Patent ID: 7725362

Claim:
A system for enabling remote shopping transactions comprising: a content server configured to receive a viewer selection of streaming content from an electronic device, the streaming content having embedded therein one or more markers corresponding to merchandise or services shown in the streaming content, the content server further configured to provide a unicast link to the electronic device upon receipt of the selection, the unicast link providing the streaming content to the electronic device; a catalog server comprising hardware configured to store a catalog of the merchandise or services shown in the streaming content, wherein the catalog server is further configured to receive a connection request from the content server; wherein the content server initiates the connection request upon receiving a selection of at least one of the one or more markers in the streaming content and establishes a connection between the catalog server and the electronic device for viewing the catalog; wherein the content server is further configured to pause the streaming content upon establishing the connection between the catalog server and the electronic device, and to resume the streaming content from a point where the streaming content was paused upon disconnecting the connection between the catalog server and the electronic device; and a virtual group shopping mall comprising information corresponding to the merchandise or the service corresponding to the selection, wherein the virtual shopping mall is accessible by selected entities allowed by the viewer.