Dispensing system

• US 4,107,777 A
• Filed: 06/13/1977
• Issued: 08/15/1978
• Est. Priority Date: 10/03/1975
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Anthes Imperial Limited
• Original Assignee: Anthes Imperial Limited
• Inventors: Pearson, Allen F., Lorenz, Ronald N., Mayo, Paul A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Smith, Jerry
• Application Number:
  US05/805,874
• Time in Patent Office: 428 Days
• Field of Search: 235/151.34, 222/14, 222/20, 222/26, 222/28, 364/465, 364/479, 364/521
• US Class Current: 705/413
• CPC Class Codes: B67D 7/228 using digital counting
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/06 Energy or water supply
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 13/025 wherein the volume is determined during delivery
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 5/18 specially adapted for controlling several coin-freed apparatus from one place
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 9/002 Vending machines being part of a centrally controlled network of vending machines
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 715/962 Operator interface for marketing or sales

Abstract

A dispensing system for controlling and displaying information regarding self-service operation of each of a plurality of fuel dispensers in a gasoline station includes, in one embodiment, an operator console having a CRT display displaying the status of each of the dispensers as well as current and previous sales data and a data entry keyboard for entry of sales and other data together with switch means for arming dispensers for self-service operation and for actuating the system for displaying selective dispenser information. The CRT and data entry keyboard are coupled to a central control unit which includes a programmed memory central processing unit for handling data between the central control unit and each of a plurality of dispensers as well as dispenser communications interface circuits. Each of the dispensers includes means for generating signals representative of the volume of gasoline pumped from the dispenser as well as circuit means for displaying volume and price data to the customer and means for coupling the dispenser to the central control unit for the actuation of the dispenser and transfer of data to the central control unit. In another embodiment, each of the dispensers further includes a central processing unit with a memory for controlling the computation of data at the dispenser and for transferring data between each of the dispensers and the central control unit.

Claims

1. A fuel dispensing system comprising an operator console including display means for displaying at a single location status information for dispensers of the system and a data entry keyboard for entry of data and command signals into the system, at least one fuel dispenser having an electronic display for displaying price per gallon, volume of fuel delivered and total cost of fuel delivered information to an operator and a dispenser control circuit coupled to said electronic display including a single flow pulser for generating signals representative of the volume of fuel dispensed therefrom, said dispenser control circuit including output circuit means coupled to said generating means for periodically providing an electrical signal comprising at least one binary word including dispenser status information and volume of fuel dispensed information;

said dispenser control circuit further including input circuit means responsive to an input electrical signal comprising at least one binary word for controlling the status of said dispenser;

means for coupling said dispenser control circuit to said operator console;

said operator console including a central processing unit (CPU), a memory, and interface circuit means for coupling said CPU to said display means, to said data entry keyboard and to said dispenser control circuit, said memory comprising a control means for controlling the operation of said CPU to transfer and process data related to the dispensing of fuel by said at least one dispenser including volume data from said volume representative signals between said display means, said data entry keyboard and said dispenser control circuit of said at least one dispenser, and to generate binary input words applied to said input circuit means of said dispenser control circuit for controlling the operation of said dispenser.

2. The system as defined in claim 1 wherein said CPU, said memory and said interface circuit means are mounted on circuit boards coupled to a common bus line providing electrical interconnection of these circuits.

3. The system as defined in claim 2 wherein said display means comprises a CRT.

4. The system as defined in claim 3 wherein said means for coupling said dispenser control circuit of said at least one dispenser to said operator console includes conductor means extending between said dispenser control circuit and said operator console and terminated at each opposite end by an optical isolator circuit, and a universal asynchronous receiver transmitter circuit coupled between each of said optical isolator circuits and said operator console and said dispenser control circuit.

5. The system as defined in claim 4 including a plurality of dispensers each including a dispenser control circuit and wherein each of said control circuits includes dispenser display means for displaying information pertaining to the volume of fuel dispensed by said dispenser.

6. The system as defined in claim 1 wherein each of said dispenser control circuits includes a dispenser CPU and a dispenser memory controlling said dispenser CPU for controlling the operation of said dispenser CPU to transfer and process data related to the dispensing of fuel and to supply accumulated volume and dollar of sale information to said operator console and to said dispenser display means.

