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System and method for wirelessly activating an electromechanically controlled fuel dispenser

  • US 10,360,647 B2
  • Filed: 02/26/2015
  • Issued: 07/23/2019
  • Est. Priority Date: 02/27/2014
  • Status: Active Grant
First Claim
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1. A method of remotely activating any of a plurality of electromechanically controlled fuel dispensers, the method comprising:

  • with a processor, associating in a first database each of a plurality of fuel dispenser identification codes with a different one of the plurality of fuel dispensers,with the processor, associating in the first or a second database each of a plurality of customer identification codes with a different one of a corresponding plurality of electronic payment identifiers, each of the plurality of electronic payment identifiers specifying an associated electronic payment system pre-selected for automatic processing of payment for the purchase of fuel during subsequent fuel purchase transactions using any of the plurality of fuel dispensers,wirelessly receiving by the processor one or more signals wirelessly transmitted by a mobile electronic device, the wirelessly received one or more signals containing a first identification code and a second identification code, the first identification code uniquely associated with at least one of the mobile electronic device and a user of the mobile electronic device and the second identification code uniquely associated with a selected one of the plurality of fuel dispensers from which the user of the mobile electronic device desires to dispense fuel,in response to the wirelessly received one or more signals,determining with the processor the one of the plurality of customer identification codes in the first or second database that matches the wirelessly received first identification code, andidentifying with the processor the selected one of the plurality of fuel dispensers from which the user of the mobile electronic device desires to dispense fuel by determining with the processor the one of the plurality of fuel dispensers associated in the first database with a fuel dispenser identification code that matches the wirelessly received second identification code,determining with the processor the one of the plurality of electronic payment identifiers associated in the first or second database with the determined one of the plurality of customer identification codes, andautomatically upon determining that the electronic payment system associated in the first or second database with the determined one of the electronic payment identifiers is authorized for payment against fuel to be dispensed by the determined one of the plurality of fuel dispensers, controlling with the processor the determined one of the plurality of fuel dispensers from a normally inactive state in which it is prevented from dispensing fuel to an active state in which it is enabled to dispense fuel.

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