Patent ID: 8214861

Claim:
A system of providing a VOD (Video On Demand) preview channel through channel zapping in a real-time broadcast service, comprising: a set-top box for providing a real-time channel or the VOD preview channel according to channel zapping, a content management server (CMS) for assigning a plurality of VOD preview channels between real-time channels and registering and managing VOD preview channel information and at least one VOD content information contained in the VOD preview channel, the plurality of VOD preview channels providing VOD previews; a VOD preview information providing server for providing the VOD preview information to the set-top box; wherein the VOD preview channel plays the original VOD contents to VOD preview contents if there is a viewing selection from a user during playing VOD preview contents for VOD contents allocated to the channels, and the VOD preview content is a content where some portion of the original VOD content is compiled; and wherein the set-top box zaps to the next channel if there is no VOD preview content because a VOD preview content corresponding to the selected VOD preview channel has not been downloaded in advance.