Fuel and air refill system and method thereof

Abstract

The present disclosure relates to a fuel, charge, air refill, and payment system (100) for automated servicing of a vehicle (102) with minimal human intervention. A nozzle with vehicle-code scanner, transmitter, and receiver (NVCSTR) (108) identifies the vehicle through a vehicle-identification module (104) to obtain factory, variable, and dynamic parameters for controlling refilling of fuel, air, or electrical charge. A control and processing unit (110) validates the data through an authentication module (132), regulates dispensing via a nozzle or connector assembly (106) and tyre-pressure interface (112), and executes billing and payment through a digital-transaction interface (114) connected to a cloud communication network (116) and multi-party communication gateway (118). The system records refuelling data across stations, detects stolen or challaned vehicles, enables policy-based rationing, and ensures safety through a safety and access-control unit (128). It integrates refilling, billing, and analytics to enhance accuracy, efficiency, and compliance.

Description

[0001] FUEL AND AIR REFILL SYSTEM AND METHOD THEREOF FIELD OF THE EMBODIMENTS

[0002] The present disclosure relates to the field of automobile refuelling and service systems. More particularly, the disclosure pertains to a system and method for automated refilling of fuel or air in a vehicle based on automatic vehicle identification, enabling safe, efficient, and accurate refilling operations with minimal human intervention.

[0003] BACKGROUND OF THE EMBODIMENTS

[0004] Automobile refuelling technology has undergone gradual mechanization over the past century, evolving from manual fuel pumps to electronic dispensers capable of metering fuel flow and computing cost. Modern service stations employ automatic cut-off nozzles, digital counters, and limited safety interlocks. Despite these developments, refuelling and air-filling remain largely manual processes requiring constant human intervention. Most of the steps at a fuel and air refill or payment process at a fuel station are still manual, time-consuming, and prone to safety risks. Customers typically provide verbal instructions regarding the quantity and type of fuel to be filled, manually unlock the doors and windows to allow passengers to escape in case of emergencies such as fire, and collect physical copies of bills for record-keeping. Users maintain manual logs of fuel consumption and expenses. Passengers are counted manually before and after refuelling as some may remain in rest areas or washrooms within the fuel station. Customers also lack a method to compare fuel prices across nearby or en route fuel stations when they intend to refill or open the fuel lid of the vehicle.

[0005] Similarly, the service-provider or station operator performs multiple manual tasks. The operator announces the type of fuel to be filled (petrol, diesel, CNG, or electric), asks the customer for the desired quantity, enters vehicle details manually for bill generation, and later reports to the station manager the total fuel dispensed and bills issued during the day. These operations are not digitally synchronized, leading to errors, delay, and inefficient reporting. Fuel agencies do not maintain structured data regarding the types of vehicles served or the specific fuel or air supplied to them. Consequently, agencies lack the ability to forecast future demand for fuel or electric charging since individual vehicle data remains unrecorded. Government authorities also face significant data gaps. Because the demand raised by customers is not linked to the vehicle’s fuel -tank capacity, there are no effective tools to rationalize or control fuel supply, or to restrict fuel distribution for pollution management in a specific area. The absence of vehicle-linked refuelling data prevents any policy-based rationing or emission control.

[0006] At present, recommended tyre pressure values for various vehicle makes and models are displayed either on the vehicle (usually near the driver-side door frame) or on a list pasted on the air-refill machine at the fuel station, for example:

[0007]

[0008] To determine the correct pressure, the air machine operator or the vehicle owner must locate these values from either the vehicle or the displayed list. Reading values from the door frame requires the user to open the door and bend to read the label, which is inconvenient and sometimes unreadable due to wear or ignorance of the customer. Searching one vehicle out of hundreds listed on the machine chart is timeconsuming and often incomplete, since many vehicle variants may not appear on the list at all. Incorrect tyre pressure values may reduce fuel efficiency, cause uneven wear and tear, discomfort to passengers, or even tyre bursts or imbalance. Hence, the existing process is cumbersome, inaccurate, and unsafe.

[0009] Most of the above procedures are either manual or unreliable under real -world conditions. For example, existing vehicle identification using cameras frequently fails due to poor vehicle orientation or lighting at the fuel station. Systems that rely on operator entry are subject to human error and cannot ensure consistent safety or data accuracy.

[0010] Technologies introduced to improve efficiency have so far addressed only isolated aspects of the refuelling cycle. Systems that rely on simple nozzle sensors automate the shut-off process but still depend on the user or operator for verification of fuel type and payment. In the absence of integrated control logic, problems such as wrong-fuel filling, over-dispensing, spillage, and incorrect air pressure remain frequent. Tyre-air refilling is almost always handled at a different terminal, resulting in multiple queues and duplication of effort. Furthermore, the lack of realtime connectivity with payment gateways or vehicle databases means that refuelling data is neither authenticated nor traceable across different stakeholders such as vehicle owners, manufacturers, fleet operators, or regulatory bodies. Existing refuelling and air-refilling arrangements thus lack a unified automation framework, suffer from high dependency on human input, and are incapable of ensuring accuracy, safety, and time efficiency.

[0011] One known approach in this field employs a fuel -dispensing nozzle provided with a built-in transmitter and receiver capable of communicating with a chip or tag mounted on the vehicle. The principal objective of this system is to prevent unauthorized dispensing and fuel theft by ensuring that fuel is delivered only to vehicles registered with the station’s control unit. The communication link is short-range and transactional in nature; it merely verifies authorization and allows or blocks fuel flow. While this approach improves station security, it does not monitor or regulate parameters such as fuel type, tank capacity, or safety conditions within the vehicle. It also lacks integration with air-filling, payment, or remote databases, and therefore remains restricted to a local anti-theft function.

[0012] Another established system utilizes a vehicle-mounted transponder and a corresponding reader at the service station to identify the vehicle automatically and simplify billing. Once the transponder is read, the station’s local database retrieves customer information and charges the account after the fuel quantity is entered manually. This arrangement removes the need for physical payment at the counter but ends there; it does not communicate with the vehicle’s sensors, tyre-pressure modules, or any cloud-based data center. The system performs no validation of fuel compatibility or capacity and provides no real-time analytics to the owner or regulator. Its architecture is limited to local station automation without crossplatform data connectivity. Another development in the art introduces fuel dispensers fitted with RFID or barcode readers directly on the nozzle assembly. When the nozzle is inserted into the fuel inlet, the reader scans the tag or code on the vehicle and permits dispensing. This configuration enhances operational convenience and may prevent fuelling of unregistered vehicles. However, its automation ends at authorization. The system still requires manual supervision for quantity measurement, tyre-air refilling, and payment handling. It lacks communication with the vehicle’s onboard diagnostic or tyre-pressure monitoring systems and cannot transmit data beyond the station’s local server. Consequently, it neither addresses comprehensive safety control nor enables unified refuelling and maintenance operations.

[0013] An additional category of prior art employs camera-based number-plate recognition systems for identifying a vehicle and verifying its fuel type through a centralized database. Such systems were primarily designed to prevent fuel-type mismatch and thereby avoid engine damage. The approach works effectively for fuel-type verification but performs only that single function. It cannot monitor the actual refuelling process, inform tyre pressure, process payments, or transmit analytical data to other parties. Moreover, its reliance on external cameras increases cost and complexity without improving user convenience or system interactivity at the nozzle level.

[0014] A commercially practiced arrangement integrates a pre-payment transponder linked to a customer’ s bank or fleet account. The system verifies the available credit before enabling the pump to dispense a predetermined volume of fuel. While this design streamlines payment and reduces human handling of cash, it functions entirely as a financial transaction tool. It does not verify technical aspects of the refuelling process such as fuel compatibility, tyre pressure, or tank capacity, nor does it generate maintenance or usage records. The approach thus separates the economic component of refuelling from the physical and safety components.

[0015] Another known solution describes the use of vehicle identification data for government taxation and rationing control. In this framework, the vehicle’s registration number or electronic tag is transmitted to a central governmental database during each refuelling event, primarily to record the amount of fuel consumed and compute applicable taxes. Although this concept introduces a regulatory perspective to refuelling, it does not involve any direct communication between the vehicle and the dispenser hardware. The system is administrative in nature and cannot influence or optimize the physical act of refuelling or air filling at the station.

[0016] In the context of electric vehicles, a separate class of technology known as plug-and-charge systems has emerged. Here, the vehicle and the charger authenticate each other through digital certificates, allowing automatic initiation of charging and billing. While effective for electric power transfer, these systems are confined to electric vehicles and cannot be applied to liquid-fuel or compressed-gas refuelling. They also operate independently of mechanical maintenance activities such as tyreair filling and do not provide cross-energy integration at common service stations.

[0017] From the foregoing, it is evident that existing refuelling technologies are fragmented and narrowly focused. Some address authorization, others payment or safety, but none provide a unified technical solution that links vehicle identification with actual refuelling control, tyre-air management, payment automation, and realtime data communication. Present systems continue to suffer from disadvantages including manual dependency, lack of automatic verification of fuel type and capacity, absence of tyre-air coordination, inadequate passenger and vehicle safety checks, inability to perform multi-agency data sharing, lack of predictive maintenance or price-advisory capability, and limited adaptability to future energy forms such as electric or hydrogen refilling. These limitations highlight the continuing need for a comprehensive automated refuelling system capable of coordinating mechanical, electronic, and digital operations in a single seamless process.

[0018] In view of the foregoing discussion, it is evident that the available technologies for vehicle refuelling and related operations are limited in scope and functionality. The known systems primarily focus on individual aspects such as vehicle authorization, payment processing, theft prevention, or fuel -type verification, without establishing an integrated mechanism for comprehensive monitoring and control of refuelling parameters. None of the existing solutions ensure coordinated management of fuel delivery, air-pressure regulation, and safety supervision during the refuelling process, nor do they enable reliable data communication with external networks for record-keeping and regulatory purposes. There therefore exists a continuing need for a technically advanced and coordinated refuelling system capable of improving accuracy, safety, and operational efficiency at fuel stations while minimizing manual intervention.

[0019] OBJECTIVE OF THE EMBODIMENTS

[0020] The principal object of the present disclosure is to provide a digital fluid-fill system for a vehicle capable of managing the refilling of fuel, air, or electric charge by automatically identifying or scanning a unique code of the vehicle that reveals its identification information such as VIN (Vehicle Identification Number), make, model, engine number, chassis number, and registration number with minimum human intervention, thereby enabling a safe, efficient, cost-effective, and environmentally responsible refilling process.

[0021] Another object of the present disclosure is to provide an automated fuel and air refill payment system which executes digital payment upon identification of the vehicle, without manual data entry, ensuring quick, accurate, and contactless transactions. Another object of the present disclosure is to provide a digital fuel dispenser management system to record the quantity of fluid dispensed, generate digital bills, collect payments, and maintain transaction data automatically for operational and accounting efficiency at the station.

[0022] Another object of the present disclosure is to offer a refill advisory mechanism to recommend the lowest-cost fuel or charging point within a geographical region based on fuel price variations, energy availability, or user route information, triggered when the fuel lid is opened or when the user indicates an intent to refill. Another object of the present disclosure is to enable compilation of fuel or energy consumption data of each vehicle and correlate it with odometer readings to verify actual usage, detect anomalies, and predict service and maintenance schedules accurately.

[0023] Another object of the present disclosure is to provide a means to estimate the effective life, performance efficiency, and scrapping stage of a vehicle based on its cumulative fuel or energy consumption data rather than chronological age, facilitating evidence-based end-of-life assessment.

[0024] Another object of the present disclosure is to implement a vehicle-based fuel rationing and regulation mechanism that may restrict or ration fuel refills per vehicle, per day, or per month to reduce emissions, manage energy scarcity, or comply with environmental and governmental policies.

[0025] Another object of the present disclosure is to determine the spatial location and orientation of the fuel nozzle relative to the identified vehicle, thereby helping to detect stolen vehicles and maintain a verifiable record of their refuelling history and coordinates.

[0026] Another object of the present disclosure is to provide a fleet data aggregation system that compiles fuel or energy refill quantities and total billing amounts for all vehicles belonging to a fleet or organization during a defined period (such as a day, month, or year), supporting logistics analytics and budgeting.

[0027] Another object of the present disclosure is to automatically unlock vehicle doors when the refuelling or air-filling process begins, thereby enabling quick and safe passenger evacuation during emergencies.

[0028] Another object of the present disclosure is to generate audio and visual indications for the operator or user, declaring the type of fluid to be dispensed (Petrol, Diesel, CNG, Hydrogen, or Electric charge) and issuing a warning when the requested fuel volume exceeds the vehicle’s available tank capacity.

[0029] Another object of the present disclosure is to facilitate automatic air or nitrogen refilling in vehicle tyres using the same identification and billing process as for fuel refilling, thereby integrating both operations under a single digital control system. Another object of the present disclosure is to count and record the number of passengers before and after each refuelling or air-refilling operation to ensure that no passenger remains in the service area or rest zone of the fuel station.

[0030] Another object of the present disclosure is to assist lost passengers in tracing their vehicles within or near the fuel station using digital navigation, QR-coded wristbands, or mobile interfaces.

[0031] Another object of the present disclosure is to inform customers about the quality of service, safety, and environmental ratings of a fuel station through a station performance index, and to inform the station staff about customer needs or accessibility requirements such as wheelchair assistance.

[0032] Another object of the present disclosure is to determine “nozzle-in time,” “nozzle-out time,” and total stay duration to estimate fuel volume accuracy, calculate average dispensing efficiency, and predict nozzle maintenance or replacement intervals.

[0033] Another object of the present disclosure is to extend all of the above functionalities to electric vehicles, wherein the fuel nozzle is replaced by an electric charging connector, enabling unified automation of fuel, air, and energy refilling operations across different vehicle types.

[0034] Another object of the present disclosure is to provide a computerized system comprising one or more processors, memory units, sensors, and communication interfaces configured to perform the aforesaid operations using embedded control logic and algorithms, ensuring event-based automation with minimal latency and high reliability.

[0035] Another object of the present disclosure is to establish a secure, authenticated, and interoperable communication network between the vehicle, refuelling or charging station, cloud-based servers, and authorized external entities such as banks, government authorities, OEMs, and fleet managers to support transparent billing, record-keeping, and policy enforcement.

[0036] Another object of the present disclosure is to provide a method and system that utilize artificial intelligence (AI) or machine-learning algorithms to analyze refuelling data for predictive insights such as maintenance forecasting, consumption optimization, and emission control.

[0037] Another object of the present disclosure is to provide a tamper-proof and traceable data-recording framework that maintains historical logs of fuel and air refilling, enabling audit, insurance validation, and compliance verification.

[0038] Another object of the present disclosure is to improve environmental sustainability by optimizing refuelling operations, preventing fuel spillage, ensuring accurate tyre pressure for reduced emissions, and encouraging energy -efficient driving behaviour through data feedback. Another object of the present disclosure is to enhance safety and operational reliability by incorporating automatic cut-offs, leakage detection, and emergency control features synchronized with the vehicle’s sensors and the refuelling unit. Another object of the present disclosure is to provide a unified refuelling architecture that may be implemented through modular hardware or software components, adaptable to different station layouts, vehicle types, and energy formats.

[0039] Another object of the present disclosure is to ensure end-to-end data transparency and accountability by integrating user authentication, vehicle identification, and multi-agency data exchange into a single automated workflow.

[0040] SUMMARY OF THE EMBODIMENTS

[0041] The present disclosure provides a fuel and air refill system (100) for automated refuelling, charging, and servicing of a vehicle (102) with minimal human intervention. The system integrates mechanical, electronic, and digital control units for automatic identification, authentication, refilling, payment, and record-keeping through synchronized modules connected via a cloud communication network (116).

[0042] In one embodiment, the system (100) comprises a vehicle-identification module (104) carrying a unique vehicle code corresponding to parameters such as VIN, make, model, and registration number. A nozzle or connector assembly (106) equipped with a vehicle-code scanner and transceiver unit (108) detects the vehicle code and initiates secure two-way communication with a control and processing unit (110). The control and processing unit (110) is linked with various functional modules such as a tyre-pressure interface (112) for automatic air filling, a digitaltransaction interface (114) for real-time billing and digital payment, a multi-party communication gateway (118) for data sharing with banks (120), government databases (122), OEM servers (124), insurance and finance institutions, and fleetmanagement systems (126), and a safety and access-control unit (128) for unlocking vehicle doors, counting passengers, and issuing emergency alerts during refilling.

[0043] The analytics and advisory module (130) provide dynamic advisories on refilling, maintenance scheduling, and fuel-price comparison based on real-time and historical data. An authentication module (132) verifies the vehicle code through a cloud registry before refuelling is permitted, and a parameter -validation module (134) retrieves and validates OEM-specified parameters, such as tank capacity, fuel type, and tyre pressures, ensuring that the refill quantity, air pressure, and medium type remain within permissible limits. An orchestration and synchronization module (136) coordinates concurrent refilling, billing, and communication, while a compliance and record-posting module (138) compiles verified refilling data for external audit and policy compliance.

