Automated Vehicle Refueling Authentication System
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Solution Overview
Problem
Gas station customers face inconvenience and inefficiency when refueling their vehicles, as they need to exit their cars to manually operate gas pumps, which can be time-consuming and undesirable due to location, time, or weather conditions.
Innovation Solution
A system comprising a vehicle refueling station with a gasoline dispenser, a processor-based control unit, sensors for vehicle and operator identification, and an electronic database for authentication, allowing for automatic refueling of authorized customers by scanning vehicle and operator characteristics and transmitting signals to activate the refueling device.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If manual refueling operation is used, then refueling control and payment are achieved, but customer convenience deteriorates and refueling time increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system enables self-service refueling through automated vehicle identification via license plate recognition, automatic authentication against stored customer data, and automated dispenser activation. The customer simply positions their vehicle and the system completes the entire refueling process without requiring manual pump operation or payment handling.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces manual mechanical operations with automated systems: optical recognition systems substitute for manual card insertion, electronic databases replace physical payment processing, and automated control systems substitute for manual dispenser operation. This eliminates the need for customers to physically interact with pump mechanisms.
2Productivity
If automated refueling system is implemented, then customer convenience and refueling speed are improved, but system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system integrates multiple functions into a unified automated platform: vehicle identification, customer authentication, payment verification, and dispenser control all occur through a single integrated system. The electronic database serves multiple purposes by storing both customer profiles and vehicle authorization data.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces an electronic database as an intermediary between the recognition system and the dispenser control. This database mediates the authentication process by storing pre-registered customer and vehicle data, enabling automated verification without requiring complex real-time communication protocols between sensors and dispensers.
3Reliability
If manual refueling process is used, then system simplicity is maintained, but authorization control and prevention of unauthorized refueling are insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary authentication by pre-registering customer vehicles in an electronic database before refueling occurs. The license plate recognition system queries this database to verify authorization in advance of dispenser activation, ensuring only authorized vehicles can access fuel.
Solution Approach 2:
The system implements feedback control through automated verification: the recognition system captures the license plate, the database verifies it against authorized vehicles, and the dispenser response (activate or remain inactive) provides immediate feedback on authorization status. This closed-loop system prevents unauthorized refueling while maintaining operational simplicity.
Data Source
AI summary
In some embodiments, methods and systems are provided for automatically refueling vehicles of authenticated customers of a retailer. After the vehicle driven by an operator is scanned at a refueling station of the retailer and identified as a vehicle associated with an authorized customer of the retailer, the operator and/or the operator's personal electronic device are scanned in order to verify that the operator of the authenticated vehicle is a customer of the retailer authorized to fill up his/her car at the refueling station of the retailer. When both the vehicle and the operator of the vehicle are authenticated and verified, a vehicle refueling device dispenses gasoline to fill up the gas tank of the vehicle.