Methods and apparatus for providing program channel status information and/or for controlling channel switching

Abstract

Methods and apparatus for detecting whether a commercial is ongoing on a program channel and indicating commercial status of a program channel in a program guide are described. Also described are channel surfing methods and apparatus where a user is allowed to automatically skip channels with ongoing commercials and is provided with an indicator of the commercial status on one or more previous program channels while viewing content of program channel to which the user switched.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method of providing access to channels, the method comprising:
 displaying content corresponding a first program channel; and   displaying with the content corresponding to the first program channel a previously watched channels list indicating one or more previously watched channels.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 determining current commercial status for at least one channel in the previously watched channels list.   
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2 , further comprising:
 providing current commercial status information for each channel in the previously watched channels list.   
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 indicating for a first previously watched channel in the previously watched channel list advertisement status on the first previously watched channel.   
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein the advertisement status for the previously watched channel indicates an advertisement is currently playing on the previously watched channel. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein displaying with the content corresponding to the first channel information indicating one or more previously watched channels includes:
 displaying a list of previously watched channels in a row.   
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein said row is positioned below a display area in which content corresponding to the first program channel is displayed. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein said list of previously watched channels list includes a plurality of previously watched channels. 
     
     
         9 . A user device, comprising:
 an interface for receiving content corresponding to one or more program channels; and   a processor configured to control the user device to:   display content corresponding a first program channel on a display; and   display, with the content corresponding to the first program channel, a previously watched channels list indicating one or more previously watched channels.   
     
     
         10 . The user device of  claim 9 , wherein said display is part of said user device or coupled to said user device. 
     
     
         11 . The user device of  claim 10 , wherein the processor is further configured to control the user device to:
 determine current commercial status for at least one channel in the previously watched channels list.   
     
     
         12 . The user device of  claim 11 , wherein the processor is further configured to control the user device to:
 provide current commercial status information for each channel in the previously watched channels list.   
     
     
         13 . The user device of  claim 10 , wherein the processor is further configured to control the user device to:
 indicate for a first previously watched channel in the previously watched channel list advertisement status on the first previously watched channel.   
     
     
         14 . The user device of  claim 13 , wherein the advertisement status for the previously watched channel indicates an advertisement is currently playing on the previously watched channel. 
     
     
         15 . The user device of  claim 13 , wherein the processor is configured to control the user device, as part of displaying with the content corresponding to the first channel information indicating one or more previously watched channels to:
 display a list of previously watched channels in a row.   
     
     
         16 . The user device of  claim 15 , wherein said row is positioned below a display area in which content corresponding to the first program channel is displayed. 
     
     
         17 . The user device of  claim 16 , wherein said list of previously watched channels list includes a plurality of previously watched channels.