[0044] Additional embodiments include vehicle-safety features and predictive analytics. The safety and access-control unit (128) unlocks doors when refilling begins to allow evacuation in case of emergencies, counts passengers before and after refilling, and issues departure authorization signals only when all passengers are on board. Fuel-quality sensors connected to the parameter-validation module (134) detect fuel density, octane rating, or chemical composition to alert the user of adulteration. The system (100) can also monitor nozzle-in and nozzle-out times to compute nozzle-usage statistics and schedule maintenance through the analytics and advisory module (130).

[0045] Further, the multi-party communication gateway (118) aggregates refuelling data from multiple vehicles (102) to transmit emission and consumption analytics to governmental authorities for policy-making. The analytics and advisory module (130) also calculate carbon-footprint equivalents, recommends stations with shorter queues, and displays real-time congestion levels. Loyalty points are automatically credited to a digital wallet linked to the digital-transaction interface (114) when refuelling is performed at affiliated stations.

[0046] In yet another embodiment, the system (100) supports autonomous refilling at unattended stations. The control and processing unit (110) authenticates the driver via a customer ID, password, or biometric module (142), enabling refuelling, billing, and payment to be performed automatically. The system further provides vehicle-to-vehicle fuel or energy transfer, and, for electric vehicles, the nozzle or connector assembly (106) operates as a charging connector enabling bidirectional energy transfer under controlled grid protocols. The analytics and advisory module (130) also support queue management, predicting waiting time and service capacity using data from fuel-level sensors (110a) and energy-meter interfaces (110b) in station tanks. It further computes dynamic tariffs based on location, demand, and emission-zone data retrieved via GPS and the multi-party communication gateway (118). The oil-level sensing and refill interface (140) enables automatic engine-oil replenishment when the level falls below a threshold, recording the event for billing and maintenance analysis. In an advanced embodiment, the analytics and advisory module (130) employ a machine-learning model to predict refilling demand, nozzle wear, and vehicle fuelefficiency degradation. The compliance and record -posting module (138) maintains an immutable blockchain ledger for audit and traceability of refilling events. The multi-party communication gateway (118) includes an API layer to allow secure access for authorised third parties such as OEM dashboards or fleet -management platforms. Temperature and vapour sensors integrated with the nozzle or connector assembly (106) regulate fuel or charging flow to prevent overheating and leakage, thereby ensuring operational safety.

[0047] In another embodiment, a method (200) is provided for automated refuelling and servicing of the vehicle (102) using the system (100). The method comprises the steps of scanning the vehicle code using the scanner and transceiver unit (108), validating the code via the authentication module (132), retrieving vehicle-specific parameters from the parameter-validation module (134), and determining permissible refilling limits. Refilling is then executed automatically while billing, data transfer, and safety controls occur concurrently. Verified data are transmitted to external servers via the multi-party communication gateway (118), and predictive analytics are generated by the analytics and advisory module (130).

[0048] In yet another embodiment, a control and processing unit (110) is disclosed comprising a processor and memory storing executable instructions that enable data acquisition, authentication, parameter validation, refilling regulation, billing computation, and synchronized data posting through the cloud communication network (116). The processor executes coordinated control of all modules (104-138) to ensure validated refilling, secure payment, and real-time analytics. The control and processing unit (110) may also employ machine learning, blockchain encryption, predictive scheduling, and dynamic adjustment algorithms for optimizing refuelling and energy management under diverse operational conditions.

[0049] Collectively, these embodiments provide a comprehensive, digitally integrated refuelling and servicing ecosystem that unifies vehicle identification, fuel and air management, safety assurance, regulatory compliance, predictive analytics, and autonomous operation across both conventional and electric vehicles, thereby enhancing efficiency, safety, and sustainability in refuelling operations.

[0050] BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS OF THE EMBODIMENTS

[0051] Other objects, features, and advantages of the embodiment may be apparent from the following description when read with reference to the accompanying drawings. In the drawings, wherein like reference numerals denote corresponding parts throughout the several views:

[0052] Figure 1A illustrates a schematic block diagram of a refuelling and air-supply system (100) showing major components including a vehicle-identification module (104), nozzle or connector assembly (106), vehicle-code scanner and transceiver unit (108), control and processing unit (110), tyre-pressure interface (112), digitaltransaction interface (114), cloud communication network (116), multi-party communication gateway (118), and associated modules (132-138), in accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0053] Figure 1B illustrates exemplary embodiments of a communication architecture between the vehicle 150, fuel or charge station, and external entities through the multi-party communication gateway (118), showing bidirectional data exchange for authentication, billing, regulatory reporting, and analytics;

[0054] Figure 1C illustrates another exemplary embodiment of the system (100) depicting the interaction between the vehicle 150, the refuelling or charging station, and external agencies through the integrated communication framework;

[0055] Figure 2 shows a flowchart depicting exemplary steps of a method (200) for automated refuelling, tyre-air refilling, digital billing, and synchronization of operational data between the vehicle, station, and cloud network, in accordance with various embodiments of the present disclosure; Figure 3 illustrates the configuration and positioning of a Vehicle Identification Number (VIN) code on the vehicle (102);

[0056] Figures 4A and 4B show schematic representations of an exemplary system for opening and closing the vehicle fuel lid, and a corresponding system for activation of the Fuel and Air Refill and Payment System (FARPS) of the vehicle, respectively;

[0057] Figure 5A illustrates the positioning of a transmitter / receiver antenna and a QR code; while Figure 5B illustrates the positioning of a transmitter / receiver antenna and a display panel for vehicle identification and transaction initiation;

[0058] Figure 6A illustrates the fitment of a code scanner on a fuel nozzle to scan a vehicle code using the Nozzle with Vehicle Code Scanner, Transmitter, and Receiver (NVCSTR) assembly;

[0059] Figure 6B illustrates the arrangement of a transmitter / receiver antenna mounted on the fuel nozzle (NVCSTR) to communicate with a corresponding vehicle-mounted antenna;

[0060] Figure 6C illustrates data-cable leads fitted on the fuel nozzle (NVCSTR) to communicate with the vehicle data bus, enabling retrieval of the vehicle code or VIN and exchange of operational data with remote servers;

[0061] Figure 7 illustrates the transfer of tyre-pressure data from the vehicle (102) to the fuel and air refill machines, as well as the tracking of a displaced passenger through a navigation map using a wristband (708) or tape roll 710 containing scannable vehicle codes;

[0062] Figures 8A to 8F illustrate multiple embodiments of code-display devices;

[0063] Figure 10A illustrates a block diagram representing vehicle-code scanning, data processing, storage, and exchange of vehicle data with various agencies through the central cloud server;

[0064] Figure 10B illustrates a schematic representation of a user interface displaying fuel or charge prices along a route and the corresponding station-selection advisories; Figure 10C illustrates a customer user-interface screen showing transaction parameters and advisory outputs;

[0065] Figure 11 illustrates a customer experience flowchart showing user interaction, digital transaction flow, and feedback generation; Figure 12 illustrates customer-side technology components and associated information elements forming part of the connected ecosystem;

[0066] Figure 13 illustrates customer experience options, functional data flow, and useraction mappings associated with the refuelling system;

[0067] Figure 14 illustrates a fuel or charge machine operator interface screen showing control, monitoring, and payment management options;

[0068] Figure 15 illustrates the operational flow of a fuel or charge machine operator experience, detailing event handling and communication exchange;

[0069] Figure 16 illustrates the fuel or charge supply availability computing and communication components used to determine stock levels, service capacity, and load distribution across stations;

[0070] Figure 17 illustrates the operator-side functional options for managing fuel or charge machine operations and monitoring real-time service performance;

[0071] Figure 18 illustrates an air-machine operator interface screen used for tyre-pressure selection, vehicle verification, and billing confirmation; and

[0072] Figure 19 illustrates server-side main components and subsystems including data storage, analytics, compliance, and multi-party communication processors configured for centralized coordination and monitoring.

[0073] DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0074] The embodiments herein and the various features and advantageous details thereof are explained more fully with reference to the non-limiting embodiments that are illustrated in the accompanying drawings and detailed in the following description. Descriptions of well-known components and processing techniques are omitted so as to not unnecessarily obscure the embodiments herein. The examples used herein are intended merely to facilitate an understanding of ways in which the embodiments herein may be practiced and to further enable those of skill in the art to practice the embodiments herein. Accordingly, the examples should not be construed as limiting the scope of the embodiments herein.

[0075] Referring to Figure 1A, the system (100) represents an integrated, electronically controlled refilling infrastructure that performs vehicle identification, authentication, parameter validation, fuel / air / charge delivery, digital billing, and data posting through coordinated operation of hardware and cloud-linked subsystems. The system (100) combines embedded electronics, sensors, and electromechanical actuators in a single automation framework governed by a control and processing unit (110).

[0076] The cabinet that houses the core electronics uses an IP65 / IK08-rated enclosure with flame-retardant UL94-V0 plastics and a grounded steel backplate; a DIN-rail carries isolated DC power supplies (24 V / 10 A primary, 12 V / 5 A auxiliary) with surge protection (MOV / TVS arrays) and an IEC 61000-4-5 compliant SPD. A fanless heat-sinked MCU / MPU board with an industrial temperature range (-20 °C to +70 °C) mounts on standoffs; airflow is guided by a labyrinth vent with hydrophobic membrane to maintain pressure equalization. Cable glands are metal, EMC -rated; all sensor lines use shielded twisted-pair with drain wire tied at a single-point earth to minimize common-mode noise. A safety relay and an emergency stop loop interlock the pump contactor and nozzle enable line; a watchdog supervisor resets the MCU on software hang. The firmware supports dual-bank OTA updates with A / B failover and secure boot, while a real-time clock with supercap backup maintains timing during short power outages.

[0077] The vehicle-identification module (104) serves as the physical identity of each vehicle (102). For an optical embodiment, the quick-response code is laser-etched on a UV-stable polycarbonate plate using black resin infill for high contrast; the plate adheres with acrylic foam tape and anti-tamper shear bolts. The code payload is an ECC-signed JSON containing VIN, registration, make / model, and a rolling token; microtext and a holographic sticker can be added for anti -counterfeiting. For the near-field embodiment, a 13.56 MHz NFC Type-4 or UHF 860-960 MHz EPC Gen2 tag is implemented on a PET substrate with etched aluminum antenna and an adhesive layer rated to 120 °C; the NFC option includes a secure element supporting NDEF with AES-CMAC. For digital-key mode, the vehicle broadcasts a BLE 5.x advertising frame with a rotating resolvable private address and a signed service data field; optional UWB uses IEEE 802.15.4z with time-of-flight ranging for nozzle-to-inlet proximity confirmation. Each embodiment is designed to survive petroleum vapors and wash-down; a silica gel perimeter seal prevents fuel ingress beneath the plate. The nozzle or connector assembly (106) further incorporates embedded temperature sensors, such as negative temperature coefficient (NTC) thermistors or K-type thermocouples, strategically positioned near the valve seat and within the handle housing. These sensors continuously monitor local thermal conditions, transmitting data to a proportional-integral-derivative (PID) limiter circuit within the control and processing unit (110). When thermal stress or abnormal heating is detected, the PID limiter automatically adjusts the fuel flow rate or charging current to maintain safe operating conditions. The mechanical handle is constructed from glass-filled nylon for high strength and thermal resistance, secured with stainless-steel fasteners, and sealed using FKM or FFKM elastomer O-rings for hydrocarbon and chemical compatibility. A strain-relieved cable harness routes through a 360° swivel joint, preventing conductor fatigue and maintaining flexibility during repeated operation. The dispensing spout integrates an anti-splash diffuser and, where required, a flame-arrestor mesh for explosion mitigation. The entire assembly is tested for drop resistance, fluid ingress protection, and hydrocarbon exposure durability, and is designed for field serviceability with modular printed circuit boards (PCBs) and sealed quick-disconnect connectors to simplify maintenance and ensure long-term reliability.

[0078] The vehicle-code scanner and transceiver unit (108) is integrated in the nozzle or connector assembly (106) and provides multimode communication capability. The optical path uses a 1 / 3" global-shutter CMOS sensor (e.g., 1280×960) behind a chemically strengthened AR-coated glass window; an M12 adjustable lens with 8-12 mm focal length and wide dynamic range supports decoding in glare and low light. A high-CRI white LED ring with constant-current driver pulses at 10-20 kHz to avoid flicker; exposure and illumination auto-tune via feedback. The RF reader uses a 13.56 MHz H-bridge driver and litz-wire ferrite-core coil tuned to Q~20; for UHF, a patch antenna on a low-Dk substrate with an RF front-end SAW filter mitigates out-of-band interference. The IR transceiver uses a 940 nm LED with a transimpedance amplifier and AGC to handle reflective codes at up to 50 cm. All electronics mount on a conformally coated PCB (IEC 60068 humidity testing) inside an ATEX / Ex ib certified enclosure; the window has an FKM gasket for fuel resistance. Communication to the control unit (110) is via galvanically isolated RS- 485 (±15 kV ESD protected) or industrial Wi-Fi; BLE is used for low-power diagnostics. A 6-axis IMU detects drops / impacts and inhibits reading if mechanical shock exceeds limits, logging events to NVRAM.

[0079] The control and processing unit (110) supervises all modules over a common timing bus and data protocols. It exposes CAN-FD for real-time interboard messages, RS-485 / Modbus for legacy peripherals, and Ethernet for high-bandwidth traffic. A software message bus (DDS or ZeroMQ) bridges tasks; priorities ensure the safety loop pre-empts billing / UI. The PSU includes a small UPS (LiFePO4 pack with BMS) to finish critical writes and park valves on mains failure. EMI / EMC is addressed with common-mode chokes on all IO, ferrites on ribbon cables, and starground topology to the chassis earth. Diagnostics include loopback tests, sensor plausibility checks, and a built-in self-test on boot with LED blink codes and log export.

[0080] The control and processing unit (110) further interfaces with at least one fuel -level sensor interface (110a) and an energy -meter interface (110b) positioned within the storage tanks or charging infrastructure of the fuel or energy dispensing station. In one embodiment, the fuel-level sensor interface (110a) comprises an ultrasonic continuous level transmitter mounted vertically on the storage tank to measure liquid height and compute available fuel volume using a calibrated density coefficient. The transmitter output, typically a 4-20 mA analog signal or Modbus RTU digital packet, is received by an analog-to-digital converter or UART port of the control unit (110). In an alternate embodiment, the interface employs a capacitive probe or hydrostatic pressure transducer, each connected through shielded cables with intrinsic-safety barriers to prevent ignition hazards.

[0081] The control logic continuously reads and averages the level data, applies temperature compensation through an integrated thermistor, and stores the computed stock capacity in non-volatile memory for refilling predictions and low-stock alarms.

[0082] The energy-meter interface (110b) is provided for stations supporting electrical vehicle charging operations. This interface includes a bidirectional digital power meter or smart energy meter capable of measuring instantaneous current, voltage, power factor, and total kilowatt-hour (kWh) transfer. The meter communicates with the control unit (110) through RS-485, Modbus TCP / IP, or CAN bus protocols, and includes an onboard solid-state relay output for enabling or interrupting charging flow under the command of the control logic. In certain embodiments, the meter includes an embedded inverter controller and temperature feedback circuit allowing regulated charging and discharging (V2G - vehicle-to-grid) operations.

[0083] Both interfaces (110a, 110b) operate under continuous monitoring by the orchestration and synchronization module (136), which timestamps sensor updates and ensures that refuelling or charging transactions are dynamically aligned with billing and data-posting activities. The integration of these interfaces enables precise measurement, predictive analytics, and real-time visibility of available fuel or charge resources within the system (100).

[0084] A tyre-pressure interface (112) receives data from TPMS sensors or stationmounted transducers. For vehicle TPMS, a 315 / 433 MHz ASK / FSK receiver with matched SAW filter demodulates wheel unit frames; a proprietary protocol library decodes ID, pressure, temperature, and battery status. For station -based inflation, a closed-loop manifold includes a 24 V DC oil-free compressor, a desiccant dryer, a 2-L accumulator, and four normally-closed solenoid valves with barbed fittings to individual hoses. Each hose has an inline MEMS pressure sensor (0-6 bar), a check valve, and a quick-coupler chuck; the controller opens only the deviating tyre’s valve and pulses in 100-200 ms bursts while monitoring slope to avoid overshoot. A purge solenoid allows controlled deflation when pressure exceeds OEM recommendation. Noise and vibration are mitigated using rubber isolators under the compressor; a duty-cycle guard protects motor winding temperature estimated via back-EMF model.

[0085] The digital-transaction interface (114) includes a 5-7" capacitive touchscreen (1000 nits sunlight readable) bonded to a laminated toughened glass; the display driver (114a) is a MIPI-DSI or LVDS controller with hardware overlay for crisp UI. The input module (114c) carries a PCI-PTS certified payment core with EMV L1 / L2 kernel, contact / contactless card readers, an NFC antenna tuned to 50 Q, and a Bharat-QR / UPI scanner logic path. The secure keypad uses metal domes with epoxy potted traces; an accelerometer triggers a tamper erase on pry attempts. The audio path includes a class-D amplifier driving a sealed speaker; the output-signal generator (114d) drives a 24-LED ring and the stack light to communicate verified fuel type, quantity, and billing amount prior to valve enable. A thermal printer (optional) with auto-cutter can issue receipts; however, receipts are primarily rendered as signed PDFs and pushed to the user app via QR deep link.

