Intelligent fueling
First Claim
1. A fuel delivery system capable of determining a vehicle'"'"'s position relative to a unique fueling position comprising:
- a fuel dispenser having two opposite sides and a fueling position at each of said opposite sides said fueling positions being approachable by a vehicle to be fueled when the vehicle reaches the fueling position;
a controller operatively associated with said fuel dispenser;
communication electronics having two receivers associated with said controller and configuredto receive a signal emitted from a transmitter on the vehicle;
said controller adapted to determine a relative proximity of the vehicle to both of said fueling positions by measuring a characteristic of the signal emitted from the transmitter received at each said receiver and to determine the particular fueling position at which the vehicle is located based on the relative proximity of the vehicle to the two fueling positions.
3 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
The present invention provides a fuel dispenser system capable of receiving a signal from a vehicle transponder. Upon receiving the transponder'"'"'s signal, the dispenser determines the proximity of the vehicle relative to the dispenser, and preferably, a particular fueling position associated with that dispenser. Proximity is determined by measuring one or more characteristics of the signal received at an antenna associated with the dispenser. Generally, the strength or magnitude of the signal received at the antenna is the characteristic used to determine vehicle proximity. Multiple directionally sensitive antennas are used to correlate a vehicle at a unique fueling position. The controller is configured to receive a signal from the transponder indicative of the presence of an ORVR system on the vehicle. Depending on the sophistication of the communication link between the transponder and dispenser, the dispenser will control its vapor recovery system accordingly. If an ORVR equipped vehicle is detected, the dispenser may deactivate the dispenser'"'"'s vapor recovery system or modify the vapor recovery system performance to maximize vapor recovery or retrieve a sufficient amount of air to reduce breathing of the underground storage tank.
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Citations
106 Claims
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1. A fuel delivery system capable of determining a vehicle'"'"'s position relative to a unique fueling position comprising:
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a fuel dispenser having two opposite sides and a fueling position at each of said opposite sides said fueling positions being approachable by a vehicle to be fueled when the vehicle reaches the fueling position; a controller operatively associated with said fuel dispenser; communication electronics having two receivers associated with said controller and configured to receive a signal emitted from a transmitter on the vehicle; said controller adapted to determine a relative proximity of the vehicle to both of said fueling positions by measuring a characteristic of the signal emitted from the transmitter received at each said receiver and to determine the particular fueling position at which the vehicle is located based on the relative proximity of the vehicle to the two fueling positions. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 49, 50)
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48. A fuel delivery system capable of determining a vehicle'"'"'s position relative to a unique fueling position comprising:
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a fuel dispenser having opposite sides and a fueling position at each of said opposite sides, each said fueling position adapted to fuel a vehicle when the vehicle reaches the fueling position; a controller operatively associated with said fuel dispenser; and communication means operatively associated with said controller and adapted to receive a signal emitted from the vehicle at locations corresponding to each said side of said dispenser; said controller adapted to determine a relative location of the vehicle to each said side of said dispenser by measuring a characteristic of the signal emitted from the vehicle and received at each said location corresponding to each side of said dispenser via said communication means. - View Dependent Claims (51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 56, 57, 58, 59, 60, 61, 62, 63, 64, 65, 66, 67, 68, 69, 70, 71, 72, 73, 74, 75, 76, 77, 78, 79, 80, 81, 82, 83, 84, 85, 86)
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87. A fuel dispenser capable of determining a vehicle'"'"'s position relative to a unique fueling position comprising:
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multiple fueling positions; a controller; a receiver operatively associated with said controller; and at least one antenna operatively associated with said receiver to receive a signal emitted from a transmitter on the vehicle; said controller adapted to determine a relative proximity of the vehicle to one said fueling position by measuring a characteristic of the signal emitted from the transmitter and received at said antenna.
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88. A fuel delivery system capable of controlling a fuel dispenser'"'"'s vapor recovers system based on the presence of an on-board vapor recovery system on a vehicle comprising:
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a fuel dispenser having a vapor recovery system for retrieving fuel vapor expelled from a fuel tank of the vehicle; a controller operatively associated with said fuel dispenser and adapted to control operation of the vapor recovery system; a receiver operatively associated with said controller; and an antenna operatively associated with said receiver to receive a signal emitted from a transmitter on the vehicle; said controller adapted to determine the presence of the on-board vapor recovery system of the vehicle upon receiving the signal emitted from the transmitter and control the vapor recovery system accordingly, wherein said controller is adapted to determine a relative proximity of the vehicle to a fueling position of said dispenser by measuring a characteristic of the signal emitted from the transmitter received at said receiver.
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89. A fuel delivery system capable of controlling a fuel dispenser'"'"'s vapor recovery system based on the presence of an on-board vapor recovery system on a vehicle comprising:
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a fuel dispenser having a vapor recovery system for retrieving fuel vapor expelled from a fuel tank of the vehicle; a controller operatively associated with said fuel dispenser and adapted to control operation of the vapor recovery system; a receiver operatively associated with said controller; and an antenna operatively associated with said receiver to receive a signal emitted from a transmitter on the vehicle; said controller adapted to determine the presence of the on-board vapor recovery system of the vehicle upon receiving the signal emitted from the transmitter and control the vapor recovery system accordingly, wherein said controller is adapted to determine a relative location of the vehicle to a fueling position of said dispenser by measuring a characteristic of the signal emitted from the transmitter received at two or more of said receivers.
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90. A fuel delivery system capable of determining the presence of a vehicle relative to a unique fueling position and controlling a fuel dispenser'"'"'s vapor recovery system based on the presence of an on-board vapor recovery system on a vehicle comprising:
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a fuel dispenser having multiple fueling positions and a vapor recovery system for retrieving fuel vapor expelled from a fuel tank of the vehicle; a controller operatively associated with said fuel dispenser and adapted to control operation of the vapor recovery system; a receiver operatively associated with said controller; and at least two antennas operatively associated with said receiver to receive a signal emitted from a transmitter on the vehicle; said controller adapted to determine; a) the location of a vehicle relative to one said fueling position by measuring a characteristic of the signal received at each said antenna and b) the presence of the on-board vapor recovery system of the vehicle upon receiving the signal emitted from the transmitter and control the vapor recovery system accordingly. - View Dependent Claims (91, 92, 93, 94, 95, 96, 97, 98, 99, 100, 101, 102, 103, 104, 105, 106)
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Specification