Fuel Dispenser Management

• US 20080040287A1
• Filed: 11/10/2006
• Published: 02/14/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 11/14/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Wayne Fueling Systems LLC (Dover Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Dresser Incorporated (Nagano Keiki Company Limited)
• Inventors: Lewis, Craig, Harrell, Daniel C.
• Granted Patent: US 8,554,688 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/71
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/347 Passive cards
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/3829 involving key management
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 13/025 wherein the volume is determined during delivery
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 7/10 together with a coded signal , e.g. in the form of personal identification information, like personal identification number [PIN] or biometric data
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 7/1075 PIN is checked remotely

Abstract

Systems and processes may provide for managing a fuel dispenser. In particular implementations, a system and process for a fuel dispenser may include the ability to receive at least a portion of transaction data for a fueling session, determine whether at least a portion of the received transaction data requires a security measure, and, if at least a portion of the received transaction data requires a security measure, apply a security measure to at least a portion of the received transaction data.

Claims

1. A method performed by a fuel dispenser, the method comprising:

receiving at least a portion of transaction data for a fueling session;

determining whether at least a portion of the received transaction data requires a security measure; and

if at least a portion of the received transaction data requires a security measure, applying a security measure to at least a portion of the received transaction data.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein transaction data comprises financial information of a customer.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein determining whether at least a portion of the received transaction data requires a security measure comprises determining whether at least a portion of the received transaction data is to be stored at the fuel dispenser for more than a transitory period of time.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein received transaction data may be stored at the fuel dispenser for more than a transitory period of time if the fuel dispenser is not able to communicate with a fueling facility computer.

5. The method of claim 3, wherein the security measure comprises encrypting at least a portion of the received transaction data that requires the security measure.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the encryption uses a symmetric key of 512 bits.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein determining whether at least a portion of the received transaction data requires a security measure comprises determining whether at least a portion of the received transaction data is to be communicated to a fueling facility computer.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the security measure comprises:

preparing at least a portion of the received transaction data that requires a security measure for conveyance over a wireline communication link; and

preparing at least a portion of the received transaction data that does not require a security measure for conveyance over a wireless communication link.

9. The method of claim 7, wherein the security measure comprises encrypting at least a portion of the received transaction data that requires a security measure before conveyance over a communication link.

10. A fuel dispenser, the fuel dispenser comprising:

a user input device operable to receive at least a portion of transaction data for a fueling session; and

a processor operable to;

determine whether at least a portion of the received transaction data requires a security measure, and

if at least a portion of the received transaction data requires a security measure, apply a security measure to at least a portion of the received transaction data.

11. The fuel dispenser of claim 10, further comprising a memory, the memory comprising a rule set, wherein the processor is operable to make the determination based on one or more rules in the rule set.

12. The fuel dispenser of claim 10, wherein the processor is operable to determine whether at least a portion of the received transaction data is to be stored at the fuel dispenser for more than a transitory period of time to determine whether at least a portion of the received transaction data requires a security measure.

13. The fuel dispenser of claim 12, wherein received transaction data may be stored at the fuel dispenser for more than a transitory period of time if the fuel dispenser is not able to communicate with a fueling facility computer.

14. The fuel dispenser of claim 12, wherein the processor is operable to encrypt at least a portion of the received transaction data that requires the security measure to apply the security measure.

15. The fuel dispenser of claim 10, wherein the processor is operable to determine whether at least a portion of the received transaction data is to be communicated to a fueling facility computer to determine whether at least a portion of the received transaction data requires a security measure.

16. The fuel dispenser of claim 15, wherein the processor is operable to prepare at least a portion of the received transaction data that requires a security measure for conveyance over a wireline communication link and prepare at least a portion of the received transaction data that does not require a security measure for conveyance over a wireless communication link to apply the security measure.

17. The method of claim 15, wherein the security measure comprises encrypting at least a portion of the received transaction data that requires a security measure before conveyance over a communication link.

18. An article of manufacture comprising a machine-readable medium storing instructions operable to cause a fuel dispenser to perform operations comprising:

determining whether at least a portion of transaction data for a fueling session has been received;

determining whether at least a portion of the received transaction data requires a security measure; and

applying a security measure to at least a portion of the received transaction data if at least a portion of the received transaction data requires a security measure.

19. The article of claim 18, wherein determining whether at least a portion of the received transaction data requires a security measure comprises determining whether at least a portion of the received transaction data is to be stored at the fuel dispenser for more than a transitory period of time.

20. The article of claim 19, wherein the security measure comprises encrypting at least a portion of the received transaction data that requires the security measure.

21. The article of claim 18, wherein determining whether at least a portion of the received transaction data requires a security measure comprises determining whether at least a portion of the received transaction data is to be communicated to a fueling facility computer.

22. The article of claim 21, wherein the security measure comprises:

preparing at least a portion of the received transaction data that requires a security measure for conveyance over a wireline communication link; and

preparing at least a portion of the received transaction data that does not require a security measure for conveyance over a wireless communication link.

23. The article of claim 18, wherein the security measure comprises encrypting at least a portion of the received transaction data that requires a security measure before conveyance over a communication link.

24. A fuel dispenser, the fuel dispenser comprising:

means for receiving at least a portion of transaction data for a fueling session;

means for determining whether at least a portion of the received transaction data requires a security measure; and

means for applying a security measure to at least a portion of the received transaction data if at least a portion of the received transaction data requires a security measure.

25. The fuel dispenser of claim 24, wherein determining whether at least a portion of the received transaction data requires a security measure comprises determining whether at least a portion of the received transaction data is to be stored at the fuel dispenser for more than a transitory period of time.

26. The fuel dispenser of claim 25, wherein the security measure comprises encrypting at least a portion of the received transaction data that requires the security measure.

27. The fuel dispenser of claim 24, wherein determining whether at least a portion of the received transaction data requires a security measure comprises determining whether at least a portion of the received transaction data is to be communicated to a fueling facility computer.

28. The fuel dispenser of claim 27, wherein the security measure comprises:

preparing at least a portion of the received transaction data that requires a security measure for conveyance over a wireline communication link; and

preparing at least a portion of the received transaction data that does not require a security measure for conveyance over a wireless communication link.

29. The fuel dispenser of claim 27, wherein the security measure comprises encrypting at least a portion of the received transaction data that requires a security measure before conveyance over a communication link.