[0086] The multi-party communication gateway (118) uses an industrial x86 / ARM SBC with dual isolated Ethernet, LTE -Advanced modem, and optional 5G NR; it runs a hardened Linux with SELinux policies, iptables, and encrypted root. The data-aggregation processor (118a) ingests MQTT topics from dispensers on a segregated VLAN; the classification logic (118b) assigns tags (vehicle type, fuel type, geo-tile) and writes into a local Timeseries DB with WAL journaling on NVMe SSD. The policy -interface circuit (118c) signs payloads with device certificates (TPM-backed) and posts over HTTPS / MQTT-TLS with ALPN to bank servers (120), governmental databases (122), OEM servers (124), and fleet systems (126). A hardware-watchdog and dual SIMs ensure connectivity resilience; an on-board GNSS provides time and location for geo-stamping when station GNSS is available. A safety and access-control unit (128) orchestrates passenger and site safety. The fuel -lid sensor (128a) is a sealed Hall switch with stainless bracket; its cable runs in a split-loom conduit away from hot surfaces. The safety -trigger circuit (128b) uses opto-isolated inputs and SIL-rated outputs with forced-guided relays to command door-lock actuator interfaces (128c); in-vehicle tie-in can be CAN-based with OEM-approved gateway or dry contacts, depending on vehicle integration. Occupancy detection uses IR time-of-flight modules at door apertures or seat weight mats with ratiometric ADC reading; noisy counts are filtered with hysteresis and Kalman smoothing. The departure-verification logic locks out the pump motor contactor if counts mismatch; an override requires a supervisor RFID badge and is event-logged.

[0087] An analytics and advisory module (130) run on a quad-core MPU with a small GPU / NPU for ML inference; it stores rolling windows in an NVMe TSDB and periodically pushes aggregates to the cloud. A proximity sensor on the nozzle (130a) is a Hall or inductive switch; a flow-initiation detector (130b) reads pump current with a Hall effect transducer or detects vibration with a MEMS accelerometer clamped to the pump housing. The timing circuit (130c) syncs to the RTC; the maintenance scheduler (130d) computes nozzle-in / nozzle-out, dwell times, duty cycles, and MTBF; when thresholds are exceeded, it opens a CMMS ticket via the gateway’s API and schedules calibration (e.g., ISO 17025 meter check). A GPS receiver provides coordinates to support dynamic pricing and route-aware advisories.

[0088] An authentication module (132), implemented as a cryptographic firmware block and supported by a discrete secure element (Common Criteria EAL5+), validates the received identity against a cloud-stored registry accessed through the multiparty communication gateway (118). The secure element provides hardware AES-GCM, SHA-256, and ECC-P256 primitives; keys are provisioned at manufacture and rotated via certificate pinning. A tamper mesh and voltage / clock glitch detectors erase secrets on intrusion. The dispense enable line is gated through a safety-rated MOSFET driver that energizes a Class H coil in a normally-closed solenoid valve only after successful auth and interlock checks. A tri-color stack light and a 90 dB piezo sounder on the dispenser head communicate status; all auth failures, retries, and lockouts write to a WORM partition on eMMC for audit. A parameter-validation module (134) retrieves technical data via the cloud network (116) and supervises live sensor comparisons. The nozzle integrates a Coriolis or positive displacement flow meter for liquids, or a thermal mass / PD meter for gases; a 4-20 mA conditioned output is digitized by a 24-bit delta-sigma ADC with antialiasing filter. A stainless-steel 316L pressure transducer (0-10 bar, 1 / 4-NPT) with overpressure protection provides back-pressure data; a PTIOO-class RTD in a spring-loaded probe measures temperature. The module executes limit checks: fuel type mapping, maximum permissible volume from tank-capacity tables, and rate limiting under vapor-lock scenarios. Solenoid PWM control uses a dither algorithm to reduce stiction and achieve fine flow resolution near cut-off. If any parameter violates bounds, an interrupt line trips a safety latch that de-energizes the valve and creates a latched fault requiring user acknowledgment.

[0089] The orchestration and synchronization module (136) provides hard time determinism. A temperature-compensated RTC (±2 ppm) with supercap and a PPS input from GNSS offers sub -millisecond alignment; a Cortex-M4 coprocessor runs a small RTOS that ingests nozzle pulse trains, transaction state messages, and cloud posting ACKs through opto-isolated inputs and SPI / UART links. A timestamp FIFO with CRC tags multiplexes streams into the control unit (110). A PLL-locked synchronous serial bus forwards a 1 kHz “tick” to satellite boards so billing computations, flow integration, and cloud posts advance in temporal lockstep. On drift detection beyond a threshold, NTP over TLS re-disciplines the RTC. Any missed ACK triggers exponential backoff retransmission with idempotent transaction IDs to avoid double posting.

[0090] A compliance and record-posting module (138) uses eMMC with a WORM-emulated partition for audit trails; each record bundles vehicle ID, station ID, GNSS coordinates, meter pulse counts, computed volume / energy, unit price, tax, and payment reference, then hashes with SHA-256 and signs with ECC-P256. Optionally, the module writes to a permissioned blockchain client (running in a container on the gateway) to append an immutable proof; receipts include a short hash and block reference. Power-loss safe commits rely on a supercap bank and journaled writes; on restart, a reconciliation routine replays unposted records. The system also supports advanced operational modes for customer engagement, predictive analytics, and commercial interoperability. Each transaction acquires a refuelling-source signature comprising station ID, company tag, timestamp, and merchant code. A reward processor on the gateway computes loyalty credits using policy tables fetched securely; rate tables can depend on volume tiers, time windows, or brand continuity. Credits are written to a wallet ledger associated with the user profile and signed; the control unit forwards balances to the UI. The UI’s NFC and QR layers allow on-device redemption; a secure element isolates PAN / UPI tokens from the general CPU. A blockchain-based variant uses smart contracts to mint / burn points on validated station events; double-spend is prevented via nonces in contract calls. Machine-learning routines predict when and where a user is likely to refuel and surface higher-multiplier stations; notifications appear on the UI and can be pushed to a paired app.

[0091] Quality control extends with in-nozzle fuel sensors. A compact vibrating-tube density cell reports specific gravity; a micro-NIR spectrometer behind a sapphire window classifies octane or detects adulterants by spectral fingerprints; an electrochemical cell senses sulfur or ethanol content where applicable. The module fuses readings, temperature-compensates them, and raises alerts on threshold breaches; critical events can automatically stop dispensing and post signed evidence packets (sensor traces, photos if camera present) to regulators via the gateway. Networked station intelligence exchanges congestion, throughput, and stock. Each dispenser publishes queue length estimates (from camera or vehicle-ID arrivals), transactions per minute, and remaining capacity; the analytics module computes expected wait times and proposes alternates. The UI speaks advisories and shows cards with “distance-price-wait” triads; haptic feedback (optional) confirms selection. A learning model refines estimates by comparing predictions to realized waits.

[0092] Environmental and site safety use a hydrocarbon gas detector (NDIR), a temperature probe, and a humidity sensor positioned under a splash guard; thresholds are tuned to applicable safety codes. When trips occur, the control unit kills the pump contactor via a safety relay, closes all solenoids, sounds alarms, and notifies cloud endpoints; a photoelectric smoke sensor (optional) adds redundancy. The nozzle / connector integrates NTC thermistors near current-carrying paths or a thermal camera in EV mode; firmware throttles current or flow in response to rising temperature and logs thermal profiles for preventive analysis.

[0093] Peer-to-peer transfer hardware adds a dual-valve block with check valves and backflow preventers; two authenticated vehicles present their IDs, a small transfer metering loop measures volume / energy, and power relays or micro-pump / solenoid controls regulate transfer under strict limits. Every joule / litre is metered and posted; liability notices and confirmations appear on the UI, and the sequence autoterminates on anomaly detection (pressure spike, reverse flow, or identity loss). Autonomous operation at unattended stations is supported by the UI’s secure login (ID / password, PIN pad with random keypad, optional biometric), an overhead camera for scene monitoring (privacy -aware, no PII retention beyond policy), and remote operator link. If credentials mismatch records in the cloud, the dispense line is locked, and a soft alarm is raised. All unattended sessions record a signed event bundle including timebound access token, device attestation, and meter traces. Station-stock awareness uses ultrasonic or guided-wave radar level sensors in storage tanks (ATEX-rated) and calibrated energy meters in chargers; readings enter the control unit via isolated 4-20 mA loops or Modbus-RTU. The analytics module extrapolates depletion rate and announces remaining capacity to approaching vehicles; it also predicts “vehicles serviceable before stock-out” and shares this with neighbouring stations to balance load. Queue management fuses entry-point code scans, camera counts (on-device edge detection), and historical arrival curves to compute per-island predicted waits; recommendations are rendered on the UI and pushed to vehicles via the cloud.

[0094] Electric charging uses a contactor stack with pre-charge resistor, DC link capacitors, and a bidirectional inverter for V2G, compliant with relevant charging standards; shunt or Hall sensors measure current, an isolation monitor observes DC bus to ground, and a temperature array watches connectors. The gateway exchanges grid commands and pricing; energy credits or settlements are posted by the compliance module. The same orchestration, validation, and billing pipeline applies as fuel mode, unified at software level.

[0095] An oil-level sensing and refill interface (140) employs a capacitive rod sensor (0-5 V) or an ultrasonic probe threaded in the sump service port; signals are filtered, temperature-compensated, and compared to thresholds fetched from OEM data. A small precision gear pump with FKM seals dispenses measured lubricant volume through a dedicated, keyed coupling at the nozzle; a bubble sensor detects air in line and stops the pump to maintain dose accuracy. Oil-grade verification relies on a QR scan of the oil cartridge or an RFID in the bottle; invalid grade locks dispensing and shows guidance on the UI. The refill posts to the maintenance ledger; the analytics module correlates with driving / consumption to predict next change.

[0096] The UI can include a biometric module with a SPI-connected capacitive fingerprint sensor or a 2D NIR camera; liveness detection (blink / texture) prevents spoofing. Templates remain in the cloud’s HSM domain; the device only receives yes / no assertions. A GPS module (multi-constellation) supports dynamic pricing and emission-zone surcharges; current tariff tables arrive via the gateway and are signed to prevent tampering, then displayed before payment.

[0097] All transactional data can be mirrored to a permissioned ledger; the compliance module batches entries and includes Merkle proofs for efficient audits. The gateway exposes an API layer with OAuth2.1 and mTLS, granting scoped access (read-only aggregates for public dashboards, per-fleet detail for owners, granular records for regulators). Rate limiting and anomaly detection protect the API; all accesses are logged and time-stamped.

[0098] Exemplary Embodiments

[0099] With reference to Figure 1B, Fuel lid (156) is opened by Customer / customers form inside the vehicle using a lever / button. Nozzle with vehicle code scanner / transmitter / Receiver (herein after referred as NVCSTR) (166) is placed inside fuel tank through Fuel tank inlet (152A). The NVCSTR (166), scans the vehicle code (also known as VIN or Unique ID of the vehicle) along with other linked details such as Registration number, linked payment bank account details etc which is either pasted in form of a code sticker or Vehicle identification code (QR / VIN / unique ID) (158) or embossed or available as digital display on small screen on fuel lid (156) or nearby on the vehicle itself or keyring of vehicle key or wrist band role to be used by passenger for safety.

[0100] Vehicle details are scanned by NVCSTR (166) or any other scan device or PDA and sent to Fuel Billing machine (174 A) through wired link (168B) or wireless communication link (168A). When required fuel is being filled, Fuel Billing Machine (174 A) may send these vehicle details to connected Bank (186) for initiating and confirmation of payment of fuel bill amount which was entered / calculated by Fuel Vending machine (172A). The same details are sent to Customer PDA 180. Bank (186) sends a confirmation message (say OTP) to Customer PDA 180.

[0101] Cloud server (178) is used for communication between various agencies e.g., between Fuel station server (176) and Bank (186) or Customer PDA 180.

[0102] As the refill process is over and NVCSTR is taken out from fuel tank Customer acknowledges the “accept” message on the customer PDA 180 which may be a mobile phone / computer or infotainment system in car or a computer inside the car or computer in Fleet management system (150A).

[0103] As the Customer “accept” the fuel refill amount confirmation, vehicle details along with bill details ( volume, price, bill amount, date, time, vehicle details) are sent to all concerned agencies i.e., Customer 180, vehicle OEM (182) Fuel company(184), Payment Gateway / Bank (186), Government (188), Fleet management system (150A), microcomputer (150D) with transmitter / receiver, CAN (150B) i.e., Connected Area Network in vehicle.

[0104] Fuel Bill details are also sent from Fuel Billing Machine (174A) to the NVCSTR (166) through wired link (168B), wireless link (168A), optical code reader (170) NVCSTR (166) sends details to receiving / transmitting antenna (164A) placed near Fuel tank inlet (152A) which is further sent to vehicle microcomputer (150D) or CAN (150B).

[0105] Wired link (168B) OR Receiving / Transmitting antenna (164A) may be used to send Vehicle Identification Number (VIN) or Unique ID of the vehicle and other vehicle details from vehicle microcomputer (150D) or CAN (150B) to Fuel Billing Machine (174A) if QR code (158) pasted on the fuel lid (156) is not readable or available due to any reason.

[0106] Vehicle VIN and other details are available to Fuel Billing Machine (174A) only when customer (Human or virtual) of vehicle opens fuel lid (156) by using a lever or a button i.e. the whole system becomes functional only after the consent of the customer to refill is given by opening the Fuel lid (156) or operation of Switch SI (402), S2 (408), S3 (410) of Figure 4B.

[0107] So, vehicle (150) receives Fuel Bill details through two media i.e., through NVCSTR directly and through cloud connection (192) from cloud server (178). One dedicated page on server is allotted to one Unique ID of the vehicle and all parameters and dynamic data is stored against this number to be used by all Customers or agencies connected with the server. Once this Unique ID number is scanned / traced, the following parameters and data becomes available from the cloud server (178) and may be used by Customer PDA 180, Vehicle (150) or any other device or agency connected with the cloud server.

[0108] Figure 1C shows a block representation for various components of Fuel & Air Refill and Payment system (FARPS). QR code (158) of the vehicle is scanned through code reader (170). It may be wired link (168B) or wireless digital scanner (e.g., mobile phone). Purpose of scanning code of the vehicle is to identify the given vehicle by getting it’s unique ID (say VIN) and all data related to the vehicle (150). Vehicle (150) and fuel / air refill machine (172A / 172B) may exchange vehicle related data through wired link (168B) or wireless communication link (168A). Data may flow between vehicle main components i.e., input / output device (202), Connected Area Network (150B), TPMS (150C), Passenger counter (196), Doors windows operating system (198) through microcomputer (150D) of the vehicle. All these components of vehicle are also connected to cloud server (178) for data exchange. Fuel Vending Machine (172A) is connected to cloud server (178) through Fuel Billing Machine (174A) and fuel station server (176). Air filling Machine (172B) is connected to cloud server (178) through Air Refill machine (174B) and fuel station server (176). Data from cloud server (178) may be exchanged with Customer PDA 180 and other agencies like vehicle OEM (182), Fuel station fuel company (184), Bank (186), Government (188), Fleet management system (150A) through internet connection (192).

[0109] Customer Device: Basically a GPS phone with display graphics, navigation / map software support, a code display (say QR code), a code scan software serving the purpose of sending & receiving audio / video / text instructions, displaying fuel prices en route a map, receiving & sending OTP for technical / legal / commercial use, document & process various bills, rating the services at fuel station, exchange data with cloud server and other agencies through internet.

[0110] Fuel machine operator device: NVCSTR (166), a GPS phone with display graphics, a code scanner (say QR code) software serving the purpose vehicle code scanning, sending & receiving audio / video / text instructions, receiving & sending OTP for technical / legal / commercial use, document & process various bills, send RED FLAG alerts to state / police agencies for stolen vehicle, rating the customers at fuel station, exchange data with cloud server and other agencies through internet Air machine operator device: Basically, a GPS phone with display graphics, a code scanner (say QR code) software serving the purpose vehicle code scanning, sending & receiving audio / video / text instructions, receiving & sending OTP for technical / legal / commercial use, document & process various bills, send RED FLAG alerts to state / police agencies for stolen vehicle, rating the customers at fuel station, exchange data with cloud server and other agencies through internet Fuel station computer: Computer with a dashboard to handle payment / bills, manage / store / process data of vehicles visiting the fuel station & exchange relevant data with all concerned agencies through shared server. Network Operations Centre: Computers and Display system connected to Shared server capable of telecommunication abilities to handle customer queries, transfer and filter data for various agencies connected to the server, store / process / manage data of customers vehicles, manage & coordinate fuel station services related to the vehicles e.g., vehicle load at fuel stations & rating of fuel stations and customers. Shared server: Network of computers with internet and telecom services providing automated functions for Customers device, Fuel machine operator device, Air machine operator device, Network operation center, Fuel station computer, other agencies (Government, Bank, OEM, Fuel company, Fleet management system) & vehicle microcomputer / CAN. Server may support data process / manage / store / filter for all connected devices and systems.

