Abstract: A ground-engaging support structure for rotating a vehicle-carrying platform supported thereby such that a vehicle driven onto the platform is rotatable about a rotational axis extending substantially perpendicularly to the ground, the structure including: a base for carrying and rotating the vehicle-carrying platform; and one or more ground-engaging mechanisms adjustably secured to and extending outwardly from the base for facilitating load distribution of the platform and vehicle thereon such that the support structure is operable on uneven or sloped ground.

Abstract: A bonus game server including game-logic circuitry that monitors a plurality of bonus ticket balances associated with a plurality of players and a bonus jackpot associated with a bonus tournament game, transmits, in response to an amount of the bonus jackpot exceeding an eligibility threshold, participation requests to player devices of eligible players for the bonus tournament game, initiates a participation timer, enters, in response to at least one of the eligible players accepting the participation request, the accepting eligible player into the bonus tournament game, generates, using a random number generator and in response to the participation timer reaching a concluding threshold, one or more random numbers to determine at least one outcome of the bonus tournament game, and awards a bonus game prize from the bonus jackpot to a winning player of the participating players identified at least partially by the determined outcome of the bonus tournament game.

Abstract: A bonus game server including game-logic circuitry that monitors a plurality of bonus ticket balances associated with a plurality of players and a bonus jackpot associated with a bonus tournament game, transmits, in response to an amount of the bonus jackpot exceeding an eligibility threshold, participation requests to player devices of eligible players for the bonus tournament game, initiates a participation timer, enters, in response to at least one of the eligible players accepting the participation request, the accepting eligible player into the bonus tournament game, generates, using a random number generator and in response to the participation timer reaching a concluding threshold, one or more random numbers to determine at least one outcome of the bonus tournament game, and awards a bonus game prize from the bonus jackpot to a winning player of the participating players identified at least partially by the determined outcome of the bonus tournament game.

Abstract: Architecture that provides a unified interface to access resources in different formats and in disparate resource locations for a process (e.g., consuming application). The unified interface is extensible such that users can add additional components to the unified interface to provide access to new resources and new resource references. The interface provides the capability to create a single comprehensive index of all available resources regardless of the resource format. Format-specific indexers are provided for the resources to find, enumerate, and process the resources into a structure suitable for processing by an indexing component into the index. A user can introduce new format-specific indexers for new resources and new resource references for processing by the indexing component into the index. The unified interface now provides access to the new resources and new resources references as well.

Abstract: A data-processing system, such as a payment processing system, including a tokenizer, such as a card encryption and storage system (CES) employing a tokenization feature. In one embodiment, the present invention provides a first-computer-implemented method for preventing the transmission of confidential information between a first computer and a second computer in communication with the first computer. The method includes the steps of: (a) the first computer receiving information for performing a transaction, the information including confidential information manually entered by a user; (b) the first computer sending the confidential information to a third computer; (c) the first computer receiving, from the third computer, a token having no algorithmic relationship to the confidential information; and (d) the first computer sending to the second computer (i) the information for performing the transaction, except for the confidential information, and (ii) the token.

Abstract: A payment processing system for accepting manually-entered payment-card numbers. Rather than entering a payment-card account number into an application module, the card number is instead captured and stored within a tokenizer prior to being sent to the application module. The tokenizer then returns a random token to the calling application as a pointer to the original payment-card number. The token has no algorithmic relationship with the original payment-card number, so that the payment-card number cannot be derived based on the token itself. Since the token is not considered cardholder data, the token may be used in an application module without the module or its connected hardware from being subject to regulatory standards compliance. Some embodiments involve browser-based schemes, and some embodiments involve PIN-entry device-based schemes.

Abstract: Architecture that provides a unified interface to access resources in different formats and in disparate resource locations for a process (e.g., consuming application). The unified interface is extensible such that users can add additional components to the unified interface to provide access to new resources and new resource references. The interface provides the capability to create a single comprehensive index of all available resources regardless of the resource format. Format-specific indexers are provided for the resources to find, enumerate, and process the resources into a structure suitable for processing by an indexing component into the index. A user can introduce new format-specific indexers for new resources and new resource references for processing by the indexing component into the index. The unified interface now provides access to the new resources and new resources references as well.

Abstract: A payment processing system for accepting manually-entered payment-card numbers. Rather than entering a payment-card account number into an application module, the card number is instead captured and stored within a tokenizer prior to being sent to the application module. The tokenizer then returns a random token to the calling application as a pointer to the original payment-card number. The token has no algorithmic relationship with the original payment-card number, so that the payment-card number cannot be derived based on the token itself. Since the token is not considered cardholder data, the token may be used in an application module without the module or its connected hardware from being subject to regulatory standards compliance. Some embodiments involve browser-based schemes, and some embodiments involve PIN-entry device-based schemes.

Abstract: Techniques are presented for synchronizing data store tables. Elements of first tables are linked together to form dependent chains. The dependencies are not housed with the elements in the first tables; rather, the dependencies are housed in multiple second tables. Each second table maps one of the elements from one of the first tables to another of the elements in another of the first tables.