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

DETAILED DESCRIPTION A device or method for detecting and viewing similar programs within a video system includes a receiver having a tuner that receives an input stream of television program content and electronic program guide data, a memory and a display.
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.
The program guide data includes a plurality of attributes characterizing television programs within the television program content.
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 different second sets of attributes relating to other television programs within the television content to determine a correlation between the two sets of attributes.
The controller then identifies the television programs that have attributes which 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.
In accordance with one aspect of the invention, a program similarity detecting device includes a receiver adapted to receive an input stream of television program content and electronic program guide data, and adapted to separate the electronic program guide data from the input stream.
Preferably, the program guide data includes a plurality of attributes characterizing television programs within the television program content.
The program similarity detecting device further includes a memory coupled to the receiver that is adapted to store the electronic program guide data, a controller coupled to the memory and a display coupled to the controller.
In this embodiment, the controller is programmed to compare a first set of attributes relating to at least one television program within the television program content to a second set of attributes relating to a second television program within the television program content to determine a correlation between the first set of attributes and the second set of attributes