SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR WIRELESSLY ACTIVATING AN ELECTROMECHANICALLY CONTROLLED FUEL DISPENSER

• US 20150242969A1
• Filed: 02/26/2015
• Published: 08/27/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 02/27/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Meijer (Meijer Cos. Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Meijer (Meijer Cos. Ltd.)
• Inventors: Pallas, David Scott, Pugh, Brian
• Granted Patent: US 10,360,647 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B67D 7/145 by wireless communication means, e.g. RF, transponders or the like
• CPC Class Codes: B67D 7/34 Means for preventing unauthorised delivery of liquid
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/06 Energy or water supply

Abstract

A system and method are provided for remotely activating electromechanically controlled fuel dispensers. Each fuel dispenser is associated in a database with a unique identification code, and a first code is associated with an electronic payment system pre-identified by a fuel purchasing customer for automatic payment processing during fuel purchase transactions. In response to a wirelessly received identification code, the fuel dispenser associated in the database with the identification code that matches the wirelessly received identification code is identified, the identified fuel dispenser is activated to an active state in which the identified fuel dispenser is enabled to dispense fuel if the first code in the database matches a wirelessly received second code, and payment for the purchase of fuel dispensed from the identified fuel dispenser is automatically processed following activation thereof using the pre-identified electronic payment system associated with the first code in the database.

Claims

1. A method of remotely activating any of a plurality of electromechanically controlled fuel dispensers, the method comprising:

associating, with a first processor in a first database, each of the plurality of fuel dispensers with a different identification code,

associating, with the first processor in the first or a second database, a first code and an electronic payment system pre-identified by a fuel purchasing customer for automatic payment processing during subsequent transactions for the purchase of fuel by the customer with any of the plurality of fuel dispensers,

wirelessly receiving an identification code,

in response to the wirelessly received identification code, identifying with the first processor the one of the plurality of fuel dispensers associated in the first database with the identification code that matches the wirelessly received identification code,

wirelessly receiving a second code,

in response to the wirelessly received second code, automatically activating with the first processor the identified one of the plurality of fuel dispensers from an inactive state in which the identified one of the plurality of fuel dispensers is disabled from dispensing fuel to an active state in which the identified one of the plurality of fuel dispensers is enabled to dispense fuel if the first code in the first or the second database matches the wirelessly received second code, and

automatically processing with the first processor payment for the purchase of fuel dispensed from the identified one of the plurality of fuel dispensers following activation thereof using the pre-identified electronic payment system associated with the first code in the first or the second database.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein each of the plurality of electromechanically controlled fuel dispensers is part of a retail enterprise,

and wherein the first code comprises one of a plurality of enterprise membership service identification codes stored in the first or the second database that uniquely identifies a customer as one of a plurality of customer members of an enterprise membership service program associated with the retail enterprise.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein automatically activating the identified one of the plurality of fuel dispensers comprises:

comparing with the first processor the wirelessly received second code with the plurality of membership service identification codes,

if the wirelessly received second code matches the one of the plurality of membership identification codes, accessing with the first processor the pre-identified electronic payment system associated in the first or the second database with the one of the plurality of membership identification codes,

processing the accessed pre-identified electronic payment system for payment authorization, and

automatically activating with the first processor the identified one of the plurality of fuel dispensers upon authorization of the accessed pre-identified payment system for payment for the purchase of fuel to be subsequently dispensed from the identified one of the plurality of fuel dispensers.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the first code in the first or the second database further comprises a security code, and further comprising wirelessly receiving a third code,

and wherein automatically activating with the first processor the identified one of the plurality of fuel dispensers from the inactive state to the active state thereof is further conditioned upon the security code in the first or the second database matching the wirelessly received third code.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the identified one of the plurality of fuel dispensers is configured to selectively dispense any of a plurality of different grades or types of fuel,

and wherein the method further comprises:

associating with the first processor in the first or the second database the first code and a default grade or type of fuel pre-identified by the fuel purchasing customer for dispensation by any of the plurality of fuel dispensers during subsequent transactions for the purchase of fuel by the customer, and

and automatically enabling with the first processor the automatically activated one of the plurality of fuel dispensers to dispense the default grade or type of fuel associated in the first or the second database with the first code.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the identified one of the plurality of fuel dispensers is configured to selectively dispense any of a plurality of different grades or types of fuel,

and wherein the method further comprises:

wirelessly receiving a third code,

and automatically enabling with the first processor the automatically activated one of the plurality of fuel dispensers to dispense the one of the plurality of different grades or types of fuel identified by the wirelessly received third code.

