Fuel supply system

Abstract

To enable efficient monitoring and control of fuel supply operations to vehicles. [Solution] The fuel supply system in this example comprises UWB anchors 30 that perform UWB communication and are deployed in the service station (SS), and UWB tags 12 that perform UWB communication and are deployed in the vehicle 10 that supplies fuel at the SS. Multiple UWB anchors 30 are installed at different locations within the SS. The UWB tags 12 are associated with predetermined information that has been set in advance regarding fuel supply. Based on measurement data obtained from UWB communication between the multiple UWB anchors 30 in the SS and the UWB tags 12 in the vehicle 10, the system identifies the fuel supply lane where the vehicle 10 is located, and then controls the fuel supply to the vehicle according to the predetermined information associated with the UWB tags 12.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a fuel supply system that performs control related to fuel supply to a vehicle.

Background Art

[0002] At a service station (hereinafter referred to as "SS"), generally, a person who refuels drives their own vehicle and stops at a refueling lane where a refueling meter is located. SSs include full-service SSs, self-service SSs, private refueling stations, fuel refueling stations, EV charging stations, hydrogen stations, and other similar facilities. When refueling, before starting refueling, store staff or the refueler themselves perform a credit check operation related to payment settlement (card payment, cash payment, prepaid payment, online payment, etc.) and an order operation for setting the fuel type, fuel amount, etc. to be refueled, using a POS (Point Of Sales) terminal. Only after the above confirmation operations including the credit check are completed can the refueling work be started. Since the series of operations before the refueling work takes several tens of seconds to several minutes, the situation is inefficient for SS users.

[0003] Conventional technologies in the technical field related to the present invention include the following. For example, Patent Document 1 discloses a refueling system including: a meter for refueling a vehicle; a POS system that controls refueling using the meter and confirms refueling results for settlement of the refueling; an imaging unit that captures an image of a vehicle located in the refueling area of the SS; a mobile terminal position specifying unit that specifies the position of a mobile terminal; and a management server that supplies refueling instruction information to the POS system based on information pre-registered from the mobile terminal, vehicle position information obtained from the image captured by the imaging unit, and mobile terminal position information obtained from the mobile terminal position specifying unit.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0004]

Patent Document 1

Summary of Invention

[0005] Traditionally, GPS (Global Positioning System), Bluetooth, and Wi-Fi have been used to determine the location of objects such as people, vehicles, and other objects. However, these technologies have positioning errors, meaning that the positioning result may differ from the actual location of the object. For example, GPS positioning is effective outdoors, but sufficient accuracy cannot be obtained indoors, in the shadow of large buildings, underground, or in places affected by reflective surfaces or obstacles. For example, Bluetooth and Wi-Fi positioning methods measure radio wave strength, which can result in positioning accuracy errors of several meters. Therefore, the above positioning methods are difficult to use in situations where it is necessary to keep positioning accuracy errors to around 1 meter or less.

[0006] As disclosed in Patent Document 1, the use of positioning technology in refueling systems has been considered, but conventional positioning methods have the problems described above. In addition, at gas stations, it is necessary to verify creditworthiness (card payment, cash payment, prepaid payment, online payment, etc.) before starting refueling to ensure that payment for the refueled fuel can be charged. Conventionally, this credit verification was performed by operating a POS terminal, but the series of operations took tens of seconds to several minutes, making it inefficient for users. This was a common problem for both full gas stations where store staff handle the operation and self-service gas stations where customers refuel themselves.

[0007] This invention has been made in view of the above-mentioned conventional circumstances, and aims to enable efficient monitoring and control of fuel supply operations to vehicles. [Means for solving the problem]

[0008] To achieve the above objectives, a fuel supply system according to one aspect of the present invention is configured as follows: It comprises a first communication device that performs UWB communication and is deployed at a service station, and a second communication device that performs UWB communication and is deployed in a vehicle that receives fuel at the service station, wherein multiple first communication devices are installed at different locations within the service station, and predetermined information set in advance regarding fuel supply is associated with the second communication device, and after identifying the fuel supply lane where the vehicle is located based on measurement data obtained regarding UWB communication between the multiple first communication devices and the second communication device, control is performed regarding fuel supply to the vehicle according to the predetermined information associated with the second communication device.

[0009] The first communication device is, for example, mounted on the side of each meter installed for each fuel supply lane, on the side facing the fuel supply lane. The second communication device is positioned, for example, in a location visible from the meter for the fuel supply lane where the vehicle is located.

[0010] The measurement data may include the distance between each of the plurality of first communication devices and the second communication device. When a first communication device is detected whose distance from the two communication devices is below a predetermined threshold, it may be determined that the vehicle is present in the fuel supply lane corresponding to the installation location of the first communication device.

[0011] The first communication device may also be installed near the waiting position of vehicles waiting in line for fuel supply. When a first communication device is detected at a distance of less than or equal to a predetermined threshold from the second communication device, it may be determined that the vehicle is present in the fuel supply lane or waiting position corresponding to the installation location of the first communication device.

[0012] As the predetermined threshold, for example, the radius distance of a semicircle formed with the mounting position of the first communication device on the metering machine as the center and including the fuel supply lane facing the mounting position is used.

[0013] The fuel supply system may further include a third communication device that performs Bluetooth communication and is deployed at or near the entrance / exit of the service station, and a fourth communication device that performs Bluetooth communication and is deployed in the vehicle, and may be configured to detect the vehicle's entry into the service station and the vehicle's exit from the service station based on measurement data obtained regarding Bluetooth communication between the third communication device and the fourth communication device.

[0014] The fourth communication device is, for example, a portable terminal owned by the user of the vehicle. The predetermined information includes fuel supply information and payment method information specified through the portable terminal, and the system may be configured to supply fuel to the vehicle based on the fuel supply information specified through the portable terminal, and to process the payment for the fuel supply based on the payment method information specified through the portable terminal.

