Abstract: A system and method for enhancing electronic commerce and/or communicating information concerning products and/or services in connection with multimedia (e.g., video) transmission and delivery is provided. The system and method facilitate targeted marketing and/or merchandising in connection with video streams delivered to users across a computer network, e.g., the Internet and/or the World Wide Web, by synchronizing ancillary content with the video stream. User database(s) and commerce database(s) are provided for real time determination of ancillary information to be displayed for individual users of the system. A list block may be utilized by an individual user to capture ancillary content that is displayed with the video stream for his/her subsequent attention, e.g., as a navigation bar. The method/system may be used in a broad range of applications for live, taped live and on-demand video streams.

Abstract: A system/method for facilitating registration and delivery of authenticated content across a computer network is disclosed herein. The disclosed system/method is particularly advantageous for applications in which it is desirable to rapidly and reliably register users and to authenticate content requests by users in a scalable manner. In preferred embodiments of the disclosed method/system, registration information is only stored in associated databases upon completion of the registration form by a prospective user, and the proposed payment mode is verified as part of the registration process. The disclosed system also ensures that a registered user does not simultaneously receive multiple content files by monitoring and checking the status of each such registered user before delivering content thereto.

Abstract: A system and method for supplying data to a user upon request are disclosed. The system and method include a redundant array of servers, e.g., media servers, commerce servers, and web servers, that isolate the public network from the private network. The array of servers includes a plurality of individual media servers, and a user database in data communication with an Internet service exchange server hub. A metaswitch is operatively associated with the Internet service exchange server hub and the redundant array of media servers, and is programmed to determine which of the individual media servers will supply data files to the user upon request based upon preprogrammed determination criteria. In a preferred embodiment, the metaswitch determines which of the media servers will supply the data files to the user based upon the first of the media servers to respond to a polling request from the metaswitch.