Patent ID: 8588588

Claim:
A television receiver connecting to a program distribution server so as to receive and play back past program data, the television receiver comprising: a broadcast data reception unit configured to receive currently broadcast program data and program information, the program information containing server identification information which identifies the program distribution server; an IP data reception unit configured to receive the past program data from the program distribution server; a remote control reception unit configured to receive viewing program information as a remote control signal, the viewing program information containing at least one of viewing channel information and viewing date-and-time information and being selected by a viewer independent of an electronic program guide (EPG); a storage unit for storing configured to receive at least the program information received; and a control unit configured to: a) determine whether program data indicated by the viewing program information is past program data based on the viewing date-and-time information when the remote control reception unit has received the viewing program information, b) obtain the server identification information contained in the program information stored in the storage unit, control the IP data reception unit to connect to the program distribution server indicated by the server identification information, and then receive the program data identified by at least one of the viewing channel information and the viewing date-and-time information when it is determined that the program data indicated by the viewing program information is past program data, and c) control the broadcast data reception unit to receive the program data identified by the viewing program information when it is determined that the program data indicated by the viewing program information is not past program data.