[0111] Figure 2 shows a flowchart depicting a method (200) for automated refuelling, air refilling, digital billing, and synchronization of data between the vehicle, station, and cloud network.

[0112] Start (202) is switch which may be operated by any of the users i.e., Customer (712 in Figure 7), Fuel machine operator (714 in Figure 7), Air machine operator (716 in Figure 7) or whenever any one of the 3 electrical / mechanical / software activated switches SI (402), S2 (408), S3 (410) is operated.

[0113] Block (204) represents the demand route initiated by the user. Demand route means start and end locations of the journey. As demand route is generated, block (206) represents retrieval of fuel prices enroute. Comparison of fuel prices is marked through colour scheme with lowest price in green colour, highest point in red colour, medium prices in yellow / orange colour so that customer may quick comparison along with exact numeric value of fuel prices en route (shown in Figure 10B). Purpose of fuel prices enroute is to lower the refill cost of fuel or electricity (for EV).

[0114] Block (208) represents posting vehicle location coordinates as and when Hand Brake is ON or Doors of the vehicle opened or Fuel tank lid is opened. As fuel lid activator is activated to open the fuel lid, doors / windows operating system (198) is activated and doors are unlocked to help passengers leave the vehicle for any purpose (in emergency situations the doors of vehicles many times don’t open and the passengers are trapped inside the vehicle.) or (for washroom use at fuel station). Any of the sensors in vehicle to detect Hand Brake is ON or Doors of the vehicle opened or Fuel tank lid open, is used to detect any of these operations. Vehicle location coordinates (LAT, LONG) are stored on the server to register exact location where vehicle was stopped to fuel / air refill or de board the passengers. Number of passengers leaving the vehicle are counted through seat sensors or object detector at doors or any other known art. Number of passengers leaving the vehicle are counted, registered and stored as Passengers Out (Pout). All the passengers de boarding are given a wrist band (710) having two codes (158, 708A) printed on it as shown in Figure 7. In case any passenger (706) is lost, these codes may be scanned to trace location of the vehicle from which passenger was de boarded. A route on map on PDA helps to navigate from lost passenger to vehicle.

[0115] Block (210) represents the process of scanning the vehicle identification code (say QR) and identifying the vehicle details e.g., VIN number. Figure 5 represents some of the embodiments to position code on the fuel lid (156) OR receiving the vehicle code through NVCSTR (166). Figure 8 represents some of the embodiments to position vehicle identification code. Positioning of code scanner is shown in Figure 6. Code scanner (704A, 704B) may be wired or wireless as shown in Figure 7. Decision box (212) represents vehicle code decryption to fetch data of Table 1 which has three types of data. Factory Parameters (FP) e.g., year of manufacture, Variable Parameters (VP) e.g., phone number of the customer, Dynamic Data (DD) e.g., odometer reading.

[0116] Table 1: Exemplary Embodiments showing data to be fetched via vehicle code decryption

[0117]

[0118]

[0119]

[0120]

[0121] As the code is scanned all the relevant data gets retrieved from the cloud server (178) or from the vehicle microcomputer (150D) or Connected Area Network (CAN) (150B).

[0122] Block (214) represent retrieval and sending the relevant data to each agency. Which agency has access to which type of data is illustrated in Table 2. For example, Fuel demand raised is of Rs 2000 and is termed as Dynamic Data (DD4) and is available to fuel machine operator.

[0123] Table 2: Exemplary data to be accessed by Agency

[0124]

[0125]

[0126] Block (216) represents fuel demand (volume / mass) or charge (for EV) raised by the customer. Decision box (218) is used to compare fuel demand raised by the customer vs fuel tank capacity (FP13, Table 1) (say 80 litres). It is to avoid overflow of fuel or avoid auto cut in fuel vending machine nozzle. Overflow may lead to spillage / fire and auto cut cause over charge to customer due to error of the order of 0.5 litre. If fuel demand raised (say 90 litres) is more than fuel tank capacity (say 80 litres), customer is advised to update / review demand raised. If fuel demand raised (say 50 litres) is less than fuel tank capacity (say 80 litres), process allows to take next decision in block (220).

[0127] Decision box (220) is used to check “raised fuel demand “(50 litres) is less than “available fuel refill capacity” (say 60 litres).

[0128] Fuel Type (FP 5, Table 1): Diesel (say)

[0129] Available fuel refill capacity =Tank capacity (80 litres) - Available fuel (say 20 litres) = 60 litres.

[0130] (FP 13, Table 1)

[0131] If fuel demand raised (say 70 litres) is more than available fuel capacity (say 60 litres), customer is advised to update / review demand raised to avoid overflow or auto cut in fuel vending machine. If fuel demand raised (say 50 litres) is less than available fuel capacity (say 60 litres), process moves to the next step (block 222) of payment & billing.

[0132] Blocks (222, 224, 226, 228) fuel bill payment and bill generation. Fuel refill starts only after fuel bill payment is confirmed.

[0133] Air / N₂ or any other fluid refill in vehicle tyres is explained through block 230 to 242 of the flow chart.

[0134] Decision box (230) takes user consent for air refill. Air refill process starts only if user gives consent for air refill. If user does not want air refill, all blocks from 232 to 242 are bypassed.

[0135] Block (232) is used to retrieve “current tyre pressure” for all the tyres from Table 1 (DD8) along with recommended tyre pressure (FP12 of Table 1) given by the manufacturer. As and when hand brakes are applied or fuel lid open or Fuel and air refill and payment system (FARPS) is activated, latest Dynamic Data (DD8) from Tyre Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS) is stored / updated on the cloud server (178) and microcomputer (150D) or CAN (150B) of the vehicle. Air Refill machine operator (716 Figure 7) receives actual tyre pressure data along with vehicle registration number / vehicle ID on air refill machine 172B. Only those tyres are air refilled for which actual tyre pressure is different from recommended tyre pressure. As an example, Rear Left (RL) tyre need not be air refilled as actual tyre pressure is 33 PSI and recommended tyre pressure is also 33 PSI. Details are given in Figure 7 of the drawings. Total air refill bill is generated on the basis of quantity of air filled at certain rate (say Rs 1 per psi). Block 234 calculates air refill bill (say of Rs 10) for 3 tyres as the fourth tyre Rear Left (RL) was not air refilled. Air refill bill generation, payment process is explained in blocks 236 to 242.

[0136] Vehicle Regulatory compliances (e.g., Insurance, Pollution Under Control, Registration Certificate renewal etc.) are executed through blocks (244 to 260) of the given flow chart in Figure 3.

[0137] Block 244 is used to take customer consent for Regulatory compliances. Regulatory compliance data is available on Government (188) Transport Department which is connected with cloud server (178). Amount payable for each regulatory compliance along with due dates and penalties is updated on Government and cloud server on regular basis (DD11, Table 1). Customer consent for insurance (say Rs 2000) & Traffic Penalty (say Rs 1000) is displayed on customer PDA as shown in Figure 10C. Customer has option to accept or decline the payment. If customer accepts, these two amounts (Rs 2000 + Rs 1000) are added to total bill to be paid along with fuel bill. Customer may press PAY button in Figure 10C and the payment is done. Regulatory compliance Bills or Certificates are generated by concerned agency (say transport department) and passed to customer account or emailed or other communication platform given by the customer.

[0138] Blocks (262 to 276) of the flow chart is used to execute financial liabilities of the vehicle / customer (DD12, Table 1). As shown in block (270), Customer may opt for a fix EMI to the bank, say Rs 3000 per month OR may opt for payment proportional to each fuel bill (say 10 % of the fuel bill of Rs 2000 =Rs 200). EMI and other financial liability consent is accepted on customer PDA as shown in Figure 9B. If customer accepts to pay, EMI bill is generated and digitally sent to customer through preferred communication channel.

[0139] Blocks (278 to 282) of the flow chart explains sending of theft and other alerts to Police / state agencies or the owner of the vehicle or Bank or any other agency which has Red Flagged the vehicle as per law. As vehicle code is scanned for fuel refill, all vehicle data is retrieved. This data is compared with Red Flagged vehicle by the state. As an example, stolen vehicle is Red Flagged by Police in Government (188). If vehicle being filled with fuel / air is stolen vehicle, Location (LAT / LONG) Coordinates of the vehicle (DD5, Table 7) are sent to Police or Owner of the vehicle or agency which has Red Flagged the vehicle.

[0140] Blocks (284 to 288) of the flow chart is used to ensure that all the passengers have boarded the vehicle. Number of passengers de boarded (say 25). Number of passengers boarded after fuel refill (say 23). It means two passengers are still in fuel utility service area. Block (286) retrieves Pin / Pout=23 / 25 is less than 1(DD7, Table 1). It should be equal to one. This information is displayed on customer PDA at right bottom in Figure 10C. If Pin / Pout=23 / 25 is less than 1, information display in Figure 10C may be RED colour otherwise it may be GREEN if this ratio is equal to 1. Vehicle driver must wait for 2 lost passengers. Lost passengers (706) may reach the vehicle by scanning the code on wrist band (710) as explained in Figure 7 of the drawings. Vehicle driver may restart the journey from fuel station when all the passengers have boarded. If vehicle driver ignores Passenger count warning at bottom of the Figure 10C and passengers are left at fuel station service area, lost passenger may trace the location of vehicle as and when vehicle location coordinates may be updated on next stop of the vehicle. It may help lost passengers to trace & board the vehicle on next stop.

[0141] Block (290) represents rating system by the customer (712) as well as fuel station staff (714, 716). Rating system may help both to evaluate and expected service & value for money. In special comments in rating, customer may have information about special services e.g., wheel chair availability at fuel station.

[0142] Block (292) represents exit of the vehicle from fuel station for next fuel refill or reaches the final destination. Figure 4A shows a Battery (406) is used to power the fuel lid motor (404) through electrical / mechanical switch software activated Switch SI (402). Electrical / Mechanical software activated Switch SI (402) is used to open the fuel lid as and when vehicle refuels on a fuel station.

[0143] Figure 4B shows activation of Fuel, Air Refill and Payment System (FARPS) (412) of the vehicle whenever any one of the 3 electrical / mechanical / software activated switches SI (402), S2(408), S3(410) is operated. All these switches are connected in parallel. SI (402) is used to open the fuel lid (156) as explained above. S2(408) is used when customer wants to activate Fuel and Air Refill and Payment System (FARPS) (412) of the vehicle without opening the fuel lid. As an example, Switch S2 (408) is activated whenever customer wants only air refill in tyres of the vehicle without any fuel refill or recharge of the Electric Vehicle. Switch S3 (410) is coupled to Doors’ control of the vehicle and gets activated whenever doors of the vehicle are operated. Switch S3 (410) is also activated whenever hand brake sensor of the vehicle is ON position or Two-wheeler stand sensor is ON position. These three switches may reduce activation time of Fuel and Air Refill and Payment System (FARPS) (412) which may reduce energy consumption and increase effective life of all the components used in the disclosure. These switches S1, S2, S3 may be electrically / mechanically operated or even operated through software apps on Customer PDA 180 or mobile (800) or vehicle infotainment screen (802). Figure 5 A shows Fuel lid components of the vehicle (150). Transmitter / Receiver Antenna (164A) is placed close to Fuel Tank Inlet (152A). QR code (158) is used to identify the vehicle and is pasted or embossed on fuel lid (156). Fuel machine operator may place NVCSTR (166) in fuel tank. NVCSTR (166) may scan the QR code (158) and may confirm three conditions before supplying fuel. Condition one that vehicle Fuel Type (say Petrol) matches with Nozzle Fuel Supply (Petrol). If it is a mismatch, nozzle won’t supply fuel. Condition two is that money for the raised fuel bill (say Rs 2000) has been paid by the Customer. Condition three is fuel demand volume raised should be less than fuel tank capacity as well as less than available refill capacity (Available refill capacity=Tank Capacity- Available fuel in tank) (DD9, Table 1). Fuel to be supplied only after all these conditions are satisfied. Figure 5B shows audio / digital interaction and communication on or near fuel lid. An audio / digital interactive screen / device (160) at fuel lid for interaction has the following functions. QR code (158) display to identifying the vehicle. Display the type of fuel to be filled in the vehicle i.e., Petrol, Diesel, CNG or Electric. Display the fuel level or overflow warning. Display the fuel tank capacity or available fuel refill capacity. Display the fuel volume (or fuel value) demand raised by the Customer. All these functions help the fuel machine operator supply right type of fuel and as per fuel demand raised by the Customer. An audio / digital interactive screen / device (160) conveys existing “fuel level” or “charge level” for electric vehicles and fuel refill order as per the capacity of the fuel tank. Small speaker (154) gives audio output of vehicle customer’s instruction to fuel machine operator e.g., fuel type is Diesel or Fill Rs 2000 Diesel.

[0144] Fuel Demand of Rs. 2000 (say) entered by customer on mobile phone (800) or infotainment screen (802) appears on the audio / digital interactive screen / device (160). Receiver / Transmitter antenna (164A) communicates with fuel machine for data purpose. It also gives audio / digital input / output for communication between customer and person at fuel vending machine. Data cable (162) is used to connect audio / digital interactive screen / device (160) with Customer phone (800) or infotainment screen (802) inside the vehicle (150). It may help the Customer review the fuel order if fuel order is more than available capacity of the tank and likely to overflow and cause hazard. It is explained through an example below:

[0145] As VIN is scanned by scanner, Fuel tank capacity is available e.g., Fuel Tank Capacity = 80 liters.

[0146] From vehicle CAN (150B), Fuel Level in vehicle fuel tank is also available. Fuel level in fuel tank and other parameters are available in form of libraries in modern infotainment and car software.

[0147] e.g., Available Fuel in tank = 20 liters

[0148] Additional fuel which may be added is = 80 liters - 20 liters = 60 liters

[0149] If Customer gives command for 90 liters of fuel to be added, a warning may be given to Customer to avoid overflow of fuel.

[0150] “Warning: Your fuel demand of 90 liters is more than additional refill capacity of fuel of 60 liters. Fuel may overflow. Revise fuel volume demand again”. As shown in Figure 6, A marks space for detachable scanner which may be wired or wireless. As NVCSTR (166) is placed inside fuel tank, scanner scans the QR code (158) on fuel lid and identifies the vehicle along with all data of the vehicle. Figure 6 B shows the receiver / transmitter (164B). As NVCSTR (166) is placed inside fuel tank inlet, Receiver / Transmitter (164B) communicates with Receiver / Transmitter (164A) adjoining fuel tank inlet as shown in Figure 5A, with a purpose to exchange vehicle related data.

[0151] Figure 6C shows the data cable terminals D1 and D2 to exchange data as done by transmitter / receiver in Figure 6B. Data cable wired link (168B in Figure 1C) is used to exchange data between vehicle, server and other agencies (e.g., OEMs, Govt etc.) as and when NVCSTR (166) is used for fuel refill.

[0152] Fuel operator operates the lever (604) to supply fuel to the vehicle only when all the conditions explained in explanation of Figure 5 are satisfied.

[0153] As shown in Figure 7, Vehicle (150) is connected (wired / wireless) to Fuel Billing Machine (174A) through NVCSTR (166). Fuel Billing Machine (174A) is connected to Air Refill bill machine (174B) which is mounted on or near Air Refill Machine (172B) and all are connected with cloud server (178) through internet link (192). Tyre pressure display (702) is on a display screen which may be mounted on Air Refill Machine (172B) or on PDA of the fuel station machine operator or PDA (800) of the car Custom er / custom er. QR code scanner (702 A or 702 B) may be electronic device (e.g., Mobile Phone) to scan QR code (158) of the vehicle. It may be hand held or fixed on fuel or air refill machine. It may be wired or wireless scanner.

[0154] Lost passenger (706) has a wrist band roll (706) having two different QR codes (708A and 158) printed on it. PDA may be a mobile phone having map navigation capability to help lost passenger trace and reach to the vehicle (150).

[0155] Vehicle (150) reaches Fuel Vending Machine (172A) and gets connected to fuel bill machine through link (168A). Vehicle data is exchanged with server and other agencies through this link. QR code scanner (704A or 704B) may be used to scan QR code (158) pasted on the fuel lid or on Customer PDA or infotainment screen (802) or Keyring (806) or Fuel tank lid (152B) or wrist band roll (810) as per use and convenience of the Customers. Manufacturer Recommended Tyre Pressure (FP 12, Table 1) is available from server as per vehicle make and model. It is displayed to vehicle Customer and air refill machine operator as display (702). Data from TPMS (150C) is available to get actual tyre pressure (DD8, table 1) in all the tyres of the vehicle. Only those tyres may be refilled for which tyre pressure is different from recommended tyre pressure. It may save time as few tyres (here RL) need not be connected for air refill as actual tyre pressure is equal to recommended tyre pressure. Customer may also reset recommended tyre pressure overriding manufacturer instructions.

