The method of  claim 27 , further comprising prefetching the program guide data in response to the user request. 
     
     
         30 . The method of  claim 27 , wherein the program belongs to a program grouping, further comprising performing an action associated with another program belonging to the program grouping in response to the user request. 
     
     
         31 . The method of  claim 27 , wherein the user request comprises a request for recording the program. 
     
     
         32 . The method of  claim 27 , wherein the user request comprises a request for locking the program. 
     
     
         33 . The method of  claim 27 , further comprising receiving from the continuous data stream source a first type of data at a first repetition rate, and a second type of data at a second repetition rate that is different from the first repetition rate. 
     
     
         34 . The method of  claim 33 , wherein:
 the continuous data stream source is configured to assign a respective priority to each of the first and second types of data; and   the continuous data stream source is configured to determine the first and second repetition rates based at least in part on a respective priority assigned to the first and second types of data.   
     
     
         35 . The method of  claim 27 , wherein the program guide data is available from the continuous data stream within a threshold amount of time of a broadcast of the program. 
     
     
         36 . The method of  claim 27 , further comprising prefetching a first type of data from the continuous data stream and a second type of data from the program guide server. 
     
     
         37 . A system for receiving data related to programs, the system comprising control circuitry configured to:
 receive a continuous data stream from a continuous data stream source;   receive a user request for a real-time action associated with a program;   in response to the user request, determine whether program guide data for the program is available from the continuous data stream; and   in response to determining that the program guide data for the program is not available from the continuous data stream, request the program guide data from a non-continuous data stream source.   
     
     
         38 . The system of  claim 37 , wherein the control circuitry is configured to determine whether the program guide data is available based on whether the continuous data stream includes a unique identifier for the program. 
     
     
         39 . The system of  claim 37 , further comprising control circuitry configured to prefetch the program guide data in response to the user request. 
     
     
         40 . The system of  claim 37 , wherein the program belongs to a program grouping, and wherein the control circuitry is configured to perform an action associated with another program belonging to the program grouping in response to the user request. 
     
     
         41 . The system of  claim 37 , wherein the user request comprises a request for recording the program. 
     
     
         42 . The system of  claim 37 , wherein the user request comprises a request for locking the program. 
     
     
         43 . The system of  claim 37 , wherein the control circuitry is further configured to receive from the continuous data stream source a first type of data at a first repetition rate, and a second type of data at a second repetition rate that is different from the first repetition rate. 
     
     
         44 . The system of  claim 38 , wherein:
 the continuous data stream source is configured to assign a respective priority to each of the first and second types of data; and   the continuous data stream source is configured to determine the first and second repetition rates based at least in part on a respective priority assigned to the first and second types of data.   
     
     
         45 . The system of  claim 37 , wherein the program guide data is available from the continuous data stream within a threshold amount of time of a broadcast of the program. 
     
     
         46 . The system of  claim 37 , wherein the control circuitry is further configured to prefetch a first type of data from the continuous data stream and a second type of data from the program guide server.