Patent ID: 8640155

Claim:
A digital television receiver comprising: a demodulator to demodulate a digital broadcasting signal including program and system information protocol (PSIP) data including a virtual channel table (VCT) and a master guide table (MGT), and to output demodulated PSIP data, wherein the MGT includes a version number and a packet identifier (PID) for the VCT, wherein the VCT includes a short_name field, a major_channel_number field, a minor_channel number_field, a modulation_mode field, a carrier frequency field, a channel_TSID field, a program number field, an ETM_location field, and an access_controlled field, wherein the VCT further includes a predefined data field which is set to zero for an inactive channel, 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, wherein when the virtual channel is currently inactive, the receiver is capable of skipping over the virtual channel while a user is surfing; and a database to receive at least one table of the demodulated PSIP data.