Patent ID: 7853974

Claim:
In a video decoder system for receiving program guide information from a first source containing a first code identifying a program category, a method for collating program guide information from a plurality of sources, comprising the steps of: converting said first code to a second code in accordance with equivalence mapping information for allocating a category in a master set of program categories to said received program category; converting a third code to a fourth code, the third code being from a second source and identifying a particular program category, in accordance with equivalence mapping information for allocating a category in the master set of program categories to the particular program category; sorting and merging program guide information from said first source and said second source, according to said master set of program categories; and displaying said sorted and merged program guide information, wherein sorting and merging program guide information according to said master set of program categories comprises sorting and merging the second code and the fourth code.