System and method for controlling an automated fueling station

• US 6,801,835 B2
• Filed: 05/03/2002
• Issued: 10/05/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 02/28/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Altametrics Autogas LLC
• Original Assignee: Auto-Gas Systems, Inc.
• Inventors: Covington, Steve, Ashby, David
• Primary Examiner(s): RODRIGUEZ, PAUL L
• Application Number:
  US10/138,456
• Publication Number:
  US 20020128988A1
• Time in Patent Office: 886 Days
• Field of Search: 700/90, 700/282, 700/236, 700/237, 700/239, 700/9, 700/19-21, 700/231, 700/238, 700/232, 700/241, 700/283, 235/384, 235/381, 141/94, 705/413
• US Class Current: 700/283
• CPC Class Codes: B67D 7/14 responsive to input of recorded programmed information, e.g. on punched cards
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/06 Energy or water supply
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 13/025 wherein the volume is determined during delivery
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 15/00 Coin-freed apparatus with meter-controlled dispensing of liquid, gas or electricity
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 5/18 specially adapted for controlling several coin-freed apparatus from one place
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 7/08 by coded identity card or credit card or other personal identification means without personal verification means G07F7/02
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 7/12 Card verification
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 9/002 Vending machines being part of a centrally controlled network of vending machines

Abstract

A system and method for controlling an automated fueling station having a plurality of fuel dispensers that accepting payment from a customer and dispense fuel. The system may perform consumer card authorizations utilizing a remote host server or a local database. A plurality of dispenser controllers are located at the fueling station, and each of the controllers is associated with and controls one of the dispensers. Each of the dispenser controllers includes a network connection to the server or local database for accessing consumer card authorization information. A failure of a single dispenser controller affects only the fuel dispenser associated with the failed controller. In another embodiment, the dispenser controllers are connected to the fuel dispensers through an Internet Protocol (IP)-based network that enables any controller to control any dispenser or combination of dispensers.

Claims

1. A system for controlling an automated fueling station having a plurality of fuel dispensers, each of said dispensers including means for dispensing fuel and means for accepting payment from a customer, said system comprising:

a host server remotely located from the fueling station, said host server performing consumer card authorizations and recording purchase transactions;

a plurality of dispenser controllers located at the fueling station, each of said dispenser controllers being associated with and controlling one of the plurality of dispensers;

means for maintaining operation of remaining dispensers when a single dispenser controller fails, said means for maintaining operation comprising;

a network connection from each of the plurality of dispenser controllers to the host server for passing consumer card authorization requests and purchase transaction data to the host server, and receiving consumer card authorizations from the host server;

an interface between each of the plurality of dispenser controllers and the means for dispensing fuel in each controller'"'"'s associated dispenser; and

an interface between each of the plurality of dispenser controllers and the means for accepting payment in each controller'"'"'s associated dispenser; and

a central control system remotely located from the fueling station comprising;

a spare controller configured to at least partially match the configuration of the plurality of dispenser controllers at the fueling station;

means for determining when a dispenser controller at the fueling station fails; and

a central hub for routing communications between the spare controller and the fuel dispenser associated with the failed dispenser controller, in response to a determination that the failed dispenser controller has failed.

2. The system for controlling an automated fueling station of claim 1 wherein each of the plurality of dispenser controllers is implemented within its associated fuel dispenser.

3. The system for controlling an automated fueling station of claim 2 wherein the network connection from the dispenser controller in each dispenser to the host server is a wireless communication link.

4. The system for controlling an automated fueling station of claim 1 wherein the plurality of dispenser controllers are implemented in a stand-alone kiosk physically separated from the dispensers.

5. The system for controlling an automated fueling station of claim 4 wherein the network connection from each dispenser controller in the kiosk to the host server is a wireless communication link.

6. The system for controlling an automated fueling station of claim 1 wherein each of the dispenser controllers includes signal conversion means for converting Active Current Loop and RS-422/485 controlled transmitter circuit signals into signals compatible with personal computers (PCs).

7. The system for controlling an automated fueling station of claim 1 wherein each of the dispenser controllers includes means for accepting price file updates in order to support fuel price changes.

8. The system for controlling an automated fueling station of claim 1 wherein each of the dispenser controllers includes means for providing remote access to service personnel through the network connection to the host server.

