Precision fuel dispenser
First Claim
1. An intelligent, precision fuel dispenser comprising:
- a fuel dispenser for delivering fuel along a fuel delivery path to a vehicle;
a receiver adapted to remotely receive ullage related fueling parameters from the vehicle to be fueled;
flow rate control hardware for controlling the flow rate of fuel to the vehicle during a fueling operation; and
a control system operatively associated with said receiver and said flow rate control hardware for regulating the fuel flow rate in said fuel delivery path during at least a portion of fuel delivery for the fueling operation based on the ullage related fueling parameters received from the vehicle.
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Accused Products
Abstract
The invention provides a fuel dispenser for a dispensing system having a receiver capable of receiving fueling parameters transmitted from the vehicle. The fueling parameters relate to information about tank size, ullage, maximum allowed fueling rates and maximum fueling rates as a function of ullage, among others. Based on these fueling parameters, the fuel dispenser controls the fueling operation to optimize fuel delivery and minimize fuel spillage. Control of the fueling operation may vary from simply adjusting the delivery rate to a maximum allowed by the vehicle to defining a fueling schedule for the entire fueling operation wherein the fueling schedule defines a fueling process which varies flow rates throughout the fueling operation as necessary to optimize fueling. Additionally, the dispenser may continuously adjust the maximum fueling rate throughout the fueling operation based upon a fueling parameter defining the maximum fueling rate as a function of ullage.
The dispenser may also control the fueling operation based on fueling parameters received from the vehicle in combination with fueling regulations mandated by various regulatory bodies. In such embodiments, the dispenser may optimize the fueling operation while abiding by both vehicular and regulatory limitations, such as maximum allowable delivery rates and predefined average fuel rates for all or various portions of the fueling operation.
62 Citations
66 Claims
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1. An intelligent, precision fuel dispenser comprising:
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a fuel dispenser for delivering fuel along a fuel delivery path to a vehicle; a receiver adapted to remotely receive ullage related fueling parameters from the vehicle to be fueled; flow rate control hardware for controlling the flow rate of fuel to the vehicle during a fueling operation; and a control system operatively associated with said receiver and said flow rate control hardware for regulating the fuel flow rate in said fuel delivery path during at least a portion of fuel delivery for the fueling operation based on the ullage related fueling parameters received from the vehicle. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
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- 20. A fuel dispenser comprising a fuel delivery system adapted to control fuel flow rate and a receiver associated with said delivery system adapted to receive signals from a vehicle including ullage related fueling parameters for the vehicle, said delivery system controlling fuel delivery rate for at least a portion of fuel delivery during a fueling operation based on the ullage related fueling parameters received from the vehicle.
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47. A method of controlling fuel delivery comprising:
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providing a fuel dispenser having a receiver adapted to remotely receive ullage related fueling parameters from a vehicle; receiving the ullage related fueling parameters from the vehicle at a fuel dispenser during a fueling operation; initializing the fuel dispenser for fuel delivery; and controlling fuel delivery, during at least a portion of fuel delivery, to the vehicle based on the received ullage related fueling parameters. - View Dependent Claims (48, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 56, 57, 58)
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59. A fuel dispenser comprising:
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a fuel dispenser for delivering fuel along a fuel delivery path; a receiver adapted to remotely receive a vehicle fueling parameter from a vehicle to be fueled, the parameter bearing on fuel delivery flow rates for the vehicle during at least a portion of fuel delivery; means for controlling the flow rate of fuel to the vehicle during a fueling operation; and a control system operatively associated with said receiver and said means for controlling the flow rate, said control system adapted to regulate the fuel delivery flow rate during the portion of fueling based on the parameter relating to fuel delivery rate received from the vehicle; wherein the parameter relates to fuel tank ullage and said control system is configured to regulate the fuel delivery flow rate during the portion of fuel delivery based on the fuel tank ullage. - View Dependent Claims (60, 61, 62, 63, 64)
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65. A fuel dispenser comprising:
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a fuel dispenser for delivering fuel along a fuel delivery path; a receiver adapted to remotely receive a vehicle fueling parameter from a vehicle to be fueled, the parameter bearing on fuel delivery flow rates for the vehicle during at least a portion of fuel delivery; means for controlling the flow rate of fuel to the vehicle during a fueling operation; and a control system operatively associated with said receiver and said means for controlling the flow rate, said control system adapted to regulate the fuel delivery flow rate during the portion of fueling based on the parameter relating to fuel delivery rate received from the vehicle; wherein the parameter relates to fuel tank ullage and said control system is configured to regulate the fuel delivery flow rate during the portion of fuel delivery based on the fuel tank ullage, and said control system is configured to regulate the fuel delivery flow rate at a constant flow rate during the portion of fuel delivery.
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66. A fuel dispenser comprising:
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a fuel dispenser for delivering fuel along a fuel delivery path; a receiver adapted to remotely receive a vehicle fueling parameter from a vehicle to be fueled, the parameter bearing on fuel delivery flow rates for the vehicle during at least a portion of fuel delivery; means for controlling the flow rate of fuel to the vehicle during a fueling operation; and a control system operatively associated with said receiver and said means for controlling the flow rate, said control system adapted to regulate the fuel delivery flow rate during the portion of fueling based on the parameter relating to fuel delivery rate received from the vehicle; wherein the parameter relates to fuel tank ullage and said control system is configured to regulate the fuel delivery flow rate during the portion of fuel delivery based on the fuel tank ullage, and said control system is configured to regulate the fuel delivery flow rate according to a determined fueling schedule during the portion of fuel delivery.
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Specification