Method, computer-readable storage medium, reception apparatus, and information providing apparatus for identifying available channels and/or services

1. A method for generating a list of accessible channels in a reception apparatus, the method comprising:

retrieving from a primary server, via a communication network, terrestrial broadcast channel information associated with a predetermined geographical region, the terrestrial broadcast channel information including, for each broadcaster associated with the predetermined geographical region, a secondary server location associated with the respective broadcaster;

retrieving, for each of at least one broadcaster associated with the predetermined geographical region, service information via the Internet from a secondary server associated with the respective broadcaster based on the respective secondary server location included in the terrestrial broadcast channel information;

determining, for each of the at least one broadcaster associated with the predetermined geographical region, whether the broadcast channel associated with the respective broadcaster is receivable by the reception apparatus based on the service information retrieved from the secondary server associated with the respective broadcaster; and

generating the list of accessible channels that includes any broadcast channels determined to be receivable by the reception apparatus.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

identifying the at least one broadcaster based on the terrestrial broadcast channel information and based on a geographical location of the reception apparatus, each of the at least one broadcaster being associated with a broadcast channel estimated to be receivable by the reception apparatus.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the service information for each of the at least one broadcaster includes one or a combination of the broadcast channel, one or more modulation modes, metadata describing a broadcast multiplex carried on the broadcast channel, a description of one or more services available within the broadcast multiplex, and program guide data.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the broadcast channel is a digital television broadcast channel.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the step of determining comprises:

tuning to each broadcast channel associated with one of the at least one broadcaster; and

when the reception apparatus is tuned to the respective broadcast channel, determining whether a characteristic of a terrestrial broadcast signal carried on the respective broadcast channel is greater than or equal to a predetermined threshold value.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the step of retrieving from the primary server comprises:

retrieving the terrestrial broadcast channel information associated with the predetermined geographical region based on one or a combination of country, state, city, province, zip code, and longitude-latitude.

7. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

periodically updating the list of accessible channels based on any new broadcast channels that are determined to be receivable by the reception apparatus.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the reception apparatus is a mobile device.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the primary server is managed by a government entity that manages wireless spectrum within the predetermined geographical region.

10. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing a program which when executed by a computer, causes the computer to perform the method of claim 1 .

11. A reception apparatus, comprising:

circuitry configured to

retrieve from a primary server, via a communication network, terrestrial broadcast channel information associated with a predetermined geographical region, the terrestrial broadcast channel information including, for each broadcaster associated with the predetermined geographical region, one or a combination of a broadcast channel and a secondary server location associated with the respective broadcaster,

retrieve, for each of at least one broadcaster associated with the predetermined geographical region, service information via the Internet from a secondary server associated with the respective broadcaster based on the respective secondary server location included in the terrestrial broadcast channel information,

determine, for each of the at least one broadcaster associated with the predetermined geographical region, whether the broadcast channel associated with the respective broadcaster is receivable by the reception apparatus based on the service information retrieved from the secondary server associated with the respective broadcaster, and

generate a list of accessible channels that includes any broadcast channels determined to be receivable by the reception apparatus.

12. The reception apparatus of claim 11 , wherein the circuitry is further configured to identify the at least one broadcaster based on the terrestrial broadcast channel information and based on a geographical location of the reception apparatus, each of the at least one broadcaster being associated with a broadcast channel estimated to be receivable by the reception apparatus.

13. The reception apparatus of claim 11 , wherein the service information for each of the at least one broadcaster includes one or a combination of the broadcast channel, one or more modulation modes, metadata describing a broadcast multiplex carried on the broadcast channel, a description of one or more services available within the broadcast multiplex, and program guide data.

14. The reception apparatus of claim 11 , wherein the broadcast channel is a digital television broadcast channel.

15. The reception apparatus of claim 11 , wherein the circuitry is further configured to

tune to each broadcast channel associated with one of the at least one broadcaster; and

when the reception apparatus is tuned to the respective broadcast channel, determine whether the respective broadcast channel is receivable by the reception apparatus based on whether a characteristic of a terrestrial broadcast signal carried on the respective broadcast channel is greater than or equal to a predetermined threshold value.

16. The reception apparatus of claim 11 , wherein the circuitry is configured to retrieve the terrestrial broadcast channel information associated with the predetermined geographical region based on one or a combination of country, state, city, province, zip code, and longitude-latitude.

17. The reception apparatus of claim 11 , wherein the circuitry is further configured to periodically update the list of accessible channels based on any new broadcast channels that are determined to be receivable by the reception apparatus.

18. The reception apparatus of claim 11 , wherein the reception apparatus is a mobile device.

19. The reception apparatus of claim 11 , wherein the primary server is managed by a government entity that manages wireless spectrum within the predetermined geographical region.

20. The reception apparatus of claim 11 , wherein

the communication network is the Internet, and

the primary server is separate from the secondary server.

21. An information providing apparatus, comprising:

a memory configured to store service information associated with at least one broadcaster that broadcasts a digital television signal to a reception apparatus, the service information including, for each of the at least one broadcaster, one or a combination of a broadcast channel, one or more modulation modes, metadata describing a broadcast multiplex carried on the broadcast channel, a description of one or more services available within the broadcast multiplex, and program guide data; and

circuitry configured to provide via the Internet the service information to a reception apparatus that is configured to determine, for each of the at least one broadcaster, whether the broadcast channel associated with the respective broadcaster is receivable by the reception apparatus based on the provided service information, wherein

the service information is requested by the reception apparatus from the information providing apparatus based on a server location included in terrestrial broadcast channel information received from another information providing apparatus,

the digital television signal is broadcast on the broadcast channel, and

the service information is provided via the Internet.