[0015] One of the first communication device and the second communication device may be a UWB anchor, and the other may be a UWB tag.

[0016] A server according to another aspect of the present invention is configured as follows: In a fuel supply system comprising a first communication device that performs UWB communication and is deployed at a service station, and a second communication device that performs UWB communication and is deployed in a vehicle that supplies fuel at the service station, the server controls the supply of fuel to the vehicle, wherein the first communication device is installed in multiple locations at different positions within the service station, and predetermined information set in advance regarding fuel supply is associated with the second communication device, and the server identifies the fuel supply lane where the vehicle is located based on measurement data obtained regarding UWB communication between the multiple first communication devices and the second communication device, and then controls the supply of fuel to the vehicle according to the predetermined information associated with the second communication device. [Effects of the Invention]

[0017] According to the present invention, it is possible to efficiently perform monitoring and control of fuel supply work to a vehicle. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0018] [Figure 1] It is a diagram showing an outline of positioning using UWB. [Figure 2] It is a diagram showing an arrangement example of UWB anchors in a horizontally long gate-type SS. [Figure 3] It is a diagram showing an arrangement example of UWB anchors in a vertical square-type SS. [Figure 4] It is a diagram showing an arrangement example of UWB anchors in a parking lot. [Figure 5] It is a diagram showing another arrangement example of UWB anchors in a horizontally long gate-type SS. [Figure 6] It is a diagram showing another arrangement example of UWB anchors in a vertical square-type SS. [Figure 7] It is a diagram showing a configuration example of a fuel supply system according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 8] It is a diagram for explaining a threshold value related to the arrival distance of a UWB pulse. [Figure 9] It is a diagram showing an example of a processing flow related to determination of a fuel supply lane where a vehicle has stopped. [Figure 10] It is a diagram showing an outline of processing by the fuel supply system shown in Figure 7. [Figure 11] It is a diagram showing an arrangement example of UWB anchors in an SS having a standby lane for vehicles waiting in line for fuel supply. [Figure 12] It is a diagram showing an example of a correspondence table representing the relationship between distances measured by each UWB anchor and the fuel supply lane where the vehicle has stopped. [Figure 13] It is a diagram showing a configuration example of a fuel supply system according to another embodiment of the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS

[0019] Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. First, we will explain positioning using ultra-wideband (UWB) wireless technology, which uses the 7.25-10.25 GHz band. When you want to keep the positioning error of an object (person, vehicle, object, etc.) to less than 1 meter, whether indoors or outdoors, one method to achieve this is to use UWB for positioning. In the following, positioning using UWB will be referred to as "UWB positioning".

[0020] In UWB positioning, a transmitter capable of UWB communication (hereinafter referred to as "UWB tag") is attached to the object to be positioned. The UWB tag emits a short-duration UWB pulse of about 1 nanosecond. The UWB pulse emitted from the UWB tag is received by a UWB base station (hereinafter referred to as "UWB anchor") that has been installed in advance for reception. The UWB anchor that receives the UWB pulse calculates the distance to the arrival of the UWB pulse (i.e., the distance between the UWB tag and the UWB anchor) based on the arrival time of the UWB pulse. Then, a positioning application located higher up on these devices calculates the position of the UWB tag using a predetermined positioning algorithm based on the position information of the UWB anchor and the distance information obtained by the UWB anchor. In addition, some positioning applications can also calculate the trajectory of the UWB tag's movement.

[0021] Figure 1 shows an overview of UWB positioning. In the example in Figure 1, four fuel supply lanes identified as #1 to #4 are provided within the SS (Service Station) premises. However, the present invention does not necessarily have to be for refueling; it can be any place that supplies fuel, such as an EV charging station for charging electric vehicles or a hydrogen station for supplying hydrogen to hydrogen vehicles. Furthermore, a fuel supply (refueling) lane here refers to a parking lane where vehicles stop for fuel supply. A fuel dispenser 20 is installed on the island between fuel supply lane (#1) and fuel supply lane (#2), and between fuel supply lane (#3) and fuel supply lane (#4). In addition, multiple UWB anchors 30 (three UWB anchors 30-1 to 30-3 in Figure 1) are installed at different locations within the SS premises.

[0022] Let's assume that vehicle 10, equipped with a UWB tag 12, has stopped in the fuel supply lane (#1). Each UWB anchor 30 in the service station calculates the distance to the arrival of the UWB pulse based on the UWB pulse emitted from vehicle 10's UWB tag 12 and transmits the distance information to the positioning application 40. The positioning application 40 calculates the position of the UWB tag 12 (i.e., the position of vehicle 10) using, for example, a three-point positioning algorithm, based on the pre-registered position information of each UWB anchor 30 and the distance information received from each UWB anchor 30. With three-point positioning, the positioning accuracy error can be kept to about 30 cm, so it is possible to accurately determine that vehicle 10 has stopped in the fuel supply lane (#1).

[0023] Here, the accuracy of UWB positioning can be improved by various methods. For example, positioning accuracy can be improved by increasing the number of UWB anchors, optimizing the spacing between UWB anchors, improving the reception sensitivity of UWB anchors, improving the positioning algorithm, shortening the transmission period of UWB pulses, improving the transmission intensity of UWB pulses, or a combination of these.

[0024] UWB positioning can be used for a variety of applications. Examples of such applications include the following: (Use 1) Identifying fuel supply lanes at service stations (Use 2) Identifying parking areas in parking lots These applications shall utilize vehicles equipped with UWB tags. Here, vehicles equipped with UWB tags include vehicles with UWB tags installed inside the vehicle, vehicles with a UWB chip that emits UWB pulses, vehicles with a driver (or passenger) carrying a UWB tag, and vehicles with a driver (or passenger) carrying a mobile device with a UWB chip. Vehicles include automobiles, motorcycles, trucks, buses, etc. Mobile devices include portable wireless devices such as smartphones and tablets with wireless communication capabilities.

