Fuel Dispenser Utilizing Pressure Sensor For Theft Detection

• US 20090293989A1
• Filed: 06/02/2008
• Published: 12/03/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 06/02/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Gilbarco Incorporated (Vontier Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Gilbarco Incorporated (Vontier Corp.)
• Inventors: Yang, Zhou, McSpadden, John Steven, Siler, Benjamin T.
• Granted Patent: US 8,042,376 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 141/83
• CPC Class Codes: B67D 2007/746 by mixing different fuel grades or fuel and oil
• CPC Class Codes: B67D 7/067 using communication means
• 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: G01F 15/007 comprising means to prevent fraud

Abstract

A method of determining whether a measured fuel delivery rate determined by a fuel meter of a fuel dispenser corresponds to an actual fuel delivery rate at which fuel is being dispensed to a vehicle through a fuel flow path. The method includes measuring a fuel delivery rate at a given time during a fueling operation, measuring a fuel pressure of the fuel within the fuel flow path at the given time, comparing the measured fuel pressure to a plurality of fuel pressure values from a data set including a plurality of actual fuel delivery rate values that correspond to the plurality of fuel pressure values, retrieving one of the plurality of actual fuel delivery rate values from the data set that corresponds to the measured fuel pressure value; and comparing the measured fuel delivery rate from the fuel meter to the one actual fuel delivery rate value to determine if the measured fuel delivery rate corresponds to the actual fuel delivery rate at which fuel is being dispensed to the vehicle.

Claims

1. A fuel dispenser configured to determine an actual fuel delivery rate at which fuel is being delivered to a vehicle during a fueling process, the fuel dispenser comprising:

a fuel delivery path configured to deliver fuel to the vehicle;

a fuel meter configured to measure a fuel delivery rate at which fuel is being dispensed through the fuel delivery path to the vehicle;

a data set having a plurality of fuel pressure values corresponding to a plurality of actual fuel delivery rate values;

a pressure sensor configured to measure a fuel pressure of the fuel in the fuel delivery path; and

a controller configured to determine the actual fuel delivery rate at which fuel is being delivered to the vehicle based on the measured fuel pressure from the pressure sensor, wherein the fuel meter determines the measured fuel delivery rate at a given time, the pressure sensor determines the measured fuel pressure at the given time, the controller compares the measured fuel pressure to the plurality of fuel pressure values in the data set and determines which actual fuel delivery rate value from the data set corresponds to the measured fuel pressure and compares the measured fuel delivery rate from the fuel meter to the actual fuel delivery rate value from the data set to determine if the fuel meter is accurately measuring the actual fuel delivery rate at which fuel is being delivered to the vehicle.

2. The fuel dispenser of claim 1, wherein a flow of fuel to the vehicle is terminated if the controller determines the actual flow delivery rate value from the data set is greater than the measured fuel delivery rate from the fuel meter by a given value.

3. The fuel dispenser of claim 1, further comprising a blend manifold in the fuel delivery path.

4. The fuel dispenser of claim 1, wherein the pressure sensor further comprises a differential pressure sensor such that the measured fuel pressure is a differential fuel pressure.

5. The fuel dispenser of claim 1, wherein the controller is a component of the fuel meter.

6. The fuel dispenser of claim 1, further comprising a control system that is remote from the fuel meter and the controller is a component of the control system.

7. The fuel dispenser of claim 1, wherein the data set is embedded in software of the controller.

8. The fuel dispenser of claim 1, wherein the controller further comprises a microprocessor.

9. A method of determining whether a measured fuel delivery rate determined by a fuel meter of a fuel dispenser corresponds to an actual fuel delivery rate at which fuel is being dispensed to a vehicle through a fuel flow path, comprising:

measuring a fuel delivery rate at a given time during a fueling operation;

measuring a fuel pressure of the fuel within the fuel flow path at the given time;

comparing the measured fuel pressure to a plurality of fuel pressure values from a data set including a plurality of actual fuel delivery rate values that correspond to the plurality of fuel pressure values;

retrieving one of the plurality of actual fuel delivery rate values from the data set that corresponds to the measured fuel pressure value; and

comparing the measured fuel delivery rate from the fuel meter to the one actual fuel delivery rate value to determine if the measured fuel delivery rate corresponds to the actual fuel delivery rate at which fuel is being dispensed to the vehicle.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein measuring the fuel pressure further comprises measuring a differential fuel pressure.

11. The method of claim 9, further comprising terminating a flow of fuel to the vehicle if the actual fuel delivery rate value from the data set is greater than the measured fuel delivery rate from the fuel meter by a given value.

12. A fuel dispenser configured to determine an actual fuel delivery rate at which fuel is being delivered to a vehicle during a fueling process, the fuel dispenser comprising:

a fuel delivery path configured to deliver fuel to the vehicle;

a fuel meter configured to measure a fuel delivery rate at which fuel is being dispensed through the fuel delivery path to the vehicle;

a data set having a plurality of fuel parameter values corresponding to a plurality of actual fuel delivery rate values;

a sensor configured to measure a fuel parameter of the fuel in the fuel delivery path; and

a controller configured to determine the actual fuel delivery rate at which fuel is being delivered to the vehicle based on the measured fuel parameter from the sensor,

wherein the fuel meter determines the measured fuel delivery rate at a given time, the sensor determines the measured fuel parameter at the given time, the controller compares the measured fuel parameter to the plurality of fuel parameter values in the data set and determines which actual fuel delivery rate value from the data set corresponds to the measured fuel parameter and compares the measured fuel delivery rate from the fuel meter to the actual fuel delivery rate value from the data set to determine if the fuel meter is accurately measuring the actual fuel delivery rate at which fuel is being delivered to the vehicle.

13. The fuel dispenser of claim 12, wherein a flow of fuel to the vehicle is terminated if the controller determines the actual flow delivery rate value from the data set is greater than the measured fuel delivery rate from the fuel meter by a given value.

14. The fuel dispenser of claim 12, wherein the sensor further comprises a differential pressure sensor such that the measured fuel parameter is a differential fuel pressure.

15. The fuel dispenser of claim 12, wherein the microprocessor is a component of the fuel meter.

16. The fuel dispenser of claim 12, wherein the sensor further comprises a pressure sensor configured to measure a fuel pressure of the fuel in the fuel delivery path.

17. The fuel dispenser of claim 12, further comprising a control system that is remote from the fuel meter and the microprocessor is a component of the control system.