Method and system for purchasing non-fuel merchandise

• US 10,430,843 B2
• Filed: 05/26/2010
• Issued: 10/01/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 06/01/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Additech, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Additech, Inc.
• Inventors: Austin, Andrew, Woodrow, Walter
• Primary Examiner(s): Iwarere, Oluseye
• Application Number:
  US12/787,721
• Publication Number:
  US 20100306069A1
• Time in Patent Office: 3,415 Days
• Field of Search: 705 30, 705 34, 705 40, 705 21, 705 71, 705 16, 700241
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06 Resources, workflows, human or project management; Enterprise or organisation planning; Enterprise or organisation modelling
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/20 Point-of-sale [POS] network systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/06 Buying, selling or leasing transactions
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 13/025 wherein the volume is determined during delivery
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 9/006 Details of the software used for the vending machines

Abstract

The present methods and systems (including computer software, computer hardware, and an intermediary system) facilitate a transaction for non-fuel merchandise items at any fuel dispenser during a pre-pay or post-pay inside the store fuel sale. Consumers can select non-fuel merchandise items at a fuel dispenser (either via a fuel dispenser key pad or a separate computerized customer interface, attached to a fuel dispenser) at the time they are selecting their fuel at the fuel dispenser.

Claims

1. A system, comprising:

a fuel dispenser for dispensing fuel to a vehicle;

a fuel additive system in communication with the fuel dispenser, wherein the fuel additive system comprises;

a computer system; and

a hydraulic controller for dispensing a fuel-additive product to the vehicle; and

a point-of-sale system in communication with the fuel dispenser and the fuel additive system, wherein at least a portion of the point-of-sale system is located inside a retail store, and wherein the computer system of the fuel additive system is for;

monitoring purchase messages between the fuel dispenser and the point-of-sale system for purchase selections made at the fuel dispenser to determine whether purchases at the fuel dispenser include the fuel-additive product;

upon a determination that a first purchase message of the purchase messages between the fuel dispenser and the point-of-sale system does not include the fuel-additive product, subsequently passing the first purchase message to the point-of-sale system; and

upon a determination that the first purchase message includes the fuel-additive product;

creating a new purchase message regarding the fuel-additive product in a format receivable by the point-of-sale system and forwarding the new purchase message to the point-of-sale system; and

upon detecting dispenser fuel pulses from the fuel dispenser indicative of fuel flow, controlling the hydraulic controller to dispense the fuel-additive product for the vehicle; and

wherein the point-of-sale system is for presenting a total amount of the purchase selections at the point-of-sale system.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the purchase messages comprise purchase messages for purchases of fuel, purchases of the fuel-additive product and/or the total amount.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein, upon the determination that the first purchase message includes the fuel-additive product, the point-of-sale system is further for determining the total amount based on fuel dispensed at the fuel dispenser and the new purchase message regarding the fuel additive product.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein determining the total amount is further based on purchase selections in addition to the fuel and the fuel-additive product.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the fuel additive system is further for:

upon the determination that the first purchase message includes the fuel-additive product, determining the total amount based on fuel dispensed at the fuel dispenser and the new purchase message regarding the fuel-additive product; and

forwarding the total amount to the point-of-sale system.