Abstract: Techniques for mobile payments integrated with a booking system are described. In an embodiment, a method includes: receiving a request from a computing device of a user to pay a ticket open at a merchant point-of-sale computer, obtaining a current total ticket amount for the ticket from the merchant point-of-sale computer, determining an estimated total ticket amount based at least in part on the current total ticket amount, authorizing but not capturing payment of the estimated total ticket amount with a payment network gateway computer, after the ticket is closed at the merchant point-of-sale computer, obtaining a final total ticket amount for the ticket from the merchant point-of-sale computer, and capturing payment of the final total ticket amount with the payment network gateway computer.

Abstract: Techniques for mobile payments integrated with a booking system are described. In an embodiment, a method includes: receiving a request from a computing device of a user to pay a ticket open at a merchant point-of-sale computer, obtaining a current total ticket amount for the ticket from the merchant point-of-sale computer, determining an estimated total ticket amount based at least in part on the current total ticket amount, authorizing but not capturing payment of the estimated total ticket amount with a payment network gateway computer, after the ticket is closed at the merchant point-of-sale computer, obtaining a final total ticket amount for the ticket from the merchant point-of-sale computer, and capturing payment of the final total ticket amount with the payment network gateway computer.

Abstract: Mobile payments integrated with a booking system. In one embodiment, for example, a method in a service provider computer system is performed. The service provider computer system is communicatively coupled to a computing device of a user and a merchant point-of-sale computer by one or more data networks. The method comprises: receiving a request from the computing device of the user to pay a ticket open at the merchant point-of-sale computer; obtaining a current total ticket amount for the ticket from the merchant point-of-sale computer; determining an estimated total ticket amount based at least in part on the current total ticket amount; authorizing but not capturing payment of the estimated total ticket amount with a payment network gateway computer; after the ticket is closed at the merchant point-of-sale computer, obtaining a final total ticket amount for the ticket from the merchant point-of-sale computer; and capturing payment of the final total ticket amount with the payment network gateway computer.

Abstract: A point-of-sale system with a mobile payment feature includes an electronic display, one or more processors, and storage media storing a payment plugin to the point-of-sale system. The payment plugin sends ticket data representing a guest ticket over one or more data networks to an online service provider computer system; receives instruction from the service provider computer system to mark the guest ticket as designated for mobile payment; and causes user interface feedback on the electronic display that the guest ticket is to be paid via mobile payment. By doing so, the merchant is informed through their point-of-sale system that payment of the guest ticket will be facilitated by the online service provider. This alleviates the merchant from collecting payment from the guest before the guest leaves the merchant's premises and allows the guest to leave the premises as soon as the guest ticket is ready for mobile payment.

Abstract: Mobile payments integrated with a booking system. In one embodiment, for example, a method in a service provider computer system is performed. The service provider computer system is communicatively coupled to a computing device of a user and a merchant point-of-sale computer by one or more data networks. The method comprises: receiving a request from the computing device of the user to pay a ticket open at the merchant point-of-sale computer; obtaining a current total ticket amount for the ticket from the merchant point-of-sale computer; determining an estimated total ticket amount based at least in part on the current total ticket amount; authorizing but not capturing payment of the estimated total ticket amount with a payment network gateway computer; after the ticket is closed at the merchant point-of-sale computer, obtaining a final total ticket amount for the ticket from the merchant point-of-sale computer; and capturing payment of the final total ticket amount with the payment network gateway computer.

Abstract: Mobile payments integrated with a booking system. In one embodiment, for example, a method in a service provider computer system is performed. The service provider computer system is communicatively coupled to a computing device of a user and a merchant point-of-sale computer by one or more data networks. The method comprises: receiving a request from the computing device of the user to pay a ticket open at the merchant point-of-sale computer; obtaining a current total ticket amount for the ticket from the merchant point-of-sale computer; determining an estimated total ticket amount based at least in part on the current total ticket amount; authorizing but not capturing payment of the estimated total ticket amount with a payment network gateway computer; after the ticket is closed at the merchant point-of-sale computer, obtaining a final total ticket amount for the ticket from the merchant point-of-sale computer; and capturing payment of the final total ticket amount with the payment network gateway computer.