[0025] (Purpose 1) Identification of fuel supply lanes at service stations At a gas station (SS), it is necessary to identify the fuel supply lane (vehicle stopping position) where a vehicle has stopped to refuel. By using UWB positioning, the vehicle's position within the SS can be determined with high precision, allowing for the accurate identification of the fuel supply lane where the vehicle has stopped. It is also possible to determine whether the vehicle's position is within the vehicle stopping frame (yellow or white line frame) that represents the fuel supply lane. In the case of ceiling-mounted fuel dispensers rather than island-mounted dispensers, the fuel supply lane is set to the range that the dispenser's nozzle can reach.

[0026] Furthermore, as will be described later, by constructing a fuel supply system utilizing UWB positioning, it becomes possible to efficiently identify service station users, and it becomes possible to shorten or eliminate the credit check and order operations, such as setting fuel type and quantity, which previously took tens of seconds to several minutes before fuel supply began. Since payment transactions are involved in fuel supply, UWB positioning, which can accurately identify fuel supply lanes, is effective. In addition, because UWB positioning is not only highly accurate but also fast, it is possible to easily respond even if the fuel supply lane that has been determined is changed.

[0027] UWB anchors used for UWB positioning in a service station (SS) are preferably positioned to communicate appropriately with UWB tags located at any point within the SS. For example, multiple UWB anchors are positioned according to the structure and layout of the SS. Figure 2 shows an example of UWB anchor placement in a horizontally oriented gate-type SS. Figure 3 shows an example of UWB anchor placement in a vertically oriented square-type SS. In Figures 2 and 3, four UWB anchors 30-1 to 30-4 are positioned to surround the eight fuel supply lanes identified as #1 to #8.

[0028] (Use 2) Identifying parking areas in parking lots In parking lots, it is necessary to identify the parking area (vehicle stopping position) where a vehicle has parked. By using UWB positioning, the vehicle's position within the parking lot can be determined with high precision, allowing for accurate identification of the parking area where the vehicle has stopped. It is also possible to determine whether the vehicle's position is within the vehicle stopping area (the frame with yellow or white lines) that represents the parking area. Furthermore, there are no particular limitations on the type of parking lot to which UWB positioning can be applied; it can be applied to various types of parking lots, including outdoor open-air parking lots, covered parking lots, indoor underground parking lots, and multi-story parking garages.

[0029] Furthermore, similar to (Use 1), by constructing a parking system utilizing UWB positioning, it becomes possible to shorten or eliminate operational tasks that previously took tens of seconds to several minutes, such as receiving entry cards upon entry and settling payments upon exit. UWB positioning, which can accurately identify parking areas, is effective because it involves payment transactions. It is also effective in identifying service station users, making it possible to effectively check for unauthorized parking. In addition, UWB positioning is not only highly accurate but also fast, making it easy to respond even if a previously determined parking area changes.

[0030] UWB anchors used for UWB positioning in parking lots are preferably positioned to communicate appropriately with UWB tags located at any point within the parking lot. For example, multiple UWB anchors are positioned according to the structure and layout of the parking lot. Figure 4 shows an example of UWB anchor placement in a parking lot. In Figure 4, four UWB anchors 30-1 to 30-4 are positioned to surround eight parking areas identified as #1 to #8.

[0031] Furthermore, the positioning algorithm used for UWB positioning is not limited to the three-point positioning algorithm described above; other positioning algorithms can also be used. For example, a positioning algorithm that calculates the position of a UWB tag based on the distance from which the UWB pulse arrived, the direction from which the UWB pulse arrived, and the installation position of the UWB anchor may be used.

[0032] Figure 5 shows a different arrangement example of UWB anchors in a horizontally oriented gate-type gas station than that shown in Figure 2. Figure 6 shows a different arrangement example of UWB anchors in a vertically oriented square-type gas station than that shown in Figure 3. In Figures 5 and 6, a UWB anchor 30-1 is attached to the side of the metering machine 20 located between fuel supply lanes (#1) and (#2), facing fuel supply lane (#1), and a UWB anchor 30-2 is attached to the side of the metering machine 20 located between fuel supply lanes (#3) and (#4), between fuel supply lanes (#5) and (#6), and between fuel supply lanes (#7) and (#8), facing the corresponding fuel supply lanes, with UWB anchors 30-3 to 30-8 attached to the sides of each metering machine 20 located between fuel supply lanes (#3) and (#4), between fuel supply lanes (#5) and (#6), and between fuel supply lanes (#7) and (#8).

[0033] In other words, a UWB anchor is placed in a one-to-one correspondence with each of the multiple fuel supply lanes within the service station. With this arrangement, by detecting a UWB anchor whose arrival distance of the UWB pulse is less than a predetermined threshold, it becomes possible to accurately identify the fuel supply lane where the pulse source UWB tag is located, i.e., the fuel supply lane where the vehicle is stopped. Furthermore, as shown in Figures 5 and 6, if a UWB anchor is attached to the side of the fuel dispenser 20 that faces the fuel supply lane, the fuel dispenser 20 will obstruct the arrival of UWB pulses from UWB tags in the fuel supply lane on the opposite side of where the UWB anchor is attached. Therefore, it is possible to reduce the possibility of misidentifying the fuel supply lane where the vehicle is stopped.

