Importance

Loading Importance Indicators...

Abstract

The present invention relates to a system and a method for the construction of EPG service through cooperative transmission of electronic program guide data. The system of the present invention comprises an EPG transmission server transmitting, through a forward path mediated by a broadcasting network, a part of total EPG data to be transmitted to a settop box and data into which request commands for remaining EPG data not transmitted via the broadcasting network are embedded; an EPG head end server transmitting the remaining EPG data in response to user's request through a return path mediated by a communication network; and a settop box equipped with an EPG application which processes the EPG data received from the EPG transmission server and the EPG head end server. The EPG data transmitted via the broadcasting network includes both a service description table and an event information table. The system and the method for the construction of EPG service in accordance with the present invention require a significantly reduced broadcasting bandwidth for the EPG data transmission, compared with the conventional method or system. EPG service construction can be achieved using the broadcasting bandwidth of 2 M or smaller. Also, the system is applicable to various EPG applications without sacrificing user's satisfaction at all.

Loading the Abstract Image...

First Claim