Electronic filter status sensor
First Claim
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1. A fuel dispenser having filter status sensing comprising:
- a fuel delivery path adapted for delivering fuel from a storage tank to a vehicle;
a fuel filter in said delivery path for filtering fuel flowing in said delivery path;
a flow monitor in the delivery path for measuring fuel flow in said delivery path; and
a controller associated with said flow monitor adapted to determine and compare a first flow rate determined during a first cycle with a second flow rate determined during a subsequent cycle and provide a filter status signal when said first and second flow rates differ by more than a predetermined amount indicative of an unclean filter.
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Abstract
A fuel dispenser having a filter status sensor includes a fuel delivery path for delivering fuel from a station storage tank to a vehicle; a fuel filter in the delivery path for filtering fuel flowing in the delivery path; a flow monitor in the delivery path for measuring fuel flow in the delivery path; and a controller associated with the flow monitor adapted to determine and compare a first flow rate taken during a first cycle with a second flow rate taken during a second cycle. The controller provides a filter status signal when the first and second flow rates differ by more than a predetermined difference indicative of an unclean fuel filter.
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Citations
49 Claims
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1. A fuel dispenser having filter status sensing comprising:
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a fuel delivery path adapted for delivering fuel from a storage tank to a vehicle; a fuel filter in said delivery path for filtering fuel flowing in said delivery path; a flow monitor in the delivery path for measuring fuel flow in said delivery path; and a controller associated with said flow monitor adapted to determine and compare a first flow rate determined during a first cycle with a second flow rate determined during a subsequent cycle and provide a filter status signal when said first and second flow rates differ by more than a predetermined amount indicative of an unclean filter. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. A fuel dispenser having filter status sensing comprising:
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a fuel delivery path adapted for delivering fuel from a storage tank to a vehicle; a fuel filter in said delivery path for filtering fuel flowing in said delivery path; a flow meter in the delivery path for providing volumetric pulses representative of an amount of fuel flowing in said delivery path; and a controller associated with said flow meter and first and second memory locations;
said controller adapted to;receive the volumetric pulses and calculate actual flow rates by monitoring a number of the volumetric pulses occurring over a predetermined time interval; store a first maximum flow rate based on the actual flow rates monitored during a first cycle in said first memory location and update said first maximum flow rate when a flow rate higher than the first maximum flow rate stored in said first memory location occurs during said first cycle; store a second maximum flow rate based on the actual flow rates monitored during a second cycle in said second memory location and update said second maximum flow rate when a flow rate higher than the second maximum flow rate stored in said second memory location occurs during said second cycle; compare said first maximum flow rate with said second maximum flow rate; and provide a filter status signal when said first and second flow rates differ by more than a predetermined amount. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26)
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27. A fuel dispenser computer for use in a fuel dispenser having a fuel delivery path, a filter along the delivery path and a flow monitor providing a flow signal representative of a quantity of fuel flow to the computer, said computer comprising a controller and memory associated with said controller adapted to:
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receive the flow signal representative of a quantity of fuel flow during a plurality of fueling operations; determine current flow rates based on the quantity of fuel flow per unit of time; compare the current flow rates with a first maximum flow rate value stored in a first memory location during a first cycle; store the current flow rate in said first memory location if the current flow rate is greater than the first maximum flow rate value stored in said first memory location during the first cycle; compare the current flow rate value with a second maximum flow rate value stored in a second memory location during a second cycle; store the current flow rate in said second memory location if the current flow rate is greater than the second maximum flow rate value stored in said second memory location during the second cycle; compare the first maximum flow rate value and the second maximum flow rate value after the first and second cycles; and provide a filter status signal if the first and second maximum flow rate values differ by more than a predetermined difference. - View Dependent Claims (28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38)
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39. A method for providing a filter status signal associated with a fuel dispenser having a fuel delivery path, a filter along the delivery path and a flow monitor providing a flow signal representative of a quantity of fuel flow to the computer, said method comprising:
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generating a flow signal representative of a quantity of fuel flow during a plurality of fueling operations; determining current flow rates based on the quantity of fuel flow per unit of time; comparing the current flow rate with a first maximum flow rate value stored in a first memory location during a first cycle; storing the current flow rate in the first memory location if the current flow rate is greater than the first maximum flow rate value stored in said first memory location during the first cycle; comparing the current flow rate with a second maximum flow rate value stored in a second memory location during a second cycle; storing the current flow rate in the second memory location if the current flow rate is greater than the second maximum flow rate value stored in the second memory location during the second cycle; comparing the first maximum flow rate value and the second maximum flow rate value after the first and second cycles; and providing a filter status signal when the first and second maximum flow rate values differ by more than a predetermined difference. - View Dependent Claims (40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46)
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47. A fuel dispenser filter status system comprising:
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a fuel delivery path adapted for delivering fuel from a storage tank to a vehicle; a fuel filter in said delivery path for filtering fuel flowing in said delivery path; a flow monitor in said delivery path for measuring fuel flow in said delivery path; and a controller associated with said flow monitor adapted to determine and compare a first flow rate taken during a first cycle with a predefined flow rate and provide a filter status signal when said first and predefined flow rates differ by more than a predetermined difference.
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48. A filter status system for providing a filter status signal when a fuel filter in a fuel delivery path is unclean comprising:
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a fuel dispenser having a fuel delivery path adapted for delivering fuel to a vehicle a filter in the fuel delivery path for filtering liquid flowing in said delivery path; a flow monitor in the fuel delivery path for measuring flow in said delivery path; and a fuel dispenser controller associated with said flow monitor adapted to determine and compare a first flow rate taken during a first cycle with a predefined flow rate and provide a filter status signal when said first and predefined flow rates differ by more than a predetermined difference.
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49. A method for providing a filter status signal comprising:
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determining current flow rates based on a quantity of fuel flow per unit of time; comparing the current flow rate with a first maximum flow rate value occurring during a first cycle; storing the current flow rate if the current flow rate is greater than the first maximum flow rate value occurring during the first cycle; comparing the current flow rate with a second maximum flow rate value occurring during a second cycle; storing the current flow rate if the current flow rate is greater than the second maximum flow rate value occurring during the second cycle; comparing the first maximum flow rate value and the second maximum flow rate value after the first and second cycles; and providing a filter status signal when the first and second maximum flow rate values differ by more than a predetermined difference.
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Specification