Abstract: Disclosed herein are methods and apparatus related to making payments in response to payment requests. For example, a payment request signaling device (PRSD) may obtain a file representing an electronic payment transaction. A plurality of computing devices proximate to the PRSD may receive an inquiry from the PRSD. In response, the computing devices may transmit respective identifiers of the computing devices. The PRSD may receive, from the plurality of computing devices, wireless signals indicating the respective identifiers. The PRSD may determine a particular computing device associated with a strongest of the received wireless signals. The PRSD may transmit the file to the particular computing device. A payment application executing on the computing device may receive the file from the PRSD. In response, a graphical user interface of the computing device may display information regarding the electronic payment transaction.

Abstract: A smartphone (106) with a processor (150) can execute program instructions to cause currency transfers transactions to be made to accounts associated with other smartphones and to interact with an application server (102) or merchant terminal (108). The smartphone can scan a quick response (QR) code and decode the QR code to recover encoded data. The smartphone can use the encoded data, alone or with other data, such as data from a user profile, to obtain promotional vouchers from the merchant server. The smart phone can initiate redemption of the promotional vouchers. The smartphone can display a validation form to prompt capturing images of items an application server can use to validate payment instruments and accounts. The validation form may prompt a user to capture images of a driver's license, a payment instrument, an invoice, or a passport. Smartphone communication with the application server can include device identifier such as MSISDN, IMEI, or IMSI.

Abstract: A system and method to use quick response (QR) codes encoded with a bill from a merchant, such as, for example, provided by a restaurant. A code scanner (106) can scan a QR code that encodes a merchant identification code that identifies a merchant. A user can select a payment instrument on the code scanner for paying the bill. The code scanner can transmit to an application server (102) data pertaining to the payment instrument. The code scanner can receive from the application server status data indicating whether the bill was successfully or unsuccessfully paid.

Abstract: A client device may scan an encoding of a bill using a scanner. In response to scanning the encoding of the bill, the client device may decode the encoding of the bill to determine contents of the bill, including a merchant identifier and an amount due. The client device may determine whether automatic payment is enabled for the client device. If automatic payment is enabled for the client device, the client device may send to a transaction server the merchant identifier, the amount due, and details of a preselected payment instrument. If automatic payment is not enabled for the client device, then the client device may request an acceptance of the bill via a user interface and, in response to obtaining the acceptance of the bill, the client device may send to the transaction server the merchant identifier, the amount due, and details of a payment instrument.

Abstract: A system and method to use quick response (QR) codes encoded with merchant website identification codes and session GUID to register a user or code scanner with a merchant server, login the user or code scanner with the merchant server, and complete a purchase of an item or service within a virtual shopping cart of the merchant server. A code scanner can scan a QR code displayed on a device connected to the internet. An application server can receive an identification code from the code scanner and then transmit data indicating form fields to be filled in on a merchant webpage. A user profile can include data regarding the user and a payment instrument. The user profile data can prepopulate the form fields and the form field data can be transmitted to the merchant server to use for logging in the user and completing the purchase.

Abstract: Disclosed herein are methods and apparatus related to making payments in response to payment requests. For example, a payment request signaling device (PRSD) may obtain a file representing an electronic payment transaction. A plurality of computing devices proximate to the PRSD may receive an inquiry from the PRSD. In response, the computing devices may transmit respective identifiers of the computing devices. The PRSD may receive, from the plurality of computing devices, wireless signals indicating the respective identifiers. The PRSD may determine a particular computing device associated with a strongest of the received wireless signals. The PRSD may transmit the file to the particular computing device. A payment application executing on the computing device may receive the file from the PRSD. In response, a graphical user interface of the computing device may display information regarding the electronic payment transaction.

Abstract: A system and method to use quick response (QR) codes encoded with merchant website identification codes and session GUID to register a user or code scanner with a merchant server, login the user or code scanner with the merchant server, and complete a purchase of an item or service within a virtual shopping cart of the merchant server. A code scanner can scan a QR code displayed on a device connected to the internet. An application server can receive an identification code from the code scanner and then transmit data indicating form fields to be filled in on a merchant webpage. A user profile can include data regarding the user and a payment instrument. The user profile data can prepopulate the form fields and the form field data can be transmitted to the merchant server to use for logging in the user and completing the purchase.

Abstract: A withdrawer computing device may send to an application server device a cash withdrawal request for a cash withdrawal of an amount of physical cash. The withdrawer computing device may then receive from the application server device a quote of a cash withdrawal fee for the cash withdrawal, obtain an acceptance of the quote, and send a notification of the acceptance to the application server device. The withdrawer computing device may also receive an indication that the cash withdrawal has been completed, and transmit to the application server device confirmation that the cash withdrawal has been completed. A withdrawer electronic funds account may then be debited by the amount of physical cash and the cash withdrawal fee and a depositor electronic funds account may then be credited by the amount of physical cash and the cash withdrawal fee.

Abstract: A device receives a file representing a bill, augments at least a portion of the received file to include data representing a non-textual representation of (i) the bill and (ii) a merchant identifier, and sends the augmented file to an output device. A server may receive, from the device, data representing the bill and receive, from a computing device, a request to initiate payment. The server may then initiate payment, determine whether payment of the bill was successful, and send a message indicating whether payment of the bill was successful to the computing device. The computing device may detect the non-textual representation and display information related to the bill. The computing device may also receive input representing a command to initiate payment of at least a portion of a total amount due corresponding to the bill and send, to the server, a request to initiate payment.

