Refueling system, refueling method, and refueling program

Abstract

To provide an oil supply system, an oil supply method and an oil supply program, capable of performing oil supply at low cost and using ETC.SOLUTION: An oil supply system comprises: a first acquisition processing section that acquires on-vehicle unit information; a second acquisition processing section that acquires user information of the vehicle corresponding to an oil supply lane; and a settlement processing section that, when the user information associated with the on-vehicle unit information acquired by the first acquisition processing section and the user information acquired by the second acquisition processing section coincide with each other, executes settlement processing of oil supply in the oil supply lane corresponding to the user information acquired by the second acquisition processing section based on settlement information associated with the user information.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a refueling system, a refueling method, and a refueling program. [Background technology]

[0002] In recent years, gas stations have become commonplace, where users themselves refuel their vehicles by selecting a payment method (settlement method), type of fuel, amount of fuel (quantity), etc., on an operation terminal installed in the fueling lane. A system for making payments at gas stations using ETC (Electronic Toll Collection System) has also been proposed (see, for example, Patent Document 1). [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2001-022836 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] However, when ETC is used at gas stations, in order to reliably identify vehicles parked in the fuel lanes, communication devices (ETC antennas) must be installed in each fuel lane, and entrance and exit gates must be installed in each fuel lane, which creates the problem of increased implementation costs.

[0005] An object of the present invention is to provide a fuel supply system, a fuel supply method, and a fuel supply program that enable fuel supply using ETC at low cost. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] A refueling system according to an embodiment of the present invention is a refueling system that refuels vehicles at a gas station having a plurality of refueling lanes, and includes: a first acquisition processing unit that acquires on-board device information that identifies an on-board device installed in the vehicle; a second acquisition processing unit that acquires user information that identifies the user of the vehicle corresponding to the refueling lane; a determination processing unit that determines whether the user information associated with the on-board device information acquired by the first acquisition processing unit matches the user information acquired by the second acquisition processing unit, by referring to a memory unit that stores a plurality of on-board device information and a plurality of user information in association with each other; and a payment processing unit that, when the user information associated with the on-board device information acquired by the first acquisition processing unit matches the user information acquired by the second acquisition processing unit, executes payment processing for the refueling at the refueling lane corresponding to the user information acquired by the second acquisition processing unit, based on payment information associated with the user information.

[0007] A refueling system according to an embodiment of the present invention is a refueling system that refuels vehicles at a gas station having a plurality of refueling lanes, and includes: a first acquisition processing unit that acquires on-board device information that identifies an on-board device mounted on the vehicle; a second acquisition processing unit that acquires vehicle information that identifies the vehicle corresponding to the refueling lane; a determination processing unit that determines whether the vehicle information associated with the on-board device information acquired by the first acquisition processing unit matches the vehicle information acquired by the second acquisition processing unit, by referring to a memory unit that stores a plurality of on-board device information and a plurality of vehicle information in association with each other; and a payment processing unit that, when the vehicle information associated with the on-board device information acquired by the first acquisition processing unit matches the vehicle information acquired by the second acquisition processing unit, executes payment processing for the refueling at the refueling lane corresponding to the vehicle information acquired by the second acquisition processing unit, based on payment information associated with the vehicle information.

[0008] A refueling method according to an embodiment of the present invention is a refueling method for refueling a vehicle at a gas station having a plurality of refueling lanes, in which one or more processors execute a first acquisition step of acquiring onboard device information that identifies an onboard device installed in the vehicle, a second acquisition step of acquiring user information that identifies the user of the vehicle corresponding to the refueling lane, a determination step of referring to a memory unit that stores a plurality of onboard device information and a plurality of user information in association with each other to determine whether the user information associated with the onboard device information acquired in the first acquisition step matches the user information acquired in the second acquisition step, and a payment step of, if the user information associated with the onboard device information acquired in the first acquisition step matches the user information acquired in the second acquisition step, executing a payment process for the refueling at the refueling lane corresponding to the user information acquired in the second acquisition step based on the payment information associated with the user information.

[0009] A refueling program according to an embodiment of the present invention is a refueling program for refueling a vehicle at a gas station having a plurality of refueling lanes, and is configured to cause one or more processors to execute the following steps: a first acquisition step for acquiring onboard device information that identifies an onboard device installed in the vehicle; a second acquisition step for acquiring user information that identifies the user of the vehicle corresponding to the refueling lane; a determination step for referring to a memory unit that stores a plurality of onboard device information and a plurality of user information in association with each other, to determine whether the user information associated with the onboard device information acquired in the first acquisition step matches the user information acquired in the second acquisition step; and a payment step for, if the user information associated with the onboard device information acquired in the first acquisition step matches the user information acquired in the second acquisition step, executing a payment process for the refueling at the refueling lane corresponding to the user information acquired in the second acquisition step based on the payment information associated with the user information. [Effects of the Invention]

[0010] According to the present invention, it is possible to provide a fuel supply system, a fuel supply method, and a fuel supply program that enable fuel supply using ETC at low cost. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0011] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a diagram showing an example of a gas station in which a fuel supply system according to a first embodiment of the present invention is installed. [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is a functional block diagram showing a schematic configuration of the fuel supply system according to the first embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 3] FIG. 3 is a diagram showing an example of user information used in the fuel supply system according to the embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 4] FIG. 4 is a diagram showing an example of a display screen of the refueling operation terminal according to the embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 5] FIG. 5 is a diagram showing an example of a display screen of the refueling operation terminal according to the embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 6] FIG. 6 is a flowchart illustrating an example of a procedure of a refueling process executed in the refueling system according to the first embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 7] FIG. 7 is a diagram showing an example of a gas station in which a fuel supply system according to the second embodiment of the present invention is introduced. [Figure 8] FIG. 8 is a flowchart illustrating an example of a procedure of a refueling process executed in the refueling system according to the second embodiment of the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0012] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. Note that the following embodiments are examples of specific embodiments of the present invention and do not limit the technical scope of the present invention.

[0013] [Embodiment 1] Fig. 1 is a schematic diagram of a gas station GS1 in which a fuel supply system 10 according to the first embodiment of the present invention is installed. Fig. 2 is a functional block diagram showing a schematic configuration of the fuel supply system 10 according to the first embodiment of the present invention.

[0014] The refueling system 10 is a system that refuels vehicles based on a user's refueling operations input into a refueling operation terminal 1 located at a refueling lane at a gas station GS1 that has multiple refueling lanes. The refueling system 10 includes the refueling operation terminal 1, a refueling machine 2, and a refueling management server 3 (self-service console) installed inside the store. The refueling system 10 is applied to, for example, a self-service gas station (hereinafter referred to as a "gas station") that refuels vehicles based on a user's refueling operations.

