Service station for serving requirements of multiple vehicle technologies
First Claim
1. A motorized vehicle service station comprising:
- a plurality of service islands for dispensing a plurality of different fuels to vehicles, said fuels including multiple grades of gasoline, multiple grades of diesel, and blends thereof;
a vehicle wireless communicator in a vehicle entering said station for transmitting signals indicative of the vehicle'"'"'s fuel requirements;
a station wireless communicator for receiving signals from the vehicle wireless communicator, and responding thereto by sending signals back to said vehicle to direct the vehicle to a service island capable of servicing the vehicle; and
said plurality of service islands each including a service wireless communicator for responding to signals from the vehicle wireless communicator of a vehicle directed thereto, respectively, for restricting fuel delivery to the vehicle based upon its detected fuel requirements.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A service station is provided with a plurality of vehicle servicing islands including liquid fuel blending pumps for dispensing and blending fuel components from underground storage tanks for refueling standard gasoline engine driven vehicles, standard diesel engine vehicles, vehicles with engines requiring dual fuels, vehicles with HCCL engines require low octane gasoline blended with standard diesel fuel, and fuel cell powered vehicles having onboard reformers. Other service islands include pumps for dispensing compressed hydrogen to fuel cell powered vehicles that do not include onboard reformers. In addition, service islands are provided for recharging the batteries of pure electric powered vehicles. A service station is further provided with a wireless communicator for receiving signals indicative of a vehicle'"'"'s fuel requirements and transmitting signals to direct the vehicle to a service island capable of servicing the vehicle.
82 Citations
20 Claims
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1. A motorized vehicle service station comprising:
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a plurality of service islands for dispensing a plurality of different fuels to vehicles, said fuels including multiple grades of gasoline, multiple grades of diesel, and blends thereof; a vehicle wireless communicator in a vehicle entering said station for transmitting signals indicative of the vehicle'"'"'s fuel requirements; a station wireless communicator for receiving signals from the vehicle wireless communicator, and responding thereto by sending signals back to said vehicle to direct the vehicle to a service island capable of servicing the vehicle; and said plurality of service islands each including a service wireless communicator for responding to signals from the vehicle wireless communicator of a vehicle directed thereto, respectively, for restricting fuel delivery to the vehicle based upon its detected fuel requirements.
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2. A motorized vehicle service station comprising:
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a plurality of service islands for servicing vehicles requiring a plurality of different fuels, said fuels including multiple grades of gasoline, multiple grades of diesel, blends thereof, and/or hydrogen, and/or electric recharging; a vehicle wireless communicator in a vehicle entering said station for transmitting signals indicative of a vehicle'"'"'s servicing requirements; a station wireless communicator for receiving signals from the vehicle wireless communicator, and responding thereto by sending signals back to said vehicle to direct the vehicle to a service island capable of servicing the vehicle; and said plurality of service islands each including a service wireless communicator for responding to signals from the vehicle wireless communicator of a vehicle directed thereto, respectively, for restricting fuel or electric recharging delivery to the vehicle based upon its detected fuel or electric recharging requirements.
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3. A motorized vehicle service station comprising:
a plurality of service islands each being configured to service particular types of motorized vehicles, including; at least one first island including at least a first liquid fuel blending pump, for refueling gasoline, diesel, and hydrogen powered vehicles, whereby said hydrogen powered vehicles include an onboard reformer for converting gasoline to hydrogen; at least one second island including a hydrogen dispensing system for refueling hydrogen powered vehicles that do not include an onboard reformer; at least one third island including an electric battery recharging system for recharging the batteries of electric driven vehicles; and a plurality of underground storage tanks for containing liquid fuel components, said tanks being individually connected to said at least a first liquid fuel blending pump or pumps; a vehicle wireless communicator being installed in individual vehicles, including activation means for permitting a vehicle operator to turn on the vehicle communicator when entering said service station to transmit signals coded to provide vehicle related information including the type of fuel required by the vehicle, and/or electric recharging requirements, the vehicle'"'"'s driving condition, maintenance record, and inspection information; a station wireless communicator for communicating with a vehicle wireless communicator as it enters a service station, for directing the associated vehicle to one of said plurality of service islands capable of servicing the vehicle; and a plurality of service island wireless communicators each being dedicated to an individual one of said plurality of service islands, for receiving signals from a vehicle wireless communicator and responding thereto by configuring the associated service island to service the vehicle, by signaling to the vehicle wireless communicator that the associated service island is ready to service the vehicle or that the island operation has been terminated and cannot service the vehicle, and that if applicable the vehicle requires maintenance and/or inspection based upon information received from the vehicle'"'"'s wireless communicator. - View Dependent Claims (4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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16. A method for providing a motorized vehicle service station for servicing vehicles of multiple vehicle technologies, comprising the steps of:
installing a plurality of service islands each being configured to service particular types of motorized vehicles, including; configuring at least one first island to include at least a first liquid fuel blending pump, for refueling gasoline, diesel, and hydrogen powered vehicles, whereby said hydrogen powered vehicles include an onboard reformer for converting gasoline to hydrogen; configuring at least one second island to include a hydrogen dispensing system for refueling hydrogen powered vehicles that do not include an onboard reformer; configuring at least one third island to include an electric battery recharging system for recharging the batteries of electric driven vehicles; installing a plurality of underground storage tanks for individually containing different liquid fuel components, respectively;
connecting individually said plurality of underground storage tanks to said at least a first liquid fuel blending pump or pumps;installing a vehicle wireless communicator in individual vehicles, including activation means for permitting a vehicle operator to turn on the vehicle communicator when entering said service station to transmit signals coded to provide vehicle related information including the type of fuel required by the vehicle, and/or electric recharging requirements, the vehicle'"'"'s driving condition, maintenance record, and inspection information; installing in said station a station wireless communicator for communicating with a vehicle wireless communicator as it enters a service station, for directing the associated vehicle to one of said plurality of service islands capable of servicing the vehicle; and installing a service island wireless communicator in each individual one of said plurality of service islands, for receiving signals from a vehicle wireless communicator and responding thereto by configuring the associated service island to service the vehicle associated therewith, by signaling to the vehicle wireless communicator that the associated service island is ready to service the vehicle or that the island operation has been terminated and cannot service the vehicle, and that if applicable the vehicle requires maintenance and/or inspection based upon information received from the vehicle'"'"'s wireless communicator. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19, 20)
Specification