EPG data collection and delivery system and EPG data collection and delivery device therein

A program guide data collection and delivery device independently provided from a plurality of program guide data transmitting devices respectively included in a corresponding one of a plurality of broadcasting stations, and a plurality of program guide data providing devices wherein said program guide data collection and delivery device is configured to;

• collect program guide data of the plurality of broadcasting stations respectively broadcasting their own programs,
• transmit all the collected plurality of program guide data to all the plurality of program guide data providing devices, irrespective of whether or not programs corresponding to said program guide data are broadcast by each of said broadcasting stations, and
• make each of said plurality of program data providing devices provide the program guide data of all of the plurality of broadcasting stations including program guide data of other stations, which have been delivered from said program guide data collection and delivery device, to the program guide viewers of each of their own broadcasting stations, irrespective of whether or not the programs corresponding to said program guide data are broadcast.

A plurality of program guide data providing device for providing program viewers of a plurality of broadcasting stations with program guide data corresponding to each of said broadcasting stations delivered from a program data collection and delivery device provided independently of a plurality of said broadcasting stations;

• wherein the program guide data to be delivered from said program data collection and delivery device are the program guide data that said program guide data collection and delivery device has received and collected from the plurality of broadcasting stations respectively broadcasting their own programs and transmitted to all the plurality of program guide data providing devices all at once, irrespective of whether or not programs corresponding to said program guide data are broadcast by each of said broadcasting stations;
• and wherein each of said plurality of program guide data providing devices provides the program guide data of all of the plurality of broadcasting stations including program guide data of other stations which have been delivered from said program guide data collection and delivery device to the program guide viewers of each of their own broadcasting stations irrespective of whether or not the programs corresponding to said program guide data are broadcast.