[0015] Gas station GS1 has eight fuel lanes R1 to R8 installed as fueling spaces for vehicles, and each fuel lane is equipped with a fuel operation terminal 1 and a fuel dispenser 2 for dispensing fuel to vehicles parked in the fuel lane. The fuel operation terminal 1 and the fuel dispenser 2 are collectively referred to as "fuel dispensers." FIG. 1 shows fuel dispenser 1a installed between fuel lane R1 and fuel lane R2, fuel dispenser 1b installed between fuel lane R3 and fuel lane R4, fuel dispenser 1c installed between fuel lane R5 and fuel lane R6, and fuel dispenser 1d installed between fuel lane R7 and fuel lane R8. For example, fuel dispenser 1a can dispense fuel to vehicles parked in fuel lane R1 and fuel lane R2. The fuel dispenser terminal 1 is an example of an operation terminal of the present invention.

[0016] Furthermore, five ETC communication devices T1 to T5 are installed at gas station GS1. The ETC communication devices T1 to T5 communicate with an ETC on-board unit 4 (see FIG. 2) mounted on a vehicle within each communication area, and receive on-board unit information from the ETC on-board unit 4. The on-board unit information is identification information unique to the on-board unit, such as an on-board unit number. The ETC communication devices T1 to T5 are arranged to cover the entire area of ​​gas station GS1. The ETC communication devices T1 to T5 are examples of communication devices of the present invention.

[0017] In addition, the gas station GS1 has a store (office) where various procedures can be carried out, and a store terminal 1e is installed inside the store. The store terminal 1e has a function for making payments for products sold in the store.

[0018] The fueling devices 1a-1d and the store terminal 1e are connected to a fueling management server 3 via a network. The fueling management server 3 is also connected to an ETC management server 5, a payment server 6, and a data server DS via a network (see FIG. 2). The ETC management server 5 is connected to each of the ETC communication devices T1-T5 via a network, and acquires and manages the on-board device information from each of the ETC communication devices T1-T5. The ETC management server 5 also transmits the on-board device information acquired from each of the ETC communication devices T1-T5 to the fueling management server 3. The payment server 6 is a server that handles fueling payments and is installed, for example, at a payment service provider. When fueling is completed, the fueling management server 3 transmits a payment request to the payment server 6, and the payment server 6 executes payment processing in response to the payment request. Each of the networks is, for example, an SS-LAN, a wired LAN, or a wireless LAN.

[0019] The data server DS stores user information DS1 relating to users and vehicles that use the gas station GS1. Figure 3 shows an example of the user information DS1.

[0020] The user information DS1 (see FIG. 3 ) includes an on-board unit number, a user name, a vehicle number (vehicle number), a type of fuel, payment information (payment method), and characteristic information. The on-board unit number is identification information of the ETC on-board unit 4 installed in the vehicle. The user name is the user's name. The vehicle number is the vehicle number (license plate number). The type of fuel is the type of fuel corresponding to the vehicle, such as regular, premium, or diesel. The payment information is information related to the payment method used by the user, such as credit card information. The characteristic information is information used in user authentication processing and is information for identifying the user (authentication information). For example, the characteristic information is biometric information such as face, veins, fingerprints, and voiceprint. The characteristic information may also be user information (user name, user ID, etc.) registered on a device such as an IC card or smartphone. Each user who uses the gas station GS1 registers user information DS1 in advance. In this way, the user information DS1 is individual user information including characteristic information for identifying the user. Note that the user information DS1 may include all information listed on the vehicle inspection certificate. The characteristic information may be registered in a data server different from that for other information.

[0021] [Fuel Management Server 3] As shown in FIG. 2, the refueling management server 3 includes a control unit 31, a memory unit 32, an operation display unit 33, and a communication unit 34. The refueling management server 3 may be an information processing device such as a personal computer. The refueling management server 3 may be installed inside the refueling station GS1 or outside the refueling station GS1. For example, the refueling management server 3 may be configured as a server (cloud server) connected to each of multiple refueling stations via a network.

[0022] The communication unit 34 is a communication interface that connects the refueling management server 3 to the network via a wired or wireless connection and performs data communication in accordance with a predetermined communication protocol between the refueling devices 1a to 1d, the data server DS, the ETC management server 5, the payment server 6, etc. via the network.

[0023] The operation display unit 33 is a user interface that includes a display unit such as a liquid crystal display or an organic EL display that displays various information, and an operation unit such as a touch panel, a mouse, or a keyboard that accepts operations.

[0024] The storage unit 32 is a non-volatile storage unit such as an HDD (Hard Disk Drive), an SSD (Solid State Drive), or a flash memory that stores various types of information. The storage unit 32 stores a control program, such as a refueling program, for causing the control unit 31 to execute the refueling process (see FIG. 6 , etc.), which will be described later. For example, the refueling program is non-temporarily recorded on a computer-readable recording medium such as a CD or DVD, and is read by a reading device (not shown), such as a CD drive or a DVD drive, provided in the refueling management server 3 and stored in the storage unit 32. The refueling program may be distributed from a cloud server and stored in the storage unit 32. Alternatively, a master storage medium on which the control program is stored using the above-described method may be copied using a duplicator or the like and stored in the storage unit 32.

[0025] The storage unit 32 may store data of the data server DS (user information DS1 (see FIG. 3)).

[0026] The control unit 31 has control devices such as a CPU, a ROM, and a RAM. The CPU is a processor that executes various arithmetic operations. The ROM is a non-volatile storage unit that pre-stores control programs such as a BIOS and an OS that cause the CPU to execute various operations. The RAM is a volatile or non-volatile storage unit that stores various information and is used as a temporary storage memory (work area) for the various operations executed by the CPU. The control unit 31 controls the fuel supply management server 3 by having the CPU execute various control programs pre-stored in the ROM or the storage unit 32.

[0027] Specifically, the control unit 31 includes various processing units such as a first acquisition processing unit 311, a second acquisition processing unit 312, a determination processing unit 313, a refueling processing unit 314, and a payment processing unit 315. The control unit 31 functions as the various processing units by executing various processes in accordance with the control program using the CPU. Some or all of the processing units included in the control unit 31 may be configured with electronic circuits. The control program may be a program for causing multiple processors to function as the various processing units.

[0028] The first acquisition processing unit 311 acquires on-board device information that identifies the on-board device installed in the vehicle. Specifically, when the ETC communication device T installed at the gas station GS1 receives on-board device information from the vehicle, the first acquisition processing unit 311 acquires the on-board device information via the ETC communication device T.

[0029] For example, at gas station GS1 shown in FIG. 1, when a vehicle enters gas station GS1 from the left side of entrance / exit 1, ETC communication device T1 communicates with the vehicle's ETC on-board unit 4 and receives on-board unit information (e.g., on-board unit number) from the ETC on-board unit 4. Upon receiving the on-board unit number, ETC communication device T1 transmits the on-board unit number to ETC management server 5. ETC management server 5 stores the on-board unit number received from ETC communication device T1 in its own memory unit (not shown). Each time ETC management server 5 acquires an on-board unit number from each of ETC communication devices T1 to T5, it stores the on-board unit number in the memory unit. The memory unit stores the on-board unit information (on-board unit number), the date and time the on-board unit information was received, identification information of ETC communication device T, etc. The memory unit may also store user information DS1 (see FIG. 3) corresponding to the on-board unit number.

