Multi-stage accounting system for a fueling environment

• US 7,082,406 B1
• Filed: 06/22/2000
• Issued: 07/25/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 06/22/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Gilbarco Incorporated (Vontier Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Gilbarco Incorporated (Vontier Corp.)
• Inventors: Dickson, Timothy E.
• Primary Examiner(s): GORT, ELAINE L
• Application Number:
  US09/599,712
• Time in Patent Office: 2,224 Days
• Field of Search: 705/24, 705/16, 705/17, 705/18, 705/21, 700/231, 700/236, 700/237, 700/241, 700/302
• US Class Current: 705/24
• CPC Class Codes: B67D 7/145 by wireless communication means, e.g. RF, transponders or the like
• CPC Class Codes: B67D 7/243 using electrical or electro-mechanical means
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/20 Point-of-sale [POS] network systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/202 Interconnection or interaction of plural electronic cash registers [ECR] or to host computer, e.g. network details, transfer of information from host to ECR or from ECR to ECR
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/209 Specified transaction journal output feature, e.g. printed receipt or voice output

Abstract

A service station for the sale and dispensing of fuel into customers'"'"' vehicles and a method of optionally delivering a transaction accounting thereof to the customer, wherein the receipt station is located separately from the fuel dispensers. Costs to manufacture and maintain a plurality of fuel dispensers are reduced by migrating this function to a single station. Upon fueling, an indicia is associated with each transaction, and this indicia is input at the receipt station to retrieve the associated transaction data. In the preferred embodiment, the indicia is sensed automatically by the receipt station via a transponder mounted on the customer'"'"'s vehicle or carried by the customer.

Claims

1. A fuel dispensing system, comprising:

a system controller;

at least one fuel dispenser in data transfer communication with said system controller, configured to dispense fuel to a vehicle, said at least one fuel dispenser not having a receipt printer, said fuel dispenser further adapted to receive payment from a customer associated with the vehicle, said payment for a fueling transaction; and

a transaction accounting delivery station in data transfer communication with said system controller, and located remotely from said at least one fuel dispenser, configured to deliver a transaction accounting associated with the fueling transaction to the customer associated with the vehicle upon request of the customer associated with the vehicle,

wherein the customer associated with the vehicle is provided with indicia at said at least one fuel dispenser at a completion of a fuel dispensing transaction, and wherein the customer associated with the vehicle inputs said indicia at said remotely located transaction accounting delivery station to obtain a transaction accounting.

2. The fuel dispensing system of claim 1, wherein said at least one fuel dispenser is manually operated.

3. The fuel dispensing system of claim 1, wherein said at least one fuel dispenser is automated.

4. The fuel dispensing system of claim 1, wherein said system controller is co-located with said at least one fuel dispenser.

5. The fuel dispensing system of claim 1, wherein said transaction accounting delivery station is positioned within a fueling environment, and wherein said fueling environment also contains said at least one fuel dispenser.

6. The fuel dispensing system of claim 1, wherein customer identifying data is detected at said at least one fuel dispenser and at said transaction accounting delivery station, and wherein the customer inputs said indicia at least in part by positioning the vehicle proximate to said transaction accounting delivery station.

7. A fuel dispensing system, comprising:

a system controller;

at least one fuel dispenser in data transfer communication with said system controller, configured to dispense fuel to a vehicle, said at least one fuel dispenser not having a receipt printer, said fuel dispenser further adapted to receive payment from a customer associated with the vehicle, said payment for a fueling transaction;

a transaction accounting delivery station in data transfer communication with said system controller, and located remotely from said at least one fuel dispenser, configured to deliver a transaction accounting associated with the fueling transaction to the customer associated with the vehicle upon request of the customer associated with the vehicle; and

wherein customer identifying data is detected at said at least one fuel dispenser and at said transaction accounting delivery station, and wherein the customer associated with the vehicle receives a transaction accounting in response to positioning customer'"'"'s vehicle proximate to said transaction accounting delivery station.

8. The fuel dispensing system of claim 7, wherein the customer associated with a vehicle is provided with indicia at said at least one fuel dispenser at the completion of a fuel dispensing transaction, and wherein the customer associated with the vehicle inputs said indicia at said remotely located transaction accounting delivery station to obtain a transaction accounting.