[0156] As and when vehicle data is taken by fuel refill machine from vehicle, recommended pressure and actual pressure is conveyed to air refill machine with a display 702.

[0157] As shown in Display (702), Front Left (FL) tyre has recommended pressure value 33 psi and actual pressure is 31 psi. Action required is to fill 2 units to fill it to recommended value of 33 psi. Front Right (FR) tyre has recommended pressure value 33 psi and actual pressure is 30 psi. Action required is to fill 3 units to fill it to recommended value of 33 psi. Rear Left (RL) tyre has recommended pressure value 33 psi and actual pressure is 33 psi. No Action required and time saved which was otherwise wasted in checking the pressure. Rear Right (RR) tyre has recommended pressure value 33 psi and actual pressure is 28 psi. Action required is to fill 5 units to fill it to recommended value of 33 psi

[0158] When vehicle (150) enters fuel station, passengers leave the vehicle for washroom and other service area. Some passenger may get lost and may not be able to trace his / her vehicle (150) due to any reason. Lost passenger (706) may be a human being or a pet or luggage having a wrist band roll (708). Roll (708) has two QR codes. One QR code (158) which is vehicle QR code and is used to identify the vehicle (150). Second QR code (708A) is used to download the mobile application from app stores (e.g., play store). Once the mobile app is downloaded on mobile, QR code (158) on the wrist roll may be scanned. App may open map navigation (708A) and may help the lost passenger (706) to reach vehicle (150) which was parked with location coordinates thereof saved on the server (178) when hand brake of the vehicle was ON or doors of the vehicle were unlocked or engine was switched off or any of the three switches SI (402), S2 (408), S3 (410) are ON. As shown in Figure 8, vehicle identity QR code (158) may be pasted / displayed on various parts of the vehicle or screens or objects belonging to the vehicle / passenger. In Figure 8A, vehicle identity QR code (158) is displayed on Customer PDA (800) (say mobile phone).

[0159] In Figure 8B, vehicle identity QR code (158) is displayed on vehicle infotainment screen (802). In Figure 8C, vehicle identity QR code (158) is pasted / embossed on vehicle car key ring (806).

[0160] In Figure 8D, vehicle identity QR code (158) is pasted / embossed on vehicle fuel tank lid (152B). In Figure 8E, vehicle identity QR code (158) is printed on a QR code tape roll (710) which may be shaped to a wrist band roll (708) as shown in Figure 8F. In Figure 8F, wrist band roll with two QR codes is shown.

[0161] Customer may offer PDA (800) to fuel station operator for scanning by scanner (704A or 704B in Figure7). Customer has details of fuel type (say petrol), fuel demand value (say Rs 2000), fuel bill and vehicle registration number and other details. Same process may be carried out using infotainment screen (802). Customer may also scan the code to know vehicle related financial & regulatory liabilities. Key ring (806) has two QR codes on two sides of the flap i.e., vehicle identity QR code (158) on front and app download store QR1 code (708A) on the backside. Customer, if far away from car, is having the keyring (806). Customer may first scan QR1 code (708A) to download the app from app store, then scan QR code (158) on PDA and the app may use map to navigate the Customer to location where vehicle was parked last time i.e., latest location coordinates (DD5, Table 7) of the vehicle (150) as stored on the cloud server (178).

[0162] All passengers are given a wrist band roll (708) having two QR codes (158 and 708A) as explained for keyring. When vehicle is parked before or after the refill, passengers may go to washrooms or other service area of fuel station. If any passenger is unable to trace the vehicle may follow the same procedure as for keyring to trace the vehicle. If any passenger is injured, any other person (help) may scan both the QR codes and follow the same procedure as for keyring to help the injured passenger reach the vehicle. Other person(help) may first scan QR1 code (708A) to download the app from app store, then scan QR code (158) on PDA and the app may use map to navigate the Customer to location where vehicle was parked last time i.e., latest location coordinates of the vehicle (150) as stored on the cloud server (178).

[0163] Present day vehicles are not having receiver / transmitters antennas (164 A) in vehicle and may take some time for vehicle OEMs to fit it. Till then, present disclosure may be implemented using internet connection (192) as modern vehicle are connected to cloud server (178). NVCSTR (166) may take reasonable time for roll out and adoption, till then readily available scan device (702 A or 702B) (say mobile phones) may be used to scan QR code (158) and execute the alleged disclosure. Different colour QR code for different types of fuel e.g., Orange for Diesel & light Blue for Petrol may be used to distinguish vehicles through colour of the code. Referring to Figure 3, illustrates Vehicle Identification Number (VIN) code & positioning of code.

[0164] Referring to Figure 10A, illustrates block diagram for vehicle code scanning, data collection, data storage, data filter and dispatch / exchange of vehicle data with various agencies connected through the cloud server.

[0165] Figure 10A shows block diagram for activation of Fuel & Air Refill and Payment System (FARPS), scanning QR code, exchange of data, processing of data, data dispatch to various concerned agencies including Customer and the vehicle itself. Block (1014) shows System FARPS (Figure 2 and 406) gets activated through activation of any one or more of three switches Sl(402), S2(408), S3(410). QR code (158) is scanned to identify the vehicle (150) and is marked as block (1004). Block (1006) represents exchange of data between scanner device, vehicle, other agencies through cloud (178) or wired / wireless communication (168A, 168AA, 168A B). Block (1008) shows data processing of various types of data i.e., Factory Parameters (FP), Variable Parameters (VP), Dynamic Data (DD) as listed in the Table 1.

[0166] Block (1010) shows data dispatch to Customer PDA 180, vehicle (150), Cloud Server (178) and other agencies (176, 182, 184, 186, 188, 150A). Data storage and dispatch is after filters as per settings by the Customer or as per legal requirements in the given geographical territory. Various agencies may use the data as explained in some of the use cases in the given specification. As an example, some data filter use (marked ✓) and restrictions (marked X) are given in the Table 2. Various procedural steps for data transfer between vehicle, fuel station and other agencies (of Figure 1) are explained.

[0167] Step 1: QR Code (800) of vehicle is scanned by NVCSTR (166) or fuel / air machine scanner (704A, 704B) which may be wired or wireless device mounted on Fuel Vending Machine (172A) or Fuel Billing Machine (174A) or Air refill machine (172B) or air refill bill machine (174B).

[0168] QR code scan may retrieve Unique ID of vehicle which may be VIN / Regd. No or any other single number allotted to single vehicle to identify the vehicle.

[0169] Step 2: QR code scan may help retrieve data as given in Table1. This data may be Factory Parameters (FP), Variable Parameters (VP) and Dynamic Data (DD) available in vehicle (150) or cloud server (178).

[0170] Step 3: All steps of fuel refill, fuel refill advisory, air refill, doors lock / unlock, passengers count, lost passenger trace and other procedures of disclosure are carried out at fuel station.

[0171] Step 4: Now updated dynamic data of vehicle and fuel station is recorded and uploaded on cloud server (178) which may be shared and used by vehicle, fuel station and other agencies having access to the cloud server.

[0172] Referring to Figure 10B, illustrates display of fuel prices en route as and when vehicle (150) stops for fuel refill or electric charging at station (1012) or any of the switches SI, S2, S3 of Figure 4B are activated. Handbrake sensor or two-wheeler stand sensor activation may also activate FARPS.

[0173] Figure 10B depicts Fuel Prices enroute on Map. Vehicle (150) location is at fuel station (1012) having a fuel price of Rs 90 per litre(say). Other fuel stations en route are marked 1014 and 1016 with fuel price Rs 92 and Rs 94 respectively. Customer can compare the prices and get fuel refilled as per needs.

[0174] Just before entering the fuel station switch S2 (408) is activated. Switch S2 (408) may be mechanical / electrical or software activated switch / button to activate FARPS (406). FARPS (406) is same system which is explained in Figure 1C through block diagram. As FARPS gets activated, fuel prices of upcoming fuel station en route are displayed on Customer Phone (800) or vehicle infotainment screen (802). Customer compares fuel prices displayed on fuel stations (1014, 1016) enroute. Customer may enter the fuel station (1012) if he decides to get fuel refilled at fuel station (1012). Customer may bypass fuel station (1012) if Customer decides to get refilling at upcoming fuel stations (1014, 1016).

[0175] Vehicle (150) enters a fuel station (1012) as shown in Figure 10B. As the customer opens the fuel lid (156), FARPS gets activated by operation of switch S2 (408). S2 is coupled switch with fuel lid opening lever / switch. Navigation system i.e., Map on infotainment system displays fuel prices of fuel stations (1012) and other fuel stations (say 1014, 1016) again to give Customer second chance to compare fuel prices en route.

[0176] S3 (410) is mechanical / electrical / software operated switch coupled with doors / windows operating system (198) or handbrake of the vehicle (150) or stand sensor of two-wheeler.

[0177] Referring to Figure 10C, User interface display of various payments on PDA. Figure 10C, shows various payments (e.g. Fuel Bill, Air Bill, Insurance premium, Bank EMI, Traffic Penalty) displayed on the screen of customer PDA(180 or 802) which may be a mobile phone, Infotainment screen in vehicle, Multi Information Display, any other similar output display device in fleet management office. Figure 10C shows identity of vehicle (say registration number) and the customer (say phone number) so that customer knows he / she is paying for which vehicle. Customer may accept to pay or decline to pay. Total payment may be only for those items for which customer gives his / her consent.

[0178] Any other important information or govt, notification e.g. fuel consumed in given month till date (say 20 liters) is also displayed on the bottom part of screen. Lower right of the screen shows passenger count ( P 23 / 25) with group of passengers’ logo in RED color. P23 / 25 means 23 passengers have boarded out of 25 passengers de boarded i.e., custom er / driver need to wait for remaining 2 passengers which are termed as lost passengers (706). As all passengers are in, P25 / 25 display with GREEN color logo indicates driver may restart the journey.

[0179] Referring to Figure 11, illustrates Customer Experience Flowchart.

[0180] Customer starts process & formulates fuel refill demand by comparing fuel / electric prices en route. Customer picks up a fuel station as per demand criteria (say lowest fuel price) set. Customer may apply handbrake, open the doors, count the passenger automatically or manually, provide wrist band (with two printed codes) to each passenger so that passenger (or help) may locate the vehicle in case passenger is lost or unwell. Customer may take vehicle to fuel machine and allow fuel machine operator to scan vehicle code, raise fuel demand with details already used or update. Customer may select payment method cash or online digital and make payment after receiving confirmation message (say OTP). After refuelling, customer to count the passengers. If all passengers boarded, may leave fuel station and rate the fuel station. If any of the passengers is missing, may wait for the passenger or help. Referring to Figure 12, illustrates Customer Technology Components & Information Elements. Location of customer vehicle using various modes is marked and is used for various purposes e.g., location of vehicle when handbrake was applied or fuel lid was opened or vehicle location tracking by the lost customer and similar uses of the disclosure given in description. Location is transmitted to various agencies through different modes. Customer has options to use various computing components e.g., PDA or smartphone.

[0181] Customer may use any of the modes of internet e.g., wireless, free WiFi at fuel station etc. Customer decides demand route based on destination and other facilities enroute e.g., Fuel / Electric prices, handicapped person facilities etc.

[0182] Referring to Figure 13, illustrates Customer Experience, Functional Options Data and Action Details. Customer formulates fuel demand based on type of fuel, fuel price, restrictions, waiting time etc. and finalises route after evaluating all concerns. Customer receives demand for payment and may dispute if not satisfied otherwise may make payment for various charges e.g., Fuel, Electric charge, Air, vehicle insurance, Bank EMI, traffic challan penalty etc. Customer ensures that all the passengers have boarded before leaving the fuel station i.e., Passenger In = Passenger Out- Referring to Figure 14, illustrates Fuel Machine Operator user interface screen. Customer vehicle and bill details are available along with mode of payment and bank name. Fuel machine operator (714) may give rating to the customer, may write customer information, may RED flag the stolen vehicle. Nozzle details of the operator are also given on the display screen of the operator PDA. Operator may update daily fuel prices and may get financial details of all transactions.

[0183] Referring to Figure 15, illustrates Fuel Machine Operator Experience Flowchart. Fuel machine operator scans the vehicle identification code using scanner. Operator may counter check the data available from the server and compare it with vehicle positioned for refuelling. Operator may inform the customer if mismatch e.g type of fuel mismatch petrol or diesel. Operator may receive the payment. Operator may refuel vehicle after getting fuel demand details as per the invoice raised. Operator may rate the customer the customer on zero-to-5-star rating (say) along with special needs of the customer. Air machine operator experience flow chart is also similar to Figure 15.

[0184] Referring to Figure 16, illustrates Fuel pump supply availability computing and communication components. Figure 16 depicts location detection, near and far field communication, fuel or EV charge supply data along with availability details. Referring to Figure 17, illustrates Fuel Machine Operator Experience - Functional Options. Fuel / charge machine operator to display types of fuels available along with prices and other conditions. Fuel machine operator agrees to supply fuel if all conditions given by the customer are fulfilled. Fuel machine operator has vehicle code identification options e.g., QR code, RFID, Bar code, number plate identification camera. Operator may use NVCSTR, wireless / wired code reader, remote code reader to read any of the codes used to identify the vehicle. Operator may charge customer using various payment options Cash, Credit or Debit card, Net banking, UPI etc. Fuel Machine operator may rate the customer along with his special needs so that all connected fuel stations may understand customer as and when he refills at same fuel station or any other fuel station connected with inventive system / platform.

[0185] Referring to Figure 18, illustrates Air Machine Operator user interface. Figure 18 depicts display of recommended tyre pressure (say 33 psi) on the inner side and actual pressure on outer side of the tyre symbol. Air refill bill, payment status and tyre pressure data of the vehicles in queue for air refill is also shown. Pressure (say 40 psi) in compressor is marked on top left corner as value thereof should be more than recommended tyre pressure for air transfer.

[0186] Referring to Figure 19, illustrates Server-side main components and sub system. Figure 19 depicts server side and main components for customer, fuel station and other agencies data and activity coordination. STEP 1: Customer enters start and end location in map & navigation software format and pick one of the many route options.

[0187] Vehicle location co-ordinates are shared on cloud whenever fuel lid is opened or vehicle hand brake is ON or whenever FARPS is active. It is recommended to switch off the engine when fuel or air refill or electric charge of vehicle taken place. Data may be shared as given in (DD5, Table 1)

[0188] LAT: 18.9220°N; LONG: 72.8347° E; Date: 1 Jan 2025; Time: 10:12:34 STEP 2: Vehicle enters into a fuel station for fuel or air refill or other services. STEP 3: Press button / lever to open the fuel lid of the vehicle. Any of the switches SI, S2, S3 in Figure 4 may be used to activate FARPS.

[0189] STEP 4: As fuel lid is opened, display fuel prices en route on Map. Give fuel refill advisory to refill en route after few km or from present fuel station as per rates in the geographical area.

[0190] STEP 5: As fuel lid activator is activated to open the fuel lid, doors / windows operating system (198) is activated and doors are unlocked to help passengers leave the vehicle for any purpose (in emergency situations the doors of vehicles many times don’t open and the passengers are trapped inside the vehicle.) or (for washroom use at fuel station).

[0191] STEP 6: Count the number of passengers in vehicle by using seat belt or pressure sensors under the seats or any other method available. Passenger counter (196) is used to count number of passengers using seat belts in use or pressure sensors below the passenger seats or object counter at the door.

[0192] Passenger Count:

[0193] • Passenger count system is activated whenever fuel lid or the doors are opened manually or automatically

[0194] • It counts, rechecks and displays the number of passengers present after fuel lid or doors are closed. Process repeats after fixed interval of time (say 2 minutes). Display of passenger count is ratio of Passenger present after fuel lid or doors closed to Passengers present before fuel lid or doors are opened i.e., ratio of “Passenger count in Pin” to “Passenger count out Pout” e.g., Pin / Pout =“23 / 25” type display. STEP 7: Transmit through receiver / transmitters antennae (164A) or display vehicle information number (VIN) and other relevant details near fuel lid. Details to be transmitted / displayed

[0195] VIN: Vehicle Identification Number VIN Example “1HGBH41JXMN109186” VIN is 17 digit / numerals.

[0196] Fuel Type: Diesel / Petrol / CNG / Electric

[0197] Registration no: PB03ATXX61X9

[0198] Customer id: 98141XXX89 (For payment gateway)

[0199] Fuel volume (litre) demand: 20 (in litres)

[0200] (Audio / Video display of volume / type is announced through speaker at fuel lid or fuel billing machine.

[0201] Ex: “Diesel 20 litres”. Audio instruction is repeated 2 or more times.

[0202] STEP8: Fuel billing machine having a receiver to receive all above information through the wired / wireless connections (168 A or 168AA or 168 AB). It may be done by NVCSTR ((166) or any of the given steps.