[0030] Furthermore, when the ETC management server 5 acquires the on-board unit number from the ETC communication device T1, it transmits the on-board unit number to the refueling management server 3. The first acquisition processing unit 311 acquires the on-board unit number from the ETC management server 5.

[0031] The second acquisition processing unit 312 acquires user information that identifies a user of a vehicle corresponding to a refueling lane. Specifically, when a reading unit 14 (see FIG. 2) arranged in a refueling lane reads the user information, the second acquisition processing unit 312 acquires the user information from the reading unit 14. For example, when a user of a vehicle stopped in refueling lane R1 starts a refueling operation on the refueling operation terminal 1 of the refueling device 1a, the reading unit 14 (e.g., a camera) captures a facial image as characteristic information of the user. When the reading unit 14 captures the facial image of the user, the refueling operation terminal 1 transmits facial image data to the refueling management server 3. As a result, the second acquisition processing unit 312 acquires a facial image of the user of the vehicle stopped in refueling lane R1 from the reading unit 14 corresponding to refueling lane R1. The facial image data is associated with identification information of the refueling lane (here, refueling lane R1).

[0032] The determination processing unit 313 performs an authentication process by referring to a data server DS that stores multiple pieces of vehicle-mounted device information (vehicle-mounted device numbers) and multiple pieces of user information in association with each other, to determine whether the user information associated with the vehicle-mounted device number acquired by the first acquisition processing unit 311 matches the user information acquired by the second acquisition processing unit 312.

[0033] For example, the determination processing unit 313 refers to user information DS1 (see FIG. 3) to identify feature information (face image) associated with the in-vehicle device number acquired by the first acquisition processing unit 311. Then, the determination processing unit 313 compares the identified face image with the face image acquired by the second acquisition processing unit 312 from the reading unit 14 to determine whether the two match. If the determination processing unit 313 determines that the two face images match, it authenticates the user, and if it determines that the two face images do not match, it rejects (de-authenticates) the user.

[0034] The refueling processing unit 314 accepts a refueling operation from the user and executes the refueling process. For example, when the determination processing unit 313 authenticates the user, the refueling processing unit 314 accepts the refueling operation by displaying a refueling operation screen corresponding to the user on the refueling operation terminal 1 corresponding to the refueling lane R1 associated with the facial image data. For example, the refueling processing unit 314 displays the type of fuel and payment information (see FIG. 3) previously registered by the user on the refueling operation terminal 1, prompting confirmation (see (b) and (c) of FIG. 4). In this case, the user can omit the operations of selecting a payment method and selecting a type of fuel.

[0035] On the other hand, if the determination processing unit 313 rejects (de-authenticates) the user, the refueling processing unit 314 accepts the refueling operation by displaying a normal refueling operation screen on the refueling operation terminal 1. For example, the refueling processing unit 314 accepts the user's selection operation by displaying a screen for selecting a payment method (cash, credit card, prepaid card, etc.) and a screen for selecting a type of fuel (regular, high-octane, diesel, etc.) on the refueling operation terminal 1 (see FIG. 5).

[0036] Furthermore, when the user picks up the refueling nozzle 23 of the refueling machine 2, the refueling machine 2 outputs a request for refueling permission to the refueling management server 3. When the refueling processing unit 314 acquires the refueling request from the refueling machine 2, it accepts the refueling permission from the staff and transmits the refueling permission to the refueling machine 2. This allows the user to perform the refueling operation.

[0037] When the determination processing unit 313 authenticates the user, the payment processing unit 315 executes payment processing for refueling at the refueling lane corresponding to the user information acquired by the second acquisition processing unit 312, based on payment information associated with the user information. For example, the payment processing unit 315 executes payment processing for refueling for the vehicle parked in refueling lane R1 using a credit card (see FIG. 3) associated with the user information of the user of the vehicle. When refueling is completed, the payment processing unit 315 sends a payment request to the payment server 6. The payment server 6 performs authentication processing in response to the payment request and completes the payment. When the payment server 6 completes the payment, it sends a completion notification to the refueling management server 3.

[0038] The first acquisition processing unit 311 deletes the on-board device information stored in the ETC management server 5 when the payment process is completed. Specifically, when the payment process for refueling for a vehicle parked in the refueling lane R1 is completed, the first acquisition processing unit 311 sends a deletion instruction to the ETC management server 5 to delete the on-board device number corresponding to the vehicle. Furthermore, if the user uses other services (such as a car wash or product purchase) at the gas station GS1 in addition to refueling, the first acquisition processing unit 311 may delete the on-board device information when the payment process for the refueling and the payment process for the other services are completed. Furthermore, the first acquisition processing unit 311 may delete the on-board device information after a predetermined time (e.g., one hour) has elapsed since the vehicle entered the gas station GS1. Furthermore, the first acquisition processing unit 311 may delete the on-board device information when the payment process at the gas station GS1 is completed and the vehicle exits the gas station GS1. When the ETC management server 5 receives the deletion instruction, it deletes the corresponding on-board unit number from the storage unit. The ETC management server 5 may also delete the on-board unit number a predetermined time after receiving the on-board unit number from the ETC communication device T. This allows the ETC management server 5 to save resources.

[0039] [Fuel Tanker 2] As shown in FIG. 2, the fuel dispenser 2 includes a control unit 21, a storage unit 22, a fuel dispenser nozzle 23, a nozzle sensor 24, a fuel dispenser pump 25, a communication unit 26, and the like.

[0040] The communication unit 26 is a communication interface for connecting the refueling machine 2 to a network via a wired or wireless connection and for performing data communication between the refueling operation terminal 1 and the refueling management server 3 via the network in accordance with a predetermined communication protocol.

[0041] The storage unit 22 is a non-volatile storage unit such as an HDD, SSD, or flash memory that stores various types of information. The storage unit 22 stores a control program for causing the control unit 21 to execute various processes. For example, the control program is non-temporarily recorded on a computer-readable recording medium such as a CD or DVD, and is read by a reading device (not shown) such as a CD drive or DVD drive provided in the fuel tanker 2 and stored in the storage unit 22. The control program may be distributed from a cloud server and stored in the storage unit 22. Alternatively, a master storage medium on which the control program is stored using the above method may be copied using a duplicator or the like and stored in the storage unit 22.

