Fueling Station Computer Vision Checkout With Vehicle-Linked Payment
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current fueling station technologies lack efficient automation solutions for seamless commerce interactions between vehicles and infrastructure, leading to friction and inefficiencies in transactions.
Innovation Solution
A camera-based commerce system using computer vision to monitor and facilitate automated transactions at fueling stations and vehicle-related environments, enabling unified payment mechanisms for services and goods, reducing the need for manual checkout and enhancing user experience.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If manual checkout processes are used at fueling stations, then transaction accuracy can be maintained through human verification, but transaction time and operational complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces manual checkout processes with an automated computer vision system that uses cameras and image processing to detect, track, and verify products. This substitution eliminates the need for manual scanning and verification while maintaining transaction accuracy through automated product recognition and tracking.
Solution Approach 2:
The system enables self-service checkout by automatically monitoring customer actions, tracking products taken from shelves, and completing transactions without human intervention. The computer vision system autonomously performs detection, tracking, and verification functions that would otherwise require manual operation.
2Adaptability or versatility
If traditional fueling station infrastructure is used, then existing systems can operate with minimal changes, but seamless commerce automation between vehicles and infrastructure cannot be achieved
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a multi-functional system where the computer vision infrastructure serves multiple purposes: product detection, customer tracking, transaction verification, and automated checkout. This universal system handles various commerce operations at fueling stations, vehicle charging stations, and related environments through a single integrated platform.
Solution Approach 2:
The computer vision system acts as an intermediary between customers, products, and payment processing. It mediates the commerce interaction by automatically detecting product selection, tracking items throughout the station, verifying purchases, and facilitating seamless transactions without requiring direct human-to-human or human-to-machine verification.
3Extent of automation
If sensor-based technical solutions are implemented for vehicle-infrastructure interaction, then automated commerce can be achieved, but system complexity and implementation difficulty increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces complex sensor-based detection systems with computer vision technology using cameras and image processing. This substitution simplifies the technical implementation while achieving the same automated detection and tracking functions, making the system more accessible and easier to deploy at fueling and charging stations.
Data Source
AI summary
A system and method for vehicle facilitated commerce comprising: collecting a payment mechanism associated with a vehicle station at a vehicle service site; collecting image data in a defined region containing the vehicle station and a defined commerce region; initializing monitoring of at least one detected user associated with the vehicle station; monitoring commerce activity of the user, which comprises of: through CV processing of image data, detecting at least one commerce activity event involving the user and updating a checkout list associated with the user based on the commerce activity event; and executing a transaction with the payment mechanism for the checkout list.