[0203] Step 8A: Scanner on fuel machine scans the QR code on fuel tank lid as the fuel machine operator places fuel tank lid on the QR code scanner (hand held or fixed). Step 8 B: Scanner scans the QR code on the fuel lid OR Customer Phone OR Infotainment screen OR keyring OR any other position wherever Customer has placed the QR code-sticker or image.

[0204] STEP9: Fuel billing machine to confirm and give audio / video display of quantity, type of fuel and rate along with ZERO setting.

[0205] “Check ZERO.

[0206] Fuel type: Diesel

[0207] Quantity: 20 litres

[0208] Rate: 100 rupees per litre

[0209] STEP10: Fuel billing machine sends VIN to air refill machine (172B) with a purpose to convey type of gas for tyres, (say air or nitrogen or any other gas) advisory regarding tyre pressure is also given

[0210] Recommended tyre pressure: (say 33 in each tyre)

[0211] Actual tyre pressure: 30, 31, 28,33 (FR FL RR RL) STEP11: Send confirmation / acknowledgement message to Customer PDA or information module in car (202) or fleet management system (150A) for taking consent for supplying fuel and raise bill invoice.

[0212] Example: “Pay INR 2000 for fuel refill dated 1st Nov 2024 10

[0213] STEP12: Customer gives payment consent and message is given to concerned payment gateway / bank (186) to process the payment

[0214] STEP13: Fuel refill is complete. All fuel bill information is sent to vehicle CAN, from fuel billing machine through transmitter / receiver near fuel lid. This information for further processing: All fuel bill information is also sent to OEM, Bank, GOVT, Fleet, Customer and all concerned agencies through cloud for storage and processing.

[0215] STEP14: Vehicle or air refill process starts, Air refill machine gives audio / video display of filling information. Tyre Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS 150C) is used to measure and monitor tyre pressure in vehicle.

[0216] Type of filler: AIR or Nitrogen or any other gas.

[0217] Rate: say Rs.2 / tyre or Rs2 / psi

[0218] Air refuel bill (projected): 4 tyres x Rs.2 / tyre = Rs.8 OR 10 psi x Rs 1 / psi= Rs 10 STEP15: Consent of Customer taken for payment and process is same as in step given for fuel bill

[0219] STEP16: Air refill bill is given to all concerned authorities (OEM, GOVT, CUSTOMER, FLEET, BANK)

[0220] STEP17: Count no. of passengers again before restart of the journey. If number of passengers is same as in step 6 above, no warning to be given to customer (human or virtual)

[0221] If the number of passengers is different than in step 6, give warning to customer not to start the journey. Customer may give audio / video / digital message to all passengers those were present at the beginning of journey.

[0222] STEP18: “Happy and Safe journey” message by fuel refill station or fuel company or bank or other agencies.

[0223] ADVANTAGES OF THE PRESENT DISCLOSURE

[0224] A) Reduced air / N2refill time and reduced pollution on fuel station: OEM recommended tyre pressure (say 33 psi) information is not easily available in vehicle in existing prior arts. It is written near customer door pillar and difficult to trace / read. Customers, many times, ask for air pressure values lower or higher than OEM recommended tyre pressure.

[0225] Under pressure (tyre pressure<33 psi) leads to fuel inefficiency and more pollution. Over pressure (tyre pressure>33 psi) may lead to tyre burst and road accident. Lot of time is wasted in checking air pressure in tyres of a vehicle. Sometime a long queue is noticed at air refill station.

[0226] Once QR code is scanned to identify vehicle ID / make / model, recommended tyre pressure is collected from database of vehicle parameters (Table 1, entry DD8) already stored against vehicle ID. Recommended tyre pressure (in each tyre 33 psi) is conveyed to air refill machine operator through screen display (702 in Figure 7) and audio signal. It works even if vehicle is not having TPMS (Tyre Monitoring Pressure System).

[0227] If a vehicle is fitted with TPMS, present system may inform actual value of tyre pressure in each tyre.

[0228] Only those three tyres (RR, FL, FR in 702 of Figure 7) may be checked and refilled in which air pressure is different than recommended by vehicle OEM. Example, Tyre pressure in RL (702 in Figure 7) is 33 psi and recommended is also 33 psi. This tyre (RL) won’t be checked and may save 25% time for air refill. Other three tyres (RR, FL, FR) to be checked and adjusted for air pressure.

[0229] B) A major weakness of current state of art is miscommunication between customer of the vehicle and fuel machine operators. Customer demands “petrol” and fuel machine operator fills “Diesel”. Customer says petrol for “Rs 2000” and operator fills for “Rs3000”. It leads to disputes, fights and many times criminal cases registered by police. The present disclosure may remove this miscommunication as a fuel type (Petrol / Diesel / CNG) may be displayed on screen along with repeated audio signal may come up multiple times “Rs2000, Rs 2000, Rs 2000”. It may save time / money of customer, fuel machine operator, other Customers in the queue with the fuel demand, police and courts.

[0230] C) Enhanced operational efficiency of Fuel Pump & air refill stations: With the given state of art, vehicles spend average 6 minutes of time for fuel refill order / Bill issue / Bill payment / Air Refill operations. In the present disclosure, this time may be reduced to 4 minutes (say) i.e., 33% saving of time for Customer on fuel station. It may also result in improved operational efficiency of fuel station. Manpower required at fuel station may be reduced and may give economic advantage to all stakeholders.

[0231] D) Reduced risk at fuel station: Less congestion, less casualty in case of accident. In the present disclosure, number of vehicles in queue may decrease as operation time is reduced by 33 % (approx.). Congestion at fuel station is reduced to two third. In case of fire / emergency, it is easy to evacuate people from fuel station. Number of casualties may also be reduced in case of fire / explosion.

[0232] E) Reduced Pollution at fuel station: Vehicle idling (engine on & vehicle at rest) is reduced from 6 min to 4 min as vehicles in queue keep their engines ON.

[0233] At Present, vehicles at fuel station burn lot of fuel when in queue for fuel refill. It causes lot of local pollution at fuel station which leads to poor health of fuel station staff and other customers. With the present disclosure, stay time of vehicles may get reduced by say 33%, pollution due to fuel burn is likely to get reduced by 33%. Present disclosure may reduce pollution and improve health of fuel station staff and other customers.

[0234] F) Fair deal as exact fuel refill for “Full tank order”: In present art, auto cut fuel device in fuel nozzle may cut fuel supply when fuel tank gets full (say full capacity is 50 litres). In this method, there is error of around 0.1 litres. Reason for the error is that fuel is measured before it reaches the nozzle head. As nozzle auto cuts fuel supply due to full tank level achieved, error of 0.1 litres (approx.) occurs. Consumer pays for 50.1 litres though he / she ordered for 50 litres. So, technically, it is unfair practice.

[0235] In the present disclosure, system may help customer to place fuel order such that no over flow or auto cut may take place. The present disclosure may promote fair deal. In present art, in case of faulty auto cut in nozzle, fuel overflows and becomes a big fire and safety hazard. No overflow may take place as ordered fuel volume may always be less than available additional fuel capacity of fuel tank. It may promote fire safety at fuel station.

[0236] G) Passenger emergency exit - Doors Unlock: In present art, customer may forget to open the vehicle door lock at the time of fuel refill. Passengers are unable to escape under emergency as doors are locked. In present disclosure as fuel lid is opened for fuel refill, vehicle doors locks get unlocked automatically. Operation of any one of the switches (402, 408, 410) may activate FARPS (406) which is coupled with door locks and may open the doors automatically. Passengers may escape by opening the doors. Present system may impart more safety to passengers at fuel station.

[0237] H) Passenger Safety in service area - Lost Passenger Case: One of the drawbacks of the present art is that some of the passengers are left behind (not boarded) in fuel station service area and vehicle (say a bus) leaves the fuel station. Present disclosure may ensure that number of passengers moving out (Pout) at the time of parking is equal to number of passengers moving in (Pin), only then the bus starts. Present disclosure may result in safety of lost passenger as he / she may trace his / her parked vehicle through scanning two QR codes on wrist band roll (708 of Figure 8F). It may also save precious time of other (in bus) passengers as they need not wait for lost passenger too long.

[0238] I) In present art Fuel bill making, retaining, paying and processing is manual and time-consuming process. Each time fuel machine operator may ask the customer “name of the person, vehicle number etc. in favour of whom bill is to be made. Hard copy of the bill is difficult to maintain, compile in fuel bill file, account for in monthly or annual fuel bill for account / tax purpose.

[0239] In the present disclosure, fuel bill details are automatically transferred to fuel bill machine without any manual inputs each time fuel is refilled. Bill details (name of the person, vehicle number etc) are filled by customer only once in customer software layer of PDA or infotainment system or in car software system. Customer need not scan any QR code or swap card as all this is done by fuel machine operator. Customer gives only accept consent on PDA for bill payment. Customer may take copy of fuel statement from PDA for a given time period by mentioning start and end dates. It may save time and provide easy analytics of fuel cost in one year (say), cost per km for a given vehicle OR all the vehicles in a fleet. Full life time fuel consumed along with total distance covered, vehicle OEMs may have better R & D on full life value of the vehicle. J) At Present, vehicle manufacturers have vehicle data (e.g., mileage) of new vehicles only. Vehicle OEMs don’t have mileage data of one year, 2 year or other used vehicles on road. Vehicle OEMs, at present, do not have exact information about decay in mileage of the vehicle with age. With present disclosure, OEMs may have data of their used vehicles also. Example one year old car mileage 18 km / litre 2 years old car 17 km / litre 3 years old car 6 km / litre. This data may help OEM’s R and D units to improve vehicles with desired R and D objective precisely.

[0240] K) Pollution control through fuel rationing by the government. Present disclosure may help ration the fuel to Customers. Present disclosure may keep record of fuel supply to a given vehicle in a week / month / year. In order to discourage excessive use of fossil fuels, government may ration the fuel per vehicle (e.g., 30 litres petrol per two-wheeler per month. 100 litres petrol per car per month). Government may also propose a differential tariff.

[0241] Example for first 30 litres market price rupees 100 per litre. For next 10 litres market price ₹100 per litre plus Rs. 10 per litre as pollution cess that is effective price is Rs 110 per litre. Government may also propose some tax incentives to Customers who may use less fuel. For example, Govt, may reduce road tax on vehicles using less fuel. Govt, may penalise and propose more road tax to vehicles using more fuel in given interval of time, say in a month or a year.

[0242] L) At present government doesn’t have complete data on as to how much fuel (say petrol) is being used by 2 wheelers, cars, buses, trucks etc. With present disclosure, fuel consumption data for all types of vehicles (two-wheeler, cars, trucks, buses etc.) may be available to the govt through this system. While formulating incentive policy to reduce pollution, government may use this data. As an example, if major part fuel (say petrol) is being used by two wheelers, govt may give more subsidy on electric two wheelers. It may lead to more effective pollution control measure than to give subsidy to petrol car owners.

[0243] M) Transport Authority Regulatory Compliance and reduced Pollution. At present, Customers avoid basic regulatory compliance of vehicle Pollution Under Control (PUC), Insurance, Registration Certificate (RC), etc. Manual checking of documents and imposition of penalty by traffic police is very difficult due to limited police manpower. In the present disclosure, vehicle is identified along with its registration number and due dates for Regulatory Compliance documents like PUC, Insurance, RC, etc. After each Refill, Customer is informed about vehicle documents due dates. Present disclosure co-ordinates between Transport Regulatory Authorities and vehicle through system server (178).

[0244] One of the exemplary methods for compliance, through this system, is given below.

[0245]

[0246] Compliance through fuel station, through present disclosure, may reduce traffic police force requirement for state with big economic advantage. It may save lot of time of customers as he / she is informed well in time of due dates. It may improve compliance of pollution control measures i.e., PUC Certificate and ultimately reduce pollution. Better Insurance compliance may benefit speedy disbursement of claims for road accident victims and vehicle owners.

[0247] N) Customers go for vehicle service based on distance covered by vehicle e.g., car manufacturer X recommends service after each 10,000 kilometres covered by the vehicle. Tyre wear and tear depends on distance covered by the vehicle. Engine wear and tear, oil uses etc. depend on the fuel consumed by the engine. So, this present disclosure may advise customers to go for service after consumption of certain fuel (say 1000 litres of petrol) consumed and not on the basis of distance covered (say 10000 kms). O) In the existing arts, use of a vehicle is decided by total distance covered till date e.g., vehicle has covered total 100000 km given by odometer. The wear and tear of the engine and associated parts depend on fuel consumed till date from the day vehicle was on road. Use of a vehicle should be on the basis of total fuel consumed till date, for example 10,000 litres of petrol, used by the vehicle since it came in use (i.e., on road).

[0248] P) Sustainability support through green vehicle insurance. Present disclosure may keep record of fuel supply to a given vehicle in a week / month / year. Insurance companies may charge premium based on fuel consumed by the vehicle. Example vehicle X uses 1000 litres in one year, premium is Rs 10,000 for one year. Vehicle Y uses 1200 litres in one year, premium is Rs 12,000 per 1 year. Present disclosure may promote Customers to use less fuel. It may reduce pollution and help sustainable approach for vehicle use.

[0249] Q) At present banks charge fix EMI based on time i.e monthly instalment for given car loan is Rs 10,000 per month irrespective of fuel consumed. Banks don’t have data about fuel consumed by the vehicle in given time (say a month). Instalment plan should be flexible and proportional to fuel used or distance covered by the vehicle i.e., odometer reading. Present disclosure may help banks to calculate EMI based on fuel consumed. Customer may repay bank loan with each fuel refill or at the end of the month.

[0250] Examplel: Fuel price Rs 100 per litre. Loan payment plan Rs 10 per litre. Car Customer A uses 500 litres of fuel may pay Rs 500 x 10 per litre = Rs 5000 as loan repayment instalment.

[0251] Example 2: Fuel price Rs 100 per litre. Loan payment plan Rs 10 per litre. Car Customer B uses 600 litres of fuel may pay Rs 600 x 10 per litre = Rs 6000 as loan repayment instalment.

[0252] For private & commercial vehicle customers such a plan may help in business development and better economic growth for transport sector. Present disclosure may promote Customers to pay bank loan in time. It may reduce bank loan defaulters, improve financial health of banks and nation at large.

[0253] R) In prior art – Customers are not aware about fuel prices en route. Prices may vary based on company, fuel station location, Geographical area (say state). Present disclosure informs the customer (on map demand route Figure 3) about fuel prices en route based on fuel station and geographical area as and when customer has intentions for fuel refill or electric charging. Customer may compare and refill the vehicle at lowest fuel price which may lead to big economic advantage to vehicle owners.

[0254] S) The present disclosure may have a rating of fuel stations and customers. Rating system may help customers to take well informed decision to take services from a particular high rated fuel pump. It may also help fuel pump owners to be cautious while dealing with low rated customers. Rating system based on customer feedback may help fuel station to improve in low rated service e.g toilet cleanliness etc T) Present disclosure may record fuel “nozzle use time” by notify “nozzle in” and “nozzle out” time. Wear and tear of fuel pump nozzle depends on use thereof not on installed duration (months / year) thereof. Service, Replacement and calibration of fuel nozzle may be based on “nozzle use time”. At present service, replacement and calibration is based on installation duration. Nozzle use time also gives approximate value of volume of fuel supplied to vehicle. It may be used as confirmation tool for actual volume of fuel supplied (measured value) vs calculated value.

[0255] Example

[0256] Nozzle flow rate – 10 L / min

[0257] 3 mins – 30L

[0258] But bill is for 50L

[0259] It is useful as Dispute Resolving Tool at fuel station.

[0260] U) Reduced adulteration at Fuel stations: Fuel stations mix poor quality of fuel (say kerosene oil) in good quality fuel (say petrol) to increase profit at the cost of customer vehicle fuel efficiency. It amounts to cheating the customer. If all fuel taken by the fuel station and fuel given by the fuel station is accounted for, this crime may be prevented. Present disclosure may check fuel volume irregularities, if any, as all fuel supplied is billed and accounted for.

[0261] Exemplary Case 1: Customer Fuel statements with cost / km and other analytics Fuel Statement (Customer)

[0262]

[0263] Monthly Fuel Statement Analysis:

[0264] 1. Total Fuel Used = 30 liters

[0265] 2. Total Fuel Bill = 2610 Rs.

[0266] 3. Distance Covered (in km) = Final odometer reading – Initial odometer reading = 1,27, 880 – 1,27,580 = 300 km.

