Performing an on-demand book balance to physical balance reconciliation process for liquid product

• US 7,805,340 B2
• Filed: 02/18/2005
• Issued: 09/28/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 01/14/2005
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Pilot Travel Centers LLC (Berkshire Hathaway Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Pilot Travel Centers LLC (Berkshire Hathaway Incorporated)
• Inventors: Blakeslee, Alan D., Hillam, John D., Peterson, Richard D., Cate, Kerby L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Zeender; F.
• Assistant Examiner(s): BUCHANAN, CHRISTOPHER R
• Application Number:
  US11/062,322
• Publication Number:
  US 20060157150A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,048 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 705/28
• CPC Class Codes: B67D 7/08 Arrangements of devices for controlling, indicating, metering or registering quantity or price of liquid transferred arrangement of flow- or pressure-control valves B67D7/36; computing, calculating, counting G06; coin-freed apparatus for dispensing fluids G07F13/00; prepayment devices for metering liquids G07F15/00
• CPC Class Codes: B67D 7/3209 relating to spillage or leakage, e.g. spill containments, leak detection leak detectors for underground fuel dispensing systems G01M3/2892
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/087 Inventory or stock management, e.g. order filling, procurement or balancing against orders
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/203 Inventory monitoring

Abstract

Disclosed are methods, systems, and computer program products for performing an on-demand book balance to physical balance reconciliation process for liquid product. The method can include receiving an indication that a delivery of product is about to occur at a retail facility. Based on the received indication, and optionally while fuel is dispensed from one or more storage tanks, a first book balance to physical balance reconciliation can be initiated for one or more storage tanks at the retail facility prior to receiving a delivery of liquid product. Following completion of the first book to physical balance reconciliation, an amount of liquid product as indicated on a delivery document is delivered and then the system automatically performs a second book to physical reconciliation process to identify one or more discrepancies between the amount of liquid product in the storage tanks and a physical amount of liquid product actually delivered.

Claims

1. A method for performing an on-demand book balance to physical balance reconciliation process, the method comprising:

calculating a first physical volume of liquid fuel product in one or more underground liquid fuel product storage tanks at a first reconciliation time by collecting a first set of volume measurement data using one or more tank sensors and one or more dispenser sensors;

automatically performing a first book balance to physical balance reconciliation of said one or more underground liquid fuel product storage tanks at a retail facility prior to receiving a delivery of liquid fuel product by comparing said first physical volume with a first book balance indicating an expected volume of liquid fuel product in said one or more underground liquid fuel product storage tanks at the first reconciliation time;

following completion of said first book to physical balance reconciliation, delivering an amount of liquid fuel product as indicated on a delivery document from a carrier to said one or more underground liquid fuel product storage tanks;

monitoring a delivery flow rate of liquid fuel product using a flow monitor as the liquid fuel product is delivered to said one or more underground liquid fuel product storage tanks;

monitoring a dispenser flow rate of liquid fuel product using said one or more dispenser sensors as the liquid fuel product is dispensed from said one or more underground liquid fuel product storage tanks;

determining that an amount of liquid fuel product has been delivered based upon at least said monitored delivery flow rate and said monitored dispenser flow rate;

collecting a second set of volume measurement data, upon determining that the amount of liquid fuel product has been fully delivered, using said one or more tank sensors and said one or more dispenser sensors;

calculating a second physical volume of liquid fuel product in said one or more underground liquid fuel product storage tanks which is adjusted for effects of liquid fuel product ripples caused by delivery of the liquid fuel product by filtering said second set of volume measurement data by eliminating any measurement that has a value plus or minus a predetermined number of standard deviations from a sample mean; and

automatically performing a second book to physical reconciliation process by comparing the second physical volume with a second book balance indicating an expected volume of liquid fuel product in said one or more underground liquid fuel product storage tanks at the second reconciliation time to identify one or more discrepancies between said indicated amount of liquid product and a physical amount of liquid product actually delivered to said one or more liquid product storage tanks.

2. The method as recited in claim 1, further comprising performing said first book balance to physical balance reconciliation while fuel is dispensed from said one or more underground liquid fuel product storage tanks.