[0034] Next, we will explain in more detail the fuel supply system that utilizes UWB positioning. Figure 7 shows an example configuration of a fuel supply system according to one embodiment of the present invention. The fuel supply system in Figure 7 has a POS system installed in a gas station. The POS system includes a fuel dispenser 20 that supplies fuel to a vehicle 10, a control device 24 that controls the operation of the fuel dispenser 20, and a server 50 that performs various processing related to fuel supply. The server 50 can communicate with an authentication management system 60 located in a network environment such as the cloud via an authentication management network.

[0035] Within the service station (SS), a beacon tag 32 is installed to detect when vehicle 10 has arrived at the SS, and a UWB anchor 30 and positioning application 40 are installed to identify the fuel supply lane where vehicle 10 has stopped. In addition, vehicle 10 is equipped with a mobile terminal 14 that communicates with the beacon tag 32 via Bluetooth and a UWB tag 12 that communicates with the UWB anchor 30 via UWB. The UWB anchor 30 is an example of a first communication device according to the present invention. The UWB tag 12 is an example of a second communication device according to the present invention. The beacon tag 32 is an example of a third communication device according to the present invention. The mobile terminal 14 is an example of a fourth communication device according to the present invention.

[0036] In this example, the beacon tag 32 is installed at or near the entrance / exit of the service station. Furthermore, multiple UWB anchors 30 are assumed to be installed in the configuration shown in Figure 5 or Figure 6. Note that devices that perform predetermined calculations, such as the server 50 and the positioning application 40, may be located on a network environment such as the cloud, provided that network latency is not a concern.

[0037] The beacon tag 32 is a transmitter that emits beacon signals using the BLE (Bluetooth Low Energy) method, a type of Bluetooth. The beacon signals emitted from the beacon tag 32 are received by a mobile terminal 14 that has Bluetooth communication capabilities. The beacon tag 32 is installed at or near the entrance / exit of the gas station (SS). Therefore, when a vehicle 10 carrying the mobile terminal 14 passes through the entrance / exit of the gas station, the mobile terminal 14 receives the beacon signal. Furthermore, the closer the vehicle 10 gets to the entrance / exit of the gas station, the stronger the received beacon signal becomes.

[0038] Therefore, by measuring the reception strength of the beacon signal with the mobile terminal 14 and determining whether the reception strength is above a preset threshold, it is possible to detect when the vehicle 10 enters or exits the service area (SS). Bluetooth is a wireless communication method that uses the 2.4GHz frequency band and can only achieve a positioning accuracy of about 3m, but this is sufficient positioning accuracy to detect when the vehicle 10 enters or exits the service area (SS).

[0039] The beacon signal transmitted from the beacon tag 32 includes beacon identification information that identifies the beacon tag 32. Furthermore, a database (not shown) is available on the network environment that associates SS identification information, which identifies the SS where the beacon tag 32 is installed, with the beacon identification information. Therefore, by using the beacon identification information contained in the beacon signal received by the mobile terminal 14 as a key to refer to the above database, it is possible to identify the SS that the vehicle 10 entered or exited.

[0040] When the UWB anchor 30 receives a UWB pulse transmitted from a UWB tag 12 located inside the vehicle 10, it calculates the distance to the UWB pulse based on the arrival time of the UWB pulse and transmits the obtained distance information to the positioning application 40. The UWB pulse contains tag identification information that identifies the UWB tag 12 that transmitted it. Therefore, by referring to the tag identification information contained in the UWB pulse, it is possible to identify the UWB tag 12 that transmitted the UWB pulse.

[0041] It is preferable to place the UWB tag 12 deployed on the vehicle 10 in a position where it can be seen from the UWB anchor 30 deployed at the SS (a position where there are no obstacles between the UWB anchor 30 and the UWB tag 12 that would cause communication interference). In this example, as shown in Figure 5 or Figure 6, the UWB anchor 30 is attached to the side of each metering machine 20 installed for each fuel supply lane that faces the fuel supply lane (i.e., the front that directly faces the fuel supply lane), so it is preferable to place the UWB tag 12 in the vehicle 10 in a location visible from the metering machine 20. This allows the UWB anchor 30 provided for each fuel supply lane to receive UWB pulses transmitted from the UWB tag 12 inside the vehicle 10 when it is stopped in that fuel supply lane.

[0042] The UWB tag 12 may be a fixed type permanently installed in a designated location within the vehicle 10, or it may be a portable type that can be carried by the fuel supplier (or passenger). Fixed UWB tags have a lower risk of damage from falling and help prevent loss. Portable UWB tags can be flexibly repositioned to ensure good communication with the UWB anchor 30. Fixed and portable UWB tags may be used in combination. The UWB tag 12 may be built into the vehicle 10, or it may be built into a mobile device 14 such as a smartphone or tablet.

[0043] The positioning application 40 identifies the fuel supply lane where the UWB tag 12 is located (i.e., the fuel supply lane where the vehicle 10 is stopped) based on multiple distance information transmitted from multiple UWB anchors 30 within the SS. Identifying the fuel supply lane where the UWB tag 12 is located can be done by various methods.

[0044] In the first method, the positioning application 40 first determines the position of the UWB tag 12 using a tri-point positioning method based on multiple distance information transmitted from three or more UWB anchors 30 and the position information of these UWB anchors 30, and then identifies the fuel supply lane in which the UWB tag 12 is located in light of the position information of each fuel supply lane. That is, the positioning application 40 accurately determines the position of the UWB tag 12 using high-precision UWB positioning, and then identifies the fuel supply lane in which the UWB tag 12 is located. In this case, the positioning application 40 may further track the movement of the vehicle 10 within the service area and determine whether the vehicle 10 is behaving abnormally.

[0045] In the second method, the positioning application 40 compares distance information transmitted from the UWB anchor 30 with a predetermined threshold, and if a UWB anchor 30 is detected for which distance information below the threshold is obtained, it determines that a UWB tag 12 is present in the fuel supply lane corresponding to the installation location of that UWB anchor 30. According to the second method, since the positioning of the UWB tag 12 can be omitted, it is possible to easily identify the fuel supply lane in which the UWB tag 12 is present.

