Patent ID: 8315364

Claim:
A process for directing and exchanging data communications in real-time under control of one or more multiple coordinated central control units to accomplish transactions relating to merchandise or services available for purchase, the process involving interfacing under control of the one or more multiple coordinated central control units, one or more buyers at a plurality of remote locations using remote video terminals including personal computers with video capability, the one or more multiple coordinated central control units in communication with one or more vendors and having a capability to electronically communicate through a public communication system, the process comprising the steps of: interfacing one or more buyers with the one or more multiple coordinated central control units for electronic communication; receiving identification data from at least one buyer, the identification data qualifying the at least one buyer for select communications with the one or more multiple coordinated central control units; interfacing one or more buyers with one or more live operator stations under control of the one or more multiple coordinated central control units, wherein at least one of the one or more live operator stations has graphics display capabilities and has access to at least certain data associated with the one or more multiple coordinated central control units; receiving request data from one or more buyers, the request data indicating an area of interest relating to merchandise or services available for purchase; storing at least part of the request data; interfacing one or more buyers to a video memory under control of the one or more multiple coordinated central control units, the video memory storing one or more high resolution video images and text data relating to merchandise or services available for purchase from the one or more vendors; facilitating access to proposed data from the video memory, the proposed data including video images and text data responsive to the request data for viewing by a buyer; storing data relating to one or more transactions initiated by one or more buyers; and transmitting to at least one buyer a message including data relating to a transaction initiated by the at least one buyer after an interface between the at least one buyer and the one or more multiple coordinated central control units is terminated, the data including a number identifying the transaction.