Commercial product routing system with video vending capability

A method enabling on-line and off-line communications, including video communications, between at least two parties to accomplish a transaction, for example buyers or vendors, using remote terminals with communication capability such as personal computers, through a public communication system, the on-line and off-line communications directed under control of a traffic control system, comprising the steps of:

• registering buyers with the traffic control system to entitle buyers for communication with or obtaining data relating to the merchandise or services offered by different vendors, the buyers providing identification data as part of the registration process for facilitating subsequent electronic communication;
• interfacing a buyer at a remote terminal, with a stored video data site including stored video sales presentations relating to different vendors, through said public communication system, to facilitate on-line electronic communication under control of the traffic control system, said buyer using said remote terminal to enter request data relating to a specific area of interest that is selectively transmitted by the traffic control system to the stored video data site relating to a select vendor or group of vendors;
• selectively providing the interfaced buyer with select data relating to the specific area of interest indicated by the interfaced buyer, from the stored video data site, including high resolution still image data or dynamic video data or a combination of both as well as providing text data including pricing information;
• terminating communication between the interfaced buyer and the traffic control system and the stored video data site associated with a select vendor or group of vendors;
• subsequently transmitting to the interfaced buyer by electronic communication, certain data relating to the specific area of interest indicated by the interfaced buyer by downloading the data via the traffic control system to a buyer's remote terminal;
• and
• compiling a record of buyers that have interfaced with the stored video data site in relation to the specific area of interest and notifying the buyers of availability of one or more other video sales presentations relating to the area of interest.

A method for routing and facilitating on-line and off-line electronic communications through a public communication system between buyer and seller parties from different business entities registered with a central communication control system, the buyer or seller parties from one business entity utilizing electronic communication devices with video capability, to interact with the buyer or seller parties of another business entity under control of the central communication control system, comprising the steps of:

• receiving identification data, from the electronic communication devices utilized by the buyer and seller parties of the different business entities that is verified at the central communication control system to ensure that the buyers and sellers are appropriately registered, whereby the central communication control system routes and facilitates communications between the buyer and seller parties through the public communication system;
• receiving other data from the buyer or seller parties of the different business entities including data to facilitate on-line and off-line communications and data to indicate a select merchandise or service code designated by the channels of commerce and an area of interest;
• providing access to stored video sales presentation data and text data including pricing information relating to select merchandise or service corresponding to the select merchandise or service code indicated by either the buyer or seller parties, the stored video and text data obtained from the buyers or sellers associated with the different business entities under control of the central communication control system and accessible to either of buyer or seller parties of the different business entities or both and the video and text data provided upon access or request by either party;
• storing certain of the other data for the buyer or seller parties of different business entities including data entered by the buyer or seller parties during a transaction through the central communication control system and based on the data entered by the seller or buyer parties indicating the area of interest, creating a record for buyer or seller parties or both relating to an area of interest for subsequent notification;
• terminating communication between the buyer and seller parties of the different business entities;
• processing the record for buyer or seller parties to isolate a select group of buyers or sellers relating to the indicated area of interest:
• and
• subsequently routing electronic data from either of the buyer or seller parties to each individual buyer or seller of the select group of buyers or sellers isolated during the processing site.

A method for facilitating on-line and off-line electronic communications, through a communication network system, between at least certain groups of persons such as buyers and sellers with a central communication control system of an independently managed third party for accomplishing transactions, comprising the steps of:

• registering the buyers and sellers with the central communication control system wherein the buyers and sellers provide data for registration to identify themselves;
• interfacing the buyers and sellers with the central communication control system, wherein at least certain of the buyers or sellers or both access the central communication control system for on-line communication;
• storing at the central communication control system or at other storage location associated therewith, information data relating to the buyers or sellers including stored video including sales presentations and text data that is variously obtained from the buyers or sellers;
• receiving at the central communication control system from at least certain of the buyers or sellers, request data to initiate a transaction indicating an area of interest relating to a merchandise or a service available for purchase, the request data provided via personal computers, furthermore, receiving other data as part of the registration data or otherwise for the buyers or sellers or both including data to facilitate subsequent off-line electronic communication;
• storing the data for facilitating electronic communication for the buyers or sellers or both at the central communication control system or other storage location associated therewith and selectively recording buyer or seller activity data in association with the area of interest relating to the merchandise or the service, the buyer or seller activity data including the length of interface time between the buyers or sellers via the central communication control system tracked by the communication network system;
• under control of the request data, providing from the central communication control system either to the buyers or sellers or both, either high resolution freeze frame data or dynamic video data or both and additional text data relating to the area of interest indicated by the buyers or sellers or both;
• and
• also storing data relating to the transaction initiated by either the buyer or seller parties and assigning an identification number to the transaction initiated and that relates to a select video sales presentation that is provided in text form to either of the buyer or seller parties.

A method enabling on-line and off-line communications including video communication, between at least two parties from different buyer-vendor groups, located at remote terminals with communication capability, for example personal computers, through a public communication system, the communications directed and exchanged under control of a central data system that facilitates interactive data sharing by the parties, comprising the steps of:

• interfacing at least a requesting one of the parties from a first group, at a remote terminal, with the central data system, for on-line communication through said public communication system wherein said party uses said remote terminal to request data from the central data system;
• receiving data from the requesting party to indicate an area of interest and other data to facilitate further electronic communication;
• storing at least a part of the data received from the requesting party indicative of an area of interest at the central data system;
• selectively providing select data relating to the area of interest from the central data system, the select data including stored video data obtained from a video storage device associated with the central data system, the video storage device having a plurality of different video images relating to different areas of interest obtained from parties of a second group, the select data obtained from the video storage device and comprising either high resolution freeze frame data or dynamic data or both and a graphic including text display of pertinent information relating to the area of interest;
• transmitting from the central data system to the requesting party a notification soliciting further viewing of video and text data embodied in sales presentations relating to the select area of interest;
• and
• subsequently interfacing the requesting party to the central data system for further viewing of select video sales presentations.