[0046] Here, the threshold value is set considering the positional relationship between the metering machine 20 and the fuel supply lane, the size of the fuel supply lane, etc. As an example, as shown in Figure 8, suppose that multiple metering machines 20 are installed at intervals of 7.0 m, and that two fuel supply lanes (for example, fuel supply lane (#2) and fuel supply lane (#3)) with dimensions of 5.0 m vertically and 2.0 m horizontally are provided adjacent to each other. Here, suppose that a semicircle H is virtually provided with the mounting position of the UWB anchor 30 to the metering machine 20 as the center and including the fuel supply lane facing the mounting position, and that the radius of the semicircle H is 3.5 m. Furthermore, the semicircle H includes the fuel supply lane corresponding to the installation position of the UWB anchor 30 (for example, fuel supply lane (#2)), but does not include the fuel supply lane adjacent to that fuel supply lane (for example, fuel supply lane (#3)).

[0047] In this case, if the distance information obtained by the UWB anchor 30 is less than or equal to the radius of the semicircle H of 3.5m, the UWB tag 12 may be present in the fuel supply lane corresponding to the installation location of the UWB anchor 30, but it cannot be present in the fuel supply lane adjacent to that fuel supply lane. Therefore, under the conditions shown in Figure 8, it can be seen that 3.5m, which corresponds to the radius of the semicircle H, should be used as the threshold value. It should be noted that false detections can be reduced by assuming a smaller semicircle H (i.e., using a smaller threshold value). Conversely, it is possible to reduce missed detections by assuming a larger semicircle H (i.e., using a larger threshold value).

[0048] The process flow for identifying the fuel supply lane where vehicle 10 is stopped using the second method will be explained with reference to Figure 9. Figure 9 focuses on one of the multiple UWB anchors 30 installed in the service station, and the same process is performed for each individual UWB anchor 30. Furthermore, distance information, including the arrival distance of the measured UWB pulse, is periodically transmitted from each of the multiple UWB anchors 30.

[0049] When the positioning application 40 receives distance information from the UWB anchor 30 (step S10), it determines whether the arrival distance has changed since the last processing time (step S12). Note that the arrival distance includes measurement error, so it may be determined that the arrival distance has changed if the difference exceeds an acceptable value considering the measurement error, and that it has not changed otherwise. If the result of the determination is that the arrival distance has changed since the last processing time (step S12; Yes), it is determined that the vehicle 10 is moving and waits until the next distance information is received. On the other hand, if the arrival distance has not changed since the last processing time (step S12; No), it is determined whether the arrival distance is less than a threshold (for example, 3.5m) (step S14). If the result of the determination is that the arrival distance is less than the threshold (step S14; Yes), it is determined that the vehicle 10 has stopped in the fuel supply lane corresponding to the installation location of the UWB anchor 30 (step S16). On the other hand, if the approaching distance is greater than or equal to a threshold (step S14; No), it is determined that vehicle 10 has stopped in another fuel supply lane (for example, an adjacent fuel supply lane) (step S18).

[0050] The first method described above is effective when the number of UWB anchors 30 is fewer than the number of fuel supply lanes, as shown in Figure 2 or Figure 3. The second method is effective when the UWB anchors are installed in a one-to-one correspondence with the fuel supply lanes, as shown in Figure 5 or Figure 6. The first and second methods described above may also be combined to identify the fuel supply lanes where the UWB tags 12 are located. This makes it possible to more accurately identify the fuel supply lanes where the UWB tags 12 are located.

[0051] The server 50 performs overall control of fuel supply operations using the metering machine 20 and the control device 24. In the above description, a configuration in which the positioning application 40 and the server 50 are implemented in separate devices is assumed, but they may also be implemented in a single device. The authentication management system 60 is a system that authenticates users (fuel suppliers) of the service station. The authentication management system 60 is accessed from the mobile terminal 14 and the server 50. The positioning application 40, the server 50, and the authentication management system 60 can be implemented, for example, in a computer equipped with hardware resources such as a processor and memory, by having the processor execute programs related to each of the functions according to the present invention.

[0052] The series of processes in the fuel supply system shown in Figure 7 will be explained with reference to Figure 10. The user first associates their mobile terminal 14 with the UWB tag 12 and registers predetermined information through the mobile terminal 14 (step S21). Examples of predetermined information to be registered in advance include fuel supply specification information including the type and amount of fuel to be supplied (full tank refueling), vehicle information including the vehicle number and vehicle type, and user information including personal information such as the user's name and payment method information such as the credit card used for payment. The pre-registered information, including the association information between the mobile terminal 14 and the UWB tag 12, is transmitted from the mobile terminal 14 to the authentication management system 60 via a general communication line and stored in the database of the authentication management system 60.

[0053] Suppose a user possessing a mobile terminal 14 drives vehicle 10 into the premises of a service station (SS). At this time, the mobile terminal 14 receives a beacon signal transmitted from a beacon tag 32 located at or near the entrance / exit of the SS, and determines whether vehicle 10 has entered the SS and which SS it has visited. After these determinations, the mobile terminal 14 transmits visit detection information, including SS identification information that identifies the visited SS, along with its own terminal identification information (e.g., telephone number), to the authentication management system 60 via a general communication line (step S22). Based on the SS identification information and terminal identification information received from the mobile terminal 14, the authentication management system 60 can identify the SS and the vehicle (user), making it possible to understand the visit status of vehicles (users) to each SS.