7. The method of claim 2 wherein the first or the second database has stored therein a purchase history containing a record of purchases previously made from the retail enterprise by the identified one of the plurality of customer members of the enterprise membership service program,

and wherein the method further comprises:

associating, with the first processor in the first or the second database, the first code with a mobile communication device carried by the identified one of the plurality of customer members of the enterprise membership service program,

one of generating and retrieving from the first or the second database by the first processor at least one discount coupon for a product or service from the retail enterprise based on the purchase history of the identified one of the plurality of customer members of the enterprise membership service program, and

wirelessly transmitting with the first processor to the mobile communication device associated with the first code in the first or the second database the at least one discount coupon or notification of the at least one discount coupon.

8. A system for remotely enabling fuel dispensation, the system comprising:

a plurality of fuel dispensers,

a plurality of wireless signal broadcasting devices each located at or near a different one of the plurality of fuel dispensers,

at least one database having stored therein a plurality of identification codes each associated with a different one of the plurality of wireless signal broadcasting devices and also with a corresponding one of the plurality of fuel dispensers at or near which each different wireless signal broadcasting device is located, and a plurality of customer codes each associated with a different one of a plurality of customer members of a membership service program and each also associated with a different electronic payment system pre-identified by a corresponding one of the plurality of customer members for automatic payment processing during transactions for the purchase of fuel carried out by the customer member at any of the plurality of fuel dispensers,

a processor, and

memory having instructions stored therein which, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to identify, in response to a wirelessly received identification code, the one of the plurality of fuel dispensers associated in the at least one database with the identification code that matches the wirelessly received identification code, to automatically activate, in response to a wirelessly received customer code, the identified one of the plurality of fuel dispensers from an inactive state in which the identified one of the plurality of fuel dispensers is disabled from dispensing fuel to an active state in which the identified one of the plurality of fuel dispensers is enabled to dispense fuel if one of the plurality of customer codes in the at least one database matches the wirelessly received customer code, and to automatically process payment for the purchase of fuel dispensed from the identified one of the plurality of fuel dispensers following activation thereof using the one of the plurality of pre-identified electronic payment systems associated in the at least one database with the matching one of the plurality of customer codes.

9. The system of claim 8 wherein the memory further has instructions stored therein which, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to automatically activate the identified one of the plurality of fuel dispensers by accessing the one of the plurality of pre-identified electronic payment systems associated in the at least one database with the matching one of the plurality of customer codes, processing the accessed one of the plurality of pre-identified electronic payment systems for payment authorization, and automatically activating the identified one of the plurality of fuel dispensers upon authorization of the accessed one of the plurality of pre-identified electronic payment systems for payment for the purchase of fuel to be subsequently dispensed from the identified one of the plurality of fuel dispensers.

10. The system of claim 8 wherein each of the plurality of customer codes stored in the at least one database further includes a security code,

and wherein the memory further has instructions stored therein which, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to automatically activate the identified one of the plurality of fuel dispensers from the inactive state to the active state thereof further in response to a wirelessly received security code if the security code included in the matching one of the plurality of customer codes matches the wirelessly received security code.

11. The system of claim 8 wherein each of the plurality of fuel dispensers is configured to selectively dispense any of a plurality of different grades or types of fuel,

and wherein each of the plurality of customer codes is further associated in the at least one database with a default grade or type of fuel corresponding to one of the plurality of different grades or types of fuel pre-selected for dispensation by any of the plurality of fuel dispensers during transactions for the purchase of fuel by the associated one of the plurality of customer members,

and wherein the instructions stored in the memory further include instructions which, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to automatically activate the identified one of the plurality of fuel dispensers from the inactive state thereof to an active state in which the identified one of the plurality of fuel dispensers is enabled to dispense the default grade or type of fuel associated in the at least one database with the one of the plurality of customer codes in the at least one database that matches the wirelessly received customer code.

12. The system of claim 8 wherein each of the plurality of fuel dispensers is configured to selectively dispense any of a plurality of different grades or types of fuel,

and wherein the instructions stored in the memory further include instructions which, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to automatically enable, in response to a wirelessly received fuel code, the automatically activated one of the plurality of fuel dispensers to dispense one of the plurality of different grades or types of fuel identified by the wirelessly received fuel code.

13. The system of claim 8 wherein each of the plurality of fuel dispensers is part of a retail enterprise, and the at least one database has stored therein a plurality of purchase histories each containing a record of purchases previously made from the retail enterprise by a different one of the plurality of customers members of the membership service program, and a plurality of mobile communication device codes each identifying a different mobile communication device carried by different one of the plurality of customer members, and wherein each of the plurality of customer codes is associated in the at least one database with a different corresponding one of the plurality of purchase histories and also with a different corresponding one of the mobile communication device codes,

and wherein the instructions stored in the memory further include instructions which, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to one of generate and retrieve from the at least one database at least one discount coupon for a product or service from the retail enterprise based on the one of the plurality of purchase histories associated in the at least one database with the one of the plurality of customer codes that matches the wirelessly received customer code, and to wirelessly transmit the at least one discount coupon or notification of the at least one discount coupon to the mobile communication device identified by the one of the plurality of mobile communication device codes associated in the at least one database with the one of the plurality of customer codes that matches the wirelessly received customer code.

