Fuel dispensing method for refueling from master and satellite dispensers

• US 6,697,705 B2
• Filed: 12/06/2002
• Issued: 02/24/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 04/01/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Gilbarco Incorporated (Vontier Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Gilbarco Incorporated (Vontier Corp.)
• Inventors: Payne, Edward A., Johnson, William S.
• Primary Examiner(s): Tran, Khoi H.
• Application Number:
  US10/314,043
• Publication Number:
  US 20030065422A1
• Time in Patent Office: 445 Days
• Field of Search: 700/231, 700/232, 700/240, 700/241, 700/242, 700/244, 700/236, 222/52, 222/71, 222/74, 222/75, 222/135, 222/1, 141/94, 705/413, 73/40
• US Class Current: 700/236
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/06 Energy or water supply
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 13/025 wherein the volume is determined during delivery

Abstract

A control system for a fuel dispensing system and a method for simultaneously refueling from at least two fuel dispensers to provide a single transaction total wherein the two fuel dispensers are a master/satellite fuel dispenser pair. A first communication means enables the dispenser control circuitry in the master dispenser to control the dispensing of fuel from the satellite dispenser. A second communication means enables the dispenser control circuitry to receive data regarding the amount of fuel dispensed by the satellite dispenser. A combination means generally associated with the dispenser control circuitry combines the total amount of fuel dispensed from the master/satellite fuel dispenser pair to a single vehicle. A device mounted on the master dispenser displays the total volume and price for the customer as a single transaction.

Claims

1. A method of simultaneously fueling two tanks in a vehicle and displaying at least the volume and price of the total amount of fuel dispensed to the vehicle, the method comprising the steps of:

(a) establishing electronic communication between a first master fuel dispenser and a second satellite fuel dispenser;

(b) positioning the vehicle between the first master fuel dispenser and the second fuel dispenser;

(c) connecting a fuel hose from the first master fuel dispenser to one tank of the vehicle;

(d) dispensing fuel to the vehicle from the first fuel dispenser;

(e) connecting a fuel hose from the second satellite fuel dispenser to another tank of the vehicle;

(f) dispensing fuel simultaneously to the vehicle from the second satellite fuel dispenser;

(g) measuring the volume of fuel dispensed from the first master fuel dispenser;

(h) measuring the volume of fuel dispensed from the second satellite fuel dispenser;

(i) combining the volume measurements from the first and second satellite fuel dispensers; and

(j) displaying at least the total combined volume and price of fuel dispensed to the vehicle from the first master and second satellite fuel dispensers at said first master or said second satellite fuel dispenser.

2. A method of simultaneously fueling two tanks in a vehicle and displaying at least the volume and price of the total amount of fuel dispensed to the vehicle according to claim 1 wherein steps (d) and (f) further comprise the step of controlling the dispensing of fuel from the first master and second satellite fuel dispensers with dispenser control circuitry in the first master fuel dispenser.

3. A method of simultaneously fueling two tanks in a vehicle and displaying at least the volume and price of the total amount of fuel dispensed to the vehicle according to claim 1 wherein step (i) further comprises the steps of:

(1) transmitting volume measurements and fuel price from the first master fuel dispenser to dispenser control circuitry in the first satellite fuel dispenser;

(2) transmitting volume measurements and fuel price from the second satellite fuel dispenser to dispenser control circuitry in the first master fuel dispenser; and

(3) combining the volume measurements and fuel prices from the firsts master and second satellite fuel dispensers in the dispenser control circuitry to generate a combined volume measurement and combined price for fuel dispensed to the vehicle from the first master and second satellite fuel dispensers.

4. A method of simultaneously fueling two tanks in a vehicle and displaying at least the volume and price of the total amount of fuel dispensed to the vehicle according to claim 1 and further comprising the step of:

(k) enabling a person to pay for the total combined volume and price of fuel dispensed from the first master and second satellite fuel dispensers with one payment at a payment card reader installed at the first satellite fuel dispenser.

5. A method of simultaneously fueling two tanks in a vehicle and displaying at least the volume and price of the total amount of fuel dispensed to the vehicle according to claim 1 and further comprising the steps of:

(k) detecting first master fuel vapor emissions at the connection point between the fuel hose of the first fuel dispenser and the vehicle;

(1) detecting second fuel vapor emissions at the connection point between the fuel hose of the seconded satellite fuel dispenser and another tank of the vehicle;

(m) recovering a majority of the first master fuel vapor emissions; and

(n) recovering a majority of the second satellite fuel vapor emissions.

6. A method of simultaneously fueling two tanks in a vehicle and displaying at least the volume and price of the total amount of fuel dispensed to the vehicle according to claim 1 wherein step (a) further comprises the steps of:

(1) placing a first master fuel dispenser and a second fuel dispenser in a multi-dispenser housing;

(2) arranging a plurality of multi-dispenser housings in an array with a physical distance between each multi-dispenser housing sufficient to accommodate a vehicle between each multi-dispenser housing and sufficient to accommodate a plurality of vehicles within the array; and

(3) establishing electronic communication between the first satellite fuel dispenser in one multi-dispenser housing with the second satellite fuel dispenser in an adjacent multi-dispenser housing.

7. A method of simultaneously fueling two tanks in a vehicle and displaying at least the volume and price of the total amount of fuel dispensed to the vehicle according to claim 6 and further comprising the steps of:

(4) placing a single dispenser housing with a first master fuel dispenser at one end of the array of multi-dispenser housings; and

(5) placing a single dispenser housing with a second satellite fuel dispenser at the other end of the array of multi-dispenser housings.

8. A method of simultaneously fueling two tanks in a vehicle and displaying at least the volume and price of the total amount of fuel dispensed to the vehicle according to claim 6 and further comprising the steps of:

(4) placing a single dispenser housing with a first master fuel dispenser at one end of the array of multi-dispenser housings; and

(5) placing a multi-dispenser housing at the other end of the array of multi-dispenser housings, wherein the first master fuel dispenser of the multi-dispenser housing at the other end of the array is a stand-alone fuel dispenser.