HANDS-FREE FUELING CONTROL SYSTEM
First Claim
1. A fueling control system, comprising a nozzle module for use with a particular fuel dispensing nozzle, a vehicle module for use with a particular fuel tank inlet, and a site controller,wherein the nozzle module, in response to predefined user activation behavior, wirelessly transmits a wake-up signal and an identification of the particular nozzle;
- wherein the vehicle module, in response to detection of the wake-up signal;
awakens from a low power mode to an active mode,detects the transmitted nozzle identification, andwirelessly requests authorization for the particular nozzle to dispense fuel;
and wherein the site controller, in response to detection of the nozzle identification, authorizes dispensing of fuel through the particular nozzle.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Roughly described, a fueling control system includes a nozzle module for use with a particular fuel dispensing nozzle, a vehicle module for use with a particular fuel tank inlet, and a site controller. The nozzle module, in response to predefined user activation behavior such as removal of the nozzle from an on-hook position and insertion into the inlet of a fuel tank, wirelessly transmits a wake-up signal and an identification of the particular nozzle. The vehicle module, in response to detection of the wake-up signal, awakens from a low power mode to an active mode, detects the transmitted nozzle identification, and wirelessly requests authorization for the particular nozzle to dispense fuel. The site controller, in response to detection of the nozzle identification, authorizes dispensing of fuel through the particular nozzle.
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Citations
29 Claims
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1. A fueling control system, comprising a nozzle module for use with a particular fuel dispensing nozzle, a vehicle module for use with a particular fuel tank inlet, and a site controller,
wherein the nozzle module, in response to predefined user activation behavior, wirelessly transmits a wake-up signal and an identification of the particular nozzle; -
wherein the vehicle module, in response to detection of the wake-up signal; awakens from a low power mode to an active mode, detects the transmitted nozzle identification, and wirelessly requests authorization for the particular nozzle to dispense fuel; and wherein the site controller, in response to detection of the nozzle identification, authorizes dispensing of fuel through the particular nozzle. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. A fueling control module, for attachment to a fuel dispensing nozzle, comprising:
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a switch having a first position when the nozzle is on-hook, the nozzle having a first angle to the vertical when the nozzle is on-hook, the switch further having a second position when the nozzle tilts away from the vertical by more than a predetermined tilt angle relative to the first angle, the predetermined tilt angle exceeding 45 degrees; and a transmitter that wirelessly transmits an identifier of the nozzle in response to the switch transitioning from the first position to the second position.
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13. A fueling dispenser control module, for use in association with a particular fuel dispensing nozzle, comprising:
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a power control section having a power source input and a power providing output; and a transmitter section having a power input connected to receive power from the power providing output of the power control section, wherein the power control section provides power from the power source input to the power providing output in response to predefined user activation behavior, and shuts off power to the power providing output in response to a shutdown signal from the transmitter section; and wherein the transmitter section, in response to receipt of power from the power providing output of the power control section; wirelessly transmits an identification of the particular nozzle and an identification of the fueling dispenser control module; and
thereafter,asserts the shutdown signal to the power control section. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15)
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16. A fueling control module, comprising a power control section having a power source input and a power providing output;
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a transceiver section having a power input connected to receive power from the power providing output of the power control section, wherein the power control section provides power from the power source input to the power providing output in response to detection of a wirelessly received wake-up signal; and wherein the transceiver section, in response to receipt of power from the power providing output of the power control section; obtains a nozzle identification from the wake-up signal, and wirelessly requests authorization for the identified nozzle to dispense fuel. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23)
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24. A method for controlling the filling of fuel tanks from a plurality of fuel dispensers, comprising the steps of:
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in response to detection of a wirelessly transmitted beacon signal, transmitting a synchronization signal; during a sequence of N time slots each of predefined duration following the transmission of the synchronization signal, detecting a data transmission during an i′
th one of the time slots, N>
1 and 0<
i<
=N, each of the fuel dispensers corresponding to a respective one of the time slots including the i′
th time slot; andauthorizing the fuel dispenser corresponding to the i′
th time slot in response to the step of detecting a data transmission during the i′
th time slot. - View Dependent Claims (25, 26, 27, 28, 29)
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Specification