A nozzle card linkage control system and nozzle

Abstract

This invention discloses a card-operated linkage control system and a fuel dispenser, used to modify fuel dispensers without card insertion functionality to have card-operated linkage capabilities. The fuel dispenser includes a mainboard, a nozzle switch, a nozzle, a keypad, and a keyboard. The system includes a card reader, a keypad control board, and a data transfer module. The keypad control board is connected to the card reader, the data transfer module, the keyboard, the nozzle switch, and the nozzle interface of the mainboard, and is also connected to the keypad interface of the mainboard via the keypad. The data transfer module is connected to the communication interface of the mainboard. The keypad control board receives user input key values ​​via the keypad, forwards these values ​​to the mainboard, receives fuel card information via the card reader, obtains verification information from the fuel card via the data transfer module, verifies the card information using the verification information, and controls the nozzle to enter authorized refueling mode based on the verification result. This system can reduce the modification cost and difficulty of fuel dispensers.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of fuel dispenser equipment modification and electronic circuit technology, and in particular to a fuel dispenser card linkage control system and a fuel dispenser. Background Technology

[0002] A card-operated fuel dispenser is a fuel dispenser that connects a card reader to the fuel dispenser at a gas station, enabling data exchange between the payment terminal and the fuel dispenser. With a card-operated fuel dispenser, customers can use their cards to pay, and gas station managers can monitor the operation of the fuel dispenser and payment data in real time.

[0003] Currently, many gas station fuel dispensers do not have card-operated linkage functionality. In order to reduce costs and increase efficiency, gas stations usually modify their non-card fuel dispensers to enable card-operated linkage functionality.

[0004] In the existing technology, the conversion of non-card fuel dispensers to card-operated systems requires the replacement of multiple components such as the fuel dispenser's motherboard, keyboard, and display. The conversion cost is high, the conversion installation is also complex, and the converted fuel dispenser is difficult to restore, which greatly delays the conversion process of non-card fuel dispensers in gas stations. Summary of the Invention

[0005] In view of this, the present invention provides a fuel dispenser card linkage control system, the main purpose of which is to solve the technical problems of high cost of fuel dispenser modification, high complexity of modification and installation, and difficulty in restoration.

[0006] To achieve the above objectives, the present invention first provides a card-operated linkage control system for fuel dispensers, used to modify fuel dispensers without card insertion functionality to have card-operated linkage capabilities. The fuel dispenser includes a mainboard, a nozzle switch, a nozzle, a keypad, and a keyboard. The system includes a card reader, a keypad control board, and a data transfer module. The keypad control board is connected to the card reader, the data transfer module, the keyboard, the nozzle switch, and the nozzle interface of the mainboard, and is connected to the keypad interface of the mainboard via the keypad. The data transfer module is connected to the communication interface of the mainboard. The keypad control board is used to receive key values ​​input by the user via the keypad and forward the key values ​​to the mainboard. It is also used to receive card information of the fuel card via the card reader, obtain verification information of the fuel card via the data transfer module, verify the card information using the verification information, and control the nozzle to enter the authorized refueling state based on the verification result.

[0007] In one embodiment of the present invention, the keyboard control board includes a main control module, a keyboard input interface, a keyboard output interface, a nozzle control interface, a first communication interface, and a second communication interface. The input end of the keyboard input interface is connected to the keyboard of the fuel dispenser, the output end of the keyboard input interface is connected to the main control module, the main control module is connected to the input end of the keyboard output interface, and the output end of the keyboard output interface is connected to the input end of the keyboard board. The nozzle control interface includes a nozzle status input unit and a nozzle status output unit. The input end of the nozzle status input unit is connected to the nozzle switch, the output end of the nozzle status input unit is connected to the main control module, the input end of the nozzle status output unit is connected to the main control module, and the output end of the nozzle status output unit is connected to the nozzle interface of the fuel dispenser motherboard. The main control module is connected to the communication interface of the data transfer module through the first communication interface and to the communication interface of the card reader through the second communication interface.

[0008] In one embodiment of the present invention, the keyboard output interface includes a key value recognition unit and a voltage conversion unit, wherein the input terminal of the key value recognition unit is connected to the main control module, the output terminal of the key value recognition unit is connected to the input terminal of the voltage conversion unit, the output terminal of the voltage conversion unit is connected to the input terminal of the keyboard board, and the output terminal of the keyboard board is connected to the keyboard interface of the fuel dispenser motherboard; wherein the voltage conversion unit includes a plurality of solid-state relays, the input terminal of each solid-state relay is connected to one output terminal of the key value recognition unit, and the output terminal of each solid-state relay is connected to one input terminal of the fuel dispenser's keyboard board.