Abstract: A point-of-sale system with a mobile payment feature includes an electronic display, one or more processors, and storage media storing a payment plugin to the point-of-sale system. The payment plugin sends ticket data representing a guest ticket over one or more data networks to an online service provider computer system; receives instruction from the service provider computer system to mark the guest ticket as designated for mobile payment; and causes user interface feedback on the electronic display that the guest ticket is to be paid via mobile payment. By doing so, the merchant is informed through their point-of-sale system that payment of the guest ticket will be facilitated by the online service provider. This alleviates the merchant from collecting payment from the guest before the guest leaves the merchant's premises and allows the guest to leave the premises as soon as the guest ticket is ready for mobile payment.

Abstract: A database server that manages a database retrieves metadata that is stored, within the database, in association with a procedure that is stored in the database. Based on the metadata, a Web service definition is automatically constructed to describe the procedure as a Web service. The WSDL definition can be referenced to construct SOAP messages with the appropriate arguments and in the appropriate format which, when received, are converted to a suitable format for invoking execution of the procedure by the database server.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a database server receives a request from a spreadsheet application to open a file with spreadsheet data. The spreadsheet data is stored in one or more relational tables in one or more relational databases that are managed by the database server. In response to the request, the database server generates the file, where generating the file comprises retrieving the spreadsheet data from an XML view that is defined by an XQuery query. When executed, the XQuery query returns the spreadsheet data in an XML spreadsheet format that is understood by the spreadsheet application. The database server provides the generated file with the spreadsheet data directly to the spreadsheet application, where the spreadsheet data as retrieved from the XML view is formatted according to the XML spreadsheet format.

Abstract: Mobile payments integrated with a booking system. In one embodiment, for example, a method in a service provider computer system is performed. The service provider computer system is communicatively coupled to a computing device of a user and a merchant point-of-sale computer by one or more data networks. The method comprises: receiving a request from the computing device of the user to pay a ticket open at the merchant point-of-sale computer; obtaining a current total ticket amount for the ticket from the merchant point-of-sale computer; determining an estimated total ticket amount based at least in part on the current total ticket amount; authorizing but not capturing payment of the estimated total ticket amount with a payment network gateway computer; after the ticket is closed at the merchant point-of-sale computer, obtaining a final total ticket amount for the ticket from the merchant point-of-sale computer; and capturing payment of the final total ticket amount with the payment network gateway computer.

Abstract: In an embodiment, a data processing method comprises a service provider computer system obtaining, from a point-of-sale (POS) computer of a merchant, ticket data comprising one or more items of a transaction ticket opened at the POS computer; matching the transaction ticket to a user account of a user of the service provider computer system; communicating the ticket data to a mobile computing device of the user based on matching the transaction ticket to the user account; receiving, from the mobile computing device, a request to pay a payment amount based upon the ticket data; and causing transfer of funds in the payment amount from a payment account of the user to a bank account of the merchant.

Abstract: In an embodiment, a data processing method comprises, using a merchant booking computer, associating a reservation record with a location identifier, wherein the reservation record comprises a user identifier; using a service provider computer system, matching a transaction ticket stored in a point-of-sale (POS) computer of a merchant to the location identifier of the reservation record, based upon obtaining one or more POS data values from the POS computer, and obtaining ticket data specifying one or more items in the transaction ticket; based upon the user identifier and a user account that associates the user identifier with a mobile computing device identifier, communicating the ticket data to a mobile computing device; receiving, from the mobile computing device, a request to pay a payment amount based upon the ticket data; requesting a payment gateway computer to initiate a payment transaction in which user payment account data associated with the user account identified as payer and in which a merchant

Abstract: An XQuery access API is described, for providing access to XML data from a data source, using the XQuery language. A requestor can request, from a server, performance of an operation on XML data, wherein request messages and response messages conform to the Simple Object Access Protocol (SOAP). Request and response messages can be transmitted using Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTP) or Hypertext Transfer Protocol over Secure Socket Layer (HTTPS). The format of the request and response messages is specified in a definition of a Web service, where the definition conforms to the Web Service Description Language (WSDL).

