Method and apparatus for detecting and viewing similar programs within a video system

Abstract

A device that detects and displays similar programs within a video system includes a memory, a display and a receiver that receives an input stream of television program content and electronic program guide data, wherein the program guide data includes a plurality of attributes characterizing television programs within the television program content. The receiver separates electronic program guide data from the input stream while the memory stores the electronic program guide data separated from the input stream. Upon receiving a first user request, a controller compares a first set of attributes relating to at least one television program within the television content with second sets of attributes relating to further television programs within the television program content to determine a correlation between the first television program and each of the further television programs. In this manner, the controller identifies the television programs that have attributes that are similar to the attributes of the first television program based on the correlation and displays indications of the television programs found to be similar.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.