[0042] The fuel nozzle 23 is inserted into the fuel filler opening of the vehicle and fills the vehicle with fuel. For example, when the fuel pump 25 is operating and the user presses the lever on the fuel nozzle 23, gasoline is dispensed into the vehicle from the fuel nozzle 23. The nozzle sensor 24 is a sensor that detects when the fuel nozzle 23 is removed from the storage section of the fuel dispenser 2 that stores the fuel nozzle 23.

[0043] The control unit 21 has control devices such as a CPU, a ROM, and a RAM. The CPU is a processor that executes various types of arithmetic processing. The ROM is a non-volatile storage unit that pre-stores control programs such as a BIOS and an OS that cause the CPU to execute various types of processing. The RAM is a volatile or non-volatile storage unit that stores various types of information and is used as a temporary storage memory (work area) for the various types of processing executed by the CPU. The control unit 21 controls the fuel tanker 2 by having the CPU execute various control programs pre-stored in the ROM or the storage unit 22.

[0044] Specifically, the control unit 21 includes various processing units such as a reception processing unit 211 and a request processing unit 212. The control unit 21 functions as the various processing units by executing various processes in accordance with the control program using the CPU. Some or all of the processing units included in the control unit 21 may be configured with electronic circuits. The control program may be a program for causing multiple processors to function as the various processing units.

[0045] The reception processing unit 211 accepts a refueling operation by the user. Specifically, the reception processing unit 211 accepts an operation by the user to remove the fuel filler nozzle 23 from the storage unit. For example, the reception processing unit 211 accepts the refueling operation by acquiring a detection signal from the nozzle sensor 24. For example, the reception processing unit 211 receives an ON signal from the nozzle sensor 24 when the fuel filler nozzle 23 is stored in the storage unit, and receives an OFF signal from the nozzle sensor 24 when the fuel filler nozzle 23 is removed from the storage unit. When the reception processing unit 211 receives the OFF signal, it accepts the user's operation to remove the fuel filler nozzle 23.

[0046] The request processing unit 212 outputs the request for refueling permission. Specifically, the request processing unit 212 outputs the request for refueling permission when the reception processing unit 211 receives the removal operation from the user. For example, when the reception processing unit 211 receives the removal operation of the refueling nozzle 23 from the user, the request processing unit 212 outputs the request for refueling permission to the refueling management server 3. Note that the request processing unit 212 may also output the request for refueling permission to the refueling operation terminal 1.

[0047] Furthermore, when refueling permission is granted by a staff member in response to the refueling permission request (when refueling permission is obtained from the refueling management server 3), the control unit 21 operates the refueling pump 25 to permit the user to perform the refueling operation. When the control unit 21 detects the on signal from the nozzle sensor 24 as a result of the user completing the refueling operation and storing the refueling nozzle 23 in the storage unit, it terminates the refueling process. The refueling machine 2 may have a known configuration.

[0048] The staff member is qualified to confirm the safety of the user's refueling operation and to grant the refueling permission. The staff member with the qualification may be limited.

[0049] [Fueling operation terminal 1] 2, the refueling operation terminal 1 includes a control unit 11, a memory unit 12, an operation display unit 13, a reading unit 14, and a communication unit 15. The refueling operation terminal 1 may be an information processing device such as a personal computer. The refueling operation terminal 1 is installed at each refueling lane, and each refueling operation terminal 1 is associated with a reading unit 14.

[0050] The communication unit 15 is a communication interface for connecting the refueling operation terminal 1 to a network via a wired or wireless connection and for executing data communication via the network with the refueling machine 2 and the refueling management server 3 in accordance with a predetermined communication protocol. The communication unit 15 may also be capable of executing data communication via the network with a settlement server (not shown) in accordance with a predetermined communication protocol.

[0051] The operation display unit 13 is a user interface that includes a display unit such as a liquid crystal display or an organic EL display that displays various information, and an operation unit such as a touch panel, a mouse, or a keyboard that accepts operations.

[0052] The reading unit 14 is a device that reads user information. For example, the reading unit 14 is configured with an imaging unit (camera) and captures a facial image of a user performing a refueling operation. Furthermore, for example, the reading unit 14 captures a facial image of a user when a refueling operation from the user is accepted at the refueling operation terminal 1. For example, the reading unit 14 captures a facial image of a user when the user touches the refueling operation screen or holds their hand over the refueling operation screen. These operations are examples of the refueling operation of the present invention. As another example, the reading unit 14 may be configured with a device that reads biometric information such as veins or fingerprints and reads the biometric information of a user performing a refueling operation. In this embodiment, an example will be described in which the reading unit 14 is configured to read a facial image of a user. Note that, when the reading unit 14 is configured to read biometric information (vein information, fingerprint information, voiceprint information, etc.), the biometric information is pre-registered as characteristic information in the user information DS1 (see FIG. 3). As another example, the reading unit 14 may be configured with a device that reads a medium (such as an IC card or smartphone) on which user information (such as a user name or user ID) is registered, and may read the user information of the user performing the refueling operation.

[0053] The storage unit 12 is a non-volatile storage unit such as an HDD, SSD, or flash memory that stores various types of information. The storage unit 12 stores a control program for causing the control unit 11 to execute various processes. For example, the control program is non-temporarily recorded on a computer-readable recording medium such as a CD or DVD, and is read by a reading device (not shown) such as a CD drive or DVD drive provided in the refueling operation terminal 1 and stored in the storage unit 12. The control program may be distributed from a cloud server and stored in the storage unit 12. Alternatively, a master storage medium on which the control program is stored using the above method may be copied using a duplicator or the like and stored in the storage unit 12.

[0054] The storage unit 12 also stores data such as payment method (payment type) and price information according to the type of oil. The price information stores the price (unit price per liter) of each type of oil: regular, premium, and diesel, for each payment type. The payment types registered are "cash," "credit card," and "prepaid card."

[0055] The control unit 11 has control devices such as a CPU, a ROM, and a RAM. The CPU is a processor that executes various arithmetic operations. The ROM is a non-volatile storage unit that pre-stores control programs such as a BIOS and an OS that cause the CPU to execute various operations. The RAM is a volatile or non-volatile storage unit that stores various information and is used as a temporary storage memory (work area) for the various operations executed by the CPU. The control unit 11 controls the refueling operation terminal 1 by having the CPU execute various control programs pre-stored in the ROM or the storage unit 12.

[0056] The control unit 11 accepts the user's refueling operation and transmits the various types of information received to the refueling management server 3. The refueling management server 3 transmits a refueling permission to the refueling machine 2 based on the various types of information acquired from the refueling operation terminal 1. Upon acquiring the refueling permission from the refueling management server 3, the refueling machine 2 operates the refueling pump 25 to permit the user to perform the refueling operation.

[0057] The control unit 11 includes various processing units such as a display processing unit 111 and a reception processing unit 112. The control unit 11 functions as the various processing units by executing various processes in accordance with the refueling program using the CPU. Some or all of the processing units included in the control unit 11 may be configured with electronic circuits. The refueling program may be a program that causes multiple processors to function as the various processing units.

