Method and apparatus for synchronizing EPG information between server and client

A computer-readable medium having embodied thereon a computer program executable by a machine for executing a method of providing synchronization files to clients to synchronize server-side electronic program guide (EPG) information with client-side EPG information, the method comprising:

• if synchronization files were created according to respective updates of the server-side EPG information, updating the synchronization files according to information which has been modified after a last synchronization file of the synchronization files is created, wherein updating the synchronization files comprises appending each of the synchronization files with the information which has been modified;
• creating a new synchronization file according to the information which has been modified after the last synchronization file is created;
• and
• transferring a first synchronization file to one of the clients, the first synchronization file being one of the plurality of the synchronization files or the new synchronization file, wherein the first synchronization file is the synchronization file which is created first after the client-side EPG information has been updated.

A server apparatus for providing synchronization files to clients so as to synchronize server-side electronic program guide (EPG) information with client-side EPG information, the apparatus comprising:

• a file storing unit which stores synchronization files created according to the respective updates of the server-side EPG information;
• a scheduler which generates an event to create a new synchronization file according to items that have been modified in an EPG table after a last synchronization file of the synchronization files is created;
• an update information synchronizer which updates the synchronization files stored in the file storing unit according to the items that have been modified by appending the items that have been modified to each of the synchronization files when the event is generated, creates the new synchronization file based on the items that have been modified, and stores the new synchronization file in the file storing unit;
• and
• a file transfer unit which transfers a first synchronization file to one of the clients, wherein the first synchronization file is the synchronization file which is created first after the client-side EPG information of the one of clients has been updated, the first synchronization file being one of the synchronization files and the new synchronization file stored in the file storing unit.

A method of synchronizing client-side electronic program guide (EPG) information with server-side EPG information in a digital broadcasting network, wherein the method is performed by a client, the method comprising:

• receiving a list of synchronization files which are created according to updates of the server-side EPG information from a server;
• selecting a synchronization file in the list of the synchronization files, the synchronization file which being created first after a latest update time of the client-side EPG information, and receiving the synchronization file from the server;
• and
• updating the client-side EPG information by using the received synchronization file,
• wherein all of the synchronization files in the list contain recent server-side EPG information modifications appended to each of the synchronization files in the list.

A computer-readable medium having embodied thereon a computer program executable by a client for executing a method of synchronizing client-side electronic program guide (EPG) information with server-side EPG information in a digital broadcasting network, the method comprising:

• receiving a list of synchronization files which are created according to updates of the server-side EPG information from a server;
• selecting a synchronization file in the list of the synchronization files, the synchronization file which being created first after a latest update time of the client-side EPG information, and receiving the synchronization file from the server;
• and
• updating the client-side EPG information by using the received synchronization file,
• wherein all of the synchronization files in the list contain recent server-side EPG information modifications appended to each of the synchronization files in the list.

A client apparatus for synchronizing client-side EPG information with server-side EPG information in a digital broadcasting network, the apparatus comprising:

• a file determining unit which determines a file to be received, the file to be received being included in a synchronization file list which is received from a server, the file being a synchronization file created first after the client-side EPG information is updated to a latest version;
• a file requesting unit which requests the synchronization file selected in the file determining unit from the sever in a file request;
• and
• an update unit which updates the client-side EPG information by using the synchronization file received from the server in response to the file request,
• wherein all of the synchronization files in the list contain recent server-side EPG information modifications appended to each of the synchronization files in the list.