Fuel theft detection system and method
First Claim
1. A fuel theft detection system for detecting when fuel has been stolen from a vehicle'"'"'s fuel tank, the detection system comprising:
- input means that is connectable to a vehicle'"'"'s fuel level sensor for providing an indication of the fuel level in the vehicle'"'"'s fuel tank;
a controller connected to the input means;
timing means for driving the controller to capture and record the fuel level at regular, pre determined intervals;
storage means for storing the recorded data; and
wherein the controller is arranged to calculate the average fuel level over a first period of time, and to then store the resulting average fuel level in the storage means for later analysis, so that any deviation in the fuel level in successive periods of time by more than a predetermined amount would suggest fuel theft, with the controller, after the fuel tank has been filled with fuel, also being arranged to determine the amount of fuel that has been dispensed into the fuel tank and to then enable a comparison to be made between the amount of fuel actually dispensed into the fuel tank and the amount of fuel alleged to have been dispensed into the fuel tank, with any discrepancy between these two values also suggesting fuel theft.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A fuel theft detection system (50) for detecting when fuel has been stolen from a vehicle'"'"'s fuel tank (16) is disclosed. The detection system (50) comprises input means (56) that is connectable to a vehicle'"'"'s fuel level sensor (14) for providing an indication of the fuel level in the vehicle'"'"'s fuel tank (16). A controller (22) is connected to the input means (56) for controlling the system (50), with the system (50) further including timing means (72) for driving the controller (22) to capture and record the fuel level at regular, pre-determined intervals. The controller (22) is arranged to calculate and store the average fuel level over successive periods of time, with any deviation in the fuel level by more than a predetermined amount suggesting fuel theft. Significantly, the controller (22) is simultaneously able to determine fuel theft when fuel is being dispensed into the fuel tank (16).
29 Citations
11 Claims
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1. A fuel theft detection system for detecting when fuel has been stolen from a vehicle'"'"'s fuel tank, the detection system comprising:
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input means that is connectable to a vehicle'"'"'s fuel level sensor for providing an indication of the fuel level in the vehicle'"'"'s fuel tank;
a controller connected to the input means;
timing means for driving the controller to capture and record the fuel level at regular, pre determined intervals;
storage means for storing the recorded data; and
wherein the controller is arranged to calculate the average fuel level over a first period of time, and to then store the resulting average fuel level in the storage means for later analysis, so that any deviation in the fuel level in successive periods of time by more than a predetermined amount would suggest fuel theft, with the controller, after the fuel tank has been filled with fuel, also being arranged to determine the amount of fuel that has been dispensed into the fuel tank and to then enable a comparison to be made between the amount of fuel actually dispensed into the fuel tank and the amount of fuel alleged to have been dispensed into the fuel tank, with any discrepancy between these two values also suggesting fuel theft. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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8. A fuel theft detection method for detecting when fuel has been stolen from a vehicle'"'"'s fuel tank, the method comprising the steps of:
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sensing the fuel level in the vehicle'"'"'s fuel tank;
capturing and recording the fuel level at regular, pre determined intervals;
storing the recorded data;
calculating the average fuel level over a first period of time;
storing the resulting average fuel level for later analysis, so that any deviation in the fuel level in successive periods of time by more than a predetermined amount would suggest fuel theft; and
after the fuel tank has been filled with fuel, determining the amount of fuel that has been dispensed into the fuel tank, so that a comparison can be made between the amount of fuel actually dispensed into the fuel tank and the amount of fuel alleged to have been dispensed into the fuel tank, with any discrepancy between these two values also suggesting fuel theft. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11)
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Specification