Fuel pump system with automated transaction processing

• US 5,859,416 A
• Filed: 05/01/1996
• Issued: 01/12/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 05/01/1996
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Arigern Capital LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Original Assignee: James G. Gatto
• Inventors: Gatto, James G.
• Primary Examiner(s): Gross, Anita Pellman
• Assistant Examiner(s): FRECH, KARL D
• Application Number:
  US08/641,422
• Time in Patent Office: 986 Days
• Field of Search: 235/384, 235/381, 235/380, 902/22
• US Class Current: 235/384
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/342 Cards defining paid or billed services or quantities
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 13/025 wherein the volume is determined during delivery
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 7/00 Mechanisms actuated by objects other than coins to free or to actuate vending, hiring, coin or paper currency dispensing or refunding apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 7/025 by means, e.g. cards, providing billing information at the time of purchase, e.g. identification of seller or purchaser, quantity of goods delivered or to be delivered

Abstract

A fuel pump system with automated transaction processing enables a purchaser to define a plurality of fuel pump transactions by selecting various transaction parameters that define the transaction and store the predefined transactions on a storage medium (e.g. on an identification card bearing a magnetic strip). Then, at a fuel pump, the purchaser can pass the identification card through a magnetic card reader that reads the stored transaction information and a controller can cause the stored transaction(s) to be displayed so that a purchaser can select a transaction for execution. The purchaser may enter a single input to select a transaction, thereby simplifying and further expediting the transaction and automated processing thereof. The transaction parameters may include one or more of the form of payment (debit card, credit card, etc.), where the transaction is to be executed (e.g. at the pump or "inside"), the type and grade of fuel to be purchased (e.g. regular unleaded, premium unleaded, diesel etc.), the amount of fuel to be purchased (e.g. dollar amount, number of gallons, or fill-up) and whether or not a receipt should be printed upon completion of the transaction.

Claims

1. A fuel pump system with automated transaction processing comprising:

purchase unique storage medium for storing at least one purchaser-defined transaction;

at least one fuel pump; and

at least one transaction processor operatively connected to the fuel pump for automated processing of transactions involving the purchase of fuel from the fuel pump, the at least one transaction processor including;

reader means for reading information stored on the storage medium, including the purchaser-defined transaction information;

display means for displaying a transaction menu comprising at least one choice corresponding to one of the purchaser-defined transactions;

input means for enabling a purchaser to select a transaction from the transaction menu; and

control means for processing the selected transaction.

2. The system of claim 1 where the input means comprises at least one of:

a key of a keypad;

a portion of the display means; and

a pointing device.

3. The system of claim 1 further comprising identification means for identifying a purchaser prior to execution of a transaction.

4. The system of claim 3 where the display means displays a transaction menu customized for the identified purchaser.

5. The system of claim 4 where the transaction menu comprises at least one choice for a stored purchaser-defined transaction and one choice for a standard menu.

6. The system of claim 3 where the identification means comprises at least one of a card reader and means for identifying a purchaser based on a physical characteristic of the purchaser.

7. The system of claim 6 where the means for identifying a purchaser based on a physical characteristic of the purchaser comprises at least one of:

a fingerprint identification device;

a voice recognition unit; and

an eye scanner.

8. The system of claim 1 further comprising means for storing transaction data relating to an executed transaction.

9. The system of claim 8 where the transaction data comprises at least one of:

the price of the fuel;

the day, date and time of the transaction;

the location of the transaction; and

the total purchase price for the transaction.

10. The system of claim 8 further comprising means for storing data not necessary for executing a transaction for the purchase of fuel.

11. The system of claim 10 wherein at least some of the transaction data and data not necessary for executing a transaction for the purchase of fuel are used to generate information relating to one or more of the purchaser'"'"'s transactions.

12. The system of claim 11 where the transaction data comprises the amount of fuel purchased during a transaction, the data not necessary for executing a transaction comprises an odometer reading of a vehicle into which fuel is pumped, and the information relating to the purchaser'"'"'s transactions comprises fuel efficiency information for the vehicle.

13. The system of claim 1 further comprising means for storing purchaser selected data not necessary for executing a transaction for the purchase of fuel.

14. The system of claim 13 where the data comprises an odometer reading of a vehicle into which fuel is pumped.

15. The system of claim 13 where the control means controls the fuel pump to automatically turn off the fuel pump when the specified amount of fuel has been pumped.

16. The system of claim 1 where the purchaser-defined transaction comprises a transaction parameter specifying the amount of fuel to be pumped.

17. The system of claim 1 where the means for storing comprises at least one of a magnetic storage medium, an optical storage medium, and a smart card.

18. A fuel pump system with automated transaction processing comprising:

at least one fuel pump capable of selectively enabling controlled amounts of one or more types of fuel to be pumped;

a transaction processor, operatively connected to the fuel pump, for processing transactions involving the pumping of fuel from the fuel pump, said transaction processor comprising;

a controller;

means for communicating with the controller and storing one or more purchaser-defined transactions comprising purchaser selected transaction parameters;

a display, operatively connected to the controller, for displaying transaction information, including purchaser-defined transactions; and

input means, operatively connected to the controller, for enabling the purchaser to select one of the purchaser-defined transactions;

wherein the transaction controller receives from the input means an indication of the purchaser-defined transaction to be executed and is operable to enable the transaction to be executed according to the transaction parameters associated with the selected transaction.

19. The system of claim 18, wherein the transaction information comprises at least one of:

a form of payment;

where payment is to be made;

purchaser account information;

a type of fuel to be pumped;

an amount of fuel to be pumped and whether a printed record of the transaction should be printed upon completion of the transaction.

20. In a fuel pump system with automated transaction processing, a method comprising the steps of:

(a) storing at least one purchaser-defined transaction relating to the purchase of fuel;

(b) reading the at least one stored purchaser-defined transaction;

(c) displaying a transaction menu comprising at least one of the purchaser-defined transactions;

(d) selecting a transaction from the transaction menu;

(e) pumping fuel; and

(f) automatically processing the transaction.