System and method for regulating fuel transactions

• US 20090306997A1
• Filed: 06/06/2008
• Published: 12/10/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 06/06/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Epona LLC
• Original Assignee: BetaZone, Inc. (Trimble Inc.)
• Inventors: Betancourt, Ernest Blas
• Granted Patent: US 10,198,891 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/1.100
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 13/025 wherein the volume is determined during delivery

Abstract

A method and system for regulating fuel transactions is provided. Fuel consumption data may be received corresponding to a first and second vehicle location. The difference between the first and second fuel consumption is determined to obtain an overall or combined fuel consumption value. In some examples, the fuel consumption data is transferred from a vehicle data system to a carrier data system located remotely from the vehicle. The data is processed at the carrier data system and the overall fuel consumption is transmitted to a fueling point to limit the amount of fuel transferred to the vehicle. In some arrangements, the limit may be adjusted to include additional factors such as additional distance to travel to the fueling point, anticipated distance to be traveled in subsequent legs of the trip, etc.

Claims

1. A method for regulating fuel transactions, the method comprising:

receiving a first fuel consumption corresponding to a first vehicle location;

receiving a second fuel consumption corresponding to a second vehicle location;

determining a difference between the first fuel consumption and the second fuel consumption, the difference being an overall fuel consumption; and

limiting the amount of fuel to be transferred to a vehicle based on the determined overall fuel consumption.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the first and second vehicle locations are predetermined locations.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the first vehicle location corresponds to a start of a leg of a trip.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the second vehicle location corresponds to a location of a fueling station.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the second vehicle location is a location distant from a fueling station and the method further including adding an additional fuel consumption factor to the determined overall consumption to obtain an adjusted fuel consumption and limiting the amount of fuel to be transferred to the vehicle to the adjusted fuel consumption.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the first and second vehicle consumption are received at a vehicle data system.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the difference is determined by a carrier data system.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the carrier data system is located remotely from the vehicle.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the first and second fuel consumption are volumetric measures of fuel consumed.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the first and second fuel consumption includes data received from at least one of a data bus and engine control monitor.

11. One or more computer readable media storing computer readable instructions that, when executed, cause a processor to perform a method comprising:

receiving a first fuel consumption corresponding to a first vehicle location;

receiving a second fuel consumption corresponding to a second vehicle location;

determining a difference between the first fuel consumption and the second fuel consumption, the difference being an overall fuel consumption; and

limiting the amount of fuel to be transferred to a vehicle based on the determined overall fuel consumption.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the first and second vehicle locations are predetermined locations.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein the first vehicle location is a location at a start of a leg of a trip.

14. The method of claim 11, wherein the second vehicle location is a location at a fueling station.

15. The method of claim 11, wherein the first and second vehicle consumption is received at a vehicle data system.

16. The method of claim 11, wherein the difference is determined at a carrier data system.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the carrier data system is located remotely from the vehicle.

18. A method of regulating fuel transactions, comprising:

receiving, at a carrier data system, a first fuel consumption data for a vehicle;

receiving, at the carrier data system, a second fuel consumption data for the vehicle;

processing the first and second fuel consumption data to determine a combined fuel consumption;

receiving, at the carrier data system, transportation information;

adjusting the combined fuel consumption based on the received transportation information to determine a combined fuel consumption limit; and

transmitting the combined fuel consumption limit to a fueling point.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the transportation information includes at least one of an odometer reading and location information.

20. The method of claim 18, wherein the carrier data system is located remotely from the vehicle.

21. The method of claim 18, further including limiting an amount of fuel transferred to the vehicle based on the combined fuel consumption limit.

22. The method of claim 18, wherein the first fuel consumption data corresponds to a first predetermined location.

23. The method of claim 18, wherein the second fuel consumption data is corresponds to a second predetermined location.

24. The method of claim 18, wherein the second predetermined location corresponds to the fueling point.