[0058] The display processing unit 111 displays various information related to the refueling process on the operation display unit 13. For example, when a user is authenticated by the refueling management server 3, the display processing unit 111 displays a confirmation screen for confirming the payment method and type of fuel (see (b) and (c) of FIG. 4), a screen for selecting the quantity (see (d) of FIG. 4), and the like on the operation display unit 13, as shown in FIG. 4. The user can change the payment method and type of fuel on the confirmation screen.

[0059] On the other hand, for example, if the user is rejected (not authenticated) by the refueling management server 3, the display processing unit 111 displays a screen on the operation display unit 13 for selecting the payment method, type of fuel, and quantity, as shown in Figure 5.

[0060] The reception processing unit 112 receives various fuel supply operations from the user. For example, the reception processing unit 112 receives a confirmation operation, and a selection operation for selecting a payment method, a type of fuel, and an amount from the user.

[0061] In addition to the above-described processing, the control unit 11 may be capable of executing a payment process. For example, when a credit card is selected on the operation screen shown in FIG. 5, the control unit 11 acquires the credit card information from a card reading unit (not shown). The control unit 11 sends a payment request including the acquired card information to the payment server 6. The payment server 6 performs authentication processing in response to the payment request and completes the payment. When the payment server 6 completes the payment, it sends a completion notification to the refueling management server 3.

[0062] [Fueling process according to embodiment 1] Hereinafter, an example of the procedure of the refueling process executed in the refueling system 10 according to the first embodiment will be described with reference to FIG.

[0063] The refueling system 10 can execute the refueling process in parallel in accordance with the process of acquiring the on-board unit number via each of the ETC communication devices T1 to T5. The present invention can be understood as a refueling method that executes one or more steps included in the refueling process. One or more steps included in the refueling process described herein may be omitted as appropriate. The steps in the refueling process may be executed in a different order as long as the same effects are achieved. While the description here takes as an example a case where the control unit 31 of the refueling management server 3 executes each step in the refueling process, another embodiment of the refueling method may also be considered, in which one or more processors execute each step in the refueling process in a distributed manner.

[0064] In step S11, the control unit 31 of the refueling management server 3 determines whether or not the on-board unit number of the vehicle that has entered the refueling station GS1 has been acquired. For example, when a vehicle enters the refueling station GS1 from the left side of the entrance / exit 1 of the refueling station GS1, the ETC communication device T1 communicates with the vehicle's ETC on-board unit 4 and receives the on-board unit number from the ETC on-board unit 4. Upon receiving the on-board unit number, the ETC communication device T1 transmits the on-board unit number to the ETC management server 5. The ETC management server 5 stores the on-board unit number received from the ETC communication device T1 in its own memory and transmits it to the refueling management server 3. The control unit 31 acquires the on-board unit number transmitted from the ETC management server 5.

[0065] When the control unit 31 acquires the on-board unit number (S11: Yes), the control unit 31 shifts the process to step S12. On the other hand, when the control unit 31 does not acquire the on-board unit number (S11: No), the control unit 31 shifts the process to step S111. For example, if the vehicle does not have an ETC on-board unit 4, the control unit 31 cannot acquire the on-board unit number and shifts the process to step S111.

[0066] In step S12, the control unit 31 determines whether or not a facial image of the user has been acquired. For example, when a user of a vehicle stopped in fueling lane R1 starts a fueling operation on the fueling operation terminal 1 of the fueling device 1a, the reading unit 14 (camera) captures an image of the user's face. As another example, when the reading unit 14 of the fueling operation terminal 1 detects a user of a vehicle stopped in fueling lane R1, the reading unit 14 may capture an image of the user's face. When the reading unit 14 captures the user's facial image, the fueling operation terminal 1 transmits facial image data to the fueling management server 3. As a result, the control unit 31 acquires a facial image of the user of the vehicle stopped in fueling lane R1 from the reading unit 14 corresponding to the fueling lane R1. Note that the facial image data is associated with identification information of the fueling lane R1.

[0067] If the control unit 31 acquires the face image (S12: Yes), the control unit 31 shifts the process to step S13. On the other hand, if the control unit 31 does not acquire the face image (S12: No), the control unit 31 shifts the process to step S111.

[0068] In step S13, the control unit 31 performs a user authentication process using a facial image. Specifically, the control unit 31 refers to the user information DS1 (see FIG. 3) to identify feature information (a facial image) associated with the vehicle-mounted device number acquired in step S11. The control unit 31 performs the authentication process based on the identified facial image and the facial image acquired in step S12.

[0069] In step S14, the control unit 31 compares the identified facial image with the facial image acquired in step S12 and determines whether they match. If the control unit 31 determines that the two facial images match (S14: Yes), it authenticates the user and proceeds to step S15. On the other hand, if the control unit 31 determines that the two facial images do not match (S14: No), it rejects (non-authenticates) the user and proceeds to step S111.

[0070] In step S15, the control unit 31 displays a confirmation screen for the refueling operation on the refueling operation terminal 1. Here, the control unit 31 displays a refueling operation screen (confirmation screen) corresponding to the user on the refueling operation terminal 1 corresponding to the refueling lane R1 associated with the facial image data. For example, the control unit 31 displays payment information (credit card information), fuel type (see FIG. 3), etc. that the user has registered in advance (see (b) and (c) of FIG. 4). When the processing of step S15 ends, the control unit 31 transitions the processing to step S16.

[0071] In response to this, in step S111, the control unit 31 displays a normal refueling operation screen. For example, the control unit 31 displays a screen for selecting a payment method (cash, credit card, prepaid card, etc.) and a screen for selecting an oil type (regular, high-octane, diesel, etc.) on the refueling operation terminal 1, and accepts the user's selection operation. When the processing of step S111 ends, the control unit 31 transitions the processing to step S16.

[0072] In step S16, the control unit 31 determines whether refueling has started. The control unit 31 detects that the refueling nozzle 23 has been removed from the storage unit in the refueling machine 2, and then determines that refueling has started when it receives permission to refuel from a staff member. When refueling has started (S16: Yes), the control unit 31 transitions the process to step S17. The control unit 31 waits until refueling has started (S16: No).

[0073] In step S17, the control unit 31 determines whether or not refueling has ended. The control unit 31 determines that refueling has ended when it detects that the refueling nozzle 23 has been stored in the storage unit in the refueling machine 2. When refueling has ended (S17: Yes), the control unit 31 shifts the processing to step S18. The control unit 31 waits until refueling has ended (S17: No).