Abstract: Wagering methods, devices, and systems that allow individual participants in a game of poker to opt-in or opt-out of a bad beat feature are presented. For each hand played at a given table, a participant may activate the bad beat feature. Once the feature is activated, the participant is eligible for winning at least part of a bad beat progressive jackpot. This jackpot may be funded by tokens purchased by the participant, a rake taken from the hand's wagers, or by some other means. Apportionment of the bad beat progressive jackpot may be triggered by the participant losing the hand despite having cards that provide the participant with a significant likelihood of winning the hand.

Abstract: A computer system for playing multiplayer games comprises a first gaming server which runs multiple instances of a first game and to which is connected a first plurality of players, there being a minimum number of players and a maximum number of players for any instance of the first game; and a second gaming server which runs multiple instances of a second game and to which is connected a second plurality of players, there being a minimum number of players and a maximum number of players for any instance of the second game. The first gaming server is in communication with the second gaming server and through the second gaming server makes available instances of the first game for players from said second plurality of players to join. Thus, separate gaming servers can pool instances of games and players.

Abstract: A system and method to use quick response (QR) codes encoded with merchant website identification codes and session GUID to register a user or code scanner with a merchant server, login the user or code scanner with the merchant server, and complete a purchase of an item or service within a virtual shopping cart of the merchant server. A code scanner can scan a QR code displayed on a device connected to the internet. An application server can receive an identification code from the code scanner and then transmit data indicating form fields to be filled in on a merchant webpage. A user profile can include data regarding the user and a payment instrument. The user profile data can prepopulate the form fields and the form field data can be transmitted to the merchant server to use for logging in the user and completing the purchase.

Abstract: A system and method to use quick response (QR) codes encoded with merchant website t identification codes and session GUID to register a user or code scanner with a merchant server, login the user or code scanner with the merchant server, and complete a purchase of an item or service within a virtual shopping cart of the merchant server. A code scanner can scan a QR code displayed on a device connected to the internet. An application server can receive an identification code from the code scanner and then transmit data indicating form fields to be filled in on a merchant webpage. A user profile can include data regarding the user and a payment instrument. The user profile data can prepopulate the form fields and the form field data can be transmitted to the merchant server to use for logging in the user and completing the purchase.

Abstract: A system and method to use quick response (QR) codes encoded with merchant website identification codes and session GUID to register a user or code scanner with a merchant server, login the user or code scanner with the merchant server, and complete a purchase of an item or service within a virtual shopping cart of the merchant server. A code scanner can scan a QR code displayed on a device connected to the internet. An application server can receive an identification code from the code scanner and then transmit data indicating form fields to be filled in on a merchant webpage. A user profile can include data regarding the user and a payment instrument. The user profile data can prepopulate the form fields and the form field data can be transmitted to the merchant server to use for logging in the user and completing the purchase.

Abstract: A system and method to use quick response (QR) codes encoded with merchant website identification codes and session GUID to register a user or code scanner with a merchant server, login the user or code scanner with the merchant server, and complete a purchase of an item or service within a virtual shopping cart of the merchant server. A code scanner can scan a QR code displayed on a device connected to the internet. An application server can receive an identification code from the code scanner and then transmit data indicating form fields to be filled in on a merchant webpage. A user profile can include data regarding the user and a payment instrument. The user profile data can prepopulate the form fields and the form field data can be transmitted to the merchant server to use for logging in the user and completing the purchase.

Abstract: Wagering methods, devices, and systems that allow individual participants in a game of poker to opt-in or opt-out of a bad beat feature are presented. For each hand played at a given table, a participant may activate the bad beat feature. Once the feature is activated, the participant is eligible for winning at least part of a bad beat progressive jackpot. This jackpot may be funded by tokens purchased by the participant, a rake taken from the hand's wagers, or by some other means. Apportionment of the bad beat progressive jackpot may be triggered by the participant losing the hand despite having cards that provide the participant with a significant likelihood of winning the hand.

Abstract: A system and method to use quick response (QR) codes encoded with a bill from a merchant, such as, for example, provided by a restaurant. A code scanner (106) can scan a QR code that encodes a merchant identification code that identifies a merchant. A user can select a payment instrument on the code scanner for paying the bill. The code scanner can transmit to an application server (102) data pertaining to the payment instrument. The code scanner can receive from the application server status data indicating whether the bill was successfully or unsuccessfully paid.

Abstract: Wagering methods, devices, and systems that allow individual participants in a game of poker to opt-in or opt-out of a bad beat feature are presented. For each hand played at a given table, a participant may activate the bad beat feature. Once the feature is activated, the participant is eligible for winning at least part of a bad beat progressive jackpot. This jackpot may be funded by tokens purchased by the participant, a rake taken from the hand's wagers, or by some other means. Apportionment of the bad beat progressive jackpot may be triggered by the participant losing the hand despite having cards that provide the participant with a significant likelihood of winning the hand.

Abstract: Disclosed is a payment system and method. In one example, a method involves: (i) a mobile device capturing a code disposed on a medium, wherein the code encodes an identifier; (ii) the mobile device decoding the captured code to recover the identifier; (iii) the mobile device transmitting to a server via a communication network (116) the recovered identifier; (iv) the mobile device receiving from the server via the communication network (116) a fee associated with the transmitted identifier, wherein the fee is a function of at least a time period between a first time and a second time that is after the first time; and (v) the mobile device transmitting authorization to pay the received fee.

Abstract: An electronic multiplayer tournament is provided in which participating players can win real-money prizes during tournament play, that is, prizes that can be redeemed for value outside of the context of the tournament prize, in addition to overall tournament prizes at the close of tournament play. The real-money prizes may include any one or more of a jackpot prize, a progressive jackpot prize or a wide-area progressive jackpot prize. A portion of a tournament entry fee can be utilized to fund the cost of the real-money prize, in direct proportion to the probability of the real-money prize being won by a participating player.