Fuel pump with fuel mileage calculation option

• US 6,275,768 B1
• Filed: 04/28/2000
• Issued: 08/14/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 04/28/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Christy M. Zobell, Grant A. Zobell
• Original Assignee: Christy M. Zobell, Grant A. Zobell
• Inventors: Zobell, Christy M., Zobell, Grant A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Camby, Richard M.
• Application Number:
  US09/559,669
• Time in Patent Office: 473 Days
• Field of Search: 701/123, 701/27, 700/236, 700/237, 700/282, 700/283, 222/23, 141/94, 141/98, 137/551, 235/380, 235/384, 235/381, 235/382
• US Class Current: 701/123
• CPC Class Codes: B67D 7/222 involving digital counting
• CPC Class Codes: G01F 9/001 with electric, electro-mechanic or electronic means G01F9/008 and G01F9/02 take precedence

Abstract

A fuel dispensing pump capable of calculating and reporting specific fuel consumption of motor vehicles after refueling. The fuel pump has a computer, and a fuel measuring device, a keypad, and a display screen all functionally connected to the computer. A user enters the distance traveled or time of travel. The computer utilizes the entered distance or time value together with the quantity of measured dispensed fuel to derive a specific consumption value. This value is optionally displayed on the display screen. In a further option, the computer retains records for each user and calculates and reports specific fuel consumption over the period of time that the user has refueled in the past at the pump. Preferably, the pump has a printer for printing receipts, and the calculated value is printed on the receipt.

Claims

1. A method of calculating specific fuel consumption of a motor fuel at a fuel dispensing pump and reporting a resulting calculation to a user of the fuel dispensing pump, comprising the steps of:

providing a fuel dispensing pump comprising an internal computer, an input device comprising a keypad incorporated into an exterior face of said fuel dispensing pump and adapted to receive manually-entered data from a user, an output device, and a fuel measuring element, each operatively connected to the computer;

manually entering a travel parameter into the computer using said keypad;

calculating specific fuel consumption using measured quantity of fuel dispensed and the travel parameter entered into the computer; and

reporting the result of said calculation by the output device.

2. The method of calculating specific fuel consumption according to claim 1, comprising the further steps of

storing the entered travel parameter and the quantity of fuel dispensed into memory of the computer at each refueling,

automatically querying the user of the fuel pump as to whether the user desires that a specific fuel consumption calculation incorporating prior fuel consumption data for that user be performed,

requiring that the user respond to the query at the input device, and

performing and reporting a calculation of specific fuel consumption utilizing both prior fuel consumption data previously entered into memory and also fuel consumption data currently measured and currently entered into the input device, only responsive to an affirmative response to the query.

3. The method of calculating specific fuel consumption according to claim 1, wherein said output device comprises a display screen disposed proximate said keypad and adapted for displaying said result of said calculation thereupon.

4. The method of calculating specific fuel consumption according to claim 1, wherein said fuel dispensing pump further comprises a printer disposed at an interior region thereof and having paper disposed to receive indicia from the printer, said printer being adapted to discharge a printed document at a discharge opening external to said fuel dispensing pump, said indicia comprising at least said result of said calculation.

5. The method of calculating specific fuel consumption according to claim 1, comprising the further steps of automatically querying the user of the fuel pump as to whether the user desires that a specific fuel consumption calculation be performed,

requiring that the user respond to the query at the input device, and

performing and reporting a calculation of specific fuel consumption only responsive to an affirmative response to the query.

6. A method of calculating specific fuel consumption of a motor fuel at a fuel dispensing pump and reporting a resulting calculation to a user of the fuel dispensing pump, comprising the steps of:

providing a fuel dispensing pump connected to a computer and having a keypad having a plurality of individual keys communicably connected to the computer, a display screen communicably connected to the computer, a printer including a supply of paper, wherein the printer is communicably connected to the computer, a fuel measuring element communicably connected to the computer, and an authorizing device communicably connected to the computer;

automatically querying the user of the fuel pump as to whether the user desires that a specific fuel consumption calculation related to the current refueling be performed;

automatically querying the user of the fuel pump as to whether the user desires that a specific fuel consumption calculation related to the current refueling and all prior refuelings be performed;

requiring that the user respond to the queries by depressing keys of the keyboard;

entering a travel parameter into the computer by depressing keys of the keyboard;

storing in memory data corresponding to the travel parameter entered into the computer and data corresponding to the quantity of fuel dispensed and measured;

calculating specific fuel consumption using measured quantity of fuel dispensed and the travel parameter entered into the computer only responsive to an affirmative response to the query; and

printing values derived from the resulting calculation by the printer.

7. The apparatus for calculating specific fuel consumption of a motor fuel at a fuel dispensing pump according to claim 6, wherein said software is disposed to query the user automatically as to whether the user desire that a specific fuel consumption calculation be performed and reported, and said software proceeds to calculate specific fuel consumption only responsive to a predetermined signal entered into said input device by the user.

9. The apparatus for calculating specific fuel consumption of a motor fuel at a fuel dispensing pump according to claim 7, wherein said software is disposed to query the user automatically as to whether the user desires that a specific fuel consumption calculation based on recorded fuel consumption data, current measured dispensed fuel data, and currently entered travel parameter data be performed and reported, and wherein said software proceeds to calculate specific fuel consumption only responsive to a predetermined signal entered into said input device by the user.

8. Apparatus for calculating specific fuel consumption of a motor fuel at a fuel dispensing pump and reporting a resulting calculation to a user of the fuel dispensing pump, comprising:

a fuel dispensing pump having a fuel measuring element disposed to measure fuel dispensed and to generate a data signal corresponding to the amount of dispensed fuel measured, wherein said fuel measuring element is automatically communicably connected to a computer disposed within said fuel dispensing pump;

a data input device having a manual data entry element communicably connected to said computer and adapted to receive at least one travel parameter from a user; and

an output device communicably connected to said computer,

wherein said computer has software installed therein disposed to calculate specific fuel consumption responsive to entry of said at least one travel parameter into said data input device and to reception of said data signal corresponding to the amount of dispensed fuel measured.