3. The method as recited in claim 1, further comprising using a centralized management system to determine whether the amount of liquid fuel product has actually been delivered to said retail facility.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein said amount is indicated on a delivery document provided by a carrier of the liquid fuel product.

5. The method of claim 4, further comprising measuring both a gross volume and a temperature of the liquid fuel product both in said one or more underground liquid fuel product storage tanks and at a dispenser while the liquid fuel product is dispersed and using said volume and temperature measurements to convert all measured volumes into a net volume at 60°

Fahrenheit.

6. The method of claim 5, further comprising appending a time-stamp to all physical measurements of the liquid fuel product and converting all of said measurements to a common time.

7. The method as recited in claim 1, further comprising reporting a discrepancy between amounts reportedly delivered and amounts that were actually delivered to at least one of a carrier, the retail facility, and a centralized management system.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising monitoring a the volume of liquid product in said one or more liquid product storage tanks.

9. The method of claim 8, further comprising determining that an amount of liquid product has been fully delivered based on said monitored delivery flow rate, said monitored dispenser flow rate, and said volume of the liquid product said one or more liquid product storage tanks.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising monitoring said delivery flow rate as the liquid fuel product passes from the carrier through piping toward said one or more underground liquid fuel product storage tanks.

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising monitoring said delivery flow rate of the liquid fuel product before the liquid fuel product is delivered into said one or more underground liquid product storage tanks.

12. In a system having a centralized management system, a method for performing an on-demand reconciliation process, the method comprising:

using the centralized management system to perform a book balance to a physical balance reconciliation of one or more in-ground liquid fuel product storage tanks at a retail facility while a liquid fuel product is dispensed from said one or more in-ground liquid fuel product storage tanks;

receiving a delivery of an amount of liquid fuel product from a carrier;

monitoring a first flow rate of liquid fuel product as the liquid fuel product passes from the carrier through a conduit toward said one or more in-ground liquid fuel product storage tanks using one or more flow sensors, said first flow rate of liquid product being monitored before the liquid fuel product is delivered into said one or more in-ground liquid fuel product storage tanks;

monitoring a second flow rate of liquid fuel product as the liquid fuel product is dispensed from said one or more in-ground liquid fuel product storage tanks using one or more dispenser sensors;

confirming that the delivery of liquid product has been completed based upon at least said monitored first flow rate;

collecting a first set of measurement data from one or more of said one or more flow sensors, said one or more dispenser sensors, and one or more tank sensors;

calculating a physical volume of liquid fuel product in said one or more in-ground liquid fuel product storage tanks which is adjusted for effects of liquid fuel product ripples caused by delivery of the liquid fuel product by;

generating a second set of measurement data by eliminating any measurement data from said first set of measurement data that is identified as being unreliable;

determining a sample mean and a standard deviation for said second set of measurement data;

filtering said second set of measurement data to generate a third set of measurement data by eliminating any measurement data from said second set of measurement data that has a value plus or minus a predetermined number of the standard deviations from the standard mean for said second set of measurement data; and

following a confirmation that the delivery of the liquid fuel product has been completed, performing a second book to physical reconciliation process using said calculated physical volume to identify one or more discrepancies between (A) the amount of said liquid fuel product reportedly delivered to said one or more storage tanks; and

(B) the physical liquid fuel product actually contained within said one or more in-ground liquid fuel product storage tanks.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein said amount is indicated on a delivery document provided by a carrier of the liquid fuel product.

14. The method of claim 13, further comprising measuring both a gross volume and a temperature of the liquid fuel product both in said one or more in-ground liquid fuel product storage tanks and at a dispenser while the liquid fuel product is dispersed and using said volume and temperature measurements to convert all measured volumes into a net volume at 60°

Fahrenheit.

15. The method of claim 14, further comprising appending a time-stamp to all physical measurements of the liquid fuel product and converting all of said measurements to a common time.

16. The method as recited in claim 12, further comprising reporting a discrepancy between amounts reportedly delivered and amounts that were actually delivered to at least one of a carrier, the retail facility, and the centralized management system.

