CA2214762A1

CA2214762A1 - Method and apparatus for controlling a television tuner

Info

Publication number: CA2214762A1
Application number: CA002214762A
Authority: CA
Inventors: Henry C. Yuen; Roy J. Mankovitz; Daniel S. Kwoh; Elsie Y. Leung
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Gemstar Development LLC
Priority date: 1995-03-08
Filing date: 1996-03-08
Publication date: 1996-09-12
Also published as: CN1108054C; AU4966396A; CN1186585A; WO1996027982A1; EP0813791A1; EP0813791A4; JPH11501782A

Abstract

One of the television signals from a plurality of channels includes as supplemental data a plurality of channel lineups and a unique geographic area identifier for each channel lineup. When the transmitted television signals are received at a tuner (18), the transmitted identifiers are compared with a user inputted geographic area identifier. The transmitted channel lineup for the transmitted identifier that matches the user inputted identifier is stored (28) for future use as a valid channel lineup. The valid channel lineup is then used to set the tuner in response to user inputted channel commands. The described arrangement can be used to download channel lineups with a television signal that is transmitted to viewers of services that have different channel lineups. The applicable channel lineup is determined at the local tuner by means of the geographic area identifier.

Description

W 096/27982 PCTAUS96/0~238 ME1~OD AND APPARATUS FOR CONTROLLING
A TELEVISION TI~ER
R~l~k~round of the I~
5This invention relates to control of a television tuner, and more particularly, to a method and app~lus for aulolllAlir~lly setting the ch~nnPl lineup applicable to a particular tuner location and tr~ncmiccion service.
Television program sources, stations and nGlwulk~ such as HBO, WGN, and ABC are tr~ncmitted on different frequencies, i.e., ch~nnsl llulllb~, depenrling upon the cable, ios~tPllite, or broadcast tr~ncmicci()n service used by the television viewer and the tuner location. The ~able that relates the television pl~l~UIl source names to the ch~nn~l numbers for the particular service used by the viewer is somp~timlos called the ch~nn~l lineup. If the television viewer is using a printed pn)gl~ln guide, he or she must usually consult a printed ch~nnel lineup to determine the ch~nnel number to which the tuner should be set for the 15viewer's tr~ncmic.cion service to receive a particular ~n~gl~l- source such as HBO.
To facilitate the process for the viewer, there are on the market remote controllers that have a so called channel mapping memory which stores the çh~nn~l lineup applicable to the particular tr~ncmiscion service and/or tuner location. The viewer must first set up the controller by keying in the channel lineup m~nu~lly. Then, when the viewer keys in a 20particular source name, e.g., ABC, the controller ~ce-cce-s the çh~nn~l mapping memory, converts the source name to the applicable çh~nnPl number, and sets the tuner accordingly.
Recently with the advent of systems to set a video tape recorder (VCR) for nn~tten(led recording by means of code numbers, such as used in a commercial system called VCR
PLUS +TM or by me~ns of an onscreen cursor to select plogl~ s from a list displayed on the 25television screen, ch~nnel mapping has become a necçccity The ch~nnPl lineup applicable to the tuner location is stored in a ch~nn~l mapping memory so that when the viewer design~tes a name of a program source by code number or cursor, the corresponding channel number is retrieved from the memory and used autom~tic~lly to set the tuner.
The most common way to load the ch~nn~ol lineup into the çh~nn~l mapping memory 30is for the viewer to key in the applicable ch~nn~ol numbers manually responsive to a series of l.lo~ L~ displayed on the television screen, as described, for example, in British Patent Specification GB 2 256 333 A, published on December 2, 1992.
There have been attempts to automate the process of loading the applicable channel lineup into the channel mapping memory. U.S. Patent No. 4,894,714 to Christis discloses 35the tr~ncmiscion of a ch~nnel lineup from a television tr~ncmitter station as a teletext page.
The teletext page is downlo~ci~ to a çh~nnel mapping memory at the television receivers ~served by the tr~ncmitter. This arrangement r~ UilC;S that each and every cable, satellite, or broadcast service transmit only the ch~nnel lineup applicable to that particular service.

