Method of providing automated remote control of the operation of multiple refueling stations

• US 6,367,516 B1
• Filed: 04/22/1999
• Issued: 04/09/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 12/22/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Tokheim Holding B.V. (Dover Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Tokheim Sas (Cognetas LLP)
• Inventors: Goggin, William, Christman, Gary L.
• Primary Examiner(s): JACYNA, J CASIMER
• Application Number:
  US09/296,830
• Time in Patent Office: 1,083 Days
• Field of Search: 141/1, 141/94, 141/98, 141/231, 705/413, 700/231, 700/232, 700/236, 700/237, 700/282, 700/283
• US Class Current: 141/1
• CPC Class Codes: B67D 2007/0442 interface for orders and payments
• CPC Class Codes: B67D 2007/0473 optically
• CPC Class Codes: B67D 7/0401 arrangements for automatically fuelling vehicles, i.e. without human intervention
• CPC Class Codes: B67D 7/145 by wireless communication means, e.g. RF, transponders or the like
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/06 Energy or water supply
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/008 communicating information to a remotely located station transmission systems for measured values G08C
• 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 9/002 Vending machines being part of a centrally controlled network of vending machines

Abstract

A central system controller located at a remote service facility performs the centralized processing of the various refueling transaction requests originating from a network of service station sites. The transaction request is transmitted by the customer from a vehicle RF transceiver to a dispenser equipped RF transceiver where it is routed through an on-site dedicated controller to the central system controller over a long-haul communications link. The central system controller processes the transaction and directs the dedicated controller to render operative control of the fuel dispenser and an associated hydraulic arm assembly that selectively maneuvers the nozzle assembly into fueling engagement with the vehicle in an automated fashion. The central system controller is connected to other commercial retailers such as online merchants to permit the customer to request additional transactions unrelated to the refueling activity.

Claims

1. A method of delivering fuel to a vehicle positioned at a service station site, said service station site including a fuel dispensing assembly arranged to operatively provide fuel to said vehicle, said fuel dispensing assembly having a nozzle assembly, said method comprising the steps of:

providing a remote system controller disposed remote from said service station site;

generating at said service station site information relating to a refueling transaction request associated with said vehicle;

transmitting the generated information from said service station site to said remote system controller;

said remote system controller operatively performing the steps of processing the refueling transaction request associated with the information received from said service station site and generating control commands based on the processing activity for said refueling transaction request, said generated control commands being representative of a selectable refueling operation for said vehicle;

said fuel dispensing assembly placing the nozzle assembly of said fuel dispensing assembly into a selective one of engagement and disengagement with respect to a fuel inlet of said vehicle in accordance with the control commands generated by said remote system controller;

operating said fuel dispensing assembly in accordance with the control commands generated by said remote system controller to fuel said vehicle; and

providing a communications network operatively connected to said remote system controller, said communications network being arranged to provide communications access to at least one merchant to enable the execution of a transaction therewith by said remote system controller in accordance with an associated transaction request operatively transmitted from said service station site to said remote system controller.

2. The method as recited in claim 1, further comprises the steps of:

generating at said service station site a commercial transaction request relating to commercial activity involving a selective one of said at least one merchant;

transmitting the generated commercial transaction request to said remote system controller; and

said remote system controller performing the steps of processing the commercial transaction request transmitted thereto and conducting a transaction with the corresponding one of said at least one merchant associated with said commercial transaction request in accordance with the processing activity for said commercial transaction request.

3. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the step of providing a communications network further includes the steps of:

providing an internet facility including a respective electronic commerce site for each one of said at least one merchant that enables the operative processing of transaction requests characterized by electronic commerce activity.