[0074] In step S18, the control unit 31 executes payment processing for refueling. For example, if the control unit 31 authenticates the user (S14: Yes), it executes payment processing for refueling at the refueling lane R1 associated with the facial image data based on payment information associated with the user information. For example, the control unit 31 executes payment processing for refueling for the vehicle parked in the refueling lane R1 using a credit card (see FIG. 3) associated with the user information of the user of the vehicle. The control unit 31 sends a payment request to the payment server 6, and the payment server 6 performs authentication processing in response to the payment request and completes the payment. When the payment server 6 completes the payment, it sends a completion notification to the refueling management server 3.

[0075] Furthermore, if the control unit 31 rejects (de-authenticates) the user (S14: No), the control unit 31 executes the settlement process using the payment method selected by the user in step S111 (see FIG. 5(b)).

[0076] The control unit 31 executes the fuel supply process in the above manner.

[0077] As described above, the refueling system 10 according to the first embodiment is a system for refueling a vehicle at a gas station equipped with a plurality of refueling lanes. The refueling system 10 acquires on-board device information for identifying an ETC on-board device 4 installed in the vehicle, and acquires user information (e.g., a facial image) for identifying the user of the vehicle corresponding to the refueling lane. The refueling system 10 also references a storage unit (data server DS) that stores a plurality of pieces of on-board device information and a plurality of pieces of user information in association with each other, and determines whether the user information associated with the on-board device information matches the user information corresponding to the refueling lane. If the user information associated with the on-board device information matches the user information corresponding to the refueling lane, the refueling system 10 executes payment processing for the refueling at the refueling lane based on payment information associated with the user information.

[0078] According to the above configuration, it is possible to reliably identify a vehicle parked in a fueling lane and execute payment processing for fueling for that vehicle. Furthermore, according to the above configuration, it is not necessary to install a communication device for each fueling lane or to install an entrance / exit gate for each fueling lane. Therefore, it is possible to perform fueling using ETC at low cost.

[0079] [Embodiment 2] In the above-described first embodiment, a vehicle stopped in a fuel lane is identified based on user information (such as a facial image or biometric information) of the user. The present invention is not limited to this. In a second embodiment of the present invention, the control unit 31 may identify a vehicle stopped in a fuel lane based on vehicle information (such as a vehicle number) of the vehicle.

[0080] Fig. 7 is a schematic diagram of a gas station GS1 in which a fuel supply system 10 according to embodiment 2 is installed. In the gas station GS1 shown in Fig. 7, imaging units Ca to Cd corresponding to fuel supply lanes R1 to R8 are installed. Note that imaging unit Ca corresponds to the reading unit 14 of fuel supply device 1a, imaging unit Cb corresponds to the reading unit 14 of fuel supply device 1b, imaging unit Cc corresponds to the reading unit 14 of fuel supply device 1c, and imaging unit Cd corresponds to the reading unit 14 of fuel supply device 1d.

[0081] The imaging unit Ca can capture vehicle information (vehicle number (license plate number)) of vehicles stopped in refueling lanes R1 and R2, the imaging unit Cb can capture vehicle information of vehicles stopped in refueling lanes R3 and R4, the imaging unit Cc can capture vehicle information of vehicles stopped in refueling lanes R5 and R6, and the imaging unit Cd can capture vehicle information of vehicles stopped in refueling lanes R7 and R8.

[0082] Specifically, the second acquisition processing unit 312 acquires vehicle information that identifies a vehicle corresponding to a refueling lane. Specifically, when an imaging unit (see FIG. 7) capable of capturing an image of a predetermined area including the refueling lane captures an image of the vehicle number of a vehicle stopped in the refueling lane, the second acquisition processing unit 312 acquires the vehicle number from the imaging unit. For example, when a vehicle is stopped in the refueling lane R1, the imaging unit Ca captures an image of the vehicle number of the vehicle. When the imaging unit Ca captures the image of the vehicle number, the refueling operation terminal 1 transmits image data of the vehicle number to the refueling management server 3. As a result, the second acquisition processing unit 312 acquires an image of the vehicle number of the vehicle stopped in the refueling lane R1 from the imaging unit Ca corresponding to the refueling lane R1. It is possible to identify the refueling lane in which the vehicle is stopped based on the position of the vehicle image in the captured image captured by the imaging unit Ca. The image data is associated with identification information of the refueling lane (here, refueling lane R1).

[0083] The judgment processing unit 313 performs an authentication process by referring to a data server DS that stores multiple pieces of on-board device information (on-board device numbers) and multiple pieces of vehicle information in association with each other, to determine whether the vehicle information (vehicle number) associated with the on-board device number acquired by the first acquisition processing unit 311 matches the vehicle information (vehicle number) acquired by the second acquisition processing unit 312.

[0084] For example, the determination processing unit 313 refers to the user information DS1 (see FIG. 3) to identify the vehicle number associated with the on-board unit number acquired by the first acquisition processing unit 311. Then, the determination processing unit 313 compares the image of the identified vehicle number with the image of the vehicle number acquired by the second acquisition processing unit 312 from the reading unit 14 to determine whether or not they match. The determination processing unit 313 authenticates the vehicle if the images match, and rejects (non-authenticates) the vehicle if the two facial images do not match.

[0085] When the determination processing unit 313 authenticates the vehicle, the refueling processing unit 314 displays a refueling operation screen corresponding to the vehicle on the refueling operation terminal 1 corresponding to the refueling lane R1 associated with the vehicle number, and accepts the refueling operation. For example, the refueling processing unit 314 displays the payment information and fuel type (see FIG. 3) of the vehicle that the user has registered in advance on the refueling operation terminal 1, prompting the user to confirm them (see (b) and (c) of FIG. 4).

[0086] On the other hand, if the determination processing unit 313 rejects (de-authenticates) the vehicle, the refueling processing unit 314 accepts the refueling operation by displaying a normal refueling operation screen on the refueling operation terminal 1. For example, the refueling processing unit 314 accepts the user's selection operation by displaying a screen for selecting a payment method, a screen for selecting a type of fuel, etc. on the refueling operation terminal 1 (see FIG. 5).

[0087] When the determination processing unit 313 authenticates the vehicle, the payment processing unit 315 executes payment processing for refueling at the refueling lane corresponding to the vehicle number acquired by the second acquisition processing unit 312, based on payment information associated with the user information. For example, the payment processing unit 315 executes payment processing for refueling for the vehicle parked in refueling lane R1 using a credit card (see FIG. 3) associated with the vehicle number of the vehicle. The payment processing unit 315 sends a payment request to the payment server 6. The payment server 6 performs authentication processing in response to the payment request and completes the payment. When the payment server 6 completes the payment, it sends a completion notification to the refueling management server 3.

[0088] [Fueling process of embodiment 2] An example of the procedure for the refueling process executed in the refueling system 10 according to the second embodiment will be described below with reference to Fig. 8. Below, differences from the refueling process according to the first embodiment (see Fig. 6) will be described, and a description of the same processes as the refueling process according to the first embodiment will be omitted.

