System and method providing improved user experience in a fuel dispensing environment

• US 10,332,083 B2
• Filed: 10/09/2014
• Issued: 06/25/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 10/10/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Gilbarco Incorporated (Vontier Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Gilbarco Incorporated (Vontier Corp.)
• Inventors: Williams, Rodger K., Hoffman, Robert P., Carapelli, Giovanni, Payne, Edward A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Ludwig, Peter
• Assistant Examiner(s): Miller, James H
• Application Number:
  US14/510,874
• Publication Number:
  US 20150106196A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,720 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/145 Payments according to the detected use or quantity
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/227 characterised in that multiple accounts are available, e.g. to the payer
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/326 Payment applications installed on the mobile devices
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/3274 using a pictured code, e.g. barcode or QR-code, being displayed on the M-device
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/3278 RFID or NFC payments by means of M-devices
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/387 Payment using discounts or coupons relating to marketing G06Q30/02
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0253 During e-commerce, i.e. online transactions
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0267 Wireless devices
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 13/025 wherein the volume is determined during delivery

Abstract

A method of performing a fueling transaction via an application installed on a mobile device, such as a smart phone. One step of the method involves receiving at the mobile device a short range wireless initiation signal directly from a fuel dispenser. The wireless initiation signal contains information indentifying the fuel dispenser. In response to the wireless initiation signal, an application is automatically launched on the mobile device. Input is received into the mobile device from a customer, which is interpreted by the application to correspond to at least one selection made by the customer. Payment information of the customer is transmitted from the mobile device to a remote cloud server so that the transaction can be authorized. As fuel is dispensed from the fuel dispenser, at least one of fueling information and promotional information is received at the mobile device.

Claims

1. A fuel dispensing system comprising:

a fuel dispenser comprising a passive near-field communication transponder which is operative to emit a wireless initiation signal when interrogated by a mobile device of a customer, the wireless initiation signal containing information identifying the fuel dispenser;

an active sniffer comprising

a first communication connection in communication with a forecourt controller;

a second communication connection in communication with pump electronics of the fuel dispenser, wherein the first communication connection and the second communication connection are disposed along a fueling environment legacy cable;

a third communication connection with a cloud server; and

a processor and a memory including computer program code, the memory and the computer programing code configured to, with the processor, cause the apparatus active sniffer to;

receive an authorized transaction message from the cloud server in response to the cloud server authorizing the transaction based on receiving information identifying the fuel dispenser and payment information of the customer from the mobile device;

instruct the pump electronics to allow fueling based on receipt of the authorized transaction message; and

provide a message to the forecourt controller indicative of a mobile payment transaction in progress, such that the mobile payment transaction is authorized and controlled independently of the forecourt controller.

2. The fuel dispensing system of claim 1, wherein memory and the computer program code are further configured to, with processor, cause the active sniffer to:

receive information regarding the volume or monetary amount of the fuel dispensed from the pump electronics;

transmit the information regarding the volume or monetary amount to the cloud server to finalize the mobile payment transaction.

3. The fuel dispensing system of claim 1, wherein memory and the computer program code are further configured to, with processor, cause the active sniffer to:

in response to finalization of the mobile payment transaction, transmit a signal to the forecourt controller to cause a point of sale (POS) device to log the transaction.

4. The fueling dispensing system of claim 1, wherein the fuel dispenser further comprises a plurality of near field communication transponders operative to emit a signal when interrogated and which correspond to the information identifying the fuel dispenser and an associated grade of fuel of a plurality of fuel grades.

5. The fueling dispensing system of claim 4, wherein each of the plurality of passive near field communication transponders for each grade of fuel is affixed to a corresponding grade select button on the fuel dispenser.

6. The fuel dispensing system of claim 1, wherein the passive near field communication transponder comprises an antenna arrangement and associated circuitry carried on an adhesive backed tag attached to a housing of the fuel dispenser.

7. The fuel dispensing system as set forth in claim 1, wherein the passive near field communication transponder displays indicia visually indicating an associated fuel grade.