[0009] In one embodiment of the present invention, the oil gun status input unit includes an optocoupler, a Zener diode, a first current-limiting resistor, and a pull-up resistor. The positive input terminal of the optocoupler is connected to the power input terminal through the Zener diode, and the negative input terminal of the optocoupler is connected to the oil gun switch through the first current-limiting resistor. The first output terminal of the optocoupler is connected to the input terminal of the main control module, and the first output terminal of the optocoupler is also connected to the power input terminal through the pull-up resistor. The second output terminal of the optocoupler is grounded.

[0010] In one embodiment of the present invention, the oil gun status output unit includes a solid-state relay, a switching device, a second current-limiting resistor, a third current-limiting resistor, and a pull-down resistor. The positive input terminal of the solid-state relay is connected to the power input terminal via the second current-limiting resistor. The negative input terminal of the solid-state relay is connected to the first terminal of the switching device. The second terminal of the switching device is grounded. The control terminal of the switching device is connected to the output terminal of the main control module via the third current-limiting resistor. The control terminal of the switching device is also grounded via the pull-down resistor. The first output terminal and the second output terminal of the solid-state relay are respectively connected to the oil gun interface of the oil dispenser mainboard.

[0011] In one embodiment of the present invention, the data transfer module includes a third communication interface and at least one fourth communication interface, wherein the data transfer module is connected to the communication interface of the generator motherboard through the third communication interface and to the communication interface of the keyboard control board through the fourth communication interface; when there are multiple keyboard control boards, the data transfer module is connected to the communication interfaces of the multiple keyboard control boards one-to-one through the multiple fourth communication interfaces respectively.

[0012] In one embodiment of the present invention, the fuel dispenser card-machine linkage control system further includes a hub and a cloud platform; the data transfer module further includes a fifth communication interface and a data storage unit, wherein the data transfer module is connected to the hub through the fifth communication interface, and the hub is connected to the cloud platform through a wireless communication interface; the data storage unit is connected to the data transfer module and is used to store at least one of the following: fuel card verification information, fuel dispenser information, and historical transaction data.

[0013] In one embodiment of the present invention, the fuel dispenser card linkage control system further includes a display, and the keyboard control panel further includes a display interface; the keyboard control panel is connected to the display through the display interface, and the display is used to display at least one of the following: fuel dispenser status prompt information corresponding to the status of the fuel dispenser, fuel card information, and user query information.

[0014] In one embodiment of the present invention, the fuel dispenser card linkage control system further includes a standard keyboard, wherein the standard keyboard includes multiple keys and the display, the multiple keys of the standard keyboard are configured to correspond one-to-one with the multiple keys of the fuel dispenser's keyboard, and the standard keyboard is used to replace the fuel dispenser's keyboard.

[0015] In addition, to achieve the above objectives, the present invention also proposes a fuel dispenser, which includes the fuel dispenser card linkage control system described in any of the above embodiments.

[0016] This invention provides a card-operated linkage control system and a fuel dispenser for retrofitting fuel dispensers without card insertion functionality to include card-operated linkage. The fuel dispenser to be retrofitted includes a mainboard, a nozzle switch, a nozzle, a keypad, and a keyboard. The card-operated linkage control system includes a card reader, a keypad control board, and a data transfer module. The keypad control board is connected to the card reader, the data transfer module, the keyboard, the nozzle switch, and the nozzle interface of the mainboard, and is also connected to the keypad interface of the mainboard via the keypad. The data transfer module is connected to the communication interface of the mainboard. The keypad control board in the above-mentioned card-operated linkage control system can receive user-input key values ​​via the keyboard and forward them to the mainboard. It can also receive fuel card information via the card reader, obtain fuel card verification information via the data transfer module, verify the card information using the verification information, and control the nozzle to enter authorized refueling mode based on the verification result. The above solution modifies the hardware of the fuel dispenser through a card-operated linkage control system. It only requires installing a keyboard control board and a data transfer module inside the dispenser, and a card reader on the outside. Installation is convenient, quick, and cost-effective. Furthermore, the modified dispenser does not damage the original motherboard; it merely utilizes the existing data interfaces, facilitating future disassembly, replacement, and disassembly.

