Patent ID: 8094241

Claim:
A method comprising: storing reservation information which includes a recording start time and a plurality of attributes of a first program specified to be recorded; acquiring, prior to the recording start time, program information including one or more attributes associated with receivable programs; deciding whether a second program having a same content as the first program is included in the receivable programs by: generating a first indication of whether the second program is included in the receivable programs by comparing the one or more attributes associated with receivable programs with a first attribute of the plurality of attributes of the first program; when the first indication does not indicate the second program is included in the receivable programs, generating a second indication of whether the second program is included in the receivable programs by comparing the one or more attributes associated with receivable programs with a second attribute of the plurality of attributes of the first program, the second attribute being different from the first attribute; and deciding that the second program is included in the receivable programs when at least one of the first indication and the second indication indicates the second program is included in the receivable programs, wherein the acquiring and deciding are performed by one or more configured controllers; and recording the second program if it is decided the second program is included in the receivable programs.