Remote banking during fueling

• US 6,685,089 B2
• Filed: 02/08/2001
• Issued: 02/03/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 04/20/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Gilbarco Incorporated (Vontier Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Gilbarco Incorporated (Vontier Corp.)
• Inventors: McSpadden, John S., Terranova, Steven N.
• Primary Examiner(s): Frech, Karl D.
• Assistant Examiner(s): TAYLOR, APRIL ALICIA
• Application Number:
  US09/779,822
• Publication Number:
  US 20010045457A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,090 Days
• Field of Search: 235/379, 235/380, 235/381, 235/382, 235/383, 705/13, 705/16
• US Class Current: 235/381
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/00 Payment architectures, schemes or protocols apparatus for performing or posting payment transactions G07F7/08, G07F19/00; electronic cash registers G07G1/12
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 13/025 wherein the volume is determined during delivery

Abstract

The present invention provides a system and method allowing customers to conduct a remote banking transaction at a fuel dispenser, including obtaining cash in association with the transaction at the dispenser or a common terminal in the dispenser forecourt. The system may include a cash dispenser at the dispenser, fueling position, or the central terminal, or, alternatively, a delivery system configured to deliver cash from a central location to the customer at the dispenser, fueling position, or central terminal. During a transaction for purchasing fuel or other products associated with the service station, a customer is provided an opportunity to conduct a remote banking transaction. Providing a customer the opportunity to conduct such a transaction in association with a dispenser transaction will attract more customers to the station because of convenience as well as provide customers with more disposable cash to spend at the associated quickserve restaurants and convenience store.

Claims

1. A fuel dispenser facilitating automated teller functions for fueling customers, said dispenser comprising:

a fuel delivery system for delivering fuel to a vehicle;

a customer interface including a financial information reader, display, and input device; and

a control system adapted to control fuel delivery and said customer interface;

said control system configured to effect automated teller functions using account information read from said financial information reader;

wherein the customer can carry out remote banking transactions at the dispenser during a fueling transaction.

2. The fuel dispenser of claim 1 wherein said financial information reader is a card reader.

3. The fuel dispenser of claim 1 wherein said financial information reader is a transponder interrogator configured to wirelessly receive the financial information from a transponder.

4. The fuel dispenser of claim 1 further comprising a cash dispenser controlled by said control system and configured to dispense cash to the customer in response to a transaction to withdraw cash.

5. The fuel dispenser of claim 1 further comprising a pneumatic delivery receptacle wherein said dispenser control system cooperates with a central delivery system to effect delivery of cash or documents associated with a banking transaction effected at said dispenser.

6. A dispensing system providing cash back to a customer comprising:

at least one fuel dispenser for delivering fuel to a vehicle and having a customer interface for conducting a remote banking transaction at the dispenser, allowing the customer to select a banking transaction, obtaining financial information from the customer necessary for a fueling transaction, and conducting the remote banking transaction; and

a central control system associated with said at least one dispenser and configured to effect the remote banking transaction of the customer via a remote authorization network based on the financial information obtained at the dispenser.

7. The dispensing system of claim 6 further comprising a pneumatic delivery system having a central terminal for loading the select cash amount and a remote terminal at or near said at least one fuel dispenser wherein the cash or documents are delivered from the central terminal to the remote terminal.

8. The dispensing system of claim 7 wherein said central terminal is adjacent a point-of-sale terminal associated with said central control system, said point-of-sale terminal configured to allow manual delivery of the cash or documents to the central terminal of the pneumatic delivery system.

9. The dispensing system of claim 7 wherein said central terminal is associated with a cash dispenser configured to place cash in said pneumatic delivery system for delivery to said remote terminal.

10. The dispensing system of claim 7 wherein one said remote terminal is located at each said at least one fuel dispenser.

11. The dispensing system of claim 7 including one common terminal in a location near multiple ones of said fuel dispensers wherein documents associated with a transaction at one dispenser are delivered to or from said one common terminal.

12. The dispensing system of claim 6 wherein said at least one fuel dispenser further includes a cash dispenser for dispensing a cash amount to the customer during a cash withdrawal transaction.

13. The dispensing system of claim 6 wherein one cash dispenser is in a forecourt having multiple ones of said fuel dispensers, said cash dispenser is associated with said control system and configured to dispense a select cash amount during a cash withdrawal transaction.

