Patent ID: 8732752
Filing Date: 2014-05-20
Classification: H04N

Abstract:
1. A digital television receiver comprising: a tuner for receiving a digital broadcasting signal including a virtual channel table (VCT), the VCT defining a virtual channel and including a program number field and a service location descriptor, wherein the program number field associates the virtual channel with an MPEG-2 program association table (PAT) and a program map table (PMT), wherein for an inactive channel the service location descriptor is not present, wherein the inactive channel is a channel that is not presently carrying a broadcast program; however, the same inactive channel is scheduled to carry a broadcast program at a predetermined later time from a broadcasting station without local viewer interaction; and a display controller for controlling display of the inactive channel, wherein when the virtual channel is currently inactive, the digital television receiver is capable of skipping over the virtual channel while a user is channel surfing.