9. The fuel dispensing system of claim 7, wherein said at least one fuel dispenser is manually operated.

10. The fuel dispensing system of claim 7, wherein said at least one fuel dispenser is automated.

11. The fuel dispensing system of claim 7, wherein said system controller is co-located with the at least one fuel dispenser.

12. An integrated robotic fueling facility, comprising:

a control and transaction processing unit;

a plurality of fuel dispensing stations in data transfer communication with said control and transaction processing unit, each fuel dispensing station comprising;

a first sensor configured to detect the presence of a proximate customer vehicle; and

further to obtain a unique customer identification indicia via operative communication with a transponder located on the customer vehicle;

an automated fuel dispenser whereby fuel is dispensed directly into the customer vehicle in response to authorization from said control and transaction processing unit, said fuel dispenser not having a receipt printer;

a payment acceptor associated with said automated fuel dispenser; and

a display whereby fuel transaction information is dynamically displayed to a customer during and following fuel dispensing, said transaction information selected from the group consisting of fuel amount, fuel price, fuel grade, transaction total and advertising messages; and

a single transaction accounting delivery station in data transfer communication with said control and transaction processing unit, located separately from the fuel dispensing stations and adapted to serve the fuel dispensing stations, comprising;

a second sensor configured to detect the presence of a customer vehicle; and

further to obtain a unique customer identification indicia via operative communication with a transponder located on the customer vehicle; and

a transaction accounting delivery system, whereby a transaction accounting is automatically prepared and presented to the customer if the customer vehicle is placed proximate to the transaction accounting delivery station, the transaction accounting being transferred from said control and transaction processing unit.

13. An integrated robotic fueling facility, comprising:

a control and transaction processing unit;

a plurality of fuel dispensing stations in data transfer communication with said control and transaction processing unit, each fuel dispensing station comprising;

means for uniquely identifying a customer associated with a vehicle;

means for accepting payment from the customer; and

means for automatically dispensing fuel into the customer'"'"'s vehicle;

wherein each fuel dispensing station automatically dispenses fuel into the customer'"'"'s vehicle upon authorization by said control and transaction processing unit;

wherein each fuel dispensing station does not have a receipt printer; and

a single transaction accounting dispensing facility in data transfer communication with said control and transaction processing unit and located within the fueling facility, located separately from said fuel dispensing stations, and adapted to serve the fuel dispensing stations, comprising;

means for uniquely identifying the customer associated with the vehicle; and

means for delivering a transaction accounting to the customer associated with the vehicle upon request from the customer;

wherein a transaction accounting is optionally delivered to the customer associated with the vehicle if the customer associated with the vehicle is identified at said transaction accounting dispensing facility through indicia provided to the customer at one of the plurality of fuel dispensing stations upon completion of dispensing fuel into the customer'"'"'s vehicle, the transaction accounting being transferred from said control and transaction processing unit.

14. The facility of claim 13, wherein the customer identification means comprises at least one passive transponder located on the customer'"'"'s vehicle and an operationally compatible sensor located at said fuel dispensing station, said transponder transmitting a unique code to said sensor that identifies data selected from the group consisting of customer identification, fuel grade selection, quantity of fuel requested, and customer account information.

15. The facility of claim 13, wherein said customer identification means comprises a token containing machine readable indicia in the possession of the customer, and an operationally compatible sensor located at said fuel dispensing station, whereby said indicia is read from said token when the customer presents said token to said sensor.

16. The facility of claim 13, wherein said customer identification means comprises a biometric sensor located at said fuel dispensing station, whereby indicia unique to each customer is generated by said customer presenting physical characteristics to said sensor.

17. The facility of claim 16, wherein said physical characteristics are selected from the group consisting of fingerprints, iris pattern, facial features, or genetic samples.

18. The facility of claim 13, wherein said transaction accounting delivery means comprises printing and delivering to the customer a paper receipt.

19. The facility of claim 13, wherein said transaction accounting delivery means comprises transmitting said transaction accounting to a computer in the possession of the customer.