FUEL DISPENSER

• US 20090048710A1
• Filed: 08/13/2008
• Published: 02/19/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 08/15/2007
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Gilbarco Incorporated (Vontier Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Gilbarco Incorporated (Vontier Corp.)
• Inventors: DeLine, Jonathan E.
• Application Number:
  US12/191,081
• Publication Number:
  US 20090048710A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 700/232
• CPC Class Codes: B67D 7/08 Arrangements of devices for controlling, indicating, metering or registering quantity or price of liquid transferred arrangement of flow- or pressure-control valves B67D7/36; computing, calculating, counting G06; coin-freed apparatus for dispensing fluids G07F13/00; prepayment devices for metering liquids G07F15/00
• CPC Class Codes: B67D 7/14 responsive to input of recorded programmed information, e.g. on punched cards
• CPC Class Codes: B67D 7/145 by wireless communication means, e.g. RF, transponders or the like
• CPC Class Codes: B67D 7/346 by reading a code
• CPC Class Codes: B67D 7/348 by interrogating an information transmitter, e.g. a transponder B67D7/145 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/10 specially adapted for electronic funds transfer [EFT] systems; specially adapted for home banking systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/20 Point-of-sale [POS] network systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0601 Electronic shopping [e-shopping]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/06 Energy or water supply
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 13/025 wherein the volume is determined during delivery
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 7/1041 PIN input keyboard gets new key allocation at each use
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 9/0235 the arrangements being full-front touchscreens
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 9/026 for alarm, monitoring and auditing in vending machines or means for indication, e.g. when empty
• CPC Class Codes: G07G 3/00 Alarm indicators, e.g. bells

Abstract

A method of conducting a transaction at fuel dispenser comprises the steps of providing a fuel dispenser having a fuel dispensing apparatus, control electronics operatively connected to the fuel dispensing apparatus, at least one display mounted in the housing and operatively coupled to the control electronics, a nozzle operatively coupled to the fuel dispensing apparatus, and an input device having a laser configured to display a virtual keypad, monitor the virtual keypad for user entry and a scanner for detecting user selections made on the virtual keypad, wherein the user selections are transmitted to the control electronics. The method further comprising receiving at least one piece of information from the user, displaying the virtual keypad onto a surface apart from the fuel dispenser, detecting user inputs on the keypad, and starting a transaction based on the user inputs and the at least one piece of information.

Claims

1. A fuel dispenser comprising:

a. a housing;

b. a fuel dispensing apparatus mounted within said housing;

c. control electronics operatively connected to said fuel dispensing apparatus;

d. at least one display mounted in said housing and operatively coupled to said control electronics;

e. a nozzle operatively coupled to said fuel dispensing apparatus; and

f. an input device configured to project a virtual keyboard away from said fuel dispenser and configured to monitor and detect user selections made on said virtual keyboard.

2. The fuel dispenser of claim 1, wherein said input device further comprises:

a. a laser system that projects a plurality of keys on a surface; and

b. a scanner that monitors said projected plurality of keys and detects which keys are selected by the user.

3. The fuel dispenser of claim 1, wherein said control electronics are configured to control said input device so that individual keys on said projected virtual keyboard are randomly scrambled to prevent an onlooker from obtaining the entry made by the user.

4. The fuel dispenser of claim 1, wherein said virtual keyboard is projected onto a surface of a vehicle being fueled.

5. The fuel dispenser of claim 2, wherein the surface of the vehicle is a window of the vehicle.

6. The fuel dispenser of claim 4, wherein the scanner is configured to read inputs made by the user from within the vehicle being fueled.

7. The fuel dispenser of claim 1, the input device further comprising a card reader, wherein said virtual keyboard is projected after said card reader receives information from the user.

8. The fuel dispenser of claim 2, wherein said input device is capable of auto-focusing on objects at varying distances from said laser system.

9. The fuel dispenser of claim 1, wherein said virtual keyboard is a pin pad.

10. The fuel dispenser of claim 9, wherein said input device is programmed to randomly project the numerals in said pin pad between transactions.

11. A method of conducting a transaction at fuel dispenser, the method comprising the steps of:

a. providing a fuel dispenser having;

i. a fuel dispensing apparatus,

ii. control electronics operatively connected to said fuel dispensing apparatus,

iii. at least one display mounted in said housing and operatively coupled to said control electronics,

iv. a nozzle operatively coupled to said fuel dispensing apparatus, and

v. an input device configured to display a keypad, monitor said keypad for user entry and detect user selections made on said keypad, wherein said user selections are transmitted to said control electronics;

b. receiving at least one piece of information from the user;

c. displaying said keypad onto a surface apart from said fuel dispenser;

d. detecting user inputs on said keypad;

e. starting a transaction based on said user inputs and said at least one piece of information.

12. The method of conducting a transaction at fuel dispenser of claim 11, the step of displaying further comprising the step of projecting a virtual keypad from said input device onto a surface of a vehicle to be fueled.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein said input device can auto-focus so that said virtual keypad can be projected on to surfaces that vary in distance from said input device.

14. The method of claim 11, wherein the step of displaying said keypad further comprises communicating with a touch screen in the vehicle to be fueled so that said keypad is displayed on a touch screen inside the vehicle.

15. The fuel dispenser of claim 14, the step of detecting user inputs further comprises the step of wirelessly receiving signals from the vehicle touch screen representative of selections made by the user.

16. The method of claim 12, wherein said input further comprises a laser system for projecting said virtual keypad and a scanner for detecting user inputs.

17. A method of conducting a transaction at fuel dispenser, the method comprising the steps of:

a. providing a fuel dispenser having;

i. a fuel dispensing apparatus,

ii. control electronics operatively connected to said fuel dispensing apparatus,

iii. at least one display mounted in said housing and operatively coupled to said control electronics,

iv. a nozzle operatively coupled to said fuel dispensing apparatus, and

v. an input device having a laser configured to display a virtual keypad, monitor said virtual keypad for user entry and a scanner for detecting user selections made on said virtual keypad, wherein said user selections are transmitted to said control electronics;

b. receiving at least one piece of information from the user;

c. displaying said virtual keypad onto a surface apart from said fuel dispenser;

d. detecting user inputs on said keypad;

e. starting a transaction based on said user inputs and said at least one piece of information.

18. The method of claim 17, further comprising the step of auto-focusing a lens system associated with said laser and said scanner so that said virtual keyboard can be projected over varying distances.

19. The fuel dispenser of claim 17, wherein said input device further comprises a card reader.

20. The fuel dispenser of claim 17, further comprising the step of scrambling the location of each key in said virtual keypad to prevent on onlooker from determining the keystrokes entered by the user.