Patent ID: 8151303

Claim:
A television device configured to receive and store an electronic program guide including a plurality of program entries for respective television programs, each program entry having at least a title field including title data for the title of the respective program and having at least a timing field including timing data for timing of the respective program, the television device comprising: a user interface configured to be controllable by a user to select a start program from the electronic program guide; a candidate program processor including a candidate searcher and a candidate identifier wherein the candidate searcher is configured to initially search the title fields of the plurality of program entries included in the electronic program guide for data matching data of the title field for the start program and the candidate identifier is configured to identify, as candidate programs, programs having program entries with data matching data of the title field of the start program; and a consecutive program processor including a profile memory, a comparator and a consecutive program identifier wherein profile memory is configured to store a predetermined timing profile for expected consecutive program occurrences, the comparator is configured to compare timing data of timing fields of the program entries of the candidate programs with the predetermined timing profile and the consecutive program identifier is configured to identify, as a consecutive program, a candidate program having a program entry with timing data correlating with the predetermined timing profile, wherein the timing profile takes the shape of a plurality of truncated triangles respectively centered and having truncated flat tops at the expected occurrence of consecutive programs.