[0089] In step S22, the control unit 31 determines whether or not the vehicle number of the vehicle has been acquired. For example, when a vehicle stops in the refueling lane R1, the imaging unit Ca captures an image of the vehicle's vehicle number. When the imaging unit Ca captures the image of the vehicle number, the refueling operation terminal 1 transmits image data of the vehicle number to the refueling management server 3. As a result, the control unit 31 acquires the vehicle number of the vehicle stopped in the refueling lane R1 from the imaging unit Ca corresponding to the refueling lane R1. Note that the image data is associated with identification information of the refueling lane R1.

[0090] When the control unit 31 acquires the image of the vehicle number (S22: Yes), the control unit 31 shifts the process to step S23. On the other hand, when the control unit 31 does not acquire the image of the vehicle number (S22: No), the control unit 31 shifts the process to step S211.

[0091] In step S23, the control unit 31 performs a vehicle authentication process using the vehicle number. Specifically, the control unit 31 refers to the user information DS1 (see FIG. 3) to identify the vehicle number associated with the on-board unit number acquired in step S21. The control unit 31 performs an authentication process based on the identified vehicle number and the vehicle number acquired in step S22.

[0092] In step S24, the control unit 31 compares the identified vehicle number with the vehicle number acquired in step S22 to determine whether they match. If the control unit 31 determines that the two vehicle numbers match (S24: Yes), it authenticates the vehicle and shifts the process to step S25. On the other hand, if the control unit 31 determines that the two vehicle numbers do not match (S24: No), it rejects (de-authenticates) the vehicle and shifts the process to step S211.

[0093] In step S25, the control unit 31 displays a confirmation screen for the refueling operation on the refueling operation terminal 1. Here, the control unit 31 displays a refueling operation screen (confirmation screen) corresponding to the vehicle number on the refueling operation terminal 1 corresponding to the refueling lane R1 associated with the vehicle number. For example, the control unit 31 displays payment information, fuel type (see FIG. 3), etc., registered in advance by the user of the vehicle corresponding to the vehicle number (see (b) and (c) of FIG. 4).

[0094] In step S28, the control unit 31 executes payment processing for refueling. For example, the control unit 31 executes payment processing for refueling in the refueling lane R1 associated with the vehicle number based on the payment information of the user associated with the vehicle number. For example, the control unit 31 executes payment processing for refueling for the vehicle parked in the refueling lane R1 using a credit card (see FIG. 3) associated with the vehicle number of the vehicle. The control unit 31 sends a payment request to the payment server 6, and the payment server 6 performs authentication processing in response to the payment request to complete the payment. When the payment server 6 completes the payment, it sends a completion notification to the refueling management server 3.

[0095] The other processes are the same as those in the refueling process shown in Fig. 6. The control unit 31 executes the refueling process according to the second embodiment in the manner described above.

[0096] As described above, the refueling system 10 according to the second embodiment is a system for refueling a vehicle at a gas station equipped with a plurality of refueling lanes. The refueling system 10 acquires on-board device information for identifying an ETC on-board device 4 installed in a vehicle, and acquires vehicle information (vehicle number) for identifying the vehicle corresponding to the refueling lane. The refueling system 10 also references a storage unit (data server DS) that stores a plurality of on-board device information pieces and a plurality of vehicle information pieces in association with each other, and determines whether the vehicle information associated with the on-board device information matches the vehicle information corresponding to the refueling lane. If the vehicle information associated with the on-board device information matches the vehicle information corresponding to the refueling lane, the refueling system 10 executes payment processing for the refueling at the refueling lane based on payment information associated with the vehicle information.

[0097] With the above configuration, it is possible to reliably identify a vehicle parked in a fueling lane and execute payment processing for fueling for that vehicle. Furthermore, there is no need to install a communication device for each fueling lane or to install entrance and exit gates for each fueling lane. Therefore, fueling using ETC can be performed at low cost.

[0098] In another embodiment of the present invention, one or more ETC communication devices T may be installed at a gas station. Also, in the configuration according to the second embodiment (see FIG. 7), one imaging unit may be installed at a gas station, or one may be installed for each gas station lane.

[0099] In another embodiment of the present invention, in the configuration shown in FIG. 1, the fuel supply management server 3 may identify a user who purchases a product in a store and execute a payment process. For example, the control unit 31 acquires the on-board unit number of the user's vehicle and acquires a facial image associated with the on-board unit number. When the user parks their vehicle and enters the store, the reading unit 14 of the store terminal 1e acquires a facial image (or biometric information) of the user at the time of payment for the purchased product. The control unit 31 of the fuel supply management server 3 compares the facial image associated with the on-board unit number with the facial image acquired from the reading unit 14 to determine whether the two facial images match, and authenticates the user if the two facial images match. After authenticating the user, the control unit 31 executes a payment process for the purchased product based on the payment information associated with the user.

[0100] The present invention is not limited to payment processing at gas stations, but can be applied to payment processing at various facilities.

[0101] The refueling system of the present invention may be configured by a single refueling management server 3. The refueling operation terminal 1 and the refueling management server 3 may also be configured by an integrated device (management server or POS terminal).

[0102] [Notes on the Invention] The following is a summary of the invention extracted from the above-described embodiment. Note that the configurations and processing functions described in the following supplementary notes can be selected and combined as desired.

[0103] <Appendix 1> A fueling system for refueling vehicles at a gas station having a plurality of fueling lanes, a first acquisition processing unit that acquires vehicle-mounted device information that identifies the vehicle-mounted device mounted on the vehicle; a second acquisition processing unit that acquires user information that identifies a user of the vehicle corresponding to the fueling lane; a determination processing unit that refers to a storage unit that stores a plurality of pieces of vehicle-mounted device information and a plurality of pieces of user information in association with each other, and determines whether or not the user information associated with the vehicle-mounted device information acquired by the first acquisition processing unit matches the user information acquired by the second acquisition processing unit; a payment processing unit that, when user information associated with the on-board device information acquired by the first acquisition processing unit and the user information acquired by the second acquisition processing unit match, executes payment processing for the refueling at the refueling lane corresponding to the user information acquired by the second acquisition processing unit based on payment information associated with the user information; A fuel supply system comprising:

[0104] <Appendix 2> the first acquisition processing unit acquires the on-board device information via a communication device installed at the gas station when the communication device receives the on-board device information from the vehicle; 10. A fueling system as described in Appendix 1.

[0105] <Appendix 3> The user information is user-specific information including characteristic information for identifying the user, the second acquisition processing unit acquires the user information from a reading unit disposed in the fueling lane when the reading unit reads the user information; 10. The fueling system of claim 1 or 2.

[0106] <Appendix 4> An operation terminal that accepts refueling operations from users is installed in each of the refueling lanes, The reading unit is installed in association with each of the operation terminals. 10. A fueling system as described in Appendix 3.

[0107] <Appendix 5> the reading unit reads the user information when a refueling operation by the user is accepted at the operation terminal; 10. A fueling system as described in Appendix 4.

