Method of delivering petroleum and similar products using electronic identification tags and reading probe
First Claim
1. A method for ensuring accurate delivery of petroleum or similar products from a storage facility to the storage tanks of a customer comprising:
- (a) providing each of the storage tanks with a machine-readable identifier carrying encoded information;
(b) providing a delivery truck having an outlet spigot to which a delivery hose may be connected, said spigot having a further machine-readable identifier affixed to it;
(c) providing to a driver of the delivery truck a load ticket having information thereon concerning a delivery to be made and a digital probe device having a microprocessor and a RAM memory storing therein at least some of the information from the load ticket;
(d) loading said delivery truck at the storage facility with a product in accordance with the information contained on said load ticket;
(e) transporting said product to the customer;
(f) using said digital probe to read said machine-readable identifiers on said storage tanks and on said spigot;
(g) comparing information read from said machine-readable identifiers with information stored in said RAM memory for matching the product contained in said delivery truck with the proper one of said storage tanks of said customer; and
(h) transferring the product from said delivery truck into said matching storage tank of said customer.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A method of delivering petroleum and similar products that ensures the accurate delivery of products, in accordance with the instructions on a series of load tickets, from a refinery, storage terminal, or other bulk storage facility to the tanks of a wholesaler, retailer or end-user. The method of delivery includes the use of a probe having digital memory and capable of comparing input signals with stored data. Each use of the probe is recorded, stored in memory, and later downloaded to a computer system to verify the drivers'"'"' compliance with the instructions of the series of load tickets.
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Citations
17 Claims
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1. A method for ensuring accurate delivery of petroleum or similar products from a storage facility to the storage tanks of a customer comprising:
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(a) providing each of the storage tanks with a machine-readable identifier carrying encoded information; (b) providing a delivery truck having an outlet spigot to which a delivery hose may be connected, said spigot having a further machine-readable identifier affixed to it; (c) providing to a driver of the delivery truck a load ticket having information thereon concerning a delivery to be made and a digital probe device having a microprocessor and a RAM memory storing therein at least some of the information from the load ticket; (d) loading said delivery truck at the storage facility with a product in accordance with the information contained on said load ticket; (e) transporting said product to the customer; (f) using said digital probe to read said machine-readable identifiers on said storage tanks and on said spigot; (g) comparing information read from said machine-readable identifiers with information stored in said RAM memory for matching the product contained in said delivery truck with the proper one of said storage tanks of said customer; and (h) transferring the product from said delivery truck into said matching storage tank of said customer. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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8. A method for ensuring accurate delivery of petroleum or similar products from a storage facility to the storage tanks of a customer comprising:
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(a) providing each of said storage tanks with a machine-readable tag carrying encoded information; (b) providing a truck partitioned into a plurality of compartments for transporting a different product in each compartment, each compartment having an outlet spigot to which a delivery hose may be connected, each of said spigots having a machine-readable tag affixed to it; (c) providing to a driver of the truck a load ticket having information thereon concerning a delivery or deliveries to be made, and a digital probe device having a microprocessor and a RAM memory for storing at least some of the information from the load ticket; (d) loading each of said compartments at the storage facility with products in accordance with the information contained on said load ticket; (e) transporting said products to the customers; (f) using said digital probe to read said machine-readable tags on said tanks and on said spigots; (g) comparing information read from said machine-readable tags with information stored in said RAM memory for matching the products contained in each of said compartments with the proper one of said tanks at said customer; and (h) transferring said products from said matching compartments into said matching tanks of said customer. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. A method for ensuring accurate delivery of petroleum or similar products from a storage facility to the storage tanks of a customer comprising:
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(a) providing each of said storage tanks with a machine-readable tag carrying encoded information; (b) providing a truck partitioned into a plurality of compartments for transporting a different product in each compartment, each compartment having an outlet valve controlling the flow of product to a meter and delivery hose, each of said outlet valves having a machine-readable tag affixed to it; (c) providing to a driver of the truck a load ticket having information thereon Concerning a delivery or deliveries to be made, and a digital probe device having a microprocessor and a RAM memory for storing at least some of the information from the load ticket; (d) loading each of said compartments at the storage facility with products in accordance with the information contained on said load ticket; (e) transporting said products to the customers; (f) using said digital probe to read said machine-readable tags on said tanks and on said outlet valves; (g) comparing information read from said machine-readable tags with information stored in said RAM memory for matching the products contained in each of said compartments with the proper one of said tanks at said customer; and (h) transferring said products from said matching compartments into said matching tanks of said customer. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17)
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Specification