[0017] The above description is merely an overview of the technical solution of the present invention. In order to better understand the technical means of the present invention and to implement it in accordance with the contents of the specification, and in order to make the above and other objects, features and advantages of the present invention more apparent and understandable, specific embodiments of the present invention are described below. Attached Figure Description

[0018] The accompanying drawings, which are included to provide a further understanding of the invention and form part of this invention, illustrate exemplary embodiments of the invention and are used to explain the invention, but do not constitute an undue limitation of the invention. In the drawings:

[0019] Figure 1 This invention provides a schematic diagram of the internal structure of a refueling machine before modification, according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0020] Figure 2 This invention provides a schematic diagram of the internal structure of a modified fuel dispenser according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0021] Figure 3 A schematic diagram of the circuit structure of the voltage conversion unit of the keyboard output interface of a keyboard control board according to an embodiment of the present invention is shown.

[0022] Figure 4The diagram shows a circuit structure schematic of the oil gun status input unit and oil gun status output unit of the gun control interface of a keyboard control board according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0023] Figure 5 This invention provides a schematic diagram of the overall structure of a modified fuel dispenser according to an embodiment of the invention.

[0024] Figure 6 This diagram illustrates the communication relationships between various circuit modules inside a modified fuel dispenser according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0025] Figure 7 A schematic diagram of the standard keyboard and display of a modified fuel dispenser provided in an embodiment of the present invention is shown. Detailed Implementation

[0026] The present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings and embodiments. It should be noted that, unless otherwise specified, the embodiments and features described in the present invention can be combined with each other.

[0027] To further illustrate the technical means and effects adopted by the present invention to achieve the intended purpose, the specific embodiments, structures, features, and effects according to the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings and preferred embodiments. In the following description, different "an embodiment" or "an embodiment" do not necessarily refer to the same embodiment. Furthermore, specific features, structures, or characteristics in one or more embodiments can be combined in any suitable form.

[0028] The following is combined Figures 1 to 7 This invention describes a fuel dispenser card linkage control system according to some embodiments of the present invention.

[0029] like Figure 2 As shown, one embodiment of the present invention proposes a card-operated linkage control system for fuel dispensers. This system can be used to retrofit fuel dispensers without card insertion functionality with card-operated linkage capabilities. The fuel dispenser to be retrofitted includes a mainboard, a nozzle switch, a nozzle, a keypad, and a keyboard. The card-operated linkage control system includes a card reader, a keypad control board, and a data transfer module. The keypad control board of the fuel dispenser card-operated linkage control system is connected to the card reader, the data transfer module, the keyboard, the nozzle switch, and the nozzle interface of the mainboard. It is also connected to the keypad interface of the mainboard via the keypad. The data transfer module is connected to the communication interface of the mainboard. In this embodiment, the keypad control board can receive key values ​​input by the user via the keyboard and forward them to the mainboard. It can also receive card information from the fuel card via the card reader, obtain verification information from the fuel card via the data transfer module, verify the card information using the verification information, and control the nozzle to enter the authorized refueling state based on the verification result.

[0030] Specifically, the internal structure of the fuel dispenser before the modification is shown in the diagram below. Figure 1 As shown in the diagram. Before the modification, the fuel dispenser's mainboard could be connected to the fuel dispenser's keyboard via a keyboard cable and a keyboard board. The fuel dispenser's keyboard received key input from the user, while the keyboard board converted the input into electrical signals that the mainboard could recognize and sent these signals to the mainboard. Upon receiving the corresponding signals, the mainboard could perform functions such as transaction data queries and fixed-quantity refueling. Additionally, the mainboard connected to the fuel nozzle switch via the nozzle interface and could identify the nozzle's status, including whether it was raised or lowered, and perform or stop refueling operations based on this status.

[0031] Furthermore, a schematic diagram of the internal structure of the modified fuel dispenser is shown below. Figure 2 As shown in the diagram. After the modification, the original mainboard, nozzle switch, nozzle, keypad, and keyboard of the fuel dispenser remain unchanged. Instead, a keypad control board, card reader, and data transfer module are added to the existing fuel dispenser, and the connection methods of the nozzle switch, mainboard, keypad, and keyboard are modified. In this embodiment, the modified keypad and keyboard can be separated by the keypad control board, which forwards key values, thus preserving the original functions of the mainboard and making the fuel dispenser modification applicable to various types of fuel dispensers, while reducing the difficulty of program debugging. Furthermore, the modified nozzle switch includes an input circuit and an output circuit. The input terminal of the nozzle switch's input circuit is connected to the nozzle switch, and the output terminal is connected to the keypad control board. This circuit can be used to monitor the status of the nozzle, including its raised and lowered states, and send the nozzle status to the keypad control board. The input terminal of the fuel nozzle switch's output circuit is connected to the keyboard control panel, and the output terminal is connected to the fuel nozzle interface on the fuel dispenser's main board. This circuit can be used to send the fuel nozzle's status to the main board after the fuel card information is verified, so that the main board can execute the refueling operation. Through this connection method, not only can a series of card-machine linkage functions such as fuel card recognition, fuel card verification, and authorized refueling be realized, but also key value forwarding, fuel nozzle status monitoring, and fuel nozzle status forwarding functions can be implemented, thereby achieving comprehensive control over the fuel dispenser's refueling process.

