Method and apparatus for performing refueling transactions using customer-issued speech commands

• US 6,510,416 B1
• Filed: 08/23/1999
• Issued: 01/21/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 08/23/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Tokheim Holding B.V. (Dover Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Tokheim Sas (Cognetas LLP)
• Inventors: Lad, Dinesh
• Primary Examiner(s): Dorvil, Richemond
• Assistant Examiner(s): NOLAN, DANIEL A
• Application Number:
  US09/379,557
• Time in Patent Office: 1,247 Days
• Field of Search: 704/251, 704/270, 704/258, 700/236, 141/231, 141/40, 141/230, 141/94
• US Class Current: 704/275
• CPC Class Codes: B67D 2007/044 Customer interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: B67D 7/0401 arrangements for automatically fuelling vehicles, i.e. without human intervention

Abstract

A fuel delivery system performs a refueling operation in accordance with voice command signals audibly provided by a customer situated within a vehicle positioned for refueling. The customer generates audio signals representative of refueling transaction information, such as a request to initiate fuel dispensing activity, data indicative of the fuel type, fuel volume, purchase amount, and form of payment, and a request to terminate the refueling transaction. A microphone detects the customer voice signals and provides audio detection signals representative thereof. A speech recognition device converts the audio detection signals into corresponding fuel dispensing command signals. A controller generates fuel dispensing control signals in accordance with the fuel dispensing command signals and couples these control signals to the fuel dispenser assembly to effect operative control thereof. A speaker unit permits bidirectional audio communications between the customer and an operator messaging facility, which can optionally provide real-time operator voice communications or prerecorded voice messaging instructions.

Claims

1. A fuel delivery system using speech recognition for fueling a vehicle, comprising:

a fuel dispenser assembly operatively arranged to controllably dispensing vehicular fuel into a vehicle positioned for refueling, said vehicle having a customer associated therewith; and

a control assembly operatively arranged to control the fuel dispensing activity of said fuel dispenser assembly in response to and in accordance with at least one voice command signal generated by said customer.

2. The fuel delivery system as recited in claim 1, wherein said control assembly further comprises:

a speech recognition device, responsive to said at least one voice command signal generated by said customer, for transforming said at least one voice command signal into at least one corresponding fuel dispenser control signal useful in controlling said fuel dispenser assembly; and

means for applying said at least one corresponding fuel dispenser control signal to said fuel dispenser assembly to effect operative control thereof.

3. The fuel delivery system as recited in claim 2, wherein said control assembly further comprises:

a microphone to detect said at least one voice command signal generated by said customer and to provide a voice detection signal representative thereof to said speech recognition device.

4. The fuel delivery system as recited in claim 1, wherein said control assembly further comprises:

a speaker to enable audio communication with said customer; and

a microphone to enable detection of voice signals generated by said customer.

5. The fuel delivery system as recited in claim 4, wherein said control assembly being operable in at least one mode thereof to perform a refueling transaction procedure in respect of said fuel dispensing activity, said refueling transaction procedure comprising the following steps:

prompting the customer to provide refueling transaction information;

detecting voice signals representing refueling transaction information audibly provided by said customer in response to said prompting;

converting the detected voice signals into corresponding fuel dispenser control signals; and

controlling said fuel dispenser assembly in accordance with said corresponding fuel dispenser control signals.

6. The fuel delivery system as recited in claim 5, wherein said refueling transaction information includes at least one of a request to initiate a refueling transaction, fuel data indicative of the type of fuel to be purchased, volume data indicative of the amount of fuel to be purchased, purchase amount data indicative of the dollar amount of fuel to be purchased, payment data indicative of the manner of payment, and a request to terminate the fuel dispensing activity.

7. The fuel delivery system as recited in claim 1, further comprises:

an input device being responsive to customer input information provided by said customer which is indicative of refueling transaction commands, for producing audio control information representative of said customer input information; and

signal means for transmitting at least one voice signal in accordance with the audio control information produced by said input device for reception by said control assembly.

18. The fuel delivery system as recited in claim 1, wherein said control assembly operatively arranged to control the fuel dispensing activity of said fuel dispenser assembly in response to and in accordance with at least two voice command signals generated by said customer.

