Fuel dispenser

Abstract

A method of operating a fuel dispenser comprising receiving an input signal to activate the fuel dispenser, detecting vehicle specific information regarding at least one of a required fuel grade, a capacity of the vehicle fuel tank, volume of fuel necessary to fill the vehicle fuel tank and data necessary to identify a user and authorize a transaction and pumping a volume of fuel equal to or less than the volume of fuel necessary to fill the vehicle tank.

Description

[0001]The present application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 60 / 956,072, filed Aug. 15, 2007, entitled FUEL DISPENSER, the entire disclosure of which is incorporated by reference herein.FIELD OF THE INVENTION[0002]The present invention relates to dispensers and, more particularly, to fueling stations having advanced dispenser systems.BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION[0003]In recent years, traditional fuel dispensers have evolved into elaborate point-of-sale (PoS) devices having sophisticated control electronics and user interfaces with larger displays and easier-to-use user interfaces. The fuel dispensers may include various types of payment means, such as card readers and cash acceptors, to expedite and further enhance fueling transactions. Further, customers are not limited to the purchase of fuel at these dispensers. Newer dispensers allow the customer to purchase services, such as car washes, and goods, such as fast food or convenience store products. ...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

The present invention provides a method for operating a fuel dispenser by receiving an input signal to activate the dispenser, detecting vehicle specific information regarding the required fuel grade, capacity of the vehicle fuel tank, and data necessary to identify the user and authorize the transaction, and pumping a volume of fuel equal to or less than the volume necessary to fill the vehicle tank. The method may also include requesting additional information to verify the identity of the user, receiving the additional information, and using the information to determine when to stop the pumping transaction. The fuel dispenser may have a housing, a fuel dispensing apparatus, a touch display, and a detector to receive and use the vehicle specific information. The detector may be mounted in the nozzle or in the housing. The method may also involve detecting the presence of the user, activating the fuel dispenser, detecting the vehicle specific information, and monitoring the output data to determine when to stop the fueling transaction. The output data may be a real-time fuel level in the vehicle fuel tank during the fueling transaction. The method may also involve wirelessly receiving or reading the vehicle specific information using a barcode.

Problems solved by technology

Unfortunately, the vast majority of fuel dispensers already in existence include displays and associated input devices that are insufficient for supporting web-based interaction.

Further, many of the fuel dispensers fail to include the necessary control electronics to readily support such interaction.

Shoulder surfing subjects customers of fuel dispensers to theft of identifying information associated with payment accounts and PINs.

Additionally, keypads of fuel dispensers wear out over time due to continuous and repeated action of their keys by customers.

With use, the contacts within a keypad may also corrode and lose their conductivity.

As such, fuel dispensers are plagued with a costly replacement schedule for user interface keypads.

However, prior art speakers are loud and onmi-directional so that sound from one dispenser interferes with sound generated from another dispenser.

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