W O 96/27982 PCTrUS96103238 A telephone service also exists that downloads to a viewer's remote controller the çh~nnel lineup applicable to the viewer's tr~n~mi~ion service. After ringing up the telephone service, the viewer announces his or her tran~mi~ n service, e.g., cable co,l,pany, and/or postal dil~lol,~ code (zip code). The chann~l lineup is then tr~n~mitt~d to the viewer 5 over a telephone line.
Summary of the Invention According to the invention, one of the television signals from a pluralitv of ch~nn~l~
includes as supplemental data a plurality of ch~nnPl lineups and a unique geographic area identifier for each channel lineup. When the ~ ed television signals are received at 10 a tuner, the tran~mitt~d identifi~-rs are con.~a.~l with a user inputted geographic area i~lentifier. The L~ .,.iL~ed ch~nn~l lineup for the l.,ln~ ed i~çntifi.or that matches the user inpuUed identifier is stored for future use as a valid ch~nn~l lineup. The valid ch~nnel lineup is then used to set the tuner in .~s~onse to user inp~-l~d ch~nne] co..-...~ . The described arrangement can be used to download çh~nnPl lineups as part of a television signal that is 15 tran~mitt~l to viewers of services that have dir~nt ch~nn~l lineups. The applicable ch~nnçl lineup is determined at the local tuner by means of the geographic area identifier.
Preferably, the geographic area identifiers are postal directory codes (zip codes).
If the tr~n~mitted ide-ntifier that m~t~hes the user inputted iclçntifier in~,hl-lçs more than one ~,h~nnel lineup, the valid c-h~nn~,l lineup for the television signals tran~mittçcl to the tuner 20 location is determined and stored for future use. Spe~ific~ y~ the radio spectrum is sc-~nned for television signals that includes supplem~,nt~l data and a design~tion of program source name to create a partial ch~nnel Iineup. The partial ch~nnPI lineup is compa ed with the stored channel lineups. The stored channel lineup that matches is the valid one. If more than one stored channel lineup m~trhes, the ambiguity is resolved by manually inputting the 25 channel numbers for one or more program source names.
l~rief Des~ )tion of the Drawin~
The features of a specific embodiment of the best mode conle,-l,L)lated of carrying out the invention are illustrated in the drawings, in which FIG. 1 is a schematic block diagram of television tr~n~",il~el~ configured to practice 30 the invention;
FIG. 2 is a schçm~tic block diagram of a processor controlled television receiver and/or VCR programmed to practice the invention;
FIG. 3a to 3c are ide~li7çd diagrams l~les~ g the suppl~mçnt~l data processed bythe apparatus of FIGS. 1 and 2 to de~ell.line the valid ch~nnel lineup at the particular tuner 35 location;
FIG. 4 is a diagram repl~.sç~-l;ng çh~nne] lineups that ill~-ctr~t~, the operation of the invention;

