System for establishing automatic access to fuel upright and method for filling up of a vehicle

• US 6,360,141 B1
• Filed: 02/28/2000
• Issued: 03/19/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 05/26/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Metax-Olie A/S
• Original Assignee: Metax-Olie A/S
• Inventors: Jensen, Anders Buus
• Primary Examiner(s): Ellis, Christopher P.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Butler, Michael E.
• Application Number:
  US09/424,696
• Time in Patent Office: 750 Days
• Field of Search: 700/236, 700/241, 700/244, 700/237, 704/175
• US Class Current: 700/237
• CPC Class Codes: B67D 7/145 by wireless communication means, e.g. RF, transponders or the like
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/04 Payment circuits
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/20 Point-of-sale [POS] network systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/322 Aspects of commerce using mobile devices [M-devices]
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 13/025 wherein the volume is determined during delivery
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 5/18 specially adapted for controlling several coin-freed apparatus from one place
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 9/001 Interfacing with vending machines using mobile or wearable devices
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 9/002 Vending machines being part of a centrally controlled network of vending machines

Abstract

System for establishing autonatic access to a fuel pump comprising at least one decentral control unit (3), said control unit (3) comprising means which regulate the fuel pumps (7) associated with a service station, and a central control unit (2), at least one of the control units (2, 3) comprising means which are activated by wireless signals transmitted from a mobile telephone, said means comprising central means for the linking together of a first unique code (13) belonging to the mobile telephone (1) with the identification number of the same telephone, and the linking together of number and/or code (B) with the data lying in the unit, and that the decentral control unit comprises decentral means for the linking together of a second code (C), which is unique for the fuel pump and which is entered via the telephone, with the status associated with the pump, and which are activated by the wireless signals transmitted from the mobile telephone. There is hereby achieved a system with extra great security, and the system does not require the installation of card units at each individual station. The delivery and production of cards is also avoided.

Claims

1. System for establishing automatic access to fuel pumps comprising at least one central control unit and at least one decentral control unit, which decentral control unit controls and activates the fuel pumps chosen, and said decentral control unit including means which regulate the fuel pumps associated with a service station, characterized in that:

said central control unit and said decentral control unit comprise a voice response system;

said central control unit and said decentral control unit comprises means which are activated by the wireless signals transmitted from a mobile telephone;

said means comprise central means for the linking together of a first unique code associated with the mobile telephone with the identification number of the same telephone and the linking together of a number or a code with data stored in the central control unit; and

in that the decentral control unit comprises decentral means for linking a code which is unique for the fuel pump and a code entered via the mobile telephone with status associated with the pump, and which are activated by the wireless signals transmitted from the mobile telephone.

2. System according to claim 1, characterized in that the central and decentral control units constitute a total and physically integrated system.

3. System according to claim 1 characterized in that access to the system is established by means of a code which is general for all users.

4. System according to claim 1, characterized in that the central means comprise a computer unit with storage and control units and communication hardware.

5. System according to claim 1, characterized in that the decentral means comprise a computer unit with storage and control units and communication hardware.

6. System according to claim 1, characterized in that with each first unique-code (B) and telephone identification number there is associated a databank which comprises means for the collection and processing of the new data received during the filling up of a vehicle.

7. Method for filling up of a vehicle with fuel comprising the entering of a second code for the activation of a fuel pump and using a system comprising at least one central control unit and at least one decentral control unit, which decentral control unit controls and activates the fuel pumps chosen, and said decentral control unit including means which regulate the fuel pumps associated with a service station, the system characterized in that said central control unit and said decentral control unit comprise a voice response system, means which are activated by the wireless signals transmitted from a mobile telephone, and central means for the linking together of a first unique code associated with the mobile telephone with the identification number of the same telephone and the linking together of a number or a code with data stored in the central control unit;

and in that the decentral control unit comprises decentral means for linking a code which is unique for the fuel pump and a code entered via the mobile telephone with status associated with the pump, and which are activated by the wireless signals transmitted from the mobile telephone, the method characterized in that;

before the second code is entered, a general code for the central control unit is entered followed by a first unique code associated with the mobile telephone,

the entering of the codes takes place from a mobile and wireless telephone to the voice response system,

a wireless signal is transmitted by the mobile telephone, said signal activating the control unit, and

the central control unit links the first unique code together with data for this code stored in the central control unit.

8. Method according to claim 7, characterized in that the second code is entered via the mobile telephone and after the first code, said second code activating the decentral unit associated with the fuel pump.