4. A method of delivering fuel to a vehicle positioned at a service station site, said service station site including a fuel dispensing assembly arranged to operatively provide fuel to said vehicle, said fuel dispensing assembly having a nozzle assembly, said method comprising the steps of:

providing an actuator assembly operatively associated with said fuel dispensing assembly, said actuator assembly being operative in response to suitable control commands applied thereto to controllably cause said nozzle assembly to be placed into a selective one of mating fueling engagement with the vehicle fuel inlet and disengagement from the vehicle fuel inlet;

providing a control assembly operatively connected to said fuel dispensing assembly and operatively connected to said actuator assembly;

wirelessly transmitting from said vehicle to said control assembly information relating to a refueling transaction request associated with said vehicle;

providing a remote operations facility disposed remote from said service station site;

transmitting from said control assembly to said remote operations facility the information wirelessly transmitted to said control assembly;

said remote operations facility performing the steps of processing the information received from said control assembly to make a refueling decision regarding a selective one of approval and denial of the refueling transaction request, generating control commands based on the information processing activity, and transmitting the generated control commands to said control assembly, said generated control commands being representative of a selectable refueling operation for said vehicle;

said control assembly operatively controlling the operation of said actuator assembly and the operation of said fuel dispensing assembly in accordance with the control commands received from said remote operations facility; and

providing a communications network operatively connected to said remote operations facility, said communications network being arranged to provide communications access to at least one merchant to enable the execution of a transaction therewith by said remote operations facility in accordance with an associated transaction request operatively received from said control assembly.

5. The method as recited in claim 4, further comprises the steps of:

transmitting from said first wireless communications device to said second wireless communications device a commercial transaction request relating to commercial activity involving a selective one of said at least one merchant;

transmitting the commercial transaction request received by said second wireless communications device to said remote operations facility; and

said remote operations facility performing the steps of processing the commercial transaction request transmitted thereto and conducting a transaction with the corresponding one of said at least one merchant associated with said commercial transaction request in accordance with the processing activity for said commercial transaction request.

6. The method as recited in claim 5, wherein the step of providing a communications network further includes the steps of:

providing an internet facility including a respective electronic commerce site for each one of said at least one merchant that enables the operative processing of transaction requests characterized by electronic commerce activity.

7. A method of handling a plurality of refueling transaction requests each associated with a respective one of a plurality of vehicles each positioned for refueling at an associated one of a plurality of service station sites, each one of said plurality of vehicles being operatively associated with a respective fuel dispensing assembly having a respective nozzle assembly and being arranged to operatively provide fuel to said vehicle associated therewith, said method comprising the steps of:

providing a remote operations facility disposed remote from at least one of said plurality of service station sites; and

operatively performing in relation to each respective one of said plurality of refueling transaction requests the steps of;

generating at the associated service station site respective information relating to said respective one refueling transaction request,

transmitting the respective generated information from said associated service station site to said remote operations facility,

said remote operations facility operatively performing the steps of processing said respective one refueling transaction request by processing said respective information received from said associated service station site, and generating respective control commands based on the processing activity for said respective one refueling transaction request, said respective generated control commands being representative of a respective selectable refueling operation for said associated vehicle,

said fuel dispenser assembly placing said respective nozzle assembly of said associated fuel dispensing assembly into a selective one of engagement and disengagement with respect to a fuel inlet of said associated vehicle in accordance with said respective control commands generated by said remote operations facility,

operating said associated fuel dispensing assembly in accordance with said respective control commands generated by said remote operations facility; and

providing a communications network operatively connected to said remote operations facility, said communications network being arranged to provide communications access to at least one merchant to enable the execution of a transaction therewith by said remote operations facility in accordance with an associated transaction request operatively received from a corresponding respective one of said plurality of service station sites in association with a corresponding respective one of said plurality of vehicles.

8. The method as recited in claim 7, further comprises the steps of:

generating at said corresponding respective one service station site a commercial transaction request relating to commercial activity involving a selective one of said at least one merchant;

transmitting the generated commercial transaction request to said remote operations facility; and

said remote operations facility performing the steps of processing the commercial transaction request transmitted thereto and conducting a transaction with the corresponding one of said at least one merchant associated with said commercial transaction request in accordance with the processing activity for said commercial transaction request.