9. The system for controlling an automated fueling station of claim 1 wherein the central control system also includes:

a site-configuration database populated with information regarding the configuration of the dispenser controllers at the fueling station; and

a central controller that accesses the site-configuration database and reconfigures the spare controller to at least partially match the configuration of the failed dispenser controller at the fueling station, in response to a determination that the failed dispenser controller has failed.

10. The system for controlling an automated fueling station of claim 1 further comprising means for determining a location of each of the plurality of dispenser controllers, said location determining means reporting the location of each dispenser controller to the host server.

11. The system for controlling an automated fueling station of claim 10 wherein the location determining means includes a plurality of Global Positioning System (GPS) receivers, each of said GPS receivers being associated with a different one of the plurality of dispenser controllers.

12. A system for controlling an automated fueling station, said system comprising:

an Internet Protocol (IP)-based network that interconnects a plurality of fuel dispensers at the fueling station and a plurality of dispenser controllers, said IP-based network providing inter-connectivity between any one of the dispenser controllers and any one of the fuel dispensers;

a plurality of fuel dispensers, each of said dispensers including;

means for dispensing fuel;

means for accepting payment from a customer; and

signal conversion means for converting internal signaling protocols to an IP-based signaling protocol, and connecting the fuel dispensers to the IP-based network;

a plurality of dispenser controllers for controlling the plurality of fuel dispensers through the IP-based network;

means for maintaining operation of all dispensers when a single dispenser controller fails, said means maintaining operation of all dispensers being utilized if customers do not attempt to utilize all of the dispensers at one time, and said means maintaining operation of all dispensers being utilized except for a last dispenser if customers attempt to utilize all of the dispensers at one time, said means comprising;

an interface between each of the plurality of dispenser controllers and the IP-based network;

means for sending control signaling from each of the plurality of dispenser controllers through the IP-based network to any of the means for dispensing fuel;

means for sending control signaling from each of the plurality of dispenser controllers through the PP-based network to any of the means for accepting payment from a customer; and

a network connection from each of the plurality of dispenser controllers to an external data network; and

a host server remotely located from the fueling station and connected to each of the plurality of dispenser controllers through the external data network, said host server performing consumer card authorizations and recording purchase transactions.

13. The system for controlling an automated fueling station of claim 12 wherein the host server includes means for instructing any idle dispenser controller to connect to a selected dispenser when a customer begins a fueling transaction.

14. The system for controlling an automated fueling station of claim 13 wherein each of the dispenser controllers is associated with a particular fuel dispenser, and the host server includes:

means for determining that one of the plurality of dispenser controllers has failed; and

means for instructing any idle dispenser controller to connect to the fuel dispenser associated with the failed dispenser controller.

15. The system for controlling an automated fueling station of claim 14 wherein each of the fuel dispensers includes means for informing the customer that the fueling transaction will be delayed when the customer begins the transaction and a dispenser controller is not available.

16. A method of controlling an automated fueling station having a plurality of fuel dispensers and a corresponding plurality of dispenser controllers, each of said dispensers including means for dispensing fuel and means for accepting payment from a customer, said method comprising the steps of:

associating each fuel dispenser at the fueling station with a corresponding dispenser controller;

interfacing each dispenser controller with the means for dispensing fuel in the associated fuel dispenser;

interfacing each dispenser controller with the means for accepting payment in the associated fuel dispenser;

connecting each of the dispenser controllers to a remote host server via an external network connection;

sending consumer card authorization requests and purchase transaction data from the plurality of dispenser controllers to the host server;

performing consumer card authorizations and recording the purchase transaction data by the host server;

sending consumer card authorizations from the host server to the plurality of dispenser controllers;

determining that a single dispenser controller has failed;

maintaining operation of all remaining dispenser controllers and fuel dispensers after the failure of the single dispenser controller;

providing a central control a system remotely located from, and in communication with, the fueling station, said central control system including a spare controller configured to at least partially match the configuration of the plurality of dispenser controllers at the fueling station; and

routing by a central hub, communications between the spare controller and the fuel dispenser associated with the failed dispenser controller, in response to a determination that the failed dispenser controller has failed.

17. The method of controlling an automated fueling station of claim 16 wherein the step of connecting each of the dispenser controllers to a remote host server includes connecting each of the dispenser controllers to the remote host server via a wireless communication link.