[0032] In this embodiment, the keyboard control panel of the fuel dispenser card linkage control system can perform the following functions:

[0033] (1) Monitoring of the fuel dispenser keyboard: The keyboard control board can collect the key values ​​of the fuel dispenser keyboard and output the key values ​​to the fuel dispenser motherboard, thereby realizing the monitoring of the fuel dispenser keyboard. Among them, the key value forwarding function can be executed when the fuel nozzle is idle, and can be executed as appropriate when the fuel nozzle is in authorized refueling state and refueling in progress.

[0034] (2) Reading fuel card data: The keyboard control board can be connected to the card reader via serial port and read the fuel card insertion status, card number and card type in real time, and perform card verification and other operations.

[0035] (3) Control of oil gun switch: The keypad control board can obtain the status of the oil gun through the oil gun switch input circuit, including the gun lifting status and the gun hanging status. Then, according to business needs (such as when the card is verified), the oil gun status is output to the oil gun interface of the oil machine motherboard to realize the control of the oil gun status.

[0036] (4) Reporting of refueling data: The keyboard control board can be connected to the data transfer module via serial port to realize functions such as querying the balance and password of the fuel card, the whitelist of employee cards, and obtaining price adjustment information.

[0037] Furthermore, the data relay module can connect to the keyboard control panel via a serial port and provide the control panel with verification information such as card number whitelist, card balance, and card password, enabling the control panel to verify card information and perform signaling and data exchange with the data relay module. In addition, the data relay module also connects to the communication interface of the fuel dispenser's mainboard and can be used to collect data from the fuel dispenser in real time, such as real-time refueling volume and transaction data. Simultaneously, it can send control commands to the fuel dispenser, such as authorized power-on commands, authorized power-off commands, authorized refueling commands, and refueling stop commands.

[0038] This embodiment, by setting up a card reader, a keypad control board, and a data transfer module in the fuel dispenser card-machine linkage control system, can realize the relevant functions of card-machine linkage, including reading the fuel card information, verifying the card information, and authorizing the fuel dispenser motherboard to execute the refueling operation, etc. Furthermore, the aforementioned fuel dispenser card-machine linkage control system can also retain the original functions of the fuel dispenser through key-value forwarding, thus enabling the modified card-machine linkage fuel dispenser to be well adapted to various types of fuel dispensers, reducing the burden of program debugging, and lowering the difficulty and cost of modifying the fuel dispenser.

[0039] The fuel dispenser card-operated linkage control system proposed in this invention can modify the hardware of fuel dispensers, enabling fuel dispensers without card insertion functionality to achieve card-operated linkage. Modifying the fuel dispenser using this system only requires installing a keyboard control board and a data transfer module inside the dispenser, and a card reader on the outside. Installation is convenient, quick, and cost-effective. Furthermore, the modified fuel dispenser does not damage the original motherboard; it merely utilizes the existing data interface, facilitating future disassembly, replacement, and restoration of the fuel dispenser.

[0040] In one embodiment of the present invention, the keyboard control board includes a main control module, a keyboard input interface, a keyboard output interface, a nozzle control interface, a first communication interface, and a second communication interface. The input end of the keyboard input interface is connected to the keyboard of the fuel dispenser; the output end of the keyboard input interface is connected to the main control module; the main control module is connected to the input end of the keyboard output interface; the output end of the keyboard output interface is connected to the input end of the keyboard board; and the output end of the keyboard board is connected to the keyboard interface of the fuel dispenser's main board. Further, the nozzle control interface includes a nozzle status input unit and a nozzle status output unit. The input end of the nozzle status input unit is connected to the nozzle switch; the output end of the nozzle status input unit is connected to the main control module; the input end of the nozzle status output unit is connected to the main control module; and the output end of the nozzle status output unit is connected to the nozzle interface of the fuel dispenser's main board. Further, the main control module is also connected to the communication interface of the data transfer module via the first communication interface and to the communication interface of the card reader via the second communication interface.