Abstract: Using a WSDL document to exchange an interface definition for back-end business logic includes automatically mapping various elements of the WSDL document to corresponding XQuery elements to generate an XQuery interface definition “skeleton”. From such an XQuery interface skeleton, an XQuery statement can be generated by filling in the body of the function that implements the logic. The XQuery statement serves as an interface definition for an interface to the function. Furthermore, at runtime a Web Service request that is based on the WSDL document can be translated into an XQuery call into an XQuery function that implements the logic defined in the WSDL document. From there, results are obtained from the XQuery function, translated into the appropriate return format defined in the WSDL, and returned.

Abstract: An XQuery access API is described, for providing access to XML data from a data source, using the XQuery language. A requestor can request, from a server, performance of an operation on XML data, wherein request messages and response messages conform to the Simple Object Access Protocol (SOAP). Request and response messages can be transmitted using Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTP) or Hypertext Transfer Protocol over Secure Socket Layer (HTTPS). The format of the request and response messages is specified in a definition of a Web service, where the definition conforms to the Web Service Description Language (WSDL).

Abstract: An XQuery access API is described, for providing access to XML data from a data source, using the XQuery language. A requestor can request, from a server, performance of an operation on XML data, wherein request messages and response messages conform to the Simple Object Access Protocol (SOAP). Request and response messages can be transmitted using Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTP) or Hypertext Transfer Protocol over Secure Socket Layer (HTTPS). The format of the request and response messages is specified in a definition of a Web service, where the definition conforms to the Web Service Description Language (WSDL).

Abstract: Optimization is provided for database statements involving XML data, e.g., XPath and XQuery, which operate over views that use aggregate set operators, e.g., UNION ALL. As part of a “view merge” stage of query transformation, the query that operates over the view is merged with a query that defines the view. One or more expressions (e.g., operators, predicates, virtual table constructs) from the query that operates over the view are then “pushed down” to operate on the individual underlying XML data constructs. “Branch elimination” is performed based on the structure of the view and the query acting over the view, based on which it is possible to determine whether any of the sub-queries, if executed, would result in the return of zero rows. If so, then such branches are eliminated from the transformed query, leaving a reduced set of data containers on which to execute the query.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a database server receives a request from a spreadsheet application to open a file with spreadsheet data. The spreadsheet data is stored in one or more relational tables in one or more relational databases that are managed by the database server. In response to the request, the database server generates the file, where generating the file comprises retrieving the spreadsheet data from an XML view that is defined by an XQuery query. When executed, the XQuery query returns the spreadsheet data in an XML spreadsheet format that is understood by the spreadsheet application. The database server provides the generated file with the spreadsheet data directly to the spreadsheet application, where the spreadsheet data as retrieved from the XML view is formatted according to the XML spreadsheet format.

Abstract: To associate XML data objects (“child objects”), stored in rows of relational or object-relational tables, with the appropriate XML data objects (“parent objects”) from which the child objects descend, tables that contain child objects (“out-of-line” tables) are constructed with an additional column. In one embodiment, this column stores values that identify the root objects, in the appropriate table, from which the respective child objects descend. Hence, the root object from which any given object descends is traceable by following the respective value back to the corresponding root object. In one embodiment, this column stores values that identify the complete XML hierarchical path, through multiple tables, back to the root object from which the respective child objects descend. Consequently, XML query language queries against XML documents stored in such tables can be rewritten as SQL queries against the data in the tables, even in the presence of cyclic constructs.

Abstract: Techniques are described for executing queries that have XPath sections that specify unmappable paths. The techniques involve splitting the unmappable paths into (1) a mappable path fragment, and (2) an unmappable path fragment. After an unmappable path has been split into a mappable path fragment and an unmappable path fragment, the XPath section is replaced with a replacement XPath section. The replacement XPath section specifies two operations: a “mappable operation” that is based on the mappable path fragment, and an “unmappable operation” that is based on the unmappable path fragment. The portion of the replacement XPath section that specifies the mappable operation is rewritten to access underlying relational structures. Consequently, when the rewritten query is executed, a smaller amount of XML data needs to be materialized to evaluate the unmappable path fragment than would otherwise have been required to evaluate the original unmappable path.