[0054] After vehicle 10 enters the service station (SS), UWB pulses emitted from the UWB tag 12 inside vehicle 10 are received by UWB anchors 30 installed at various locations within the SS. Upon receiving the UWB pulses, the UWB anchors 30 calculate the distance from which the UWB pulses arrived and transmit the distance information to the positioning application 40. Based on the multiple distance information transmitted from the multiple UWB anchors 30, the positioning application 40 identifies the fuel supply lane where vehicle 10 has stopped. Once the positioning application 40 identifies the fuel supply lane where vehicle 10 has stopped, it transmits the stopping lane information indicating that fuel supply lane, and the tag identification information obtained from the UWB tag 12, to the POS system server 50. This information is transmitted from the server 50 to the authentication management system 60 via the authentication management network (step S23).

[0055] The authentication management system 60 performs composite authentication (step S24) by referring to pre-registered data stored in the database, based on the information received from the mobile terminal 14 and the information received from the positioning application 40 via the server 50. In this composite authentication, for example, it is determined whether the terminal identification information obtained from the mobile terminal 14 in the vehicle 10 that has visited the service station and the tag identification information obtained from the UWB tag 12 in the vehicle 10 that has visited the service station are consistent with the correspondence information between the mobile terminal 14 and the UWB tag 12.

[0056] If the composite authentication is successful, the authentication management system 60 reads the pre-registered fuel supply designation information from the database and sends it to the POS system server 50 via the authentication management network (step S25). The credit check for payment of fuel supply can be performed at any time before sending the fuel supply designation information to the server 50, for example, when the customer arrival detection information is received from the mobile terminal 14. If the composite authentication fails, the pre-registered information such as fuel type, fuel quantity, and payment method cannot be used, so the user will need to manually enter the fuel type, fuel quantity, payment method, etc. into the POS system.

[0057] The server 50 transmits fuel supply start information, based on fuel supply designation information received from the authentication management system 60, to the fuel supply meter 20 in the fuel supply lane corresponding to the parking lane information received from the positioning application 40, via the control device 24 (step S26). This allows, for example, if the type of fuel in the received fuel supply designation information is regular and fuel is to be supplied using a meter (or nozzle) corresponding to regular, fuel supply is permitted, but if the attempt is to supply fuel with a type of fuel other than regular (e.g., diesel), fuel supply is prohibited. Furthermore, for example, using a database (not shown) that stores vehicle information of stolen vehicles, it is possible to determine whether the vehicle is stolen or not from the vehicle information including the vehicle number and type in the received fuel supply designation information. If it is determined that the vehicle is not stolen, fuel supply is permitted, and if it is determined that the vehicle is stolen, fuel supply is prohibited. Subsequently, when the fuel supply to the vehicle 10 by the meter 20 is completed, fuel supply completion information is output from the meter 20 and transmitted to the server 50 via the control device 24 (steps S27, S28).

[0058] When server 50 receives fuel supply completion information, it generates fuel supply performance information and transmits it to authentication management system 60 via the authentication management network (step S29). Based on the fuel supply performance information received from server 50, authentication management system 60 performs settlement processing using a pre-registered settlement method. Subsequently, authentication management system 60 generates fuel supply performance information including the settlement result and transmits it to mobile terminal 14 via a general communication line (step S30).

[0059] As described above, the fuel supply system in this example comprises UWB anchors 30 that perform UWB communication and are deployed in the service station (SS), and UWB tags 12 that perform UWB communication and are deployed in the vehicle 10 that supplies fuel at the SS. Multiple UWB anchors 30 are installed at different locations within the SS. The UWB tags 12 are associated with predetermined information that has been set in advance regarding fuel supply. Based on measurement data obtained from UWB communication between the multiple UWB anchors 30 in the SS and the UWB tags 12 in the vehicle 10, the system identifies the fuel supply lane where the vehicle 10 is located, and then controls the fuel supply to the vehicle according to the predetermined information associated with the UWB tags 12.

[0060] Therefore, the fuel supply system in this example can efficiently and accurately detect an unspecified number of vehicles that visit a gas station and identify the fuel supply lane where a vehicle is parked. Furthermore, by having gas station users pre-register information that was previously entered via POS terminals within the gas station using their mobile devices, this information can be used to control fuel supply to vehicles, thus streamlining fuel supply operations. In addition, credit checks, which previously took tens of seconds to several minutes, can be completed much faster, significantly reducing the time users spend at the gas station. Moreover, by pre-registering fuel types corresponding to vehicle types (regular, premium, diesel, etc.), it is possible to prevent contamination by supplying the wrong type of fuel (for example, supplying diesel to a vehicle that requires regular gasoline). Furthermore, by performing consistency checks between the mobile device and the UWB tag, it is possible to prevent fraudulent fuel supply (for example, supplying fuel to a stolen vehicle). In this way, the fuel supply system in this example makes it possible to efficiently monitor and control fuel supply operations to vehicles.

[0061] Next, as an example of an extension of the fuel supply system shown in Figure 7, we will describe a fuel supply system in a service station (SS) that has a waiting lane for vehicles waiting in line for fuel. Figure 11 shows an example of the arrangement of UWB anchors in an SS with a waiting lane.

[0062] In Figure 11, four fuel supply lanes, identified as #1 to #4, are arranged in parallel within the SS (Service Station) premises. A UWB anchor 30-1 is attached to the side of the fuel supply lanes 20 located between fuel supply lanes (#1) and (#2), and a UWB anchor 30-2 is attached to the side of the fuel supply lanes 20 located between fuel supply lanes (#3) and (#4). Similarly, UWB anchors 30-3 to 30-4 are attached to the sides of the fuel supply lanes 20 located between fuel supply lanes (#3) and (#4).