14. A non-transitory machine-readable medium comprising a plurality of instructions which, when executed by at least one processor, result in the at least one processor:

associating in a first database each of the plurality of fuel dispensers with a different identification code,

associating in the first or a second database, a first code and an electronic payment system pre-identified by a fuel purchasing customer for automatic payment processing during subsequent transactions for the purchase of fuel by the customer with any of the plurality of fuel dispensers,

in response to a wirelessly received identification code, identifying the one of the plurality of fuel dispensers associated in the first database with the identification code that matches the wirelessly received identification code,

in response to a wirelessly received second code, automatically activating the identified one of the plurality of fuel dispensers from an inactive state in which the identified one of the plurality of fuel dispensers is disabled from dispensing fuel to an active state in which the identified one of the plurality of fuel dispensers is enabled to dispense fuel if the first code in the first or the second database matches the wirelessly received second code, and

automatically processing payment for the purchase of fuel dispensed from the identified one of the plurality of fuel dispensers following activation thereof using the pre-identified electronic payment system associated with the first code in the first or the second database.

15. The non-transitory machine-readable medium of claim 14 wherein each of the plurality of electromechanically controlled fuel dispensers is part of a retail enterprise,

and wherein the first code comprises one of a plurality of enterprise membership service identification codes stored in the first or the second database that uniquely identifies a customer as one of a plurality of customer members of an enterprise membership service program associated with the retail enterprise.

16. The non-transitory machine-readable medium of claim 15 wherein the plurality of instructions further includes instructions which, when executed by the at least one processor, result in the at least one processor automatically activating the identified one of the plurality of fuel dispensers by:

comparing with the wirelessly received second code with the plurality of membership service identification codes,

if the wirelessly received second code matches the one of the plurality of membership identification codes, accessing the pre-identified electronic payment system associated in the first or the second database with the one of the plurality of membership identification codes,

processing the accessed pre-identified electronic payment system for payment authorization, and

automatically activating the identified one of the plurality of fuel dispensers upon authorization of the accessed pre-identified payment system for payment for the purchase of fuel to be subsequently dispensed from the identified one of the plurality of fuel dispensers.

17. The non-transitory machine-readable medium of claim 14 wherein the first code in the first or the second database further comprises a security code, and wherein the plurality of instructions further includes instructions which, when executed by the at least one processor, result in the at least one processor automatically activating the identified one of the plurality of fuel dispensers from the inactive state to the active state thereof is further conditioned upon the security code in the first or the second database matching a wirelessly received third code.

18. The non-transitory machine-readable medium of claim 14 wherein the identified one of the plurality of fuel dispensers is configured to selectively dispense any of a plurality of different grades or types of fuel,

and wherein the plurality of instructions further includes instructions which, when executed by the at the least one processor, result in the at least one processor associating in the first or the second database the first code and a default grade or type of fuel pre-identified by the fuel purchasing customer for dispensation by any of the plurality of fuel dispensers during subsequent transactions for the purchase of fuel by the customer, and automatically enabling the automatically activated one of the plurality of fuel dispensers to dispense the default grade or type of fuel associated in the first or the second database with the first code.

19. The non-transitory machine-readable medium of claim 14 wherein the identified one of the plurality of fuel dispensers is configured to selectively dispense any of a plurality of different grades or types of fuel,

and wherein the plurality of instructions further includes instructions which, when executed by the at least one processor, result in the at least one processor automatically enabling the automatically activated one of the plurality of fuel dispensers to dispense one of the plurality of different grades or types of fuel identified by a wirelessly received third code.

20. The non-transitory machine-readable medium of claim 15 wherein the first or the second database has stored therein a purchase history containing a record of purchases previously made from the retail enterprise by the identified one of the plurality of customer members of the enterprise membership service program,

and wherein the plurality of instructions further includes instructions which, when executed by the at the least one processor, result in the at least one processor:

associating in the first or the second database the first code with a mobile communication device carried by the identified one of the plurality of customer members of the enterprise membership service program,

one of generating and retrieving from the first or the second database at least one discount coupon for a product or service from the retail enterprise based on the purchase history of the identified one of the plurality of customer members of the enterprise membership service program, and

wirelessly transmitting to the mobile communication device associated with the first code in the first or the second database the at least one discount coupon or notification of the at least one discount coupon.