8. A fuel delivery system using speech recognition for fueling a vehicle, comprising:

fuel dispenser means, responsive to fuel dispensing control signals, for controllably dispensing vehicular fuel into a vehicle positioned for refueling, said vehicle having a customer associated therewith;

control means, responsive to fuel dispensing command signals, for generating fuel dispensing control signals in accordance with said fuel dispensing command signals and providing said fuel dispenser means with said generated fuel dispensing control signals;

audio reception means for detecting audio signals generated by said customer and providing audio detection signals representative thereof, said audio signals generated by said customer being representative of refueling transaction information; and

means, responsive to the audio detection signals provided by said audio reception means, for transforming said audio detection signals into corresponding fuel dispensing command signals for use by said control means.

9. The fuel delivery system as recited in claim 8, wherein:

said transforming means further includes a speech recognition device; and

said audio reception means further includes a microphone.

10. The fuel delivery system as recited in claim 8, further comprises:

a speaker to enable voice communication with said customer.

11. The fuel delivery system as recited in claim 10, wherein said fuel delivery system being operable in at least one mode thereof to perform a refueling transaction procedure comprising the following steps:

prompting the customer to provide refueling transaction information;

detecting audio signals representing refueling transaction information audibly provided by said customer in response to said prompting;

converting the detected audio signals into corresponding fuel dispenser control signals; and

controlling said fuel dispenser means in accordance with said corresponding fuel dispenser control signals.

12. The fuel delivery system as recited in claim 11, wherein said customer refueling transaction information includes at least one of a request to initiate a refueling transaction, fuel data indicative of the type of fuel to be purchased, volume data indicative of the amount of fuel to be purchased, purchase amount data indicative of the dollar amount of fuel to be purchased, payment data indicative of the manner of payment, and a request to terminate the fuel dispensing activity.

13. A method of performing a refueling transaction using speech recognition for fueling a vehicle in association with a vehicle positioned for refueling, said vehicle having a customer associated therewith, said method comprising the steps of:

providing a fuel dispenser system operatively arranged for use in controllably dispensing vehicular fuel into said vehicle;

detecting audio signals generated by said customer, said audio signals representing command information pertaining to a refueling transaction request;

transforming the detected audio signals into corresponding fuel dispenser control signals; and

controlling the fuel dispensing activity of said fuel dispenser system in accordance with said corresponding fuel dispenser control signals.

14. The method as recited in claim 13, wherein the command information pertaining to a refueling transaction request includes at least one of a request to initiate a refueling transaction, fuel data indicative of the type of fuel to be purchased, volume data indicative of the amount of fuel to be purchased, purchase amount data indicative of the dollar amount of fuel to be purchased, payment data indicative of the manner of payment, and a request to terminate the fuel dispensing activity.

15. A method of performing a refueling transaction using speech recognition for fueling a vehicle in association with a vehicle positioned for refueling, said vehicle having a customer associated therewith, said method comprising the steps of:

providing a fuel dispenser system operatively arranged for use in controllably dispensing vehicular fuel into said vehicle;

providing the customer with a menu of information defining a plurality of refueling transaction parameters;

prompting the customer to make a selection regarding a one of said plurality of refueling transaction parameters;

detecting an audio signal generated by said customer which is representative of the selection made by said customer in response to the prompting regarding said one refueling transaction parameter;

transforming the detected audio signal into a corresponding fuel dispenser control signal;

repeating said prompting step, said detecting step, and said transforming step with respect to at least another one of said plurality of refueling transaction parameters; and

controlling the fuel dispensing activity of said fuel dispenser system in accordance with the corresponding fuel dispenser control signals provided in connection with each iteration of said prompting step, said detecting step, and said transforming step.

16. The method as recited in claim 15, wherein said prompting step further comprises the steps of:

providing at least one of a visual display of said menu of information and an audio transmission of said menu of information.

17. The method as recited in claim 15, wherein the selections made by said customer in response to the prompting regarding said plurality of refueling transaction parameters includes at least one of a request to initiate a refueling transaction, fuel data indicative of the type of fuel to be purchased, volume data indicative of the amount of fuel to be purchased, purchase amount data indicative of the dollar amount of fuel to be purchased, payment data indicative of the manner of payment, and a request to terminate the fuel dispensing activity.