W O 96127982 PCT~U53GJt~3238 FIG. S is a diagram r~res~l.t;~ partial ch~nnp-l lineups that ilhlctr~te the operation of the invention;
and FIG. 6 is a television screen ~ lallGd to display ~imlllt~neously a current television progldrll and pr~g,~ull listings to assist in co-~rl ~ a ch~nnPl lineup .
Detailed Des~ lion of the Specific Embodiments The invention con~ tes the tr~ncmi~ciQn of ~,lppl~ .t~l data with one or more multiple r*~nnPl television signals. Each pr~ldln source, e.g., KCET and/or WGN is called herein a "host." The supplçment~l data includes the ch~nnPl lineups of most or all the television tr~ncmi~cion services that receive the host program source and a unique geo~ldphic 2area il1entifi~r for each çh~nnPl lineup. Thus, hundreds or even thousands of rh~nnPl lineups, depending on the geographic area served by the host progl~ull source, are t~ncmittpd with the host television signal. The invention is described below in conjunction with a cable television service, but it can also be used in a ~tPllite or broadcast television service.
In FIG. 1, a host program source 10 and a source of supplemental data 11 are coupled to a VBI encoder 12 to insert the supplem-ont~l data into the VBI of the television signal of source 10. Alternatively, the supplçmPnt~l data could be tr~ncmitt~1 on a subcarrier of the television signal or by other known means for carrying data with a television signal.
Preferably, the supplemP-nt~l data is repeated continuously all the time that source 10 is 20 sen-ling out a television signal. The television signal of source 10 with the supplem~nt~l data is tr~ncmitteA to a plurality of conventional cable head ends 13a, 13b, ..., 13n. At hçad ends 13a, 13b, ..., 13n, as rGyl~;,en~ed by h~Jli;Gont~l lines 14a, 14b, ..., 14n çxten~ling to the left of the head end, the television signal of source 10 with the supplemental data is combined with the television signals from a number of other program sources at ~cci~n~d frequencies 25 that vary from one cable head end to another. As a result of these dirrGlGnt frçquency ~csignments~ the cable system associated with each head end has its own ch~nnel lineup. As represented by horizontal lines l5a, 15b, ..., 15n PYt~n~ling to the right of the head end, the combined multiple channel television signals are coupled to inputs 16a, 16b, ..., 16n of the cable trunks for distribution to the subscribers of the cable service.
In FIG. 2, a subscriber drop 17 is fed to a television tuner 18. In a cable system, tuner 12 is the front end of the cable converter of one of many subscribers of the cable system. If the invention is pr~tice~l in another type of television tr~ncnnicci~n service, tuner 18 could be a s~t~llite receiver, a television receiver, or a VCR. Tuner 18 is coupled by an intermeAi~te frequency amplifier (IF AMP) 19 to a video detector (DET) 20. A b~ceb~ncl video signal at the output of DET 20 is coupled to a television monitor or video r~csette recorder ~V/VCR) 21. Tuner 18 is set by a signal from a microprocessor 22 to the desired local çh~nnel number. A remote controller 23 is coupled to microprocessor 20, typically by an infrared tr~ncmiccion link. Mic~uplucessor 22 ~ccecces a system memory 24, a program W O 96t27982 PCTrUS96/03238 schedule memory 25, a temporary memory 26, and a çh~nnel mapping memory 28, which are functionally different, but could be incolyoldt~d in a single i~ g.i.tPA circuit. Memory 25 stores a data base of current and future prog,d,~ tin~, incl~ in~ title, progl~ull source (station), start time, and pr~y,l~-, length, to serve as an electronic program guide that is S displayed on a television screen. A VBI d~od~pr 30 strips from the television signal to which tuner 12 is set the supple-mpnt~l data tr~n~mitt~ in the vertical blanking interval (VBI).
FIG. 3 depicts supplement~l data 32 carried in the VBI of a host l,r~l~ll source. A
header field 34 ~le~ign~tPs the be~ in~ of the supplPm~nt~l data, ~ipntifips the particular host, and controls oppr~tion of de~ er 30 with clock run in and framin~ code information.
Following header field 34 are the ch~nn~l lineup fields 36a, 36b, .. ., 36n, each of which is preceded by a unique geogldphic area identifipr field 38a, 38b, .... , 38n, re~ecli~rely. The geog,dL)hic area i~lPntifiers are p,er~dbly postal dilc~;luly codes (zip codes) because such codes are easy for the viewer to remember. However, they could ~lt~p~rn~tively be codes uniquely ~igned to the various cable, .~tPllitP or broadcast services, in which case there would be only a single ch~nnPl lineup for each geG~ld~hic area identifipr. In any case, the codes uniquely identify the geog,d~hic area in which the viewer's tuner is located.