[0041] In the above embodiments, the main control module can be a microcontroller, embedded chip, or other circuit device. The keyboard input interface can be adapted to the fuel dispenser's keyboard, and the keyboard output interface can be adapted to the fuel dispenser's keyboard board, thereby realizing the forwarding function of keyboard key values. The first and second communication interfaces can be serial communication interfaces, thereby realizing communication functions with the card reader and data transfer module. The fuel nozzle status input unit and fuel nozzle status output unit of the nozzle control interface correspond to... Figure 2 In addition to the oil gun switch input circuit and oil gun switch output circuit in the previous embodiment, the function of collecting and forwarding the oil gun status can be realized. This embodiment, by setting a main control module, keyboard input interface, keyboard output interface, oil gun control interface, first communication interface, and second communication interface in the keyboard control board, facilitates the connection of the keyboard control board to the card reader, data transfer module, keyboard, keyboard board, oil gun switch, and the oil gun interface of the oil generator motherboard, thereby realizing the related functions of key value forwarding and card-machine linkage.

[0042] In one embodiment of the present invention, the keyboard output interface includes a key value recognition unit and a voltage conversion unit. The input terminal of the key value recognition unit is connected to the main control module, the output terminal of the key value recognition unit is connected to the input terminal of the voltage conversion unit, the output terminal of the voltage conversion unit is connected to the input terminal of the keyboard board, and the output terminal of the keyboard board is connected to the keyboard interface of the fuel dispenser's main board. In this embodiment, the voltage conversion unit may include multiple solid-state relays, the input terminal of each solid-state relay may be connected to one output terminal of the key value recognition unit, and the output terminal of each solid-state relay may be connected to one input terminal of the fuel dispenser's keyboard board.

[0043] In the above embodiments, the keyboard input interface is described first before describing the keyboard output interface. Specifically, the keyboard input interface can be a multi-pin row-column keyboard input interface adapted to the fuel dispenser's keyboard. For example, assuming the fuel dispenser's keyboard is a standard 20-key keyboard, the keyboard input interface can include 5 row lines and 4 column lines. These lines intersect each other to identify the 20 key values ​​of the fuel dispenser's keyboard, that is, to read which key was pressed. Furthermore, the key value recognition unit of the keyboard output interface can also be a multi-pin row-column keyboard input interface. For example, it can also adopt a 5-row, 4-column arrangement and forward the key value recognized by the keyboard input interface to the fuel dispenser's keyboard board.

[0044] Furthermore, the voltage conversion unit of the keyboard output interface may include multiple solid-state relays, for example, Figure 3 A circuit connection diagram of a voltage conversion unit is shown. Figure 3 The solid-state relay in the circuit has pins 1 and 2 as inputs, and pins 3 and 4 as outputs. Pin 1 can be connected to a 5V power supply via a resistor, pin 2 can be connected to the key value recognition unit of the keyboard output interface, and pin 3... Figure 3 The diagram illustrates the connection, where the series resistor acts as a current-limiting resistor, and pin 4 can be used as a key value output port connected to the generator's keyboard board. Ultimately, the recognized key values ​​can be forwarded to the generator's mainboard keyboard interface.

[0045] In the above embodiment, the voltage conversion unit of the keyboard output interface uses a solid-state relay connected between the key value recognition unit and the keyboard board, which can achieve isolation between the control end and the load end. In practical applications, some fuel dispenser motherboards use 5V voltage to collect keyboard key values, while others use 12V voltage. In this embodiment, by adding a voltage conversion unit, the load voltage at the load end can reach 350V, covering multiple voltages such as 5V and 12V, thereby being compatible with the voltage of key value collection by various types of fuel dispenser motherboards, making the fuel dispenser modification method adaptable to various types of fuel dispensers.

[0046] In one embodiment of the present invention, the oil gun status input unit includes an optocoupler, a Zener diode, a first current-limiting resistor, and a pull-up resistor. The positive input terminal of the optocoupler is connected to the power input terminal via the Zener diode, the negative input terminal of the optocoupler is connected to the oil gun switch via the first current-limiting resistor, the first output terminal of the optocoupler is connected to the input terminal of the main control module, the first output terminal of the optocoupler is also connected to the power input terminal via the pull-up resistor, and the second output terminal of the optocoupler is grounded.

