Fueling Environment Wireless Architecture

• US 20130103585A1
• Filed: 04/20/2012
• Published: 04/25/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 04/21/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Gilbarco Italia SRL (Vontier Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Gilbarco SRL (Fortive Corp.)
• Inventors: Carapelli, Giovanni
• Granted Patent: US 9,053,503 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/44
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/202 Interconnection or interaction of plural electronic cash registers [ECR] or to host computer, e.g. network details, transfer of information from host to ECR or from ECR to ECR
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/06 Buying, selling or leasing transactions
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 13/025 wherein the volume is determined during delivery
• CPC Class Codes: G07G 1/0081 the reader being a portable scanner or data reader G07G1/009 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/10 Small scale networks; Flat hierarchical networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/18 Self-organising networks, e.g. ad-hoc networks or sensor networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/02 Terminal devices

Abstract

A method and system for transmitting data between devices within a fueling environment comprising a wireless mesh network wherein the devices are configured to communicate via the wireless mesh network. A wireless communication device is connected to each device, and a middleware executed by the wireless communication device handles communications between the devices and the wireless mesh network.

Claims

1. A retail fueling environment comprising:

a plurality of fuel dispensers located in a forecourt area of said fueling environment;

a central controller operative to communicate with a remote payment authorization system to authorize payment of fueling transactions;

said fuel dispensers and said central controller having a respective wireless communication device associated therewith such that said fuel dispensers can communicate with said central controller via wireless transmission; and

each of said wireless communication devices implementing a middleware program such that said wireless communication devices serve as nodes in a wireless mesh network wherein communication between said fuel dispensers and said central controller can occur via alternative transmission paths depending on current conditions in the fueling environment.

2. A retail fueling environment as set forth in claim 1, further comprising:

at least one fuel storage tank in said retail fueling environment having a fuel level sensor associated therewith;

a further wireless communication device associated with said fuel level sensor, said further wireless communication device also serving as one of said nodes in said wireless mesh network.

3. A retail fueling environment as set forth in claim 2, further comprising at least one of a vending machine and a surveillance camera in said fueling environment, said at least one of said vending machine and said surveillance camera having a respective wireless communication device also serving as one of said nodes in said wireless mesh network.

4. A retail fueling environment as set forth in claim 1, further comprising at least one wireless communication device situated in said fueling environment but not associated with a forecourt component, said additional wireless communication device serving as a repeater node in said wireless mesh network.

5. A retail fueling environment as set forth in claim 1, wherein communications within said wireless mesh network are encrypted.

6. A retail fueling environment as set forth in claim 1, wherein each of said fuel dispensers utilizes a legacy communication protocol, said wireless communication device further implementing a conversion program that allows communication between said legacy communication protocol and said middleware.

7. A retail fueling environment as set forth in claim 1, further comprising a handheld device utilized by an attendant in said fueling environment to control fueling transactions.

8. A retail fueling environment as set forth in claim 7, wherein said handheld device includes a local wireless communications device in its housing that functions as a node in said wireless mesh network.

9. A retail fueling environment as set forth in claim 7, wherein each of said fuel dispensers has an RFID tag associated therewith, said handheld device incorporating an RFID reader.

10. A retail fueling environment as set forth in claim 7, wherein said handheld device has a touchscreen on which a graphical user interface is displayed for use by said attendant.

11. A retail fueling environment as set forth in claim 1, wherein said fuel dispensers each have a user interface that allows for payment of said fueling transactions at said fuel dispensers.

12. A retail fueling environment as set forth in claim 10, wherein said user interface includes a card reader.

13. A retail fueling environment as set forth in claim 11, wherein said user interface includes a numeric pad.

14. A handheld device for use in a retail fueling environment, said handheld device comprising:

a housing;

a touchscreen display;

circuitry located within said housing, said circuitry including a processor implementing a graphical user interface on said touchscreen display; and

said circuitry further including wireless communication circuitry implementing a middleware program such that said handheld device functions as a node in a wireless mesh network in said retail fueling environment.

15. A handheld device as set forth in claim 14, wherein said processor allows said handheld device to control operation of at least one fuel dispenser in said retail fueling environment via said wireless mesh network.

16. A handheld device as set forth in claim 15, further comprising an RFID reader for reading an RFID associated with said at least one fuel dispenser.

17. A handheld device as set forth in claim 15, wherein real-time fueling information is shown on said touchscreen display during a fueling transaction at said fuel dispenser.