[0063] Within the SS (service station) premises, there are also designated waiting areas for vehicles waiting for fuel supply. In this example, waiting lanes (#1') to (#4') are provided for each of the fuel supply lanes (#1) to (#4), with a gap of approximately one fuel supply lane length between them. Between waiting lane (#1') and waiting lane (#2'), there is an installation 26 such as a sign or advertisement board, with a UWB anchor 30-5 attached to the side facing waiting lane (#1') and a UWB anchor 30-6 attached to the side facing waiting lane (#2'). Similarly, the installation 26 between waiting lane (#3') and waiting lane (#4') also has UWB anchors 30-7 to 30-8 attached to the side facing the corresponding fuel supply lane.

[0064] In this case, the positioning application 40 identifies the fuel supply lane or waiting lane where the vehicle 10 is stopped, for example, using a procedure similar to that described with reference to Figure 9. That is, when the positioning application 40 receives distance information from the UWB anchor 30 (step S10), it determines whether the arrival distance has changed since the previous processing timing (step S12). Normally, the arrival distance includes measurement errors, so if a difference exceeding an acceptable value considering the measurement error occurs, it is determined that the arrival distance has changed. If the determination shows that the arrival distance has changed since the previous processing timing (step S12; Yes), it is determined that the vehicle 10 is moving and waits until the next distance information is received. On the other hand, if the arrival distance has not changed since the previous processing timing (step S12; No), it is determined whether the arrival distance is less than a threshold (for example, 3.5m) (step S14). If the determination is made and the arrival distance is less than the threshold (Step S14; Yes), it is determined that the vehicle 10 has stopped in the fuel supply lane or waiting lane corresponding to the installation location of the UWB anchor 30 (Step S16). On the other hand, if the arrival distance is greater than or equal to the threshold (Step S14; No), it is determined that the vehicle 10 has stopped in a different fuel supply lane or waiting lane (Step S18).

[0065] As described above, by providing UWB anchors 30 not only for each fuel supply lane but also for each standby lane, it becomes possible to identify which fuel supply lane or standby lane a vehicle is parked in. The installation 26 to which the UWB anchors 30 are attached is preferably something that can obstruct the propagation of UWB pulses, such as a metering device 20. The arrangement of the UWB anchors 30 is arbitrary, and the UWB anchors 30 may be arranged in a manner different from that shown in Figure 11.

[0066] Here, the fuel supply lane or waiting lane where vehicle 10 is stopped may be identified by referring to a pre-prepared correspondence table. Figure 12 shows an example of a correspondence table (matrix) that shows the relationship between the distance measured at each UWB anchor 30 and the lane where the vehicle is stopped. The horizontal rows of the correspondence table in Figure 12 represent the positions of the UWB anchors 30, corresponding to positions A to H shown in Figure 11. The vertical columns of the correspondence table in Figure 12 represent the distance measured at the UWB anchor 30 (arrival distance of the UWB pulse). In addition, each cell in the correspondence table in Figure 12 is set to represent a candidate fuel supply lane or waiting lane where vehicle 10 may be located.

[0067] By using a correspondence table like the one shown in Figure 12, when any UWB anchor 30 receives a UWB pulse, the fuel supply lane or waiting lane where the vehicle 10 equipped with the UWB tag 12 is located can be narrowed down or identified based on the location of the UWB anchor 30 and the arrival distance of the UWB pulse measured by the UWB anchor 30. Furthermore, by referring to the correspondence table based on the measurement results of multiple UWB anchors 30, it is possible to increase the accuracy of narrowing down or identifying the fuel supply lane or waiting lane where the vehicle 10 is located.

[0068] Note that the correspondence table in Figure 12 does not take into account the obstruction of UWB pulse propagation by the metering machine 20 or the installed objects 26. However, by preparing a correspondence table that takes this into account, it is possible to narrow down or increase the accuracy of identifying the fuel supply lane or standby lane where the vehicle 10 is located. Alternatively, a correspondence table that takes into account the direction of arrival of the UWB pulse may be prepared, and in this case as well, it is possible to narrow down or increase the accuracy of identifying the fuel supply lane or standby lane where the vehicle 10 is located.

[0069] Figure 13 shows an example configuration of a fuel supply system according to another embodiment of the present invention. The fuel supply system in Figure 13 has the same basic configuration as the fuel supply system in Figure 7, but differs in that cameras 34 are further positioned within the SS (service station) premises. The cameras 34 are positioned to capture the faces of users of vehicles 10 parked in the fuel supply lane. For example, one camera 34 is provided for each fuel supply lane. Furthermore, it is assumed that the user's facial image is pre-registered in the authentication management system 60.

[0070] Camera 34 photographs the user of a vehicle 10 parked in the fuel supply lane and transmits the resulting image (or an image with the face portion cropped) to the POS system server 50. Server 50 transmits the image captured by camera 34 to the authentication management system 60 via the authentication management network. The authentication management system 60 uses facial recognition technology to compare the user's facial image contained in the image received from server 50 with pre-registered facial images. If the user can be identified, it authorizes the fuel supply by the metering machine 20 to that fuel supply lane. Therefore, this fuel supply system can effectively deal with vehicle theft and impersonation by another person. Facial recognition may also be performed during payment to enhance security through double-checking.

[0071] In the embodiment described above, Bluetooth communication is used to detect vehicles that have entered the service station (SS), but another wireless communication method may be used instead. For example, it is possible to use Wi-Fi communication to detect vehicles that have entered the SS. Also, in the embodiment described above, a UWB anchor is deployed on the SS side and a UWB tag is deployed on the vehicle side, but the opposite may be used, with a UWB tag deployed on the SS side and a UWB anchor on the vehicle side.

