Program reception apparatus

A method used in a program reception apparatus for receiving and reproducing programs, comprising:

• a first receiving step for receiving programs which are sent via a first transmission path to a receiver group made up of a plurality of program reception apparatuses;
• a second receiving step for receiving programs which are sent via a second transmission path different with the first transmission path to a part of the receiver group, wherein a program received by at least one of the first and second receiving steps is accompanied, at a predetermined timing, with switch information for specifying a program to be received by a different one of the first and second receiving steps;
• a controlling step for controlling reception so that one of the first and second receiving steps receives a program at one time, the program hereafter referred to as a first program;
• and
• an extracting step for extracting, when the first program is accompanied with the switch information, the switch information,
• wherein the controlling step includes:
• a switching step for switching, when the switch information is extracted by the extracting step, the reception from the first program to a second program specified by the extracted switch information.

A computer program used in a program reception apparatus for receiving and reproducing programs, comprising:

• a first receiving step for receiving programs which are sent via a first transmission path to a receiver group made up of a plurality of program reception apparatuses;
• a second receiving step for receiving programs which are sent via a second transmission path different with the first transmission path to a part of the receiver group, wherein a program received by at least one of the first and second receiving steps is accompanied, at a predetermined timing, with switch information for specifying a program to be received by a different one of the first and second receiving steps;
• a controlling step for controlling reception so that one of the first and second receiving steps receives a program at one time, the program hereafter referred to as a first program;
• and
• an extracting step for extracting, when the first program is accompanied with the switch information, the switch information,
• wherein the controlling step includes:
• a switching step for switching, when the switch information is extracted by the extracting step, the reception from the first program to a second program specified by the extracted switch information.