If there is more than one cable service o~l~ling in a postal dir~loly zone, there are a plurality of channel lineups applicable to such postal directory zone. In such case, it is preferable to place all the ch~nnPl lineups adjacent to one geographic area identifiPr field 38 in one ch~nnPl lineup field 36 along with an optional manual ambiguity resolution routine.
This is illustrated in FIG. 3B, in which a postal dil~clcly zone 91105 is ~nmPd to have adjacent ch~nnel lineups #1, #2, and 3# in a single field 36a. Allel,lali~ely, each ch~nnel lineup could be placed in a sepaldle ch~nn~l lineup field 36 ~ cent to a geographic area identifier field 38. This is illustrated in FIG. 3C, in which lineups #1, 2#, and #3 are in individual fields 36a, 36m, 36n, s~a dted from each other by a number of ch~nnel lineups for other postal directory zones, as r~resellted by gaps 40 and 42.
It is contemplated that the television signal of a host will be received by television viewers nationwide or region~lly such as by state or county, all be it on dirrt;lent ch~nnPl numbers, i.e., ch~nnPl frequçncies. All the ch~nnPl lineups for the entire geographic region served by the particular host are received by tuner 18 as part of supplemçnt~l data 32. Thus, there may be hundreds or even thousands of ch~nnel lineups in the VBI of the host. In addition, the supplelnPnt~l data could include other types of information such as a d~t~h~e of television programs to enable the display of an onscreen program guide or program titles and other information to enable the viewer to index recorded television programs. The additional supplen~çnt~l data such as the ~l~t~h~ç of program schedule information could be stored in system memory 24.
In operation, the viewer downloads the applicable ch~nnPl lineup to ch~nnPl mapping memory 28 by pressing a key on remote controller 22 to initiate a set up mode and then _ WO 96l27982 PCTtUS96/03238 keying in his or her postal dil~clcly code. In the set up mode, microproçessor 20 controls tuner 12 to scan the ch~nn~l~ of the s~ec~ l to locate a host. When a host is located, supplement~l data 32 is downlo~ed through ~erodPr 30 to microprocessor 22 where the tr~n~mitt~ postal di~ ul~ codes in identifip-r fields 38a, 38b...38n are ço-l-p~u~d with the 5 user inputted postal di~ y code and the ch~nnP~l lineup or lineups for the tr~n~mittpA postal dir~;l~,ly code that m~t~hPs the inputted code are stored in l~lll~l~y memory 26. If there is only one çh~nnPl lineup for the ...~chh-~ postal ~li~,~ code, that çh~nnel lineup is transferred dil~Lly to ch~nnpl mapping memory 28. If there is more than one ch~nnP,l lineup for the .~ hil~ postal dilb~l~Jly code, the ambiguity re~,olutit n routine described below ~uLo---~l;r~11y seleçts the çh~nnPl lineup applicable to the location of the viewer's tuner for transfer to çh~nnel mapping memory 28. Briefly, the spectrum is sç~nn~Pcl in one of a number of ways described below to create a partial rh~nn-ol lineup from the available ~r~gl~lll source narne data and this partial çh~nnel lineup is co-l-pal~ed with the ch~nnPJ
lineups for the "-~ hi"~ postal dil~il~ly code. After the viewer exits the set up mode, microprocessor 22 retrieves the proper local ch~nnel number from çh~nnPl mapping memory 28 each time the viewer selects a program source via remote controller 23. Thea~T~ity resolution routine will now be described in more detail. In FIG. 4, it is ~csllm~i for purposes of illustration that there are three ch~nnpl lineups for the ",~telling idçntifier, namely channel lineups 44, 46, and 48. Initially, according to the routine, microprocessor 22 controls tuner 18 to scan the spectrum looking for the header field 34 of other hosts.
When another host is found, the local ch~nnel number from tuner 18 and the program source name from header field 34 are stored in ~ polcuy memory 26 as a partial channel lineup.
The local ch~nnel number and source name of the other host are col"~c;d with the local rh~nnel number and source name of each çh~nnPl lineup in ~lllpOICU,~r memory 26 and the çh~nnel lineup or lineups that do not match are eli"~ ~i from consideration. It is ~sumP~l for purposes of illustration that the hosts for ch~nnpl lineups 44, 46, and 48 are KCET and WGN. As illustrated in FIG. 5, KCET is ch~nnPl 28 and WGN is c-h~nnel 20 in channel lineup 44, KCET is channel 28 and WGN is Gh~nnPl 17 in channel lineup 46, and KCET is ch~nnPl 16 and WGN is ch~nnel 20 in çh~nnel lineup 48. ~sllming that çh~nnel lineup 46 is applicable at the location of tuner 17, the sc~nning process will aul~ lly create a partial channel lineup of ~h~nnP,l 28 for KCET and ch~nnPl 17 for WGN. This partial ch~nnel lineup is compaled with çh~nnel lineup 44 to 48 to resolve the ambiguity in favor of ch~nnP1 lineup 46.
This process of host sc~nning and col,.pcuison is continued until the ambiguity has been resolved, i.e., until all the ch~nnel lineups but one have been elimin~t~ The rem~inin~ channel lineup is transferred to memory 28 for use in setting tuner 18.

