Consumer-focused gallon-based prepaid gasoline card, system and method for a car drivers

• US 20030197060A1
• Filed: 12/06/2002
• Published: 10/23/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 12/06/2001
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Vince Coyner
• Original Assignee: Vince Coyner
• Inventors: Coyner, Vince
• Application Number:
  US10/310,972
• Publication Number:
  US 20030197060A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 235/381
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/342 Cards defining paid or billed services or quantities
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/3433 the counter having monetary units
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/346 Cards serving only as information carrier of service
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 13/025 wherein the volume is determined during delivery
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 7/02 by keys or other credit registering devices
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 7/025 by means, e.g. cards, providing billing information at the time of purchase, e.g. identification of seller or purchaser, quantity of goods delivered or to be delivered
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 7/1008 Active credit-cards provided with means to personalise their use, e.g. with PIN-introduction/comparison system

Abstract

A medium with readable data is provided to be ready by a reader/scanner in order to identify an amount of prepaid/pre-purchased gasoline in gallons. A system and method of selling or purchasing he gasoline uses a computer system with a database holding the amount of gasoline whereby the dispensed amount of gasoline to a consumer is identified and subtracted from the prepaid-pre-purchased amount in gallons.

Claims

1. A prepaid gallon-based gasoline system, comprising:

a medium including readable data,

a reader operable to read the readable data, and

a computer system operable to analyze the readable data and identify a remaining amount of gallons of gasoline associated with the readable data, the computer system operatively identifying a distributed amount of gallons of gasoline distributed to a consumer during one use,

wherein the computer system decrements the remaining amount of gallons of gasoline associated with the readable data by the distributed amount of gallons of gasoline, the prepaid amount of gallons being purchased at a predetermined price.

2. The prepaid gallon-based gasoline system according to claim 1, wherein the medium is one of a card, a magnetic strip, a barcode strip, and electronic chip, a radio-wave readable medium, fingerprints, retina, PDA, and mobile telephone.

3. A method of purchasing gasoline, comprising:

purchasing a number of gallons of gasoline based on a predetermined price,

associating a medium having readable data with the number of gallons purchased, the medium being readable by a reader to identify the readable data, and

storing data related to the purchase in a computer system so that the readable data identifies the number of gallons of gasoline purchased and allows an amount of gasoline to be dispensed when the medium is used to acquire gasoline, the computer system operable to subtract the amount of gasoline dispensed in gallons from the number of gallons of gasoline purchased and newly associate the readable data or rewrite the readable data to reflect the subtraction.

4. A method of selling gasoline, comprising:

reading a medium having readable data via a reader,

identifying the readable data from a database via a computer system,

associating a number of gallons of gasoline with the readable data, the number of gallons being pre-purchased at a predetermined price,

dispensing an amount of gasoline to a consumer,

associating the amount of gasoline dispensed with the readable data,

subtracting the amount of gasoline dispensed from the number of gallons which are pre-purchased to obtain a new number of gallons of gasoline, and

associating the a new number with the readable data or rewriting the readable data to reflect the a new number.

5. A method of selling gasoline, whereby a consumer prepurchases for a finite number of gallons of gasoline at a predetermined price, and immediately receives a card which reflects, facilitates and tracks the transaction;

comprising;

redeeming, the gallons of gasoline over a specified time after the prepurchase has occurred, wherein the consumer purchases the card at a retail establishment at which the gallons of gasoline may be redeemed.