Wireless probe system and method for a fueling environment

• US 20060139169A1
• Filed: 12/13/2004
• Published: 06/29/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 12/13/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Veeder-Root Co (Vontier Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Veeder-Root Co (Vontier Corp.)
• Inventors: Reid, Kent, Kunz, Donald A., Longworth, James J.
• Granted Patent: US 7,561,040 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/539.260
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 17/02 using a radio link
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 9/00 Arrangements in telecontrol or telemetry systems for selectively calling a substation from a main station, in which substation desired apparatus is selected for applying a control signal thereto or for obtaining measured values therefrom

Abstract

A fueling environment is equipped with leak detection probes and liquid level probes. Each of the probes is associated with a wireless transceiver. The wireless transceivers send probe data to a site communicator wireless transceiver. To ensure that the site communicator receives the probe data, repeaters are used within the fueling environment. The repeaters receive the probe data, and some period of time after the sensor transceivers stop transmitting, the repeaters retransmit the probe data to the site communicator. The site communicator discards duplicative information and processes the probe data as needed.

Claims

1. A wireless communication system in a fueling environment, comprising:

a first sensor adapted to detect a condition in the fueling environment;

a first wireless transceiver associated with said first sensor;

a repeater positioned in the fueling environment; and

a second wireless transceiver associated with a site communicator, wherein said site communicator receives data from said first sensor through said first wireless transceiver, said repeater, and said second wireless transceiver.

2. The wireless communication system of claim 1, wherein said first sensor is selected from the group consisting of:

a tank probe and a fuel dispenser sump probe.

3. The wireless communication system of claim 1, wherein said second wireless transceiver broadcasts a beacon signal.

4. The wireless communication system of claim 3, wherein said first wireless transceiver receives said beacon signal and synchronizes thereto.

5. The wireless communication system of claim 1, wherein said first wireless transceiver is powered by a battery.

6. The wireless communication system of claim 1, wherein said site communicator is selected from the group consisting of:

a tank monitor and a site controller.

7. The wireless communication system of claim 1, wherein said first wireless transceiver initially transmits sensor data and said site communicator receives said sensor data from said first wireless transceiver and subsequently, after a predefined delay, from said repeater.

8. The wireless communication system of claim 1, wherein said first wireless transceiver is powered by an AC power source.

9. The wireless communication system of claim 5, wherein said battery is recharged via solar energy.

10. The wireless communication system of claim 1, wherein said repeater is positioned on a fuel dispenser.

11. The wireless communication system of claim 1, wherein said repeater is positioned on a canopy.

12. The wireless communication system of claim 1, wherein said repeater receives a signal from said first wireless transceiver.

13. The wireless communication system of claim 12, wherein said repeater retransmits said signal from said first wireless transceiver when said repeater fails to receive an acknowledgment signal from said second wireless transceiver, wherein said acknowledgement signal indicates receipt of said signal.

14. The wireless communication system of claim 12, wherein said repeater retransmits said signal regardless of said second wireless transceiver sending an acknowledgement signal.

15. The wireless communication system of claim 14, wherein said site communicator discards the signal from said repeater if the signal from the repeater duplicates the signal received from said first wireless transceiver.

16. The wireless communication system of claim 1, wherein said first wireless transceiver communicates at a frequency selected from the group, consisting of:

900 MHz, 866 MHz, and 433 MHz.

17. The wireless communication system of claim 1, wherein said site communicator uses said data.

18. The wireless communication system of claim 1, wherein said first wireless transceiver attempts to transmit the data to the second wireless transceiver a plurality of times and wherein said repeater attempts to transmit the data to the second wireless transceiver a plurality of times, and wherein said repeater adds a repeater identification to the data.

19. The wireless communication system of claim 1, further comprising a plurality of repeaters positioned in the fueling environment.

20. The wireless communication system of claim 19, wherein said plurality of repeaters retransmit the data from said first sensor to the site communicator.

21. A method of reporting probe data in a fueling environment, said method comprising:

receiving sensor data at a first wireless transceiver from a sensor in the fueling environment;

wirelessly transmitting the sensor data, creating transmitted sensor data;

receiving the transmitted sensor data at a repeater;

retransmitting the transmitted sensor data from the repeater; and

receiving the transmitted sensor data at a site communicator.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein receiving sensor data comprises receiving sensor data from either a tank probe or a fuel dispenser sump probe.

23. The method of claim 21, further comprising broadcasting a beacon signal from the site communicator.

24. The method of claim 21, further comprising powering the first wireless transceiver with either a battery or an AC power source.

25. The method of claim 21, further comprising powering the repeater with either a battery or an AC power source.

26. The method of claim 21, wherein retransmitting the transmitted sensor data from the repeater comprises appending a repeater identifier onto the transmitted sensor data.

27. The method of claim 21, further comprising sending, from the site communicator, an acknowledgement signal upon receipt of the transmitted sensor data.

28. The method of claim 27, wherein retransmitting the transmitted sensor data from the repeater does not occur if the repeater receives the acknowledgement signal.

29. The method of claim 27, wherein retransmitting the transmitted sensor data from the repeater occurs regardless of whether the repeater receives the acknowledgement signal.

30. The method of claim 21, wherein receiving the transmitted sensor data comprises receiving the transmitted sensor data at the site communicator from the first wireless transceiver and the repeater.

31. The method of claim 21, further comprising positioning the repeater on a fuel dispenser.

32. The method of claim 21, further comprising positioning the repeater on a canopy in the fueling environment.

33. The method of claim 21, wherein wirelessly transmitting the sensor data comprises wirelessly transmitting at a frequency selected from the group consisting of:

900 MHz, 866 MHz, and 433 MHz.

34. The method of claim 21, further comprising detecting, at the first wireless transceiver, the beacon signal.

35. The method of claim 34, further comprising synchronizing the first wireless transceiver to the beacon signal.

36. The method of claim 21, wherein retransmitting the transmitted sensor data from the repeater comprises delaying a predetermined amount of time before retransmitting the transmitted sensor data from the repeater.

37. The method of claim 26, wherein retransmitting the transmitted sensor data from the repeater comprises delaying a predetermined amount of time before retransmitting the transmitted sensor data from the repeater.

38. The method of claim 21, further comprising discarding a duplicate copy of the transmitted sensor data when the site communicator receives a first copy from the first wireless transceiver and a second copy from the second wireless transceiver.

39. The method of claim 27, wherein sending, from the site communicator, an acknowledgement signal upon receipt of the transmitted sensor data occurs when the site communicator receives the transmitted signal data from the first wireless transceiver.

40. The method of claim 27, wherein sending, from the site communicator, an acknowledgement signal upon receipt of the transmitted sensor data occurs when the site communicator receives the transmitted signal data from the repeater.

41. The method of claim 21, wherein receiving the transmitted sensor data at a repeater comprises receiving the transmitted sensor data at a plurality of repeaters.

42. The method of claim 39, further comprising retransmitting the transmitted sensor data from each of the plurality of repeaters.