Method and apparatus for passively monitoring of a vehicle during distribution of fluid products thereto
First Claim
1. A method for passively monitoring the servicing of a vehicle during distribution of fluid products thereto, comprising the steps of:
- (a) obtaining a first set of data associated with a particular vehicle port to be serviced;
(b) determining whether or not said first set of data identifies a particular port intended to be serviced and generating a signal commensurate therewith;
(c) obtaining a second set of data associated with distribution of a product to the selected port; and
(d) logging the signal, the first set of data and the second set of data.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
A method and apparatus for passively monitoring the distribution of fuel and lubrication fluids to track vehicles and other heavy duty work equipment, such as bulldozers, draglines, scrapers, loaders, etc. The system includes means for identifying and recording the identity of the dispensing vehicle, the dispensing operator, the location of the dispensing vehicle, the receiving vehicle, the receiving port on the receiving vehicle, the type of fluid dispensed, the quantity of fluid dispensed, and the time of the dispensing. The system also includes means for verifying that the proper fluid is dispensed to the appropriate port. Use of the system does not in any way interfere with the servicing operations.
9 Citations
26 Claims
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1. A method for passively monitoring the servicing of a vehicle during distribution of fluid products thereto, comprising the steps of:
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(a) obtaining a first set of data associated with a particular vehicle port to be serviced;
(b) determining whether or not said first set of data identifies a particular port intended to be serviced and generating a signal commensurate therewith;
(c) obtaining a second set of data associated with distribution of a product to the selected port; and
(d) logging the signal, the first set of data and the second set of data. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4)
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5. A computer program embodied on a computer readable medium for passively monitoring the servicing of a vehicle during distribution of fluid products thereto comprising:
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(a) a code segment that causes a first set of data, associated with a particular vehicle port to be serviced, to be obtained;
(b) a code segment that causes a determination of whether or not said first set of data identifies a particular port intended to be serviced and that causes a signal to be generated commensurate therewith;
(c) a code segment that causes a second set of data, associated with distribution of a product to the selected port, to be obtained; and
(d) a code segment that causes the signal, the first set of data and the second set of data to be logged. - View Dependent Claims (6, 7, 8)
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9. A system for passively monitoring the servicing of a vehicle during distribution of fluid products thereto comprising:
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(a) indicia providing a first set of data associated with a particular vehicle port to be serviced;
(b) logic that determines whether or not said first set of data identifies a particular port intended to be serviced and that generates a signal commensurate therewith;
(c) apparatus for generating a second set of data associated with distribution of a product to the selected port; and
(d) logic that logs the signal, the first set of data and the second set of data. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21)
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13. An apparatus for passively monitoring the servicing of a vehicle during distribution of fluid products to fill ports on the vehicle, comprising:
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a port identifying means associated with each port on a vehicle to be serviced, said identifying means containing port data relating to the identity of the vehicle and the identity of the port;
reader means for reading said port data and transmitting same to a remote receiver;
flow monitoring means associated with said remote receiver and the source of each fluid to be distributed and operative to generate flow data indicating the fluid source, the type of fluid to be dispensed from said fluid source, and the volume of fluid actually dispensed from said fluid source;
means for comparing said port data to said flow data and operative to generate an alarm in the event that any aspect of said port data is incompatible with any aspect of said flow data; and
means for producing a record of said port data, said flow data and the fact that an alarm was generated.
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22. A method of passively monitoring the servicing of a vehicle during distribution of fluid products to fill ports on the vehicle, comprising the steps of:
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identifying each port on a vehicle to be serviced, by providing identifying means proximate each said port containing port data relating to the identity of the vehicle and the identity of the port;
reading said port data and transmitting same to a remote receiver;
monitoring the source of each fluid to be distributed and generating flow data indicating the fluid source, the type of fluid to be dispensed from said fluid source, and the volume of fluid actually dispensed from said fluid source;
comparing said port data to said flow data and generating an alarm in the event that any aspect of said port data is incompatible with any aspect of said flow data; and
producing a record of said port data, said flow data and the fact that an alarm was generated. - View Dependent Claims (23, 24, 25, 26)
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Specification