Backwards compatible real-time program guide capacity increase

Abstract

A system and method for transmitting program guide information describing a second set of programs to subscribers is disclosed. In one embodiment, the method is implemented in a network broadcasting a first signal having a first set of programs and a second signal having a second set of programs. The method comprises the steps of broadcasting first program guide information describing the first set of programs to the subscribers on a first service channel on a first signal and broadcasting second program guide information describing the second set of programs to a subset of the subscribers on the first service channel on a second signal, wherein a fundamental signal characteristic of the second signal differs from the fundamental signal characteristic of the first signal. In another embodiment, the method comprises the steps of receiving first program guide information describing the first set of programs on a first service channel on a first signal; and receiving second program guide information describing the second set of programs on the first service channel on a second signal, wherein a fundamental signal characteristic of the second signal differs from the fundamental signal characteristic of the first signal.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . In a network broadcasting a first signal having a first set of programs to a plurality of subscribers and a second signal having a second set of programs, a method of providing program guide information describing the second set of programs, comprising: 
 broadcasting first program guide information describing the first set of programs to the subscribers on a first service channel on a first signal; and    broadcasting second program guide information describing the second set of programs to a subset of the subscribers on the first service channel on a second signal, wherein a fundamental signal characteristic of the second signal differs from the fundamental signal characteristic of the first signal.    
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the fundamental signal characteristic is carrier frequency, and the first signal is characterized by a first carrier frequency and the second signal is characterized by a second carrier frequency.  
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the fundamental signal characteristic is polarization and the first signal is characterized by a first polarization and the second signal is characterized by a second polarization.  
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the first program guide information includes information describing at least one surrogate channel.  
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein a subscriber selection of at least one of the at least one surrogate channels commands reception of the second signal.  
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the second signal is a spot beam directed at the subset of subscribers.  
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the second set of programs comprise local programs and the second signal is a spot beam directed at a subset of the subscribers that are designated to receive the second set of programs.  
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the second signal further includes a portion of the first set of programs and the second program information further describes the portion of the first set of programs.  
     
     
         9 . In a network broadcasting a first signal having a first set of programs to a plurality of subscribers and a second signal having a second set of programs to a subset of the subscribers, a method of receiving program guide information describing the second set of programs, comprising the steps of: 
 receiving first program guide information describing the first set of programs on a first service channel on a first signal; and    receiving second program guide information describing the second set of programs on the first service channel on a second signal, wherein a fundamental signal characteristic of the second signal differs from the fundamental signal characteristic of the first signal.    
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the fundamental signal characteristic is carrier frequency, and the first signal is characterized by a first carrier frequency and the second signal is characterized by a second carrier frequency.  
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the fundamental signal characteristic is polarization and the first signal is characterized by a first polarization and the second signal is characterized by a second polarization.  
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the first program guide information includes information describing at least one surrogate channel and the method further comprises the step of: 
 accepting a selection of at least one of the at least one surrogate channels in a receiver; and    receiving the second signal at the second carrier frequency on the first service channel.    
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the second signal is a spot beam directed at the receiver.  
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the second set of programs are local programs and the second signal is a spot beam directed at a subset of subscribers designated to receive the second set of programs.  
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein the second signal further includes a portion of the first set of programs and the second program information further describes the portion of the first set of programs.  
     
     
         16 . A receiver, comprising: 
 a user interface for accepting subscriber commands;    a tuner selectably configurable to receive a first service channel on a first signal and the first service channel on a second signal, the first signal comprising a first set of programs and first program information describing the first set of programs, and the second signal comprising a second set of programs and second program guide information describing the second set of programs;    wherein a fundamental signal characteristic of the second signal differs from the fundamental signal characteristic of the first signal; and    a processor, communicatively coupled to the user interface and the tuner, for retrieving the first program information and the second program information for providing the first and second program information to a presentation device, and for accepting subscriber commands from the user interface.    
     
     
         17 . The receiver of  claim 16 , wherein the fundamental signal characteristic is carrier frequency, and the first signal is characterized by a first carrier frequency and the second signal is characterized by a second carrier frequency.  
     
     
         18 . The receiver of  claim 16 , wherein the fundamental signal characteristic is polarization and the first signal is characterized by a first polarization and the second signal is characterized by a second polarization.  
     
     
         19 . The receiver of  claim 16 , wherein: 
 the first program guide includes information describing at least one surrogate channel;    the subscriber commands include a command to select at least one of the at least one surrogate channels; and    the processor further tunes the tuner to receive the second program guide information in response to the command to select at least one of the at least one surrogate channels.    
     
     
         20 . The receiver of  claim 19 , wherein the second signal is a spot beam directed at the receiver.  
     
     
         21 . The receiver of  claim 19 , wherein the second set of programs are local programs and the second signal is a spot beam directed at a subset of subscribers designated to receive the second set of programs.  
     
     
         22 . The receiver of  claim 19 , wherein the second signal further includes a portion of the first set of programs and the second program information further describes the portion of the first set of programs.  
     
     
         23 . An apparatus for use with a system broadcasting a first signal having a first set of programs to a plurality of subscribers and a second signal having a second set of programs to a subset of the subscribers, comprising: 
 a compiler, configured to segment the programs into the first set of programs and the second set of programs, and to generate first program guide describing the first set of programs and second program guide information describing the second set of programs;    a first transmitter, communicatively coupled to the compiler, for transmitting first program guide information on a first service channel on a first signal; and    a second transmitter, communicatively coupled to the compiler, for transmitting the second program guide information on a second service channel on a second signal;    wherein a fundamental signal characteristic of the second signal differs from the fundamental signal characteristic of the first signal.    
     
     
         24 . The apparatus of  claim 23 , wherein the fundamental signal characteristic is carrier frequency, and the first signal is characterized by a first carrier frequency and the second signal is characterized by a second carrier frequency.  
     
     
         25 . The apparatus of  claim 23 , wherein the fundamental signal characteristic is polarization and the first signal is characterized by a first polarization and the second signal is characterized by a second polarization.  
     
     
         26 . The apparatus of  claim 23 , wherein the first transmitter comprises a first transponder and the second transmitter comprises a second transponder.  
     
     
         27 . The apparatus of  claim 26 , wherein the first transponder and the second transponder are disposed on a satellite.  
     
     
         28 . The apparatus of  claim 23 , wherein the first transponder is disposed on a first satellite and the second transponder is disposed on a second satellite, and wherein the first satellite and the second satellite are disposed within a beamwidth of a receiver antenna.  
     
     
         29 . The apparatus of  claim 23 , wherein the first program guide information includes information describing at least one surrogate channel.  
     
     
         30 . The apparatus of  claim 23 , wherein a subscriber selection of at least one of the at least one surrogate channels commands reception of the second signal.  
     
     
         31 . The apparatus of  claim 23 , wherein the second signal is a spot beam directed at a subset of subscribers.  
     
     
         32 . The apparatus of  claim 23 , wherein the second set of programs comprise local programs and the second signal is a spot beam directed at a subset of the subscribers that are designated to receive the second set of programs.  
     
     
         33 . The apparatus of  claim 23 , wherein the second signal further includes a portion of the first set of programs and the second program information further describes a portion of the first set of programs.