Antenna placement in a fueling and retail system
First Claim
1. A fuel dispenser and antenna system for communicating with remote communication units associated with a customer comprising:
- a) a dispenser having a first side with a customer interface wherein an area extending away from and along said first side substantially defines a fueling position;
b) a first antenna to transmit signals to a remote communications unit;
c) a communication system associated with said first antenna and adapted to provide the signals to said first antenna for transmission;
d) said first antenna and communication system adapted to provide a focused transmission field substantially throughout the fueling position and substantially minimize extension of the transmission field outside of said fueling position;
e) means associated with said communication system for receiving signals from remote communications units;
f) said communication system adapted to transmit and receive signals using a common center frequency;
wherein communication is provided to remote communication units within the defined fueling position, and communication is substantially avoided with remote communication units outside of the defined fueling position; and
g) a second antenna spaced apart from said first antenna, said second antenna associated with said communication system to transmit signals and adapted to provide a focused transmission field over a limited portion of the fueling position and substantially minimize extension of the additional transmission field outside of said limited portion over said fueling position.
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Accused Products
Abstract
The present invention provides a fuel dispenser antenna system for communicating with remote communications units associated with a customer. The system will include a dispenser having a first site for customer interface wherein an area extending away from and along the first side substantially defines a fueling position. A first antenna is used to communicate with remote communications units through an associated communications system. The first antenna and communications system are adapted to provide a focused transmission field substantially throughout the fueling position, but substantially minimizing extension of the transmission field outside of the fueling position. Means associated with the communications system is provided to receive signals from the remote communications units. This means is typically one or more receive antennas in communication with the communications system. Preferably, the communications system is adapted to transmit and receive signals using a common center or carrier frequency. The defined transmission fields substantially avoid a dispenser communications system from mistakenly communicating with remote communications units outside of the defined fueling position.
Preferably, there is a second antenna spaced apart from the first antenna wherein the second antenna is adapted to provide an additional transmission field over the fueling position wherein both transmission fields overlap for a substantial portion of the fueling position in order to provide an alternative transmission path if one of the transmission fields is obstructed.
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Citations
36 Claims
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1. A fuel dispenser and antenna system for communicating with remote communication units associated with a customer comprising:
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a) a dispenser having a first side with a customer interface wherein an area extending away from and along said first side substantially defines a fueling position;
b) a first antenna to transmit signals to a remote communications unit;
c) a communication system associated with said first antenna and adapted to provide the signals to said first antenna for transmission;
d) said first antenna and communication system adapted to provide a focused transmission field substantially throughout the fueling position and substantially minimize extension of the transmission field outside of said fueling position;
e) means associated with said communication system for receiving signals from remote communications units;
f) said communication system adapted to transmit and receive signals using a common center frequency;
wherein communication is provided to remote communication units within the defined fueling position, and communication is substantially avoided with remote communication units outside of the defined fueling position; and
g) a second antenna spaced apart from said first antenna, said second antenna associated with said communication system to transmit signals and adapted to provide a focused transmission field over a limited portion of the fueling position and substantially minimize extension of the additional transmission field outside of said limited portion over said fueling position. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31)
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18. A fuel dispenser communication system comprising:
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a) a dispenser housing having a first side with a customer interface wherein an area extending away from and along said first side substantially defines a fueling position;
b) a first antenna proximate said dispenser and configured to focus a first transmission field downward over the fueling position to transmit signals to a remote communications unit in the fueling position;
c) a second antenna spaced apart from said first antenna and adapted to provide a second transmission field over a portion of the fueling position likely to contain a personal remote communication unit carried by a customer carrying out a transaction at the fueling position;
d) a communication system associated with said first and second antennas and adapted to provide the signals to said first and second antennas for transmission;
e) said first antenna and communication system adapted to provide a focused transmission field substantially throughout the fueling position and substantially minimize extension of the transmission field outside of said fueling position;
f) said second antenna and communication system adapted to provide a focused transmission field over a limited portion of the fueling position and substantially minimize extension of the additional transmission field outside of said limited portion over said fueling position; and
g) means associated with said communication system for receiving signals from remote communications units;
h) wherein communication is provided to remote communication units within the transmission fields.
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32. A dispenser communication system comprising:
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a) a dispenser housing having a first side with a customer interface wherein an area extending away from and along said first side substantially defines a fueling position;
b) a first antenna proximate a top portion of said dispenser and configured to focus a first transmission field downward over the fueling position to transmit signals to a remote communications unit in the fueling position;
c) a second antenna spaced apart from said first antenna and adapted to provide a second transmission field over a portion of the fueling position likely to contain a personal remote communication unit carried by a customer carrying out a transaction at the fueling position;
d) a communication system associated with said first and second antennas and adapted to provide the signals to said first and second antennas for transmission;
e) said first antenna and communication system adapted to provide a focused transmission field substantially throughout the fueling position and substantially minimize extension of the transmission field outside of said fueling position;
f) said second antenna and communication system adapted to provide a focused transmission field over a limited portion of the fueling position and substantially minimize extension of the additional transmission field outside of said limited portion over said fueling position; and
g) a receiving antenna associated with said communication system for receiving signals from remote communications units;
h) said communication system adapted to provide alternate transmissions from said first and second antenna, receive signals from a remote communication unit responsive to the alternate transmission, and determine which transmission the signals received from the remote communication unit are responsive to determine the transmission field in which the remote communication unit is located;
i) wherein communication is provided to remote communication units within the transmission fields and said communications electronics may determine the field in which a remote communications unit is located. - View Dependent Claims (33, 34, 36)
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35. An interrogation system associated with a fuel dispenser comprising:
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a) a fuel dispenser having a graphical user interface in front of a fueling position;
b) an interrogation and control system adapted to transmit an interrogation signal alternately from at least first and second locations wherein signals from said separate locations providing at least a first interrogation field and a second interrogation field wherein said first interrogation field is focused within said second interrogation field; and
c) said interrogation and control system further adapted to receive a reply signal from a transponder in response to the interrogation signal and determine from which said location the interrogation signal initiating the reply signal was transmitted.
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Specification