[0108] <Appendix 6> the first acquisition processing unit deletes the in-vehicle device information when the payment process at the gas station is completed. 6. A refueling system according to any one of claims 1 to 5.

[0109] <Appendix 7> A fueling system for refueling vehicles at a gas station having a plurality of fueling lanes, a first acquisition processing unit that acquires vehicle-mounted device information that identifies the vehicle-mounted device mounted on the vehicle; a second acquisition processing unit that acquires vehicle information that identifies the vehicle corresponding to the fueling lane; a determination processing unit that refers to a storage unit that stores a plurality of pieces of in-vehicle device information and a plurality of pieces of vehicle information in association with each other, and determines whether or not the vehicle information associated with the in-vehicle device information acquired by the first acquisition processing unit matches the vehicle information acquired by the second acquisition processing unit; a payment processing unit that, when vehicle information associated with the on-board device information acquired by the first acquisition processing unit and the vehicle information acquired by the second acquisition processing unit match, executes payment processing for the refueling at the refueling lane corresponding to the vehicle information acquired by the second acquisition processing unit based on payment information associated with the vehicle information; A fuel supply system comprising:

[0110] <Appendix 8> The vehicle information is a vehicle number of the vehicle, the second acquisition processing unit acquires the vehicle number from an imaging unit capable of imaging a predetermined area including the fuel filling lane when the imaging unit captures an image of the vehicle number of the vehicle stopped in the fuel filling lane. 10. A fueling system as described in Appendix 7. [Explanation of symbols]

[0111] 1: Fueling operation terminal 1a to 1d: Refueling equipment 2: Fuel pump 3: Fuel management server 4:ETC on-board equipment 5: ETC management server 6: Payment server 10: Fueling system 11: Control section 21: Control unit 31: Control unit 111: Display processing unit 112: Reception processing unit 211: Reception processing unit 212: Request processing unit 311: First acquisition processing unit 312: Second acquisition processing unit 313: Judgment processing unit 314: Fuel supply processing unit 315: Payment processing unit Ca~Cd: Imaging section DS: Data Server DS1: User information GS1: Gas Station R1~R8: Refueling lanes T1~T5:ETC communication device

Claims

1. A fueling system for refueling vehicles at a gas station having a plurality of fueling lanes, a first acquisition processing unit that acquires vehicle-mounted device information that identifies the vehicle-mounted device mounted on the vehicle; a second acquisition processing unit that acquires user information that identifies a user of the vehicle corresponding to the fueling lane; a determination processing unit that refers to a storage unit that stores a plurality of pieces of vehicle-mounted device information and a plurality of pieces of user information in association with each other, and determines whether or not the user information associated with the vehicle-mounted device information acquired by the first acquisition processing unit matches the user information acquired by the second acquisition processing unit; a payment processing unit that, when user information associated with the on-board device information acquired by the first acquisition processing unit and the user information acquired by the second acquisition processing unit match, executes payment processing for the refueling at the refueling lane corresponding to the user information acquired by the second acquisition processing unit based on payment information associated with the user information; A fuel supply system comprising:

2. the first acquisition processing unit acquires the on-board device information via a communication device installed at the gas station when the communication device receives the on-board device information from the vehicle; The fueling system of claim 1 .

3. The user information is user-specific information including characteristic information for identifying the user, the second acquisition processing unit acquires the user information from a reading unit disposed in the fueling lane when the reading unit reads the user information; The fueling system of claim 1 .

4. An operation terminal that accepts refueling operations from users is installed in each of the refueling lanes, The reading unit is installed in association with each of the operation terminals.

4. The fuel supply system of claim 3.

5. the reading unit reads the user information when a refueling operation by the user is accepted at the operation terminal; 5. The fuel supply system of claim 4.

6. the first acquisition processing unit deletes the in-vehicle device information when the payment process at the gas station is completed. A fuel supply system according to any one of claims 1 to 5.

7. A fueling system for refueling vehicles at a gas station having a plurality of fueling lanes, a first acquisition processing unit that acquires vehicle-mounted device information that identifies the vehicle-mounted device mounted on the vehicle; a second acquisition processing unit that acquires vehicle information that identifies the vehicle corresponding to the fueling lane; a determination processing unit that refers to a storage unit that stores a plurality of pieces of in-vehicle device information and a plurality of pieces of vehicle information in association with each other, and determines whether or not the vehicle information associated with the in-vehicle device information acquired by the first acquisition processing unit matches the vehicle information acquired by the second acquisition processing unit; a payment processing unit that, when vehicle information associated with the on-board device information acquired by the first acquisition processing unit and the vehicle information acquired by the second acquisition processing unit match, executes payment processing for the refueling at the refueling lane corresponding to the vehicle information acquired by the second acquisition processing unit based on payment information associated with the vehicle information; A fuel supply system comprising:

8. The vehicle information is a vehicle number of the vehicle, the second acquisition processing unit acquires the vehicle number from an imaging unit capable of imaging a predetermined area including the fuel filling lane when the imaging unit captures an image of the vehicle number of the vehicle stopped in the fuel filling lane.

8. The fueling system of claim 7.

9. A refueling method for refueling a vehicle at a gas station having a plurality of refueling lanes, comprising: one or more processors, a first acquisition step of acquiring vehicle-mounted device information for identifying the vehicle-mounted device mounted on the vehicle; a second acquisition step of acquiring user information identifying a user of the vehicle corresponding to the fueling lane; a determination step of determining whether or not the user information associated with the vehicle-mounted device information acquired in the first acquisition step matches the user information acquired in the second acquisition step, by referring to a storage unit that stores a plurality of pieces of vehicle-mounted device information and a plurality of pieces of user information in association with each other; a payment step of executing a payment process for the refueling at the refueling lane corresponding to the user information acquired in the second acquisition step, based on payment information associated with the user information, when the user information associated with the on-board device information acquired in the first acquisition step matches the user information acquired in the second acquisition step; Refueling method to be performed.

10. 1. A fueling program for fueling a vehicle at a fueling station having a plurality of fueling lanes, comprising: a first acquisition step of acquiring vehicle-mounted device information for identifying the vehicle-mounted device mounted on the vehicle; a second acquisition step of acquiring user information identifying a user of the vehicle corresponding to the fueling lane; a determination step of determining whether or not the user information associated with the vehicle-mounted device information acquired in the first acquisition step matches the user information acquired in the second acquisition step, by referring to a storage unit that stores a plurality of pieces of vehicle-mounted device information and a plurality of pieces of user information in association with each other; a payment step of executing a payment process for the refueling at the refueling lane corresponding to the user information acquired in the second acquisition step, based on payment information associated with the user information, when the user information associated with the on-board device information acquired in the first acquisition step matches the user information acquired in the second acquisition step; A fueling program for causing one or more processors to execute the above.

Images