Fraud detection through time analysis
First Claim
1. A method of detecting fraud in a fuel dispenser, wherein the fraud comprises reporting an amount of fuel in excess of the amount of fuel actually dispensed in a fueling transaction, said method comprising:
- a) reporting an amount of fuel alleged to be dispensed on the fuel dispenser to create a reported amount;
b) comparing the reported amount to a reference related to an amount of time required to dispense fuel during the fueling transaction; and
c) determining if the reported amount is within a confidence interval of said reference to estimate a likelihood that the reported amount differs from the amount of fuel actually dispensed.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A fraud detection system within a fuel dispenser includes the ability to measure the amount of fuel dispensed through the fuel dispenser. The measurement is compared to a value independently created representing what the amount of fuel dispensed should approximate. If the values are not comparable, an alarm may be generated to indicate that the fuel dispenser has been modified to perpetrate fraud upon the customers. In particular, a reference used in the comparison is created by referring to an independent measurement of time required to complete the fueling transaction.
20 Citations
45 Claims
-
1. A method of detecting fraud in a fuel dispenser, wherein the fraud comprises reporting an amount of fuel in excess of the amount of fuel actually dispensed in a fueling transaction, said method comprising:
-
a) reporting an amount of fuel alleged to be dispensed on the fuel dispenser to create a reported amount;
b) comparing the reported amount to a reference related to an amount of time required to dispense fuel during the fueling transaction; and
c) determining if the reported amount is within a confidence interval of said reference to estimate a likelihood that the reported amount differs from the amount of fuel actually dispensed. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
the fuel dispenser;
a central station computer; and
a computer remote from a fueling environment in which the fuel dispenser is located.
-
-
20. A computer readable medium containing software configured to perform the method of claim 1.
-
21. A method of detecting fraud in a fueling environment, wherein the fraud comprises reporting on a fuel dispenser an amount of fuel differs from the amount of fuel actually dispensed in a fueling transaction, said method comprising:
-
a) averaging reported amounts for a plurality of fueling transactions occurring in the fueling environment;
b) reporting an average reported amount to a computer remote from the fueling environment;
c) comparing the average reported amount to a reference related to an amount of time required to complete a fueling transaction; and
d) determining if the average reported amount are within a confidence interval of said reference to estimate a likelihood that the average reported amounts exceed an average amount of fuel actually dispensed. - View Dependent Claims (22, 23, 24, 25, 26)
-
-
27. A fuel dispenser configured to detect fraud in a fueling transaction wherein the fraud comprises reporting an amount of fuel differing from the amount of fuel actually dispensed in a fueling transaction, said fuel dispenser comprising:
-
a) a fuel delivery path to deliver fuel to a vehicle;
b) a user interface for reporting an amount of fuel allegedly dispensed; and
c) a control system for controlling said fuel delivery path, wherein said control system determines a reference related to an amount of time required to complete the fueling transaction and compares said reference to a reported amount of fuel alleged to be dispensed through the fuel delivery path during the fueling transaction and wherein said control system determines if the reported amount is within a confidence interval of said reference to estimate a likelihood that the reported amount exceeds the amount of fuel actually dispensed. - View Dependent Claims (28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34)
-
-
35. A central station computer configured to detect fraud in a fueling transaction wherein the fraud comprises reporting an amount of fuel differing from the amount of fuel actually dispensed in a fueling transaction, said central station computer configured to:
-
receive a reported amount of fuel alleged to be dispensed on a fuel dispenser;
compare the reported amount to a reference related to the amount of time required to complete the fueling transaction; and
determine if the reported amount is within a confidence interval of said reference to estimate a likelihood that the reported amount differs from an amount of fuel actually dispensed. - View Dependent Claims (36, 37, 38, 39)
-
-
40. A computer remote from a fueling environment configured to detect fraud in a fuel dispenser wherein the fraud comprises reporting an amount of fuel differing from the amount of fuel actually dispensed in a fueling transaction, said computer configured to:
-
receive data related to a reported amount of fuel alleged to be dispensed on a fuel dispenser;
compare the data related to a reported amount to a reference related to the amount of time required to complete the fueling transaction; and
determine if the data related to the reported amount is within a confidence interval of said reference to estimate a likelihood that the reported amount differs from the amount of fuel actually dispensed. - View Dependent Claims (41, 42, 43, 44)
-
-
45. A computer readable medium comprising software configured to determine inferentially if fraud is being perpetrated at a fuel dispenser, wherein the fraud comprises reporting to a consumer an amount of fuel alleged to be dispensed that differs from an amount of fuel actually dispensed in a fueling transaction, said software configured to compare a reference derived from an amount of time required to perform a fueling transaction to the reported amount to determine if the reported amount is within a confidence interval of said reference to estimate a likelihood that the reported amount differs from the amount of fuel actually dispensed.
Specification