17. The method as recited in claim 12, further comprising:

notifying a carrier in the event that a reported amount of liquid fuel product was not actually delivered to the retail facility.

18. The method of claim 17, further comprising measuring both a gross volume and a temperature of the liquid fuel product using at least one sensor located at a dispenser that is configured to disperse liquid fuel product to a customer and using said volume and temperature measurements to determine a net, temperature adjusted volume of liquid fuel product dispersed to the customer.

19. The method of claim 18, further comprising appending a time-stamp to all physical measurements of the liquid fuel product and converting all of said measurements to a common time.

20. A method as recited in claim 17, wherein the additional book to physical reconciliation process are performed at five minute intervals.

21. In a system having a centralized management system, a method for performing an on-demand reconciliation process, the method comprising:

monitoring a delivery flow rate of liquid fuel product as the liquid fuel product is delivered into one or more underground liquid fuel product storage tanks using one or more flow sensors;

monitoring volume data of liquid fuel product in said one or more underground liquid fuel product storage tanks using one or more tank sensors;

monitoring a dispenser flow rate of liquid fuel product as the liquid fuel product is dispensed from said one or more underground liquid fuel product storage tanks;

calculating a physical volume of liquid fuel product in said one or more underground liquid fuel product storage tanks which is adjusted for effects of liquid fuel product ripples caused by delivery or dispersal of the liquid fuel product by filtering said volume data by eliminating any measurement that has a value plus or minus a predetermined number of standard deviations from a sample mean;

automatically performing a book balance to physical balance reconciliation of said one or more liquid product storage tanks at a retail facility based upon said monitored delivery flow rate, said monitored dispenser flow rate, and said calculated physical volume upon receipt of a reconciliation request; and

following said reconciliation, performing at regular intervals additional book to physical reconciliation processes to identify one or more discrepancies between (A) an amount of liquid fuel product reportedly contained within said one or more underground liquid fuel product storage tanks; and

(B) physical liquid fuel product actually contained within said one or more underground liquid fuel product storage tanks.

22. A computer program product for implementing a method for performing an on-demand reconciliation process, the computer program product comprising one or more computer readable media having stored thereon computer executable instructions that, when executed by a processor, can cause the distributed computing system to perform the following:

performing a book balance to a physical balance reconciliation of one or more underground liquid fuel product storage tanks at a retail facility while fuel is dispensed from said one or more underground liquid fuel product storage tanks;

monitoring a first flow rate of liquid fuel product as the liquid fuel product passes from a carrier through piping toward said one or more underground liquid fuel product storage tanks;

monitoring a second flow rate of liquid fuel product as said liquid fuel product is dispensed from said one or more underground liquid fuel product storage tanks;

confirming that the delivery of liquid fuel product has been completed based upon at least said monitored first flow rate and said monitored second flow rate;

collecting volume measurement data from one or more tank sensors within said one or more underground liquid fuel product storage tanks;

calculating a physical volume of liquid fuel product in said one or more underground liquid fuel product storage tanks which is adjusted for effects of liquid fuel product ripples, caused by delivery or dispersal of the liquid fuel product, by filtering any measurement data from said volume measurement data that has a value plus or minus a predetermined number of standard deviations from a sample mean based on an expected volume within said one or more underground liquid fuel product storage tanks; and

following a confirmation that the delivery of the liquid fuel product has been completed, performing an additional book to physical reconciliation process to identify one or more discrepancies between (A) an amount of liquid fuel product reportedly delivered to said one or more underground liquid fuel product storage tanks; and

(B) physical liquid fuel product actually contained within said one or more underground liquid fuel product storage tanks.

23. The computer program product of claim 22, further comprising measuring both a gross volume and a temperature of the liquid product both in the one or more liquid product storage tanks and at a dispenser while the liquid product is dispersed.

24. The computer program product of claim 23, further comprising appending a time-stamp to all physical measurements of the liquid product and converting all of said measurements to a common time.

25. The computer program product of claim 23, further comprising monitoring said first flow rate of the liquid fuel product before the liquid fuel product is delivered into said one or more underground liquid fuel product storage tanks.