[0267] 4. Average Mileage

[0268] during the period= Total Distance (km) / Total Fuel (Liters) = 300 km / 30 liters = 10 km / liter

[0269] 5. Average Fuel Cost / Km = Total Fuel Bill / Total Distance Cover = 2610 Rs. / 300 Km = 8.7 Rs. / Km

[0270] Electric Charge Statement Format

[0271]

[0272]

[0273] Exemplary Case 2 Daily Fuel Statement for Fuel Station Manager Date: 1 Jan 2025

[0274] Nozzle No: 01 (Say) Worker —> Raj

[0275] Fuel Rate: Rs. 87 / liter

[0276]

[0277] Daily Fuel Statement Analysis:

[0278] 1. Total Fuel Supplied (i.e., sum of col 3) = 25 liters

[0279] 2. Total Fuel Supplied (i.e., Col 6) = Final Reading - Initial reading of Col 6= 3595 - 3570 = 25 liters

[0280] 3. Error or Losses = 25 liters - 25 liters = 0 liters

[0281] 4. Total Bill in Rs. (Sum of col 4) = 870 + 1305 = Rs. 2175

[0282] 5 Nozzle stay time i.e use = 2 minutes +3 minutes = 5 minutes Exemplary Case 3: Fuel Statement for “Fleet Owners”

[0283]

[0284]

[0285] It may help fleet owners to find Revenue / Fuel ratio optimization. E.g., in above table, vehicle 02 has generated Rs. 3 for every Rs. 1 consumed. Vehicle 01 has generated Rs. 2 for every Rs. 1 consumed. Vehicle 2 is better than vehicle 1 if other parameter (vehicle, Customer cost) is same for both vehicles.

[0286] Exemplary Case 4: Bank EMI payment proportional to fuel consumed by vehicle

[0287] Fuel Statement for banks to charge EMI

[0288] Banks may use this system to charge EMI of car loan as per fuel consumed by Customer.

[0289]

[0290] Main advantage of above scheme is EMI is proportional to use of vehicle.

[0291] EMI is more if more fuel is consumed i.e use of vehicle is more.

[0292] It may help customer and bank develop better relations as customers are unable to pay EMI in low business seasons. Banks may get true data regarding use of vehicle and may charge EMI as per vehicle use. It may improve loan repayment and better compliance. It may improve banks health by reducing Non Performing Assets. (NPAs).

[0293] Another use of disclosure to banks is that banks may finance capital cost of the car and fuel for few months. Example:

[0294] “Rs 6 Lac vehicle + Rs 1 Lac fuel”— Total Rs 7 lac bank finance possible with fuel financed along with the vehicle. Banks may keep track of the fuel consumed and may charge EMI after Rs 1 Lac fuel is used by the customer having loan for the vehicle.

[0295] Exemplary Case 5: Fuel Rationing policy by govt, with an objective to reduce pollution

[0296] Fuel Statement format for Government for rationing purpose

[0297] Vehicle Regd No: PB03AT2461

[0298] Engine Number (FP6): 1KD63710776

[0299] VIN / Chassis Number (FP7): MBJ11JV5105001785

[0300] Fuel Type - Petrol / Diesel / CNG / Electric

[0301]

[0302] Permissible fuel in one month = 50 liters

[0303] Extra fuel taken = Total fuel used - fuel allowed = 60 - 50 = 10 liters Penalty for extra fuel = 10 liters x 5 Rs. / liter = Rs. 50

[0304] Similarly, other fuel rationing measures may be taken to reduce pollution due to vehicles.

[0305] Example: Fuel above certain volume may be charged 10 % more than market value.

[0306] Fuel Price = Rs. 100 / liter. (Up to 50 liters / month)

[0307] Fuel Price = Rs.110 / liter. (Above 50 liters / month)

[0308] Exemplary Case 6: Passengers and Payload information for safety / compliance purpose

[0309] Vehicle related data e.g., “No. of Passengers” in the vehicle may also be transmitted from vehicle to fuel refill machine which is further transferred to Government Server. This information of number of passengers in a vehicle may be very useful for legal compliance or safety of passenger e.g school children. Commercial trucks pay load data is also transferred to fuel bill machine and further transferred to Government authority. If pay load of truck is more than permissible load, government may take appropriate punishment or corrective measure for traffic law compliance.

[0310] Exemplary Case 7: Theft and other crimes detection prevention by Police VIN number has vehicle engine number, chassis number and Regd no. Once QR code is scanned at a given fuel station, all vehicle details are matched. If any mismatch of engine number or chassis number or registration number is detected, is immediately red flagged and stored as red entry in system. As police gets a complaint of a stolen vehicle with given engine number or chassis number or registration number, stolen vehicle details are fed in system which checks all the red entries in system across the state. Stolen vehicle refill station location along with data and time are traced. It may help police authorities to Identify and capture vehicles stolen or engaged in crime.

[0311] Vehicle overload data (DD6, Table 1) may be detected at fuel station and concerned transport authority may take penal action.

[0312] If a vehicle is stolen, customer may take his key ring (Figure 8 C) or mobile phone (Figure 8A) to police station. Code on key or phone is scanned to transfer all vehicle info to police. Police gets updates on all fuel refill locations of the vehicle, latest pictures of the vehicle (DD13, Table 1) and may trace the stolen vehicle movement.

[0313]

[0314] Exemplary Case 8: Vehicle tracing by lost passenger at fuel station or parking zone

[0315] To help vehicle customer / owner trace location of vehicle (150). Vehicle customer parks the vehicle and switch off the engine. As engine is switched off, vehicle location co-ordinates (LAT, LONG) are stored in cloud server. Vehicle customers gets lost and is unable to trace his vehicle. QR Code scanner available as fuel station or with police or with parking management team may scan the QR code (158) on the key ring of vehicle customer. After getting location of vehicle, vehicle customer may be guided by modern map solutions to reach him to the car. Similar solution is possible with multiple passengers of a vehicle. In such a case copies of QR code may be in form of a wrist band roll / reel and each passenger may get a QR code band on wrist before passenger leaves the vehicle. If passenger is lost and is unable to find his / her vehicle (150), QR code on wrist band may be scanned to find location of vehicle (150) and map solution may help passenger to reach the vehicle (150). It may be used to locate car, bus, train, ship, plane or any other such mobility device. Detailed procedure to execute this case was explained in above description of Figure 7 and 8.

[0316] Exemplary Case 9: Vehicle details at dealer service or any other public place e.g., public parking.

[0317] Code on key ring (Figure 8 C) may be scanned to get all the latest data of the vehicle i.e., Factory parameters, variable parameters & dynamic data on a dealer service station without bringing in the vehicle to the service area. As an example, key ring QR code scan may give odometer reading and fuel consumed till date. In a public parking, Key QR code scan may also help trace the vehicle through registration number to whom this vehicle key belongs.

[0318] The foregoing descriptions of exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure have been presented for purposes of illustration and description. They are not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the disclosure to the precise forms disclosed, and obviously many modifications and variations are possible in light of the above teaching. The exemplary embodiments were chosen and described in order to best explain the principles of the disclosure and its practical application, to thereby enable others skilled in the art to best utilize the disclosure and various embodiments with various modifications as are suited to the particular use contemplated.

Claims

We claim1. A fluid and energy refilling system (100) for a vehicle (102), comprising:a vehicle identification module (104) comprising a display or storage means representing a unique vehicle identification code corresponding to at least one of a vehicle identification number (VIN), registration number, engine number, chassis number, or model information of the vehicle (102);a nozzle or connector assembly (106) adapted to deliver a refilling medium comprising at least one of fuel, air, gas, or electrical charge to a corresponding inlet of the vehicle (102);a vehicle-code scanner and transceiver unit (108) mounted on the nozzle or connector assembly (106) and adapted to detect the vehicle code from the vehicle identification module (104) and to communicate bidirectionally with a control and processing unit (110);the control and processing unit (110) comprising a processor and memory and being operatively associated with:a tyre-pressure interface (112) that receives data from at least one tyrepressure sensor or from an OEM database entry associated with the vehicle (102) to determine deviations from recommended tyre-pressure values and to direct automatic air or nitrogen filling only in tyres requiring correction; a digital transaction interface (114) linked through a cloud communication network (116) to display the fuel type and billing amount, generate authenticated refill bills, perform secure digital payments, and store transaction data in real time;a multi-party communication gateway (118) within the cloud communication network (116) for transmitting and receiving verified refill data to and from external entities including bank servers (120), governmental regulatory databases (122), vehicle manufacturer servers (124), insurance or finance institutions, and fleet management systems (126) to enable policy enforcement, fuel -rationing control, and regulatory compliance;a safety and access control unit (128) linked to the control and processing unit (110) to unlock vehicle doors automatically, count passengers, and issue emergency alerts during refilling or hazard detection, and to support passenger or vehicle tracing through scannable wrist-band or key-ring codes tied to vehicle-location data;an analytics and advisory module (130) connected to the control and processing unit (110) to derive real-time fuel- or energy-price advisories, maintenance forecasts based on fuel consumption, station and customer ratings, nozzle-usage analytics for calibration or adulteration detection, predictive-service scheduling, and theft-prevention or policy alerts; an authentication module (132) that verifies the vehicle identification code obtained from the scanner and transceiver unit (108) with records available through the cloud communication network (116) before activation of the nozzle or connector assembly (106);a parameter-validation module (134) that retrieves, through the tyrepressure interface (112) and the multi-party communication gateway (118), vehicle parameters including fuel type, tank capacity, and OEM- recommended tyre pressures and derives permissible refilling limits and control thresholds;an orchestration and synchronization module (136) that exchanges data among the nozzle or connector assembly (106), the digital transaction interface (114), and the multi-party communication gateway (118) to ensure concurrent refilling, billing, and data transfer operations without manual intervention; anda compliance and record-posting module (138) that compiles a verified dataset comprising vehicle identity, time, location, refilling medium, quantity, and price and transmits the dataset through the multi-party communication gateway (118) to the entities (120 - 126) for audit and policy implementation;wherein the control and processing unit (110) obtains the vehicle identification code from the scanner and transceiver unit (108) and validates it through the authentication module (132), and, interacts with the parameter-validation module (134) after successful validation to obtain permissible refilling limits and to regulate the nozzle or connector assembly (106) and the tyre-pressure interface (112) according to those limits;receives refilling-status data including flow rate, pressure, and volume from the nozzle or connector assembly (106) and transfers such data to the orchestration and synchronization module (136) for coordination with the digital transaction interface (114) and the safety and access control unit (128);upon completion of refilling, conveys billing and operational data from the orchestration and synchronization module (136) to the compliance and record -posting module (138) for onward communication through the multi-party communication gateway (118) to the external entities (120 - 126); and provides cumulative refilling data to the analytics and advisory module (130) for generation of real-time advisory outputs and diagnostic analytics.

2. The system (100) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the vehicle -identification module (104) comprises a quick-response (QR) code, near-field tag, or digital key carrying a unique vehicle-identification code readable by the vehicle-code scanner and transceiver unit (108).

3. The system (100) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the vehicle-code scanner and transceiver unit (108) employs optical, radio-frequency, or infrared communication to detect and exchange vehicle -identity data.

4. The system (100) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the authentication module (132) verifies the vehicle-identification code with a cloud-stored registry to permit refilling only for authorised vehicles.

5. The system (100) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the parameter-validation module (134) obtains OEM-recommended fuel type, tank capacity, and tyre-pressure values and compares the obtained data with sensed parameters before refilling.

6. The system (100) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the tyre-pressure interface (112) initiates air or nitrogen filling only in tyres having deviation from the recommended values to reduce refill time and energy loss.

7. The system (100) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the digital -transaction interface (114) comprises:(a) a display driver circuit (114a) coupled to at least one audio-visual display unit (114b);(b) an input-processing module (114c) for receiving transaction data, vehicle identification data, and payment instructions from the control and processing unit (110); and(c) an output-signal generator (114d) for producing synchronized audio and visual signals corresponding to the identified fuel type, selected refill quantity, and computed billing amount, the output-signal generator (114d) operating prior to activation of the nozzle or connector assembly (106) to communicate the verified fuel type and billing information to the operator and the vehicle user, thereby reducing manual error and enabling authenticated commencement of refilling.

8. The system (100) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the orchestration and synchronization module (136) comprises a signal interface circuit, a real-time clock, and a data-alignment processor communicatively coupled to the control and processing unit (110), the signal interface circuit being connected to receive:(a) flow-rate and volume signals from the nozzle or connector assembly (106);(b) transaction and payment-status data from the digital transaction interface (114); and(c) communication and posting confirmations from the multi-party communication gateway (118).

9. The system (100) as claimed in claim 8, wherein the data-alignment processor is operative to synchronize said signals according to a common time reference generated by the real-time clock so that refilling, billing computation, and cloud data transfer are executed concurrently and continuously updated within the control and processing unit (110).

10. The system (100) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the multi-party communication gateway (118) exchanges authenticated refilling data with bank servers (120) for real-time payment clearance and with governmental databases (122) for tax or rationing enforcement.

11. The system (100) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the compliance and recordposting module (138) generates a secure, time-stamped dataset including vehicle identity, location, refilling volume, and cost for audit and reconciliation.

12. The system (100) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the safety and access-control unit (128) comprises:(a) a fuel-lid position sensor (128a) connected to detect opening of the vehicle’s fuel lid;(b) a safety-trigger circuit (128b) communicatively coupled with the control and processing unit (110) to receive a refilling -start signal; and(c) one or more door-lock actuator interfaces (128c) linked to the vehicle’s electronic-locking mechanism; andthe safety-trigger circuit (128b), upon detection of fuel-lid opening and receipt of a refilling-start signal, transmitting an unlock command through the actuator interfaces (128c) to release all passenger-door locks, thereby enabling immediate passenger evacuation in case of emergency during refilling.

13. The system (100) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the safety and access-control unit (128) further comprises:(a) at least one occupancy-detection sensor (128d) selected from optical, infrared, or weight-based sensors positioned at vehicle entry and exit points;(b) a passenger-counting processor (128e) communicatively coupled with the control and processing unit (110) to register the number of passengers entering or leaving the vehicle (102) during a refuelling or air-refdling operation; and (c) a departure -verification sub-module (128f) that compares passenger counts recorded before and after the refilling operation and transmits a “departure- authorised” signal to the control and processing unit (110) only when the counts match to prevent vehicle movement until all passengers are confirmed on board.

14. The system (100) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the analytics and advisory module (130) determines vehicle-service due dates based on total fuel consumed or electricity charged instead of distance travelled.

15. The system (100) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the analytics and advisory module (130) provides data to insurance or finance entities for computing variable premium or loan-instalment amounts according to actual fuel usage.

16. The system (100) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the analytics and advisory module (130) comprises:(a) at least one nozzle-position sensor (130a) and a flow-initiation detector (130b) disposed in or near the nozzle or connector assembly (106) to generate start- and end-time signals corresponding to insertion and withdrawal of the nozzle;(b) a timing and logging circuit (130c) coupled to a real-time clock for computing nozzle-in time, nozzle-out time, and cumulative stay duration for each refilling event; and(c) a maintenance-scheduler processor (130d) operative to analyse the accumulated timing data to determine nozzle-usage statistics and to initiate maintenance or calibration scheduling through the control and processing unit (110) when the usage duration exceeds predefined thresholds.

17. The system (100) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the multi-party communication gateway (118) comprises:(a) a data-aggregation processor (118a) communicatively coupled with the control and processing unit (110) for receiving verified refilling records from multiple vehicles (102);(b) a classification logic unit (118b) operative to categorize the aggregated records according to vehicle type, fuel or energy type, and geographical location; and(c) a policy-interface circuit (118c) configured to transmit the categorized data in encrypted form to government regulatory databases (122) through the cloud communication network (116);wherein aggregated fuel- or energy-consumption data classified by vehicle category become available to governmental servers for emission-control analytics and pollution-reduction policy formulation.

18. The system (100) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the control and processing unit (110) generates an alarm signal when refilling data deviate from stored vehicle parameters, indicating possible fuel adulteration or unauthorised activity.

19. The system (100) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the analytics and advisory module (130) provides route-based refilling advisories displaying comparative fuel or charging prices along a selected route.

20. The system (100) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the system (100) is applicable to electric vehicles by employing an electric-charging connector in place of the nozzle or connector assembly (106) while retaining the same control and communication architecture.

21. The system (100) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the control and processing unit (110) governs operation of all modules (104 to 138) through a common timing bus and a data-exchange protocol implemented over the cloud communication network (116), the common timing bus providing a shared real-time clock reference to maintain synchronisation among the authentication, validation, refilling, billing, safety, and compliance functions, and the data-exchange protocol enabling bidirectional command and status transfer among said modules to achieve coordinated, real-time system operation.

22. The system (100) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the multi-party communication gateway (118) and the analytics and advisory module (130) maintain a refuellingsource record and allocate loyalty points or reward credits when refuelling is performed at a station belonging to the same company as a previous refuelling event.

23. The system (100) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the loyalty points are credited to a digital wallet linked to the customer through the digital -transaction interface (114) and are redeemable for future refuelling, maintenance, or insurance services.

24. The system (100) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the parameter-validation module (134) receives input from one or more fuel-quality sensors (134a) disposed within or adjacent to the nozzle or connector assembly (106) and operative to detect at least one of fuel density, octane rating, or chemical composition; and the analytics and advisory module (130) analyses the sensed data and generates a visual or audio alert through the digital -transaction interface (114) when any measured parameter deviates from a predefined threshold.

