FUEL DISPENSER

• US 20110273371A1
• Filed: 05/02/2011
• Published: 11/10/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 04/30/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Gilbarco Incorporated (Vontier Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Edward A. Payne, Rodger K. Williams, Ryan C. Garrett
• Inventors: Garrett, Ryan C., Williams, Rodger K., Payne, Edward A.
• Granted Patent: US 9,082,248 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/168
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/167 by electrophoresis
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/16753 Structures for supporting or mounting cells, e.g. frames or bezels
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/023 Arrangements for converting discrete items of information into a coded form, e.g. arrangements for interpreting keyboard generated codes as alphanumeric codes, operand codes or instruction codes
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0489 using dedicated keyboard keys or combinations thereof
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 13/025 wherein the volume is determined during delivery
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 7/1033 Details of the PIN pad
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2310/068 Application of pulses of alternating polarity prior to the drive pulse in electrophoretic displays
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 3/344 based on particles moving in a fluid or in a gas, e.g. electrophoretic devices electrophoretic devices per se G02F1/167

Abstract

A system and method for displaying information at a fuel dispenser comprises an electrophoretic display that may be configured to operate in low temperature environments. The fuel dispenser may comprise a keypad located beneath the electrophoretic display in order to present a graphical user interface to a customer and receive the customer'"'"'s selections. The fuel dispenser may comprise additional electrophoretic displays to present additional information to the consumer.

Claims

1. A fuel dispenser comprising:

a meter configured to measure a flow of fuel;

a processing device operatively connected to the meter; and

a first electrophoretic display positioned on the fuel dispenser and configured to display a first image based on first data transmitted by the processing device corresponding to the flow of fuel measured by the meter.

2. The fuel dispenser of claim 1 further comprising a pulser configured to transmit a signal representative of the flow of fuel measured by the meter, wherein at least a portion of the first data transmitted by the processing device corresponds to the signal.

3. The fuel dispenser of claim 1 further comprising an electric source operatively connected to the processing device and configured to apply at least one electric field to a plurality of particles of the first electrophoretic display in order to cause the first electrophoretic display to display the first image based on the first data transmitted by the processing device.

4. The fuel dispenser of claim 3 wherein the first electrophoretic display comprises the electric source.

5. The fuel dispenser of claim 1 further comprising a second electrophoretic display operatively connected to the processing device and configured to display a second image based on second data transmitted by the processing device.

6. The fuel dispenser of claim 5 wherein the second data corresponds to an advertisement to be presented as the second image.

7. The fuel dispenser of claim 1 wherein the electrophoretic display is configured to display a second image based on second data transmitted by the processing device received from a remote server.

8. The fuel dispenser of claim 7 wherein the second data corresponds to the first image, and the remote server is configured to allow for creation of the second data.

9. A fuel dispenser comprising:

a processing device;

a first keypad located on a surface of the fuel dispenser and operatively connected to the processing device, wherein the first keypad comprises a first plurality of keys and is configured to transmit data to the processing device identifying when one of the first plurality of keys is selected; and

a first electrophoretic display juxtaposed to the first keypad and operatively connected to the processing device, wherein the first electrophoretic display is configured to display a first graphical user interface (GUI) based on data transmitted by the processing device, the GUI comprising at least one first option based on data transmitted by the processing device,

wherein at least one of the first plurality of keys corresponds to the at least one first option and the processing device determines that the at least one first option has been selected based on the data transmitted by the first keypad that the at least one of the first plurality of keys has been selected.

10. The fuel dispenser of claim 9 further comprising a second electrophoretic display operatively connected to the processing device and configured to display an image based on data transmitted by the processing device.

11. The fuel dispenser of claim 10 further comprising a second keypad operatively connected to the processing device, wherein the second keypad comprises a second plurality of keys and is configured to transmit data to the processing device identifying when one of the second plurality of keys is selected.

12. The fuel dispenser of claim 11 wherein the second electrophoretic display is juxtaposed to the second keypad and is configured to display a second GUI comprising at least one second option based on data transmitted by the processing device, the at least one of the second plurality of keys corresponds to the at least one second option, and the processing device determines that the at least one second option has been selected based on the data transmitted by the second keypad that the at least one of the second plurality of keys has been selected.

13. A display system for a fuel dispenser comprising:

a printed circuit board comprising a metallization element configured to convey heat energy;

a heat generating device in thermal communication with the metallization element; and

an electrophoretic display device in thermal communication with the metallization element.

14. The display system of claim 13 wherein the printed circuit board comprises a plurality of metallization elements.

15. The display system of claim 14 wherein the metallization elements comprise a plurality of vias.

16. The display system of claim 13 further comprising a component configured to measure heat energy in thermal communication with the metallization element.

17. The display system of claim 13 further comprising an adhesive bonded to the electrophoretic display device.

18. The display system of claim 13 further comprising a thermal isolation barrier configured to cover at least a portion of the metallization element.

19. The display system of claim 13 further comprising an optically transparent thermal insulation barrier connected to the electrophoretic display device.

20. The display system of claim 13 further comprising an anisotropic membrane configured to provide the thermal connection between the electrophoretic display device and the metallization element.

21. The display system of claim 20 further comprising a physical retaining device configured to apply force to the electrophoretic display in order to compress the anisotropic membrane.

22. The display system of claim 13 wherein the printed circuit board comprises an electrical interconnection pad, the electrophoretic display device comprises an electrical mating pad, and the electrical interconnection pad corresponds with the electrical mating pad.

23. A method for displaying information at a fuel dispenser comprising an electrophoretic display and a processing device operatively connected to the electrophoretic display, the method comprising the steps of:

receiving data representative of the information at the processing device;

transmitting at least a portion of the data from the processing device;

applying at least one electric field to the electrophoretic display based on the portion of the data transmitted by the processing device; and

displaying the information via the electrophoretic display as a result of the application of the at least one electric field to the electrophoretic display.

24. The method of claim 24 wherein the data is received from a server remote to the fuel dispenser.

25. The method of claim 24 wherein the fuel dispenser comprises a meter and wherein the data is representative of a flow of fuel measured by the meter.