7. The system as defined in claim 6 wherein said coupling means comprises a party line for coupling said operator console in parallel with each of said control circuits of said dispensers and wherein said operator console includes means for generating a series of codes uniquely identifying each dispenser of the system and wherein each of said dispensers are identified by a unique code and transfer data on said party line in response to interrogation by said operator console in response to the receipt of said unique code.

8. In a dispenser system for controlling and monitoring a dispensing operation including dispensing means including dispenser control means for controlling the dispensing of materials from said dispensing means, said dispenser control means having means for generating electrical signals representative of the amount of material dispensed;

and an operator console remotely positioned from said dispensing means, said operator console including display means for displaying data relating to the dispensing of material, data entry means permitting the operator to enter commands for controlling the operation of said dispensing means and control circuit means coupled to said display means and said data entry means and responsive to signals from said data entry means for controlling said dispensing means, wherein the improvement comprises;

said control circuit means includes a central processing unit and interface circuit means coupling said central processing unit to said display means, to said data entry means and to said dispenser control means wherein said central processing unit transfers and processes data between said dispenser control means and said operator console for periodically updating display information during operation of said dispensing means, and controlling said dispensing means in response to operator commands entered by said data entry means, wherein said dispensing means includes a plurality of dispensers, each of which includes a dispenser central processing unit and associated memory means for controlling said dispenser central processing unit to respond to electrical signals from said operator console and from said generating means; and

wherein said system further includes a common party line coupling said central processing unit of said operator console to each of said dispenser central processing units, and wherein said operator console includes a UART and means coupling said central processing unit to said party line through said UART and wherein each of said dispensers includes a dispenser UART and means coupling the dispenser central processing unit to said party line through said dispenser UART.

9. The system as defined in claim 8 wherein said coupling means comprises optical isolator circuits coupling said party line to a UART at opposite ends of said party line.

10. The system as defined in claim 9 wherein each of said dispensers includes display means coupled to said dispenser central processing unit for providing a display of material dispensed information.

11. A self-service fuel dispensing system providing a central control and display for a plurality of dispensers comprising:

a plurality of dispensers each including fuel pumping means and means for selectively actuating said pumping means for dispensing fuel, each of said dispensers further including means for generating electrical signals representative of the flow of fuel from said dispensers; and

a central control including display means for displaying dispenser data to an operator, a central processing unit, and circuit means including a data entry keyboard and storage means for controlling said central processing unit for on-line and off-line modes of operation wherein said circuit means is coupled to each of said dispenser actuating and generating means such that during on-line operation, an operator can control the operation of each of said dispensers and monitor the dispenser status on said display means and during off-line operation, said dispensers are deactuated and said central control provides information to be displayed to the operator for prompting operation of the keyboard for selectively recalling stored inventory information to be displayed to the operator by said display means.

12. The system as defined in claim 11 wherein said display means comprises a CRT.

13. The system as defined in claim 12 wherein said storage means comprises a memory for storing control sequence commands for controlling said central processing unit in a predetermined manner.

14. The system as defined in claim 13 wherein each of said dispensers further include a dispenser central processing unit having a memory for controlling the operation of said dispenser central processing unit and coupling circuit means coupling said dispenser central processing unit to said central processing unit of said central control, said dispenser central processing unit coupled to said dispenser actuating and generating means and responsive to signals from said central control for controlling the operation of said dispenser.

15. A gasoline dispensing system comprising:

a plurality of dispensers for dispensing gasoline therefrom and including circuit means for generating digital data representing the volume of gasoline dispensed therefrom;

an operator console for controlling the operation of said plurality of dispensers wherein said operator console includes a display screen for simultaneously displaying the status of each of the dispensers and gasoline flow information through each of said dispensers;

a data entry keyboard coupled to said central processing unit permitting an operator to control the operation of and determine the status of each of said dispensers for receiving information to be displayed on said screen;

a plurality of coupling means for coupling said operator console to each of said dispensers to enable transmission of control and data signals between said operator console and each of said dispensers; and

data processing circuits including a central processing unit and controlling memory operatively coupled to said operator console and to each of said dispensers for performing calculations on data supplied by said dispensers indicating the volume of fluid dispensed by the dispensers.

