Importance

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Abstract

An interactive entertainment network system has a program provider, multiple user interface units in individual homes, and a distribution network interconnecting the program provider and the user interface units. The program provider has a storage medium containing a plurality of program data records which contain programming information about the programs provided by the program provider. An electronic program guide (EPG) executes on each user interface unit. The EPG requests the program data records from the storage medium at the program provider and displays the programming information contained in the program data records. To prevent burdensome demand during certain high activity peak time when a plurality of the electronic program guides are likely to concurrently request the program data records, the program provider transmits at least some of the program data records to a plurality of the user interface units prior to a peak time. The program provider initiates this transmission on its own, and not in response to a request from any EPG. The user interface units store the program data records in a record cache for use by the EPG during the ensuing peak time. In this manner, the EPG can display the programming information contained in the stored program data records during the peak time, rather than requesting the information from the program provider.

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First Claim