8. A fuel dispensing system comprising:

a fuel dispenser having a short range beacon which is operative to emit a wireless initiation signal when interrogated by a mobile device of a customer, wherein the wireless interrogation signal comprises information identifying the fuel dispenser;

an active sniffer comprising

a first communication connection in communication with a forecourt controller;

a second communication connection in communication with pump electronics of the fuel dispenser, wherein the first communication connection and the second communication connection are disposed along a fueling system legacy cable;

a third communication connection with a cloud server; and

a processor and a memory including computer program code, the memory and the computer programing code configured to, with the processor, cause the apparatus active sniffer to;

receive an authorized transaction message from the cloud server in response to the cloud server authorizing the transaction based on receiving information identifying the fuel dispenser and payment information of the customer from the mobile device;

instruct the pump electronics to allow fueling based on receipt of the authorized transaction message; and

provide a message to the forecourt controller indicative of a mobile payment transaction in progress, such that the mobile payment transaction is authorized and controlled independently of the forecourt controller.

9. The fuel dispensing system of claim 8, wherein memory and the computer program code are further configured to, with processor, cause the active sniffer to:

receive information regarding the volume or monetary amount of the fuel dispensed from the pump electronics;

transmit the information regarding the volume or monetary amount to the cloud server to finalize the mobile payment transaction.

10. The fuel dispensing system of claim 8, wherein memory and the computer program code are further configured to, with processor, cause the active sniffer to:

in response to finalization of the mobile payment transaction, transmit a signal to the forecourt controller to cause a point of sale (POS) device to log the transaction.

11. The fuel dispensing system of claim 8, wherein the initiation signal is emitted from the beacon as a Bluetooth low-energy signal.

12. The fuel dispensing system of claim 8, wherein the beacon provides bidirectional communication directly with the mobile device via a Bluetooth low-energy protocol.

13. A method of effecting a fueling transaction in a fueling system comprising:

transmitting a short range wireless initiation signal from a fuel dispenser to a mobile device, wherein the initiation signal comprises information identifying the fuel dispenser;

receiving an authorized transaction message, at an active sniffer, from the cloud server in response to the cloud server authorizing the transaction based on receiving information identifying the fuel dispenser and payment information of the customer from the mobile device, wherein the active sniffer comprises a first communication connection in communication with a forecourt controller, a second communication connection in communication with pump electronics of the fuel dispenser, and a third communication connection with a cloud server, wherein the first communication connection and the second communication connection are disposed along a fueling system legacy cable;

instructing the pump electronics, by the active sniffer, to allow fueling based on receipt of the authorized transaction message; and

provide a message to the forecourt controller, from the active sniffer, indicative of a mobile payment transaction in progress, such that the mobile payment transaction is authorized and controlled independently of the forecourt controller.

14. The method of claim 13 further comprising:

receiving, at the active sniffer, information regarding the volume or monetary amount of the fuel dispensed from the pump electronics;

transmitting the information regarding the volume or monetary amount to the cloud server to finalize the mobile payment transaction.

15. The method of claim 14 further comprising:

transmitting a signal, from the active sniffer to the forecourt controller, in response to finalization of the mobile payment transaction, to cause a point of sale (POS) device to log the transaction.

16. The method of claim 13, wherein the short range wireless initiation signal is received in response to an interrogation signal emitted from the mobile device.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the short range wireless initiation signal is generated by a passive near-field communication (NFC) transponder associated with the dispenser.

18. The method of claim 13, wherein the short range wireless initiation signal is emitted by a short range beacon located at the fuel dispenser.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the short range wireless initiation signal is a Bluetooth low-energy signal.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein communication between the mobile device and the fuel dispenser is bidirectional via the beacon.

21. The method of claim 13, wherein communication between the cloud server and the mobile device comprises encrypted full duplex communication.

22. The method of claim 13, wherein a fuel grade is selected via near-field communication (NFC) with one of a plurality of passive NFC transponders, each corresponding to a fuel grade of a plurality of fuel grades.