Apparatus and method for an electronic identification, actuation and recording system
First Claim
1. Apparatus for monitoring dispensing of commodities to a commodity receiver comprising in combination:
- passive identification means having a secret code unique to a particular commodity receiver;
means for covering the secret code;
means for securing the passive identification means to the commodity receiver;
means for deciphering the secret code unique to the particular commodity receiver;
R.F. means for transmitting the deciphered code as a R.F. signal;
means for receiving the R.F. signal including the deciphered code, andmeans associated with the receiving means for relating the deciphered code to the amount of commodity dispensed to the particular receiver.
3 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Dispensing of commodities such as bulk liquids, gases, granules and powders is monitored electronically by identifying receivers of the commodities with specific codes and relating those codes to amounts dispensed by commodity dispensers. The specific apparatus includes a passive module attached to the commodity receiver and a reader linked to the commodity dispenser by radio transmitter or hard-wired. The passive module includes a planar member therein with a code thereon in form of a pattern of conductive and non-conductive areas, the particular organization of which determines the code identifying a particular commodity receiver. The reader includes: an array composed of pairs of opposed inductors for alignment with the conductive and non-conductive areas; a multiplexer for indexing the pairs of opposed inductors to determine if an area is conductive or non-conductive, and a transmitter for relaying the code to the commodity dispenser. The commodity dispenser includes a signal receiver for coordinating the identity of the commodity receiver with the amount of commodity dispensed. The apparatus has a specific application in controlling and monitoring the dispensing of fuel to fleet vehicles.
-
Citations
17 Claims
-
1. Apparatus for monitoring dispensing of commodities to a commodity receiver comprising in combination:
-
passive identification means having a secret code unique to a particular commodity receiver; means for covering the secret code; means for securing the passive identification means to the commodity receiver; means for deciphering the secret code unique to the particular commodity receiver; R.F. means for transmitting the deciphered code as a R.F. signal; means for receiving the R.F. signal including the deciphered code, and means associated with the receiving means for relating the deciphered code to the amount of commodity dispensed to the particular receiver. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 14, 15)
-
-
6. Apparatus for monitoring dispensing of fuel to a fleet of vehicles said apparatus comprising:
-
a plurality of passive identification devices, one for each vehicle in the fleet and each including a secret code unique to a particular vehicle in the fleet; means for covering each of the identification devices to prevent visual inspection of the codes and to protect the identification devices from the environment; housings for containing the identification devices, said housings each including means for fixing an identification device therein and means providing space around the identification device; means on said housings for permanently fixing each housing to a vehicle; portable means for reading individual identification devices upon insertion of the portable means into the space in the housing around the identification devices; code processing means remote from and physically separate from the portable means for coordinating the code with fuel dispensing, and an R.F. link for connecting the portable reading means to the code processing means. - View Dependent Claims (7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
-
-
16. In combination, apparatus for monitoring the dispensing of fuel;
- a fuel, supply, and a fleet of vehicles, each vehicle having a fuel tank with a filling opening, the combination comprising;
a plurality of passive identification devices, one for each vehicle in the fleet;
each device including a secret code unique to a particular vehicle in the fleet, the secret code being configured by a pattern of conductive areas on a substrate;
the passive identification devices each further including opaque covering means of insulating material overlying the substrate and the pattern of conductive areas to obscure the pattern, to protect the conductive areas from the environment and to prevent the occurrence of sparks;a housing for each identification device, each housing including means for fixing the identification device therein and alignment means; means on each vehicle in the fleet for mounting the housing on that vehicle, the mounting means being displaced from, but in the vicinity of, the filling opening of the vehicle fuel tank; portable means for reading the identification devices upon aligning the portable means with the alignment means of the housing; code processing means, remote from and physically separate from the portable means but connected to the fuel supply for coordinating the secret code with the amount of fuel dispensed by the fuel supply, and an R.F. link for connecting the portable reading means to the code processing means to radio to the code from the portable means to the code processing means. - View Dependent Claims (17)
- a fuel, supply, and a fleet of vehicles, each vehicle having a fuel tank with a filling opening, the combination comprising;
Specification