System and method for managing a fuel dispensing account

• US 10,131,531 B1
• Filed: 04/17/2015
• Issued: 11/20/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 05/12/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: United Services Automobile Association
• Original Assignee: United Services Automobile Association
• Inventors: Prasad, Bharat, Oakes, III, Charles L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Lemieux, Jessica
• Application Number:
  US14/689,747
• Time in Patent Office: 1,313 Days
• Field of Search: 705 44
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 25/24 using electronic identifiers containing a code not memorised by the user
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 25/25 using biometry
• CPC Class Codes: B67D 7/04 for transferring fuels, lubricants or mixed fuels and lubricants
• CPC Class Codes: B67D 7/348 by interrogating an information transmitter, e.g. a transponder B67D7/145 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/0855 involving a third party
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/145 Payments according to the detected use or quantity
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/18 involving self-service terminals [SST], vending machines, kiosks or multimedia terminals
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/40 Authorisation, e.g. identification of payer or payee, verification of customer or shop credentials; Review and approval of payers, e.g. check credit lines or negative lists
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/405 Establishing or using transaction specific rules
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/42 Confirmation, e.g. check or permission by the legal debtor of payment
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/06 Energy or water supply
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 13/025 wherein the volume is determined during delivery
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 15/001 for gas

Abstract

Described herein are systems and methods for managing a fuel dispensing account associated with fuel dispensing transactions. A fuel dispensing apparatus includes a receiver configured for wireless communication with a user device. The fuel dispensing apparatus receives a request to dispense fuel from the user device via the receiver and associates the fuel request with a primary user account stored in a computer database. A notification is sent to one or more users of the primary account requesting instructions regarding the fuel request. Fuel is dispensed from the fuel dispensing apparatus if instructions are received from a user of the primary account authorizing the request.

Claims

1. A system, comprising:

a fuel dispensing apparatus for dispensing fuel, the fuel dispensing apparatus communicatively coupled to a computer database having data for authenticating fuel transactions associated with one or more primary accounts and including;

a mechanical interface for coupling the fuel dispensing apparatus with a vehicle;

a receiver configured for wireless communication with a user device;

a memory configured to store instructions;

a processor disposed in communication with the memory, wherein the processor upon execution of the instructions is configured to;

receive a request to dispense fuel from the user device via the receiver based on movement of the mechanical interface;

associate the fuel request with an associated primary user account stored in the computer database;

determine that the fuel request is to be performed based upon authorization instructions prescribed in the associated primary user account;

instruct requested fuel to be dispensed up to a limited pre-authorization amount based on authentication of a secondary user account or approval from the associated primary user account;

instruct requested fuel to be dispensed over the limited pre-authorization amount but below a transaction threshold based on approval from the associated primary user account; and

instruct requested fuel to be dispensed over the transaction threshold based on authentication of the associated primary user account.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the receiver is configured to initiate point-to-point communication with the user device.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the point-to-point communication consists of at least one of Bluetooth signal, a beacon signal, a barcode, optical and Near Field Communication (NFC) link.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the receiver is configured to initiate network communication with the user device.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein the user device is one of a smart phone device and a component directly integrated with a vehicle.

6. The system of claim 4, wherein the user device is a wearable computing device.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein vehicle identification is retrieved from the user device.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein the user device is an OBD device coupled to a vehicle to which fuel is to be dispensed and communicates the vehicle identification to the receiver.

9. The system of claim 7, wherein the user device is an OBD device coupled to a vehicle to which fuel is to be dispensed and communicates the vehicle identification to a user smart phone device which communicates with the receiver.

10. The system of claim 8, wherein the user device is directly integrated and is not separable from the vehicle.

11. The system of claim 1, wherein the request to dispense fuel also includes information identifying a user wherein the processor additional authenticates the user.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the user identifying information includes biometric information.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the biometric information is retrieved from a user wearable computing device.

14. The system of claim 1, wherein determining if the fuel request is to be performed includes determining an amount to which the associated user account has pre-approved the fuel request.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein if it is determined the fuel request is determined not to be pre-approved by the associated primary user account, the instructions further cause the processor to be configured to:

send an authorization request to a user of the associated primary user account, the authorization request providing information related to the fuel request;

receive a response to the authorization request from the user of the associated primary user account; and

determine from the received response whether the user of the associated primary user account approved the fuel request.

16. The system of claim 1, wherein the instructions further cause the processor to be configured to provide a notification to a user of the associated primary user account in response to receiving, at the fuel dispensing apparatus, a request to conduct a fuel dispensing transaction for one or more vehicles associated with the associated primary user account.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein the instructions further cause the processor to be configured to provide an instruction request to remove a vehicle associated with the associated primary user account that is requesting a fuel transaction at the fuel dispensing apparatus from a list of vehicles associated with the associated primary user account.

18. The system of claim 15, wherein the instructions further cause the processor to provide authorization of a predetermined transaction in the absence of a response from the user of the primary account.

19. A system for dispensing fuel associated with one or more user accounts, comprising:

a computer database having data for authenticating fuel transactions associated with one or more primary accounts;

a fuel dispensing apparatus communicatively coupled to the computer database for dispensing fuel, including;

a receiver configured for wireless communication with a user device;

a memory configured to store instructions;

a processor disposed in communication with the memory, wherein the processor upon execution of the instructions is configured to;

receive a request to dispense fuel from the user device via the receiver;

associate the fuel request with primary user account stored in a the computer database;

instruct requested fuel to be dispensed up to a limited pre-authorization amount based on authentication of a secondary user account;

send a notification to one or more users of the primary account requesting instructions regarding the fuel request if the requested fuel exceeds the limited pre-authorization amount;

instruct requested fuel to be dispensed from the fuel dispensing apparatus over the limited pre-authorization amount but below a transaction threshold if instructions are received from a user of the primary account authorizing the request; and

instruct requested fuel to be dispensed from the fuel dispensing apparatus over the transaction threshold based on authentication of the primary user.