W 096/27982 PCTrUS96/03238 If nece-c~ry to resolve the ambiguity, the ~pe~ l can be also be ~r~nnP~l for ~
sources that carry their name in the VBI as XDS data. In this case the host prùgl~ sources and the XDS data program sources are, ~ler~.~bly, both interrogated during the same scan.
Each time another such plOg~ source is found, the local ch~nnPl number from tuner 18 and the ~JiU~ llll source name from the host or XDS field are stored in le,--~ul~y memory 26 to expand further the partial ~~h~nnel lineup. The local çh~nnel ~un~ l and source name are colllpaled with the local ch~nnel number and source name of each r-h~nnPl lineup and the rh~nnPl lineup or lineups that do not match are elimin~t~l from con~idpr~ti~n. This sc~nning process is ct)ntinlle~l until the ambiguity has been resolved, i.e., until all the ch~nnP1 lineups but one have been Plimin~t~1 The l~ .;n~ ch~nnPl lineup is trAn~ferred to memory 28 for use in setting tuner 18.
Although it is preferable to in~lluga~e the hosts and ~lu~l~ll- sources that carry XDS
data in inlelllli~ed fashion as they are encoun~d in the spectrum in a single scan to determine the program source-local ch~nnP~ number rel~tion~hir) and build the partial rh~nne lineup, alternatively all the hosts can be sequentially inlellugaled followed by al the p sources that carry XDS data in two or more se~ At~ scans. In either case, the sc~nnin~
process is t~l..lil.~t~l when the ambiguity has been resolved.
The sc~nning for hosts or XDS data to resolve ambiguity can be carried out during the same spectrum scan which downloads the ch~nnp-l lineups and other prûgram data. However, 20 if the ch~çl line-ups appear early during the scan while the ambiguity resolving data appear later during the scan, then all multiple line-ups within one postal code (zip-code) area must be stored in memory tellll)oldlily ambiguity resolving data arrives to help select the correct channel lineup.
Since most microcontrollers are short of telll~ldly memory (RAM), an alternative25 approach is to execute two consecutive scans. The first scan stores all XDS and host channel information, i.e., ambiguity resolving data, to create the partial çh~nnel lineup. The next scan downloads the ch~nnçl lineup data from the first host that is encountered. Since the ambiguity resolving data is already in place, it can act as a "filter" to help select the correct lineup from multiple lineups in the same postal direcl~ly code (zip code) area. Specifically, 30 as each ch~nnPl lineup is downloaded from the VBI of the hos~, it can be c< ~ d with the partial ch~nnel lineup so the downlo~ded ch~nnPl lineup can be erased after it is determined that it does not match the partial channel lineup. As a result, it is not nP~CeS~I y to store temporarily in memory 26 more than several downlo~ip~1 çh~nnPl lineups.
Finally, as a last resort, if sc~nning in the described manner does not resolve the 35 ambiguity, specific source-local cll~nnel relationships applicable to the particular postal directory code stored in the VBI as an ambiguity resolution routine could be added to the partial ch~nnel lineup responsive to manual inputs from the viewer. The program source name would be displayed on the screen as a prompt for the viewer to input the local ch~nnel W 096/27982 PCTAU~g.5~3238 number that coires~nds to the displayed ~rogl~ source name. Each time another plugldr source name is displayed, the local ch~nnpl n~lmber keyed in by the viewer and the ylugldlll source name are stored in lelllpGl~y memory 26 as a contribution to the partial ch~nne1 lineup. The local ch~nnP-l number and source name are co-n~aled with the local c-h~nnPl S number and source name ûf each çh~nnP,l lineup and the ch~nnPl lineup or lineups that do not match are çlilll;n~tP~ from con~i~ipration~ This pl~:SS of manual viewer input is contin~Pd until the ambiguity has been resolved, i.e., until all the çh~nnPl lineups but one have been Pli...in~l~ The ~ g ch~nnPl lineup is ~n~fPrred to memory 28 for use in setting tuner 18.
An ~l~e. .. ~ re last resort pr~lun to d~ .. ine the local ch~nnPl m-mhP.rs for rem~ining program sources is as follows: The current ~JlU~ldlll listings for the lr~
program sources are sorted by microprocessor 22 for display on a television screen 60, as shown in FIG. 6. (The forrnat of television screen 60 is derived from application Serial No.
08/475,395, filed on June 7, 1995, the rii~closllre of which is incolyuldled herein by 15 reference.) These program listings, which are stored in memory 25 as part of the data base of program listings for the electronic program guide, are displayed in an area 62. One of the program listings is highli~htP~i by a cursor 64 under the control of up/down arrow keys of a remote controller (not shown). A description of the ~lUgl~llll collGsyonding to the program listing highli~hted in area 64 is displayed in an area 66. Microprocessor 22 controls 20 tuner 18 sequentially to display in an area 68 the real time, moving images of the programs telecast by the rem~ining program sources. Micluplvcessor 22 selects for display in area 68 only the programs telecast from program sources that have not yet been m~t~hed with a local ch~nmPl number. The sequence can either advance autom~tir-~lly or responsive to a c(s,l""and entered into a remote controller by the viewer. In either case, the job of the viewer is to 25 match the images in area 68 with the yrogldlll listing in area 64 and the plvgla"~ description in area 66. When the viewer sees images in area 68 for a ylu~ldlll listing in area 64, the viewer moves cursor 64 to that yr~d"~ listing and enters a command into a remotecontroller to cause microprocessor 22 to store the ~ )gl~llll source identifi~~~tinn from memory 25 and the c-h~nnPl number from tuner 18 in memory 28 as a pair of the ch~nnel 30 map. Then, microprocessor 22 deletes the pr~gldm listing from area 62 and the program description from area 64. Consequently, as the çh~nnPI lineup is created, the number of program listings in area 62, the number of ~ g~dlll descriptions in area 64, and the number of sequential programs in area 68 riimini~h to zero so the process proceeds more rapidly.
The described embotlim~ntc of the invention are only considered to be l)lerelled and 35 illustrative of the inventive concept; the scope of the invention is not to be restricted to such embodiments. Various and numerous other arrangements may be devised by one skilled in the art without departing from the spirit and scope of this invention.

