Integrated fuel dispensing and accounting system
First Claim
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1. A fuel-dispensing and accounting system consisting of:
- a first consumer device comprising;
a first short-range wireless transceiver;
a first long-range wireless transceiver different from the first short-range wireless transceiver; and
a first general-purpose computing device coupled to the first short-range wireless transceiver and the first different long-range wireless transceiver, said first general-purpose computing device configured with first software;
a second consumer device comprising;
a second short-range wireless transceiver;
a second long-range wireless transceiver different from the second short-range wireless transceiver; and
a second general-purpose computing device coupled to the second short-range wireless transceiver and the second different long-range wireless transceiver, said second general-purpose computing device configured with second software; and
a fuel-dispensing controller consisting of;
a third short-range wireless transceiver;
an electronically-controlled switch connected to an electrically-operated fluid pump; and
a third general-purpose computing device coupled to the third short-range wireless receiver and the electronically controlled switch, said third general-purpose computing device configured with third software;
wherein the fuel-dispensing controller and an active device chosen from the first consumer device and the second consumer device interact under control of the third software and either the first software of the first consumer device or the second software of the second consumer device to perform operations comprising;
establishing a first connection between a short-range wireless transceiver of the active device and the third short-range wireless transceiver;
establishing a second, different connection between a long-range wireless transceiver of the active device and a remote server;
obtaining a vending authorization from the remote server transmitted over the second different connection and received by the active device;
transmitting the vending authorization from the active device over the first connection to the fuel-dispensing controller;
after receiving the vending authorization at the fuel-dispensing controller, activating the electronically-controlled switch to engage the electrically-operated fluid pump;
determining a quantity of fuel dispensed by the electrically-operated fluid pump;
transmitting the quantity of fuel dispensed from the fuel-dispensing controller to the active device over the first connection; and
transmitting the quantity of fuel dispensed from the active device to the remote server over the second different connection.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An interface system extends a prior-art fuel delivery pump and reservoir so that authorization to activate the fuel delivery pump can be obtained from a remote authorization service over a long-range wireless communication link such as a cellular telephone connection or a satellite connection; and delivered to the interface system over a different, short-range wireless communication link such as a Bluetooth® connection or a WiFi connection. The system is structured so that different data link devices can serve in one part of the communication chain. Other features and characteristics of the system are described and claimed.
32 Citations
11 Claims
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1. A fuel-dispensing and accounting system consisting of:
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a first consumer device comprising; a first short-range wireless transceiver; a first long-range wireless transceiver different from the first short-range wireless transceiver; and a first general-purpose computing device coupled to the first short-range wireless transceiver and the first different long-range wireless transceiver, said first general-purpose computing device configured with first software; a second consumer device comprising; a second short-range wireless transceiver; a second long-range wireless transceiver different from the second short-range wireless transceiver; and a second general-purpose computing device coupled to the second short-range wireless transceiver and the second different long-range wireless transceiver, said second general-purpose computing device configured with second software; and a fuel-dispensing controller consisting of; a third short-range wireless transceiver; an electronically-controlled switch connected to an electrically-operated fluid pump; and a third general-purpose computing device coupled to the third short-range wireless receiver and the electronically controlled switch, said third general-purpose computing device configured with third software; wherein the fuel-dispensing controller and an active device chosen from the first consumer device and the second consumer device interact under control of the third software and either the first software of the first consumer device or the second software of the second consumer device to perform operations comprising; establishing a first connection between a short-range wireless transceiver of the active device and the third short-range wireless transceiver; establishing a second, different connection between a long-range wireless transceiver of the active device and a remote server; obtaining a vending authorization from the remote server transmitted over the second different connection and received by the active device; transmitting the vending authorization from the active device over the first connection to the fuel-dispensing controller; after receiving the vending authorization at the fuel-dispensing controller, activating the electronically-controlled switch to engage the electrically-operated fluid pump; determining a quantity of fuel dispensed by the electrically-operated fluid pump; transmitting the quantity of fuel dispensed from the fuel-dispensing controller to the active device over the first connection; and transmitting the quantity of fuel dispensed from the active device to the remote server over the second different connection. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. A liquid fuel dispensing and accounting system comprising:
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a control center including a programmable processor, a database, and a control-center data communication interface; and a fueling station including a liquid fuel reservoir, a pump, and a pump controller having a pump-controller data communication interface, said control-center data communication interface and said pump-controller data communication interface not capable of direct communication and not in continuous indirect communication, wherein a user of the fueling station supplies a mobile device that permits temporary data communication between the control-center data communication interface and the pump-controller data communication interface only while the user is operating the fueling station, and wherein the programmable processor of the control center and the pump controller communicate while the user is operating the fueling station to perform coordinated actions comprising; sending a vending authorization from the control center to the fueling station, said vending authorization to enable the pump to deliver liquid fuel from the liquid fuel reservoir; pumping a quantity of liquid fuel from the liquid fuel reservoir; reporting the quantity of liquid fuel from the fueling station to the control center; and terminating the temporary data communication between the control-center data communication interface and the pump-controller data communication interface.
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Specification