[0072] Furthermore, the fuel supply system described above is merely an example, and further expansion and modification are possible. For example, the system could identify the optimal vehicle parking position based on the relative positions of the vehicle's fuel supply port and the driver's seat, and display a guide to direct the vehicle toward that position. The relative positions of the vehicle's fuel supply port and the driver's seat can be identified, for example, based on the vehicle type included in the vehicle information. By setting the optimal vehicle parking position in association with the vehicle type, it becomes possible to easily identify the optimal vehicle parking position. In addition, by pre-determining the placement locations of UWB tags on the vehicle, the difference (distance and direction) between the current vehicle position and the optimal vehicle parking position can be detected, and a guide can be displayed to minimize this difference. The monitor displaying the guide can be installed, for example, on or near the fuel dispenser.

[0073] As another example, if a vehicle stops in a fuel supply lane but moves away from it before the fuel supply process actually begins, the fuel supply to that lane could be canceled. In other words, if a vehicle moves away from a fuel supply lane without receiving fuel, the vehicle is temporarily removed from the customer authentication flow for fuel supply and identified (distinguished) as a vehicle that does not receive fuel. This allows monitoring in the control room within the gas station to prevent images of vehicles that do not receive fuel from being displayed, thereby reducing the monitoring burden on gas station employees. For vehicles that move to a different fuel supply lane after stopping in one, the customer authentication flow for fuel supply in the new fuel supply lane can simply be initiated.

[0074] Although embodiments of the present invention have been described above, these embodiments are merely illustrative and do not limit the technical scope of the present invention. The present invention can take many other embodiments, and various modifications such as omissions and substitutions can be made without departing from the spirit of the invention. These embodiments and their variations are included in the scope and spirit of the invention as described herein, and are included in the scope of the invention and its equivalents as described in the claims.

[0075] Furthermore, the present invention can be provided not only as the devices described above or as systems composed of such devices, but also as methods executed by these devices, programs for a processor to realize the functions of these devices, and storage media for storing such programs in a computer-readable manner. [Industrial applicability]

[0076] The present invention can be used in a fuel supply system that controls the supply of fuel to a vehicle. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0077] 10: Vehicle, 12: UWB tag, 14: Mobile terminal, 20: Weighing machine, 24: Control device, 26: Installation, 30: UWB anchor, 32: Beacon tag, 34: Camera, 40: Positioning application, 50: Server, 60: Authentication management system

Claims

1. The first communication device, which performs UWB communication, is deployed at the service station. The vehicle that supplies fuel at the aforementioned service station is equipped with a second communication device that performs UWB communication, Multiple units of the first communication device are installed at different locations within the service station. The second communication device is associated with predetermined information set in advance regarding fuel supply. A fuel supply system characterized by identifying the fuel supply lane where the vehicle is located based on measurement data obtained regarding UWB communication between the plurality of first communication devices and the second communication device, and then performing control regarding fuel supply to the vehicle according to the predetermined information associated with the second communication device.

2. In the fuel supply system according to claim 1, The first communication device is attached to the side of each metering machine installed for each fuel supply lane, on the side facing the fuel supply lane. The fuel supply system is characterized in that the second communication device is positioned in a location visible from the meter to the fuel supply lane where the vehicle is located.

3. In the fuel supply system according to claim 1 or claim 2, The measurement data includes the distance between each of the plurality of first communication devices and the second communication device. A fuel supply system characterized in that, when a first communication device is detected whose distance from the two aforementioned communication devices is below a predetermined threshold, it is determined that the vehicle is present in the fuel supply lane corresponding to the installation location of the first communication device.

4. In the fuel supply system according to claim 1 or claim 2, The first communication device is also installed near the waiting position of vehicles waiting in line for fuel supply. The measurement data includes the distance between each of the plurality of first communication devices and the second communication device. A fuel supply system characterized in that, when a first communication device is detected whose distance from the second communication device is below a predetermined threshold, it is determined that the vehicle is present in a fuel supply lane or standby position corresponding to the installation position of the first communication device.

5. In the fuel supply system according to claim 3, The fuel supply system is characterized in that the predetermined threshold is the radial distance of a semicircle formed with the mounting position of the first communication device on the metering machine as the center and including the fuel supply lane facing the mounting position.

6. In the fuel supply system according to claim 4, The fuel supply system is characterized in that the predetermined threshold is the radial distance of a semicircle formed with the mounting position of the first communication device on the metering machine as the center and including the fuel supply lane facing the mounting position.

7. In the fuel supply system according to claim 1, A third communication device that performs Bluetooth communication is installed at or near the entrance of the service station, The vehicle is further equipped with a fourth communication device that performs Bluetooth communication, A fuel supply system characterized by detecting the vehicle's entry into the service station and detecting the vehicle's departure from the service station based on measurement data obtained regarding Bluetooth communication between the third communication device and the fourth communication device.

8. In the fuel supply system according to claim 7, The fourth communication device is a portable terminal owned by the user of the vehicle. The aforementioned predetermined information includes fuel supply information and payment method information specified via the mobile terminal. A fuel supply system characterized by supplying fuel to the vehicle based on fuel supply information specified via the mobile terminal, and performing payment processing for the fuel supply based on payment method information specified via the mobile terminal.

9. In the fuel supply system according to claim 1, A fuel supply system characterized in that one of the first communication device and the second communication device is a UWB anchor, and the other is a UWB tag.

10. A fuel supply system comprising a first communication device that performs UWB communication and is deployed at a service station, and a second communication device that performs UWB communication and is deployed in a vehicle that supplies fuel at the service station, wherein a server controls the supply of fuel to the vehicle, Multiple units of the first communication device are installed at different locations within the service station. The second communication device is associated with predetermined information set in advance regarding fuel supply. A server characterized by identifying the fuel supply lane where the vehicle is located based on measurement data obtained regarding UWB communication between the plurality of first communication devices and the second communication device, and then performing control regarding fuel supply to the vehicle according to the predetermined information associated with the second communication device.

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