16. A gasoline dispensing system as defined in claim 15 wherein each fluid dispenser includes:

a pump for moving the gasoline from storage tanks;

a valve means including a hose and a nozzle coupled to said pump for directing the gasoline flow; and

control circuit means coupled to said central processing unit and to said circuit means and responsive to signals therefrom for arming the dispenser in response to signals from said operator console permitting operation of said pump and said valve, said control circuit means including display means for displaying volume of gasoline dispensed information.

17. A gasoline dispensing system as defined in claim 16 wherein said display screen comprises a cathode ray tube and said central processing unit actuates said cathode ray tube display for providing a display format including:

a first column identifying each gasoline dispenser;

a second column indicating the price per gallon of gasoline associated with each dispenser;

a third column indicating the arming status of each dispenser;

a fourth column indicating the operating condition of each dispenser as controlled by the dispenser;

a fifth column indicating operation of the pump associated with each dispenser;

a sixth column indicating the completion of a dispensing function for each dispenser; and

a seventh column indicating payment received for the gasoline dispensed by each dispenser.

18. A gasoline dispensing system as defined in claim 17 wherein said data processing circuits are incorporated in said operator console which includes coupled to a common bus, a control processing unit defined by electrically interconnected storage registers, an accumulator, a parallel arithmetic unit, a program counter, a stack pointer and a clock;

a memory unit having a random access memory and address decoding logic for providing random access memory for storing information and a read-only memory with address decoding logic for providing control of data, and a plurality of read-only memories programmed to provide controlling functions for said central processing unit;

an interface circuit for providing a two-way interface between said central processing unit and said cathode ray tube display and said data entry keyboard;

a dispenser communication interface module associated with each dispenser and including a universal asynchronous receiver-transmitter for receiving series data and outputing parallel data; and

power supply means for supplying positive and negative regulated DC voltage for operation of the system.

19. A gasoline dispensing system as defined in claim 18 wherein each of said dispenser communication interface modules includes an electrical-optical isolator circuit for electrically isolating said dispenser from said operator console.

20. A gasoline dispensing system as defined in claim 19 wherein said circuit means for generating digital data representing the volume of gasoline dispensed includes:

a light chopping disc rotationally coupled to said pump and having a plurality of notches for passing light;

a pair of spaced light sources positioned on a first side of said light chopping disc for emitting light in a direction to pass through said notches of said chopping disc;

light detection means positioned on a second side of said light chopping disc for receiving light passing through said light chopping disc; and

a logic circuit coupled to said light and detection means and responsive to pulses from said light detection means to provide signals representative of the actual flow of gasoline delivered through said hose and for inhibiting the generation of such signals due to jitter.

21. The gasoline dispensing system as defined in claim 15 wherein each of said dispensers further includes a central processing unit coupled to said circuit means and to said coupling means for transferring data and control signals between said dispenser and said operator console.

22. A fuel dispensing system comprising an operator console including console display means for displaying at a single display status information for dispensers of the system and a data entry keyboard for entry of data and command signals into the system including data signals representative of a predetermined amount of fuel, a plurality of fuel dispensers each having a flow pulser for generating signals representative of the volume of fuel dispensed therefrom, a dispenser central processing unit (CPU) including memory means for storing data including price per unit volume of fuel dispensed, said dispenser CPU coupled to said flow pulser for receiving signals therefrom and responding to said signals to compute the accumulated volume and sales price information, an electrical dispenser display means coupled to said dispenser CPU for displaying said price per unit volume, accumulated volume and sales price information to an operator, wherein said operator console includes an operator CPU and associated memory, means for coupling said dispenser CPU to said operator console and interface circuit means for coupling said CPU to said console display means, to said data entry keyboard and to said coupling means, said memory controlling the operation of said operator CPU to transfer and process data related to the dispensing of fuel by said dispensers including accumulated volume and sales price data from said dispenser CPU and controlling the operation of each of said dispensers by responding to operator commands entered into said data entry keyboard.