9. The method as recited in claim 8, wherein the step of providing a communications network further includes the steps of:

providing an internet facility including a respective electronic commerce site for each one of said at least one merchant that enables the operative processing of transaction requests characterized by electronic commerce activity.

10. A method of handling a plurality of refueling transaction requests each associated with a respective one of a plurality of vehicles each positioned for refueling at an associated one of a plurality of service station sites, each one of said plurality of vehicles being operatively associated with a respective fuel dispensing assembly having a respective nozzle assembly and being arranged to operatively provide fuel to said vehicle associated therewith, said method comprising the steps of:

providing a remote operations facility disposed remote from at least one of said plurality of service station sites; and

operatively performing in relation to each respective one of said plurality of refueling transaction requests the steps of;

providing a respective actuator assembly operatively associated with said associated respective fuel dispensing assembly, said respective actuator assembly being operative in response to suitable control commands applied thereto to controllably cause said associated respective nozzle assembly to be placed into a selective one of mating fueling engagement with the fuel inlet of said associated vehicle and disengagement from the associated vehicle fuel inlet,

providing a respective control assembly operatively connected to said associated respective fuel dispensing assembly and operatively connected to said respective actuator assembly,

wirelessly transmitting from said associated vehicle to said respective control assembly respective information relating to said respective one refueling transaction request,

transmitting from said respective control assembly to said remote operations facility the respective information wirelessly transmitted to said respective control assembly,

said remote operations facility performing the steps of processing the respective information received from said respective control assembly to make a refueling decision regarding a selective one of approval and denial of said respective one refueling transaction request, generating respective control commands based on the respective information processing activity, and transmitting the respective generated control commands to said respective control assembly, said respective generated control commands being representative of a respective selectable refueling operation for said associated vehicle,

said respective control assembly operatively controlling the operation of said respective actuator assembly and the operation of said associated respective fuel dispensing assembly in accordance with the respective control commands received from said remote operations facility,

wherein each respective wireless information transmission step of each respective operative performance step associated with each respective one of said plurality of refueling transaction requests further comprises the steps of;

providing a respective first wireless communications device integral with said associated vehicle and having at least one of a transmit capability and a receive capability;

operatively activating said respective first wireless communications device to establish operative communications with said associated respective control assembly, said operative communications between said respective first wireless communications device and said associated respective control assembly including respective information relating to said respective one refueling transaction request,

wherein each respective control assembly providing step of each respective operative performance step associated with each respective one of said plurality of refueling transaction requests, providing a respective second wireless communications device being disposed at said associated respective service station site in a manner sufficient to enable operative communications with said associated respective first wireless communications device while said associated vehicle is positioned for refueling relative to said associated respective fuel dispensing assembly; and

providing a communications network operatively connected to said remote operations facility, said communications network being arranged to provide communications access to at least one merchant to enable the execution of a transaction therewith by said remote operations facility in accordance with an associated transaction request operatively received from a corresponding respective control assembly associated with a corresponding respective one of said plurality of vehicles.

11. The method as recited in claim 10, further comprises the steps of:

transmitting, from said respective first wireless communications device associated with said corresponding respective one control assembly to said respective second wireless communications device associated with said corresponding respective control assembly, a commercial transaction request relating to commercial activity involving a selective one of said at least one merchant;

transmitting to said remote operations facility the commercial transaction request received by said respective second wireless communications device associated with said corresponding respective control assembly; and

said remote operations facility performing the steps of processing the commercial transaction request transmitted thereto and conducting a transaction with the corresponding one of said at least one merchant associated with said commercial transaction request in accordance with the processing activity for said commercial transaction request.

12. The method as recited in claim 11, wherein the step of providing a communications network further includes the steps of:

providing an internet facility including a respective electronic commerce site for each one of said at least one merchant that enables the operative processing of transaction requests characterized by electronic commerce activity.