25. The system (100) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the multi-party communication gateway (118) receives congestion and throughput data from nearby refuelling stations through the cloud communication network (116), and the analytics and advisory module (130) processes the received data to compute real-time queue lengths and alternative-station recommendations, the processed information being communicated to the vehicle user via a display or audio unit associated with the digital -transaction interface (114).

26. The system (100) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the analytics and advisory module (130) selects a preferred station based on comparative queue length, fuel availability, and price.

27. The system (100) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the analytics and advisory module (130) computes carbon-emission equivalents for each refuelling operation and communicates cumulative emission data to governmental databases through the multi-party communication gateway (118).

28. The system (100) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the safety and access-control unit (128) monitors sensors for temperature, vapour, or gas leakage at the refuelling site and disables the nozzle or connector assembly (106) while transmitting an emergency alert through the cloud communication network (116).

29. The system (100) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the nozzle or connector assembly (106) permits controlled transfer of fuel or electrical energy between two authorised vehicles (102) identified through the vehicle -identification modules (104), the transaction being logged by the control and processing unit (110).

30. The system (100) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the digital -transaction interface (114) accepts voice or gesture-based commands from the customer to initiate refilling, verify quantity, or complete payment.

31. The system (100) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the multi-party communication gateway (118) transmits refuelling and maintenance data to the vehicle -manufacturer server (124) for automatic update of service records and warranty validation.

32. The system (100) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the control and processing unit (110) enables autonomous refilling at an unattended station by permitting the vehicle (102) driver to authenticate using a customer identification and password through the digital -transaction interface (114), after which refilling, billing, and payment are executed automatically.

33. The system (100) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the digital -transaction interface (114) restricts refilling if the credentials do not match the registered vehicle record in the cloud communication network (116).

34. The system (100) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the control and processing unit (110) is operatively linked with at least one fuel-level sensor or energy-meter interface (110a, 110b) disposed in a storage tank or charging unit of a refueling station to obtain real-time data representing the quantity of fuel or electrical charge remaining therein;the control and processing unit (110) transmitting the obtained data through the multi-party communication gateway (118) and the cloud communication network (116) to the analytics and advisory module (130), which in turn communicates the available-quantity information to approaching vehicles (102) via the digitaltransaction interface (114) for display or audio announcement.

35. The system (100) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the analytics and advisory module (130) uses the available-fuel data and real-time queue data to determine the number of vehicles requiring servicing and to allocate refueling priority.

36. The system (100) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the control and processing unit (110) and the analytics and advisory module (130) together execute a queuemanagement logic that utilizes:(a) the available-quantity data received from the fuel-level sensor or energy-meter interface (110a, 110b);(b) the number and identification of approaching vehicles (102) detected through the multi-party communication gateway (118) or the vehicleidentification modules (104) at nearby stations;the queue-management logic being operative to compute for each station a predicted waiting time and service capacity, and to transmit such information to the analytics and advisory module (130), which displays or announces to the vehicle user, via the digital -transaction interface (114), real-time recommendations for selecting a station offering lower queue time or higher available capacity.

37. The system (100) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the nozzle or connector assembly (106) delivers electrical charge to the vehicle (102) through a controlled charging connector, the authentication, parameter-validation, orchestration, and billing being performed by modules (132 to 138).

38. The system (100) as claimed in claim 1, wherein an oil-level sensing and refill interface (140) communicates with the control and processing unit (110) to determine engine-oil level of the vehicle (102), compare it with a stored threshold in the parameter-validation module (134), and initiate dispensing of a predefined volume of lubricating oil through the nozzle or connector assembly (106) when the level is below the threshold.

39. The system (100) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the oil-refilling operation is recorded and billed through the digital -transaction interface (114) and the refill data are uploaded to the cloud communication network (116) for maintenance analytics by the analytics and advisory module (130).

40. The system (100) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the parameter-validation module (134) retrieves oil-grade specifications and refill intervals from an OEM database through the multi-party communication gateway (118) to ensure use of correct lubricant grade for the identified vehicle (102).

41. The system ( 100) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the analytics and advisory module (130) predicts lubricant-change schedules based on cumulative fuel consumption, oil-refill frequency, and engine-operation data for the vehicle (102).

42. The system (100) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the digital -transaction interface (114) is further linked with a biometric module (142) comprising a fingerprint or facial -recognition sensor for authenticating the authorised driver or operator before initiating the refilling or payment transaction.

43. The system (100) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the analytics and advisory module (130) retrieves location coordinates from a GPS interface and applies dynamic fuel or charging tariffs based on time, demand, or emission zone restrictions communicated via the multi-party communication gateway (118).

44. The system (100) as claimed in claim 1, wherein environmental sensors coupled to the safety and access-control unit (128) detect ambient temperature, humidity, and volatile-gas concentration, and transmit a safety-lock signal to the control andprocessing unit (110) to disable the nozzle or connector assembly (106) upon exceeding predefined limits.

45. The system (100) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the analytics and advisory module (130) employs a trained machine -learning model stored in the control and processing unit (110) to predict refilling demand, nozzle maintenance, or vehicle fuel-efficiency decay based on historical and sensor data.

46. The system (100) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the compliance and recordposting module (138) records transaction data in a blockchain ledger through the multi-party communication gateway (118) to provide immutable verification of refilling events and payment trails.

47. The system (100) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the multi-party communication gateway (118) includes an application programming interface (API) layer configured to provide controlled access to refilling, billing, and maintenance data for authorised external systems including fleet dashboards and OEM analytics servers.

48. The system (100) as claimed in claim 1, wherein temperature sensors associated with the nozzle or charging connector assembly (106) provide thermal feedback to the control and processing unit (110) to regulate charging current or fuel flow and prevent overheating.

49. The system (100) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the nozzle or connector assembly (106) in electric mode supports bidirectional energy transfer allowing surplus stored charge to be supplied back to a power grid through the multi-party communication gateway (118) under grid-command protocols.

50. A method for automated refueling and servicing of a vehicle (102) through a refueling system (100), comprising:(a) obtaining, by a vehicle-code scanner and transceiver unit (108) mounted on a nozzle or connector assembly (106), a vehicle -identification code from a vehicleidentification module (104) corresponding to at least one of a vehicle -identification number, registration number, chassis number, or model information of the vehicle (102);(b) validating, by an authentication module (132) within a control and processing unit (110), the obtained vehicle -identification code with records accessible through a cloud-based communication network (116) prior to initiating a refilling operation;(c) retrieving, by a parameter-validation module (134) associated with the control and processing unit (110), one or more parameters of the identified vehicle including fuel type, tank capacity, and recommended tyre-pressure values through at least one of a tyre-pressure interface (112) or an OEM database;(d) determining, by the parameter-validation module (134), permissible refilling limits based on the retrieved parameters and regulating operation of the nozzle or connector assembly (106) and the tyre-pressure interface (112) according to said limits;(e) dispensing, through the nozzle or connector assembly (106), a refilling medium comprising at least one of fuel, air, gas, or electrical charge, while continuously monitoring flow rate, pressure, and dispensed volume through sensors operatively linked to the control and processing unit (110);(f) generating, by a digital -transaction interface (114), a real-time audio-visual indication of fuel type, refilling quantity, and billing amount prior to commencement of refilling, and executing authenticated digital payment upon confirmation;(g) coordinating, by an orchestration and synchronization module (136), simultaneous execution of refilling, billing computation, and data transfer with a multiparty communication gateway (118);(h) transmitting, by a compliance and record -posting module (138), verified refilling data including vehicle identity, refilling volume, time, location, and cost to external entities comprising at least one of bank servers (120), governmental databases (122), manufacturer servers (124), and fleet-management systems (126); and(i) processing, by an analytics and advisory module (130), cumulative refilling and operational data to generate outputs for refilling optimization, maintenance scheduling, and regulatory compliance;wherein the control and processing unit (110):authenticates the vehicle identification code obtained from the vehicle-code scanner and transceiver unit (108) through the authentication module (132) before enabling operation of the nozzle or connector assembly (106);retrieves and validates permissible refilling parameters including fuel type, tank capacity, and tyre-pressure limits through the parameter-validation module (134) and restricts dispensing to the validated range;governs refilling, billing, and data synchronization through the orchestration and synchronization module (136) such that refilling quantity, payment status, and cloud data posting are aligned in real time; anddirects the compliance and record-posting module (138) to compile authenticated refilling datasets and transmit them via the multi-party communication gateway ( 118) to at least one of the bank server (120), governmental database (122), manufacturer server (124), or fleet-management system (126) for automatic audit and policy enforcement.

51. The method (200) as claimed in claim 50, wherein the step of retrieving parameters comprising obtaining real-time tyre-pressure values from the tyre-pressure interface (112) and comparing them with OEM-recommended pressures to initiate air or nitrogen filling only in tyres exhibiting deviation beyond a predefined threshold.

52. The method (200) as claimed in claim 50, wherein during the refilling step (e), the safety and access-control unit (128) unlocks all vehicle doors upon detection of fuel-lid opening and a refilling-start signal to permit passenger evacuation in case of emergency.

53. The method (200) as claimed in claim 50, wherein the safety and access-control unit (128) performs passenger counting before and after refilling by comparing data from occupancy-detection sensors and generates a departure-authorisation signal only when the counts match.

54. The method (200) as claimed in claim 50, wherein the orchestration and synchronization module (136) aligns refilling -flow data, billing computation, and cloud-posting operations using a common time reference from a real-time clock to maintain continuous concurrent updating of all records.

55. The method (200) as claimed in claim 50, wherein the analytics and advisory module (130) determines vehicle -service schedules based on total fuel consumed or electric-charge units delivered instead of odometer distance and communicates the service-due information through the digital -transaction interface (114).

56. The method (200) as claimed in claim 50, wherein the analytics and advisory module (130) monitors nozzle-in and nozzle-out times detected by sensors proximate to the nozzle or connector assembly (106) and triggers maintenance or calibration scheduling when cumulative usage exceeds a preset threshold.

57. The method (200) as claimed in claim 50, wherein the multi-party communication gateway (118) transmits aggregated fuel-consumption data categorised by vehicle type to governmental databases (122) for emission -control and pollution-reduction policy formulation.

58. The method (200) as claimed in claim 50, wherein the analytics and advisory module (130) awards loyalty or reward points to a customer profile whenconsecutive refilling events are performed at stations affiliated with the same company, the points being credited to a digital wallet linked through the digital - transaction interface (114).

59. The method (200) as claimed in claim 50, wherein the control and processing unit (110) permits autonomous refilling at an unattended station by authenticating a driver’s customer identification and password entered through the digital-transaction interface (114) and subsequently executing refilling, billing, and payment automatically.

60. The method (200) as claimed in claim 50, wherein the control and processing unit (110) receives fuel-level data from a storage-tank sensor at the refuelling station and, through the analytics and advisory module (130), communicates the available- fuel quantity and expected queue time to approaching vehicles (102) via the digital-transaction interface (114).

61. The method (200) as claimed in claim 50, wherein the refilling medium comprises an electrical charge supplied through a controlled charging connector, the authentication, parameter validation, orchestration, and billing steps being performed respectively by the authentication module (132), the parameter-validation module (134), the orchestration and synchronization module (136), and the digital -transaction interface (114).

62. The method (200) as claimed in claim 50, wherein an oil-level sensing and refill interface communicates with the control and processing unit (110) to measure the engine-oil level of the vehicle (102), compare it with a stored threshold obtained from the parameter-validation module (134), and initiate dispensing of lubricating oil through the nozzle or connector assembly (106) when the level is below the threshold.

63. The method (200) as claimed in claim 50, wherein the analytics and advisory module (130) records the oil-refilling data, updates cumulative maintenance records through the multi-party communication gateway (118), and determines lubricant-grade compliance and service intervals using data retrieved from an OEM database.

64. The method (200) as claimed in claim 50, wherein the analytics and advisory module (130) employs a machine -learning model trained on historical refilling, vehicle-usage, and maintenance data to predict refilling demand, detect abnormal consumption patterns, or forecast nozzle-maintenance requirements, thepredictions being transmitted to the control and processing unit (110) for proactive scheduling and adjustment.

65. The method (200) as claimed in claim 50, wherein the compliance and recordposting module (138) stores refilling and transaction data in a blockchain ledger accessible through the multi-party communication gateway (118) to provide tamper-proof verification and traceability of refilling events, payments, and policyenforcement records.

66. The method (200) as claimed in claim 50, wherein the analytics and advisory module (130) retrieves location coordinates of the refuelling station through a GPS interface and applies dynamic fuel or charging tariffs based on time of day, demand, and emission-zone criteria communicated via the multi-party communication gateway (118).

67. A control and processing unit (110) of a refuelling system (100) for automated refuelling and servicing of a vehicle (102), the control and processing unit (110) comprising a processor and a memory storing executable instructions which, when executed, cause the control and processing unit (110) to:receive, from a vehicle-code scanner and transceiver unit (108), a vehicleidentification code associated with a vehicle -identification module (104) corresponding to at least one of a vehicle -identification number, registration number, chassis number, or model information of the vehicle (102);validate, through an authentication module (132), the received vehicleidentification code using records stored in or accessed via a cloud communication network (116);retrieve, through a parameter-validation module (134), vehicle -specific parameters including fuel type, tank capacity, and recommended tyre-pressure values from at least one of a tyre-pressure interface (112) or an OEM database;compute permissible refilling limits based on the retrieved parameters and transmit control signals to a nozzle or connector assembly (106) and the tyrepressure interface (112) to regulate delivery of a refilling medium comprising at least one of fuel, air, gas, or electrical charge;monitor flow rate, pressure, and dispensed volume during refilling through sensors linked to the nozzle or connector assembly (106) and store corresponding data for real-time analysis;generate, through a digital -transaction interface (114), synchronized audio-visual indications of verified fuel type, refilling quantity, and billing amount, and execute authenticated digital payment;coordinate, through an orchestration and synchronization module (136), concurrent execution of refilling, billing computation, and data posting via a multiparty communication gateway (118);compile, through a compliance and record -posting module (138), verified datasets including vehicle identity, refilling medium, volume, cost, time, and location, and transmit said datasets to at least one of a bank server (120), governmental database (122), manufacturer server (124), or fleet-management system (126); andprocess, through an analytics and advisory module (130), cumulative refilling and operational data to produce predictive maintenance schedules, nozzleusage analytics, and emission- or policy-compliance records;wherein the control and processing unit (110) executes a synchronized sequence of authentication, parameter validation, refilling control, billing computation, and record posting through the cloud communication network (116), thereby maintaining validated refilling operations, real-time billing accuracy, and verified data posting without manual intervention.

68. The control and processing unit ( 110) as claimed in claim 67, wherein the analytics and advisory module (130) employs stored operational history and sensor feedback data to execute a machine-learning algorithm that predicts refilling frequency, nozzle-usage life, and fuel-efficiency trend for the vehicle (102), the predictions being periodically updated using new refilling data received through the multi-party communication gateway (118).

69. The control and processing unit (110) as claimed in claim 67, wherein the compliance and record -posting module (138) applies blockchain -based encryption and timestamping to the verified datasets before transmission through the multi-party communication gateway (118), thereby creating a tamper-resistant refilling ledger accessible to authorized entities.

70. The control and processing unit (110) as claimed in claim 67, wherein the parameter-validation module (134) dynamically adjusts refilling limits based on ambient temperature, vapour pressure, or queue load obtained from nearby stations through the cloud communication network (116), to prevent overflow and optimize refilling rate.

71. The control and processing unit (110) as claimed in claim 67, wherein the digitaltransaction interface (114) includes a biometric or facial -recognition verification layer thatauthenticates the vehicle driver prior to initiating the refilling or payment process, the biometric template being verified against stored data in the cloud communication network (116).

72. The control and processing unit (110) as claimed in claim 67, wherein the analytics and advisory module (130) determines dynamic refilling prices by analyzing market-price data, distance to next station, and congestion levels received via the multi-party communication gateway (118), and transmits the computed dynamic price to the digital -transaction interface (114) for user display prior to payment confirmation.

73. The control and processing unit (110) as claimed in claim 67, wherein the orchestration and synchronization module (136) executes a predictive scheduling algorithm that pre-allocates refilling slots for approaching vehicles (102) based on their identification codes and estimated arrival times, to reduce waiting time and improve queue management at the refueling station.

74. The control and processing unit (110) as claimed in claim 67, wherein the parameter-validation module (134) cooperates with the tyre-pressure interface (112) and the analytics and advisory module (130) to compute the deviation of measured tyre-pressure values from OEM-recommended thresholds and to control automatic inflation or deflation without operator input.

75. The control and processing unit ( 110) as claimed in claim 67, wherein the analytics and advisory module (130) performs energy -consumption correlation between the vehicle odometer reading and cumulative fuel or charge data to identify abnormal fuel loss, leakage, or adulteration events, and triggers an alert through the digital -transaction interface (114).

76. The control and processing unit (110) as claimed in claim 67, wherein for electric vehicles, the orchestration and synchronization module (136) adjusts charging current and voltage parameters based on the battery-state data received from the vehicle (102), and records charging -cycle information in the compliance and record -posting module (138) for warranty and policy verification.Date: 6thof November, 2025

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