14. A fuel dispensing system comprising:

a) a central control system associated with a financial authorization system; and

b) a fuel dispenser having;

i. means for receiving customer financial information sufficient for a remote banking transaction;

ii. a customer interface; and

iii. a dispenser control system configured to carry out a remote banking transaction selected by a customer via said user interface and transfer the customer financial information to said central control system, which forwards the financial information and remote banking transactional information to the financial authorization system to effect the remote banking transaction.

15. The fuel dispensing system of claim 14 further comprising means to deliver the cash or documents to the customer in the forecourt of a service station containing said fuel dispenser in association with the remote banking transaction.

16. The fuel dispensing system of claim 15 wherein said means to deliver includes the cash dispenser in or associated with said fuel dispenser.

17. The fuel dispensing system of claim 15 wherein said means to deliver includes is a stand-alone cash dispenser apart from said fuel dispenser.

18. The fuel dispensing system of claim 15 wherein said means to deliver includes a pneumatic cash delivery system comprising a pneumatic delivery tube connecting a central terminal and a remote terminal accessible by the customer, said delivery system having a delivery cartridge to carry the cash or documents amount from said central terminal to said remote terminal.

19. The fuel dispensing system of claim 18 wherein said remote terminal is located in or adjacent said fuel dispenser.

20. The fuel dispensing system of claim 18 wherein said remote terminal is located apart from said fuel dispenser.

21. The fuel dispensing system of claim 20 further comprising means for verifying a customer associated with a remote banking transaction at said remote terminal, wherein a customer must provide verification to said means for verifying before giving access to the cash or documents delivered to said remote terminal.

22. The fuel dispensing system of claim 17 further comprising means for verifying a customer associated with a remote banking transaction at said cash dispenser, wherein a customer must provide verification to said means for verifying before giving access to the cash or documents delivered to said cash dispenser.

23. The fuel dispenser of claim 14 wherein said remote banking transaction is a cash withdrawal.

24. The fuel dispenser of claim 14 wherein said remote banking transaction is comprised from the group consisting of a funds transfer and a funds deposit.

25. The fuel dispenser of claim 14 wherein said remote banking transaction is checking account status.

26. A fuel dispenser configured to facilitate remote banking transactions in a service station forecourt comprising:

a. a fuel delivery system for delivering fuel to a vehicle;

b. an interface adapted to receive customer financial information necessary to conduct a remote banking transaction; and

c. a control system in communication with systems necessary to facilitate a remote banking transaction and adapted to receive the customer financial information and direct customer input via said interface, and communicate with the systems necessary to effect the remote banking transaction from the fuel dispenser in association with a fueling operation.

30. The fuel dispenser of claim 26 wherein said remote banking transactions are of the group consisting of cash withdrawals, deposits, account manipulation, and account status checking.

27. A fuel dispenser configured to provide an automated teller interface comprising:

a. a fuel delivery system for delivering fuel to a vehicle;

b. an interface adapted to receive customer financial information necessary to conduct a remote banking transaction;

c. a control system adapted to communicate with a local control system, which further communicates with a financial institution capable of facilitating a remote banking transaction; and

d. said control system and interface cooperating to function as an automated teller machine and control fueling.

28. A fuel dispenser configured to provide an automated teller interface comprising:

a. a fuel delivery system for delivering fuel to a vehicle;

b. an interface adapted to receive customer financial information necessary to conduct a remote banking transaction;

c. a control system adapted to communicate with a central control system, which further communicates with a financial institution capable of facilitating a remote banking transaction; and

d. said control system, said interface, and the central control system cooperating to function as an automated teller machine and control fueling.

29. A fuel dispenser configured to provide an automated teller interface comprising:

a. a fuel delivery system for delivering fuel to a vehicle;

b. an interface adapted to receive customer financial information necessary to conduct a remote banking transaction;

c. a control system adapted to communicate with a central control system, which further communicates with an automated teller machine capable of facilitating a remote banking transaction; and

d. said dispenser via said central control system and the automated teller machine cooperating to effect a remote financial transaction during a fueling operation.

31. An energy dispenser facilitating automated teller functions for customers, said dispenser comprising:

an energy delivery system for delivering an energy source to a vehicle;

a customer interface including a financial information reader, display, and input device; and

a control system adapted to control delivery of the energy source and said customer interface;

said control system configured to effect automated teller functions using account information read from said financial information reader.

32. The energy dispenser of claim 31 wherein the customer can carry out remote banking transactions at the dispenser during a dispensing transaction.

33. The energy dispenser of claim 31 wherein said energy dispenser is a fuel dispenser.

34. The energy dispenser of claim 31 wherein said energy dispenser is an electric power dispenser.