Patent ID: 6625810
Filing Date: 2003-09-23
Classification: H04N

Abstract:
A method of delivering interactive program guide (IPG) data and non-time-sensitive data to a receiver from which a program guide can be retrieved, said IPG data including one or more schedule-data segments for each of a plurality of time slots and one or more description-data segments for each of the plurality of time slots, the method comprising the steps of:(a) delivering the schedule-data segments for a first time slot; (b) delivering the description-data segments for the first time slot; (c) delivering the schedule-data segments and the description-data segments for each of the remaining time slots; (d) subsequent to the delivery of the first schedule-data segment for each time slot, during a gap of sufficient duration to enable the receiver to allocate memory space for storing all of the schedule-data segments for the time slot, delivering non-time-sensitive data for use by the receiver; and (e) subsequent to the delivery of the first description-data segment for each time slot, during a gap of sufficient duration to enable the receiver to allocate memory space for storing all of the description-data segments for the time slot, delivering non-time-sensitive data for use by the receiver.