Fuel dispenser-cash register control console

• US 5,394,336 A
• Filed: 12/22/1993
• Issued: 02/28/1995
• Est. Priority Date: 12/22/1993
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Progressive International'L Electronics
• Original Assignee: Progressive International Electronics Inc.
• Inventors: Warn, Walter E., Carr, Fred K.
• Primary Examiner(s): RUGGIERO, JOSEPH F
• Application Number:
  US08/171,411
• Time in Patent Office: 433 Days
• Field of Search: 364/479, 364/465, 364/131-135, 364/405, 364/509, 364/510, 340/825.35, 222/14, 222/23, 222/25-28, 222/36, 222/37, 222/52
• US Class Current: 700/236
• CPC Class Codes: B67D 7/08 Arrangements of devices for controlling, indicating, metering or registering quantity or price of liquid transferred arrangement of flow- or pressure-control valves B67D7/36; computing, calculating, counting G06; coin-freed apparatus for dispensing fluids G07F13/00; prepayment devices for metering liquids G07F15/00
• CPC Class Codes: B67D 7/103 operated by keys
• CPC Class Codes: B67D 7/14 responsive to input of recorded programmed information, e.g. on punched cards
• 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 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: G07G 1/12 electronically operated digital data processing aspects G06Q20/00
• CPC Class Codes: G07G 1/14 Systems including one or more distant stations co-operating with a central processing unit data transmission in general H04L; telemetry systems for selectively calling a substation from a main station H04Q9/00

Abstract

A fuel dispenser-cash register control console is provided for simultaneously controlling fuel dispensers and the input key switches on a cash register keyboard so that sales information on each dispensing transaction can be down-loaded to a cash register at the end of the sale. The system includes a control console having a programmable data processor coupled with a read-only-memory ROM chip and read-and-write-memory RAM chip. Commands to the dispensers are initiated through input keys on the console. Sales information is down-loaded to the cash register through a cash register interface board which has a second microprocessor with ROM and RAM, serially connected to the processor in the console. When the register interface processor receives sales information from the console, it locks out the cash register key board, transfers the sales information to the designated department, and then unlocks the keyboard. The system further includes a communication protocol translator for configuring the command logic signals from the console into a communication protocol readable by the dispensers, and the responses from the dispensers into logic signals readable by the microprocessor in the pump controller.

Claims

1. A fuel dispenser-cash register control system for controlling the dispensing process in at least one fuel dispenser, for controlling at least one department input key switch on a cash register keyboard for transferring information on each dispensing transaction to a cash register at the end of the sale, and for storing in memory totals on the amount of fuel dispensed from said dispenser, comprising:

(a) a control console means having a first programmable data processor coupled with a first read-only-memory device and a first read-and-write-memory device, and a series of console input key switches, for

(1) controlling said dispenser from said console input key switches causing said first data processor to retrieve dispenser control commands from said first read-only-memory device in a predetermined sequence and output said commands to said fuel dispenser causing said dispenser to dispense fuel;

(2) receiving dispenser responses from said dispenser during the fueling process and storing said responses in said first read-and-write-memory device;

(3) transferring to said cash register sales information on each dispensing transaction at the completion of the transaction;

(b) a cash register interface means, with serial connection to said first microprocessor in said control console means, having a second microprocessor coupled with a second read-only-memory device and a second read-and-write memory device, for

(1) receiving from said first microprocessor said sales information on each dispensing transaction at completion of the transaction; and

(2) controlling said department input key switch on said cash register keyboard such as to post the fueling transaction as a sale in said cash register;

(c) a configuration means with serial connection to said control console means and said fuel dispenser;

for

(1) configuring said dispenser control commands into a communication protocol readable by said fuel dispenser, and

(2) configuring said dispenser responses into a communication protocol readable by said control console means.

2. A fuel dispenser-cash register control system as defined in claim 1, further comprising a display means for displaying said dispenser responses during the fueling process.

3. A fuel dispenser-cash register control system as defined in claim 1, wherein said configuration means includes an opto-coupler with light emitting diode and transistor for translating current levels.

4. A fuel dispenser-cash register control system as defined in claimed 1, wherein said configuration means includes a comparator for translating voltage levels.

5. A method for controlling the dispensing process in a fuel dispenser delivering fuel to a vehicle by a fuel dispenser-cash register control console means which down-loads sales information on the fuel dispensed from said dispenser to a cash register at completion of the fueling transaction through a register interface means, comprising the steps of:

(a) setting the price per unit of the fuel to be dispensed by a price command from said console means to said dispenser;

(b) authorizing said dispenser with an authorization command from said console means allowing said dispenser to dispense fuel;

(c) polling the status of said fuel dispenser by a status request command from said console means to determine if dispenser is idle, if the nozzle handle has been lifted and service is being requested at dispenser, or if dispenser is dispensing fuel;

(d) reading sales information at said dispenser by a sales information command from said console means where in turn said dispenser responds with the dollar and volume amount of fuel dispensed;

(e) down-loading from said console means said sales information to said cash register through said register interface means to said cash register including dollar amount of fuel dispensed; and

(f) posting in a designated department said sales information by said cash register as a sale.

6. The method as defined in claim 5, wherein step (e) is practiced by determining if the key board on said cash register is idle, if so locking out said keyboard and in turn outputting a key string including said sales information, after which said key board is unlocked.