Patent ID: 8584173

Claim:
A method of automatically selecting between a first video programming channel and a second video programming channel, the method comprising: in a video content receiver, receiving video programming carried over at least one of the first channel and the second channel; in the video content receiver, receiving scheduling information regarding video programming carried over the first channel and the second channel; in the video content receiver, receiving a channel selection for the first channel; in the video content receiver, in response to receiving the channel selection, comparing the scheduling information regarding the video programming carried over the first channel to a current time value; in the video content receiver, selecting the second channel for presentation to a user if the scheduling information for the current time value indicates the first channel is not currently carrying any video programming; and in the video content receiver, selecting the first channel for presentation to the user if the scheduling information for the current time value indicates the first channel is currently carrying video programming, wherein the scheduling information comprises information from an event information table of a digital video broadcasting signal, and wherein a predetermined string of alphanumeric characters in the scheduling information is used to indicate that the first channel is not currently carrying any video programming, the predetermined string of alphanumeric characters being independent of a channel identifier for either the first or second channel.