[0047] In the above embodiments, the oil gun status input unit can be used to identify the status of the oil gun, including the raised and lowered states. For example, Figure 4 This demonstrates a connection method for a gun control interface, with the oil gun status input unit being... Figure 4 The circuit below shows the connection terminal for the nozzle control interface. Pins 1 and 2 of this terminal are connected to the nozzle switch on the keyboard control board, allowing for the acquisition of the nozzle's raised and lowered states. The main control module of the keyboard control board is connected to the NOZZLE_IN pin, which is the output of the optocoupler. The circuit works as follows: when the nozzle is raised, the optocoupler conducts, making NOZZLE_IN low; when the nozzle is lowered, the optocoupler deactivates, making NOZZLE_IN high. The main control module acquires the nozzle's raised and lowered states by monitoring the changes in the NOZZLE_IN pin. This embodiment provides a nozzle state input unit that can acquire nozzle state information in a small, low-cost, and easily adaptable manner.

[0048] In one embodiment of the present invention, the oil gun status output unit includes a solid-state relay, a switching device, a second current-limiting resistor, a third current-limiting resistor, and a pull-down resistor. The positive input terminal of the solid-state relay is connected to the power input terminal via the second current-limiting resistor; the negative input terminal of the solid-state relay is connected to the first terminal of the switching device; the second terminal of the switching device is grounded; the control terminal of the switching device is connected to the output terminal of the main control module via the third current-limiting resistor; the control terminal of the switching device is also grounded via the pull-down resistor; and the first and second output terminals of the solid-state relay are respectively connected to the oil gun interface of the oil dispenser mainboard.

[0049] In the above embodiments, the oil gun status output unit can be used to forward the status of the oil gun to the oil gun interface on the oil generator mainboard. For example, Figure 4 This demonstrates a connection method for a gun control interface, with the oil gun status output unit being... Figure 4The circuit above. Nzl is the connection terminal for the gun control interface. Pins 3 and 4 of this terminal are connected to NZL_OUT1 and NZL_OUT2 respectively. These two pins can be connected to the oil gun interface on the main board of the generator, and are used to forward the oil gun status to the oil gun interface on the main board. Furthermore, the output of the main control module can be connected to NOZZLE_OUT. The principle of this circuit is as follows: when the output of the main control module, NOZZLE_OUT, is high, the solid-state relay is turned on, outputting a gun-lifting signal; when the output of the main control module, NOZZLE_OUT, is low, the solid-state relay is turned off, outputting a gun-hanging signal. The main board of the generator can acquire the oil gun status by real-time acquisition of the level output by the oil gun status output unit. The oil gun status output unit provided in this embodiment can realize the forwarding of the oil gun status, and the circuit is small in size, low in cost, and simple to modify.

[0050] In one embodiment of the present invention, the data relay module includes a third communication interface and at least one fourth communication interface. The data relay module is connected to the communication interface of the generator motherboard via the third communication interface and to the communication interface of the keyboard control board via the fourth communication interface. In this embodiment, when there are multiple keyboard control boards, the data relay module can connect to the communication interfaces of each of the multiple keyboard control boards one-to-one via the multiple fourth communication interfaces.

[0051] In the above embodiments, both the third and fourth communication interfaces can be serial communication interfaces. The data transfer module can connect to one or more keyboard control boards simultaneously and interact with them concurrently. For example, a data transfer module can connect to one to three other data transfer modules simultaneously and interact with each module via a pre-defined communication protocol, thereby enabling data querying, configuration, and other related functions for each keyboard control board. Furthermore, the data transfer module can also connect to the communication interface of the generator motherboard and interact with it via a protocol to control its functions. In this embodiment, the communication protocol between the data transfer module and the keyboard control boards, the data interaction content, and the number of keyboard control boards connected can be configured according to actual conditions; this embodiment does not impose specific limitations on these settings.

[0052] In one embodiment of the present invention, the fuel dispenser card-operated control system further includes a hub and a cloud platform. The data transfer module further includes a fifth communication interface and a data storage unit. The data transfer module is connected to the hub via the fifth communication interface, and the hub is connected to the cloud platform via a wireless communication interface. The data storage unit is connected to the data transfer module and can be used to store at least one of the following: fuel card verification information, fuel dispenser information, and historical transaction data.

[0053] In the above embodiments, such as Figure 5 As shown, the fuel dispenser card linkage control system can also include a hub and a cloud platform. In this embodiment, by setting up a hub and a cloud platform in the system, communication between the data transfer module and the cloud platform can be achieved through devices such as the hub and a local computer. This facilitates the data transfer module in performing related functions such as data query, data upload, and data configuration. Figure 6 As shown, in the internal program logic of the data transfer module, the class object of the data transfer module can be responsible for creating each device object and its worker thread. Each worker thread is bound to a serial port receive buffer. The dashed lines in the figure represent the logical interaction relationship between devices. They cannot interact directly (data access and method calls must be completed through the data transfer module, which acts as an intermediary). The solid lines represent the logical relationship where direct access and method calls are possible.