18. A method of controlling an automated fueling station, said method comprising the steps of:

providing a plurality of fuel dispensers, each of said dispensers including means for dispensing fuel and means for accepting payment from a customer;

converting internal signaling protocols in each dispenser to an Internet Protocol (IP)-based signaling protocol and connecting each fuel dispenser to an IP-based network;

providing a plurality of dispenser controllers for controlling the plurality of fuel dispensers;

connecting each dispenser controller to the IP-based network;

sending control signaling from each dispenser controller through the IP-based network to the means for dispensing fuel in any of the fuel dispensers;

sending control signaling through the IP-based network to the means for accepting payment in any of the fuel dispensers;

connecting each of the dispenser controllers to a remote host server via an external network connection;

sending consumer card authorization requests and purchase transaction data from the plurality of dispenser controllers to the host server;

performing consumer card authorizations and recording the purchase transaction data by the host server;

sending consumer card authorizations from the host server to the plurality of dispenser controllers;

determining that a single dispenser controller has failed;

maintaining operation of all dispensers being utilized when the single dispenser controller fails, if customers do not attempt to utilize all of the dispensers at one time, and

maintaining operation of all dispensers being utilized except for a last dispenser when the single dispenser controller fails if customers attempt to utilize all of the dispensers at one time.

19. The method of controlling an automated fueling station of claim 18 further comprising instructing by the host server, any idle dispenser controller to connect to any dispenser when a customer begins a fueling transaction.

20. A system for controlling an automated fueling station, said system comprising:

an Internet Protocol (IP)-based network that interconnects a plurality of fuel dispensers at the fueling station and a plurality of dispenser controllers, said IP-based network providing inter-connectivity between any of the dispenser controllers and any of the fuel dispensers;

a plurality of fuel dispensers, each of said dispensers including;

means for dispensing fuel;

means for accepting payment from a customer; and

signal conversion means for converting internal signaling protocols to an IP-based signaling protocol, and connecting the fuel dispensers to the IP-based network; and

a plurality of dispenser controllers for controlling the plurality of fuel dispensers through the IP-based network;

means for maintaining operation of all dispensers when a single dispenser controller fails, said means maintaining operation of all dispensers being utilized if customers do not attempt to utilize all of the dispensers at one time, and said means maintaining operation of all dispensers being utilized except for a last dispenser if customers attempt to utilize all of the dispensers at one time, said means comprising;

an interface between each of the plurality of dispenser controllers and the IP-based network;

means for sending control signaling from each of the plurality of dispenser controllers through the IP-based network to the fuel dispensing means in one or more of the dispensers;

means for sending control signaling from each of the plurality of dispenser controllers through the IP-based network to the payment accepting means in one or more of the dispensers; and

means within each of the plurality of dispenser controllers for performing consumer card authorizations and recording purchase transactions.

21. The system for controlling an automated fueling station of claim 20 wherein the means for accepting payment from a customer includes means for reading a membership identification from a membership card, and the means for performing consumer card authorizations includes:

a membership card file of valid membership identifications; and

means for accessing the membership card file and determining whether the membership identification read by the means for accepting payment is a valid membership identification.

22. The system for controlling an automated fueling station of claim 21 wherein the means for sending control signaling through the IP-based network to the fuel dispensing means sends a control signal turning on the dispenser when the membership identification read by the means for accepting payment is determined to be a valid membership identification.

23. The system for controlling an automated fueling station of claim 20 wherein the means for accepting payment from a customer includes means for reading a consumer credit card number, and the means for performing consumer card authorizations includes:

a local consumer card status file; and

means for accessing the local consumer card status file and determining whether the credit card number read by the means for accepting payment is an authorized credit card number.

24. The system for controlling an automated fueling station of claim 23 further comprising a remotely located main office connected to the local consumer card status file through a data network, said main office passing consumer card status information to the local consumer card status file.

25. The system for controlling an automated fueling station of claim 20 further comprising a central control system remotely located from the fueling station comprising:

a spare controller configured to at least partially match the configuration of the dispenser controllers at the fueling station;

means for determining when a dispenser controller at the fueling station fails; and

a routing device for routing communications between the spare controller and the fuel dispenser associated with the failed dispenser controller, in response to a determination that the failed dispenser controller has failed.