Claims

WHAT IS CLAIMED IS:

1. A method for controlling a television tuner comprising the steps of:
transmitting to the tuner television signals from a plurality of channels, one of the television signals including as supplemental data a plurality of channel lineups and a unique geographic area identifier for each channel lineup;
comparing the transmitted identifiers at the tuner with a user inputted geographic area identifier;
storing the transmitted channel lineup for the transmitted identifier that matches the user inputted identifier for future use as a valid channel lineup; and using the valid channel lineup to set the tuner in response to user inputted channel commands.

2. A method for controlling a television tuner comprising the steps of:
transmitting to the tuner television signals from a plurality of channels, one of the television signals including as supplemental data a plurality of groups of channel lineups and a unique geographic area identifier for each group of channel lineups;
comparing the transmitted identifiers at the tuner location with a user inputted geographic area identifier;
storing the transmitted group of channel lineups for transmitted identifier that matches the user inputted identifier;
determining which one of the group of channel lineups for the matching transmitted identifier is valid for the television signals transmitted to the tuner location; and storing said one channel lineup for future use as a valid channel lineup; and using the valid channel lineup to set the tuner in response to user inputted channel commands.

3. The method of claim 2, in which the determining step comprises scanning the radio spectrum for television signals including as supplemental data a designation of program source name to create a partial channel lineup, comparing the partial channel lineup with the stored channel lineups, and storing the matching channel lineup as the valid channel lineup.

4. The method of claim 3, in which the determining step additionally comprises:
displaying on the screen of a television monitor a program source name;
inputting a local channel number for the program source;
comparing the program source name-local channel number combination with the channel lineups for the matching transmitted identifiers;
if there is a match, storing the channel lineup as the valid channel lineup; andif there is no match, repeating the displaying, inputting, and comparing steps until a match is found and a channel lineup is stored.

5. The method of claim 2, in which the determining step additionally comprises:
displaying on the screen of a television monitor a program source name;
inputting a local channel number for the program source;
comparing the program source name-local channel number combination with the channel lineups for the matching transmitted identifiers;
if there is a match, storing the channel lineup as the valid channel lineup; andif there is no match, repeating the displaying, inputting, and comparing steps until a match is found and a channel lineup is stored.

6. The method of claim 1, in which the using step comprises inputting a compressed code that represents channel, day, program length, and time; deriving a channel command in terms of program source name; converting the program source name to a local channel by means of the channel lineup; and setting the tuner to the local channel.

7 The method of claim 1, in which the using step comprises displaying a program schedule on the screen of a television monitor associated with the tuner; storing data that represents channel, day, program length, and time of the listings of the program schedule;
linking a movable cursor on the screen to the stored listings; moving the cursor on the screen to select a program listing; deriving a channel command in terms of program source name from the cursor; converting the program, source name to a local channel by means of the channel lineup; and setting the tuner to the local channel.

8. The method of claim 1, in which the using step comprises inputting a program source name into a remote controller, converting the program source name to a local channel by means of the channel lineup; and setting the tuner to the local channel.

9. The method of claim 1, in which the geographic identifiers are postal directory codes (zip codes).