System and Method for Managing Inventory of a Consumable

• US 20150120477A1
• Filed: 10/30/2014
• Published: 04/30/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 10/30/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: S1 Technologies, Inc.
• Original Assignee: S1 Technologies, Inc.
• Inventors: Stevenson, David L., Bones, Sarah
• Granted Patent: US 9,528,872 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/22
• CPC Class Codes: G01F 22/02 involving measurement of pressure
• CPC Class Codes: G01F 23/14 by measurement of pressure
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/087 Inventory or stock management, e.g. order filling, procurement or balancing against orders
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/085 involving remote charge determination or related payment systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/4016 involving fraud or risk level assessment in transaction processing
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/008 communicating information to a remotely located station transmission systems for measured values G08C
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/085 using electronic data carriers
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 13/025 wherein the volume is determined during delivery
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 19/02 Alarm responsive to formation or anticipated formation of ice

Abstract

An inventory of a consumable is managed by positioning a sensor within a storage tank holding the consumable and determining the volume of the consumable in the storage tank. A processor is also located on the vehicle for receiving data relative to the volume of the consumable in the storage tank, the mileage of the vehicle, and vehicle location, date, and time, and for transmitting such data to a remote inventory management server (“RIMS”). The RIMS also receives point-of-sale (“POS”) data, including location, date/time, purchase amount, and purchase price related to a consumable intake event at the storage tank of the vehicle. The RIMS then reconciles the data received from the vehicle processor with the POS data to determine whether there are any discrepancies between the fuel purchased and the volume of fuel measured.

Claims

1. A system for managing inventory of a consumable, the system comprising:

a sensor capable of being mounted within a storage tank mounted on a vehicle, the sensor being configured to generate measurement data from which the volume of the consumable may be determined;

an inventory management assembly (“

IMA”

) capable of being mounted on a vehicle, the IMA being coupled to the sensor for receiving the measurement data, and for generating date/time data indicative of the date and time, and for transmitting the measurement data; and

a remote inventory management server (“

RIMS”

) coupled for communication with the IMA for receiving from the IMA the measurement data and the date/time data, the RIMS being further configured for receiving from a bank server point-of-sale (“

POS”

) data including the volume of the consumable purchased and the date and time of purchase;

the RIMS being further configured for identifying and recording any discrepancies between the volume indicated by the measurement data and the volume indicated by the POS data.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein RIMS is further configured for receiving in real time from a bank server POS data, and for identifying in real time any discrepancies between the volume indicated by the measured data and the volume indicated by the POS data.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein RIMS is further configured for receiving daily from a bank server POS data, and for identifying daily any discrepancies between the volume indicated by the measured data and the volume indicated by the POS data.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the consumable is selected from the group consisting of diesel, gasoline, oil, urea, fluids, fuels, and electrical energy.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the IMA is coupled to a vehicle for receiving mileage data indicative of the mileage on a vehicle, and the IMA is coupled to a device from which the IMA receives location data indicative of the location of a vehicle, and the IMA is further configured for communicating the mileage data and location data to the RIMS.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the sensor subassembly further comprises a temperature sensor housed within the sensor enclosure, the temperature sensor configured to measure the temperature of fluid within the storage tank, the measurement data further including the temperature of fluid measured by the sensor.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the sensor subassembly further comprises a temperature sensor housed within the sensor enclosure, the temperature sensor configured to measure the temperature of fluid within the storage tank, the measurement data further including the temperature of fluid measured by the sensor for identifying a frost/freeze event of the consumable.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the IMA further comprises a transceiver for facilitating wireless communications with the RIMS.

9. The system as recited in claim 1, wherein the RIMS further comprises a processor and a memory coupled to the processor, the memory configured for storing computer program code executable by the processor to:

determine whether there was an increase in the consumable that exceeded a predetermined threshold; and

record the volume of consumable subsequent to the increase in consumable if there was an increase in the consumable that exceeded a predetermined threshold.

10. The system as recited in claim 1, wherein the RIMS further comprises a processor and a memory coupled to the processor, the memory configured for storing computer program code executable by the processor to:

determine whether there was a decrease in the consumable that exceeded a predetermined threshold; and

generate an alert if it is determined that there was a decrease in the consumable that exceeded a predetermined threshold.

11. The system as recited in claim 1, wherein the RIMS further comprises a processor and a memory coupled to the processor, the memory configured for storing computer program code executable by the processor to:

determine whether a discrepancy resulted from an increase in the volume purchased exceeding the volume measured;

if it is determined that a discrepancy resulted from an increase in the volume purchased exceeding the volume measured, then determine whether the increase exceeded a predetermined threshold; and

generate an alert if it is determined that the increase exceeded a predetermined threshold.

12. A system for managing inventory of a consumable, the system comprising:

a sensor capable of being mounted within a storage tank mounted on a vehicle, the sensor being configured to generate measurement data from which the volume of the consumable may be determined;

an inventory management assembly (“

IMA”

) capable of being mounted on a vehicle, the IMA being coupled to the sensor for receiving the measurement data, and for generating date/time data indicative of the date and time, and for transmitting the measurement data; and

a remote inventory management server (“

RIMS”

) coupled for communication with the IMA for receiving at least once per day from the IMA the measurement data and the date/time data, the RIMS being further being configured for receiving at least once per day from a bank server point-of-sale (“

POS”

) data including the quantity of the consumable purchased and the data and time of purchase;

the RIMS being further comprises;

a processor;

a memory coupled to the processor, the memory being configured for storing computer program code executable by the processor to;

determine whether there is a discrepancy resulted from an increase in the volume purchased at POS exceeds the volume measured;

if it is determined that a discrepancy resulted from an increase in the volume purchased exceeding the volume measured, then determine whether the increase exceeded a predetermined threshold; and

generate an alert if it is determined that the increase exceeded a predetermined threshold.

13. A method for managing the inventory of a consumable, the method comprising steps of:

measuring the volume of consumable in a tank at least daily;

receiving data indicative of volume purchased at a POS;

determining whether there is a discrepancy resulted from an increase in the volume purchased at POS exceeds the volume measured;

if it is determined that a discrepancy resulted from an increase in the volume purchased exceeding the volume measured, then determine whether the increase exceeded a predetermined threshold; and

generating an alert if it is determined that the increase exceeded a predetermined threshold.