[0054] Furthermore, the data transfer module also includes a data storage unit. This unit can store transaction data, system time, oil prices, and other relevant data. One data transfer module can simultaneously connect to multiple keyboard control panels and store transaction data from multiple fuel dispensers. In this embodiment, by setting up a data transfer module, hub, and cloud platform in the system, data from the fuel dispensers and keyboard control panels can be processed and uploaded in a timely manner. This facilitates the management and traceability of fuel dispensing data and also enables remote control of the fuel dispensers, thereby improving their level of intelligence.

[0055] In one embodiment of the present invention, the fuel dispenser card linkage control system further includes a display, and the keyboard control panel further includes a display interface. The keyboard control panel is connected to the display through the display interface. The display is used to display at least one of the following information: fuel nozzle status prompt information corresponding to the status of the fuel nozzle, fuel card information, and user query information.

[0056] In the above embodiments, the fuel dispenser card linkage control system also includes a display, which can be connected to the keyboard control panel via a display interface. Figure 7 As shown, a schematic diagram of a display is provided, such as Figure 7As shown, the display can show prompts and information related to the refueling process. In different scenarios, it will display matching information in real time to guide the user to perform relevant operations. In card-operated fuel dispensers, the display is mainly used to show user operation prompts and feedback information. For example, when idle, the display can prompt the user to insert their card for refueling; when the card is inserted, it can display that card information is being queried, waiting for backend authorization; after obtaining the card information, it can display the card balance; if a password is required, the user can enter it for verification; after verification, it can prompt the user to lift the nozzle for refueling; and during refueling, it can display information such as "refueling in progress." By setting up a display in the card-operated fuel dispenser control system, the interaction efficiency and convenience between the fuel dispenser and the user can be improved.

[0057] In one embodiment of the present invention, the fuel dispenser card linkage control system further includes a standard keyboard. The standard keyboard includes multiple keys and a display, with each key corresponding to a key on the fuel dispenser's keyboard. The standard keyboard can be used to replace the fuel dispenser's keyboard.

[0058] In the above embodiments, a standard keyboard can also be set in the fuel dispenser card linkage control system. This keyboard is compatible with the original keyboard of the fuel dispenser and is equipped with a display. In this embodiment, by setting a standard keyboard in the system, the original keyboard in the fuel dispenser can be replaced, thereby improving the aesthetics and practicality of the fuel dispenser and increasing the efficiency of the fuel dispenser modification.

[0059] On the other hand, embodiments of the present invention also provide a fuel dispenser, which includes the fuel dispenser card-operated linkage control system described in any of the above embodiments. Specifically, after connecting the fuel dispenser card-operated linkage control system to the original fuel dispenser motherboard, fuel nozzle switch, fuel nozzle, keyboard board, and keyboard circuit modules of the fuel dispenser in the manner described in the above embodiments, a fuel dispenser without card insertion function can be transformed into a fuel dispenser with card-operated linkage function. In this embodiment, the internal connection method and hardware modification process of the modified fuel dispenser can refer to the above embodiments, and will not be repeated here.

[0060] The embodiments described above are merely illustrative of several implementations of the present invention, and while the descriptions are relatively specific and detailed, they should not be construed as limiting the scope of the invention patent. It should be noted that those skilled in the art can make various modifications and improvements without departing from the concept of the present invention, and these all fall within the protection scope of the present invention. Therefore, the protection scope of this invention patent should be determined by the appended claims.

Claims

1. A card-operated linkage control system for fuel dispensers, used to retrofit fuel dispensers without card insertion functionality with card-operated linkage functionality, characterized in that, The fuel dispenser includes a main board, a nozzle switch, a nozzle, a keypad, and a keypad. The system includes a card reader, a keypad control board, and a data transfer module. The keyboard control board is connected to the card reader, the data transfer module, the keyboard, the oil gun switch, and the oil gun interface of the oil machine motherboard, and is connected to the keyboard interface of the oil machine motherboard through the keyboard board. The data transfer module is connected to the communication interface of the oil machine motherboard. The keyboard control board is used to receive key values ​​input by the user through the keyboard and forward the key values ​​to the fuel dispenser motherboard. It is also used to receive the card information of the fuel card through the card reader, obtain the verification information of the fuel card through the data transfer module, verify the card information through the verification information, and control the fuel nozzle to enter the authorized refueling state according to the verification result. The keyboard control board includes a main control module, a keyboard input interface, and a keyboard output interface. The keyboard output interface includes a key value recognition unit and a voltage conversion unit. The input terminal of the key value recognition unit is connected to the main control module, and the output terminal of the key value recognition unit is connected to the input terminal of the voltage conversion unit. The output terminal of the voltage conversion unit is connected to the input terminal of the keyboard board, and the output terminal of the keyboard board is connected to the keyboard interface of the fuel dispenser's main board. The voltage conversion unit includes multiple solid-state relays. The input terminal of each solid-state relay is connected to one output terminal of the key value recognition unit, and the output terminal of each solid-state relay is connected to one input terminal of the fuel dispenser's keyboard board.

