Patent ID: 6536041
Filing Date: 2003-03-18
Classification: H04N

Abstract:
An interactive television program guide system in which program listings data for live events is provided by a main facility for use in an interactive television program guide implemented at least partially on user television equipment, wherein the interactive television program guide maintains a database and wherein real-time data for the live events is provided by a source of real-time data that is separate from the main facility, comprising:means for generating first keys at the main facility that are each associated with the program listings data for a particular live event; means for distributing the program listings data for the live events and the associated first keys from the main facility to the interactive television program guide; means for creating second keys at the source of the real-time data which are each associated with the real-time data for a particular live event; means for distributing the real-time data for the live events and the associated second keys from the source of real-time data to the interactive television program guide; and means at the interactive television program guide for comparing the first keys and the second keys to determine which of the real-time data received from the source of real-time data is associated with which program listings data.