Method of delivering Web content to fuel dispenser
First Claim
1. A method for use with a refueling environment in combination with a remote site disposed apart from the refueling environment, the refueling environment being capable of servicing at least one user, said method also for use with a network having at least one host resource, said method comprising the steps of:
- sending a user identification from the refueling environment to the remote site;
providing state information in association with the user identification; and
sending the state information associated with the user identification from the remote site to a selective one of the at least one host resource in said network.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A communications protocol is provided for use in a refueling environment connected to a remote facility. The remote facility is disposed apart from the fuel dispenser locations and is connected to a network such as the World Wide Web of the Internet. Regarding a customer at one of the fuel dispenser locations, a user identification such as credit card account information is sent to the remote facility. The remote facility then establishes an access connection with a network node such as a server, on behalf of the customer. The network communications follow a client-server session format and are correlated to the user ID. The remote facility sends a cookie element to the server that was previously set by the server during an initial Web site visit. The cookie contains state information such as a unique identification number generated by the server. The remote facility associates the unique identification number with the relevant user ID. The server uses the received cookie element to identify the corresponding user profile record maintained at the server side. The server generates customized content from the retrieved user profile record and sends it to the customer.
32 Citations
46 Claims
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1. A method for use with a refueling environment in combination with a remote site disposed apart from the refueling environment, the refueling environment being capable of servicing at least one user, said method also for use with a network having at least one host resource, said method comprising the steps of:
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sending a user identification from the refueling environment to the remote site;
providing state information in association with the user identification; and
sending the state information associated with the user identification from the remote site to a selective one of the at least one host resource in said network. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. A method for use with a fuel dispenser site in combination with a remote site disposed apart from the fuel dispenser site, the fuel dispenser site being capable of servicing at least one user, said method also for use with a network having at least one host resource, said method comprising the steps of:
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sending at least one user identification from the fuel dispenser site to the remote site;
for at least one respective user identification received by the remote site, sending a respective request for information from the remote site to a respective selective one of the at least one host resource in said network;
for at least one respective request for information sent by the remote site, sending a respective corresponding reply from the respective selective one host resource to the remote site, responsive to the respective information request received from the remote site, the respective host resource reply including a respective request for state information; and
for at least one respective host resource reply received by the remote site, sending a respective communication from the remote site to the respective selective one host resource, responsive to the respective state information request received from the respective selective one host resource, the respective communication including respective state information. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15)
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16. A method for use with a refueling environment in combination with a central facility, the refueling environment comprising a plurality of fuel dispenser sites, the refueling environment being capable of servicing at least one user, the central facility being disposed apart from at least one fuel dispenser site, said method also for use with a network comprising at least one node, said method comprising the steps of:
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communicating at least one user identification from the refueling environment to the central facility, each communicated user identification being associated with a respective user of a respective fuel dispenser site;
providing at least one respective state object for each respective user identification;
associating each respective state object with the respective user identification corresponding thereto;
directing a respective communication from the central facility to a respective node in said network, the communication including at least one state object associated with a respective user identification; and
performing the directing step in connection with any other user identification received by the central facility from the refueling environment. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25)
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26. A method for use with a refueling environment in combination with a remote site disposed apart from the refueling environment, the refueling environment being capable of servicing at least one user, said method also for use with a network having at least one host resource, said method comprising the steps of:
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sending a user identification from the refueling environment to the remote site;
providing state information in association with the user identification;
sending the state information associated with the user identification from the remote site to the refueling environment; and
sending the received state information from the refueling environment to a selective one of the at least one host resource in said network. - View Dependent Claims (27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33)
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34. A method for use with a fuel dispenser site in combination with a remote site disposed apart from the fuel dispenser site, the fuel dispenser site being capable of servicing at least one user, said method also for use with a network having at least one host resource, said method comprising the steps of:
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sending a user identification from the fuel dispenser site to the remote site;
sending a communication from the remote site to the fuel dispenser site, the communication including state information associated with the user identification;
sending a request for information from the fuel dispenser site to a selective one of the at least one host resource in said network;
sending a reply from the selective one host resource to the fuel dispenser site, responsive to the information request received from the fuel dispenser site, the host resource reply including a request for state information; and
sending a communication from the fuel dispenser site to the selective one host resource, the communication including the state information associated with the user identification. - View Dependent Claims (35, 36, 37, 38, 39)
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40. A method for use with a refueling environment in combination with a central facility, the refueling environment comprising a plurality of fuel dispenser sites, the refueling environment being capable of servicing at least one user, the central facility being disposed apart from at least one fuel dispenser site, said method also for use with a network comprising at least one node, said method comprising the steps of:
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communicating at least one user identification from the refueling environment to the central facility, each communicated user identification being associated with a respective user of a respective fuel dispenser site;
providing at least one respective state object for each respective user identification;
associating each respective state object with the respective user identification corresponding thereto;
causing the central facility, responsive to receiving a respective user identification communicated from a fuel dispenser site associated therewith, to direct a communication from the central facility to the respective fuel dispenser site associated with the respective user identification, the communication including at least one state object associated with the respective user identification;
operating the central facility to perform the step of directing a state object communication in regard to any other user identification received by the central facility from the refueling environment; and
causing at least one respective fuel dispenser site receiving a respective state object communication from the central facility to send a respective communication to a respective node in said network, the respective dispenser site communication including at least one state object received from the central facility. - View Dependent Claims (41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46)
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Specification