2. The fuel dispenser card linkage control system according to claim 1, characterized in that, The keyboard control board includes a main control module, a keyboard input interface, a keyboard output interface, a gun control interface, a first communication interface, and a second communication interface, wherein... The input end of the keyboard input interface is connected to the keyboard of the fuel dispenser, the output end of the keyboard input interface is connected to the main control module, the main control module is connected to the input end of the keyboard output interface, and the output end of the keyboard output interface is connected to the input end of the keyboard board. The gun control interface includes a gun status input unit and a gun status output unit. The input terminal of the gun status input unit is connected to the gun switch, the output terminal of the gun status input unit is connected to the main control module, the input terminal of the gun status output unit is connected to the main control module, and the output terminal of the gun status output unit is connected to the gun interface of the generator motherboard. The main control module is connected to the communication interface of the data relay module through the first communication interface, and to the communication interface of the card reader through the second communication interface.

3. The fuel dispenser card linkage control system according to claim 2, characterized in that, The oil gun status input unit includes an optocoupler, a Zener diode, a first current-limiting resistor, and a pull-up resistor, wherein... The positive input terminal of the optocoupler is connected to the power input terminal through the Zener diode, and the negative input terminal of the optocoupler is connected to the oil gun switch through the first current limiting resistor; The first output terminal of the optocoupler is connected to the input terminal of the main control module. The first output terminal of the optocoupler is also connected to the power input terminal through the pull-up resistor. The second output terminal of the optocoupler is grounded.

4. The fuel dispenser card linkage control system according to claim 2, characterized in that, The oil gun status output unit includes a solid-state relay, a switching device, a second current-limiting resistor, a third current-limiting resistor, and a pull-down resistor, wherein... The positive input terminal of the solid-state relay is connected to the power input terminal through the second current-limiting resistor, the negative input terminal of the solid-state relay is connected to the first terminal of the switching device, the second terminal of the switching device is grounded, the control terminal of the switching device is connected to the output terminal of the main control module through the third current-limiting resistor, and the control terminal of the switching device is also grounded through the pull-down resistor. The first output terminal and the second output terminal of the solid-state relay are respectively connected to the oil gun interface of the oil generator mainboard.

5. The fuel dispenser card linkage control system according to claim 1, characterized in that, The data relay module includes a third communication interface and at least one fourth communication interface, wherein, The data relay module is connected to the communication interface of the generator motherboard through the third communication interface, and to the communication interface of the keyboard control board through the fourth communication interface. When there are multiple keyboard control panels, the data transfer module is connected to the communication interfaces of the multiple keyboard control panels one by one through the multiple fourth communication interfaces.

6. The fuel dispenser card linkage control system according to claim 1 or 5, characterized in that, The fuel dispenser card linkage control system also includes a hub and a cloud platform; the data transfer module also includes a fifth communication interface and a data storage unit, wherein... The data relay module is connected to the hub through the fifth communication interface, and the hub is connected to the cloud platform through a wireless communication interface; The data storage unit is connected to the data transfer module and is used to store at least one of the following: verification information of the fuel card, fuel dispenser information of the fuel dispenser, and historical transaction data.

7. The fuel dispenser card linkage control system according to claim 1, characterized in that, The fuel dispenser card linkage control system also includes a display, and the keyboard control panel also includes a display interface; The keyboard control panel is connected to the display via the display interface. The display is used to display at least one of the following: fuel nozzle status prompt information corresponding to the status of the fuel nozzle, fuel card information, and user query information.

8. The fuel dispenser card linkage control system according to claim 7, characterized in that, The fuel dispenser card linkage control system also includes a standard keyboard, wherein the standard keyboard includes multiple keys and the display, and the multiple keys in the standard keyboard are configured to correspond one-to-one with the multiple keys of the fuel dispenser's keyboard, and the standard keyboard is used to replace the fuel dispenser's keyboard.

9. A refueling machine, characterized in that, The fuel dispenser includes a fuel dispenser card linkage control system as described in any one of claims 1 to 8.

Images