Method and apparatus for providing subsidiary data synchronous to primary content data

A machine-readable medium having stored thereon data representing sequences of instructions which, when executed by a machine, cause the machine to perform operations comprising:

• receiving primary content data at an entertainment system from a primary external source;
• receiving subsidiary data at the entertainment system from a subsidiary external source, the subsidiary data being independent of and supplementing the primary content data;
• displaying the primary content data on a display device of the entertainment system;
• determining the identity of the primary content data currently displayed by determining the time and channel corresponding to the primary content data currently displayed and accessing an electronic program guide using the determined time and channel;
• determining whether subsidiary data supplementing the primary content data exists by accessing a storage database using the primary content data identity;
• obtaining the subsidiary data identified in the storage database for display;
• and
• displaying the subsidiary data on the display device of the entertainment system.

An entertainment system comprising:

• a first data receiver to receive primary content data from a primary external source;
• subsidiary data control logic to receive subsidiary data from a subsidiary external source, wherein the subsidiary data is independent of and supplementary to the primary content data;
• a storage device to store the received subsidiary data;
• a display device to display the primary content data;
• a programming database control;
• an electronic programming guide coupled to the programming database control;
• synchronization logic operative to determine the identity of the primary content data currently displayed by determining the time and channel corresponding to the primary content data currently displayed and requesting a primary content data identifier from the programming database control based on the electronic program guide and determined time and channel;
• and
• storage/retrieval logic to determine whether subsidiary data supplementing the primary content data exists by accessing a storage database using the primary content data identity;
• wherein the synchronization logic is operative to obtain the subsidiary data identified in the storage database for display and to provide the subsidiary data from the storage device to the display device synchronous to the primary content data.