Fuel dispenser

• US 7,948,376 B2
• Filed: 08/13/2008
• Issued: 05/24/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 08/15/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Gilbarco Incorporated (Vontier Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Gilbarco Incorporated (Vontier Corp.)
• Inventors: DeLine, Jonathan E.
• Primary Examiner(s): TWEEL JR, JOHN ALEXANDER
• Application Number:
  US12/190,820
• Publication Number:
  US 20090048706A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,014 Days
• Field of Search: 340/540, 222/74, 235/381, 705/16, 705/21
• US Class Current: 340/540
• 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 7/14 responsive to input of recorded programmed information, e.g. on punched cards
• CPC Class Codes: B67D 7/145 by wireless communication means, e.g. RF, transponders or the like
• CPC Class Codes: B67D 7/346 by reading a code
• CPC Class Codes: B67D 7/348 by interrogating an information transmitter, e.g. a transponder B67D7/145 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/10 specially adapted for electronic funds transfer [EFT] systems; specially adapted for home banking systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/20 Point-of-sale [POS] network systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0601 Electronic shopping [e-shopping]
• 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 7/1041 PIN input keyboard gets new key allocation at each use
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 9/0235 the arrangements being full-front touchscreens
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 9/026 for alarm, monitoring and auditing in vending machines or means for indication, e.g. when empty
• CPC Class Codes: G07G 3/00 Alarm indicators, e.g. bells

Abstract

A fuel dispenser comprising a housing, a fuel dispensing apparatus mounted within the housing, control electronics operatively connected to the fuel dispensing apparatus, at least one display mounted in the housing and operatively coupled to the control electronics, and a nozzle operatively coupled to the fuel dispensing apparatus and the fuel dispensing apparatus control electronics, the nozzle configured to produce electromagnetic signals. The dispenser is configured to trigger an alarm when the nozzle is brought into close proximity to the at least one display to prevent the user from using the nozzle to make data entries.

Claims

1. A fuel dispenser comprising:

a. a housing;

b. a fuel dispensing apparatus mounted within said housing;

c. control electronics operatively connected to said fuel dispensing apparatus;

d. at least one display mounted in said housing and operatively coupled to said control electronics;

e. a nozzle operatively coupled to said fuel dispensing apparatus and said fuel dispensing apparatus control electronics, said nozzle configured to produce electromagnetic signals

wherein said dispenser is configured to provide an electronic indication when said nozzle is brought into close proximity to said at least one display.

2. The fuel dispenser of claim 1 further comprising a detector mounted in said housing, said detector being operatively coupled to said control electronics and configured to detect the presence of said nozzle when said nozzle is brought into close proximity to said at least one display.

3. The fuel dispenser of claim 2, wherein said close proximity occurs when said nozzle is brought within six inches of said at least one display.

4. The fuel dispenser of claim 2, wherein said detector receives said electromagnetic signals transmitted by said nozzle.

5. The fuel dispenser of claim 1, wherein said display contains touch electronics that are configured to detect the presence of said nozzle when said nozzle is brought into close proximity to said at least one display.

6. The fuel dispenser of claim 1, wherein said display is turned off when said electronic indication is triggered.

7. The fuel dispenser of claim 6, wherein said electronic indication causes an audible alarm to play.

8. The fuel dispenser of claim 4, said nozzle further comprising a power source for generating said electromagnetic signals.

9. The fuel dispenser of claim 8, wherein said power source is charged when said nozzle is stored in said housing between dispensing transactions.

10. The fuel dispenser of claim 1, said nozzle containing an antimicrobial coating.

11. The fuel dispenser of claim 1, wherein said at least one display is dynamically configurable to simultaneously display a combination of two or more of transaction data, advertising data, loyalty program data, an internet browser and a TV broadcast.

12. A fuel dispenser comprising:

a. a housing;

b. a fuel dispensing apparatus mounted within said housing, said fuel dispensing apparatus having control electronics;

c. at least one touch display mounted in said housing and operatively coupled to said control electronics, said touch display being configured to allow a user to make inputs for conducting a transaction;

d. a nozzle operatively coupled to said fuel dispensing apparatus; and

e. a detector operatively configured to detect said nozzle,

wherein

said fuel dispensing apparatus control electronics triggers an electronic indication when said nozzle is brought into close proximity to said touch display.

13. The fuel dispenser of claim 12, said nozzle containing an antimicrobial coating.

14. The fuel dispenser of claim 12, wherein said electronic indication causes said fuel dispenser apparatus control electronics to blank out said at least one touch display to prevent the user from making inputs using said nozzle.

15. The fuel dispenser of claim 12, wherein said detector is a camera that generates images that are used to determine when said nozzle moves within a predetermined distance from said at least one touch display.

16. The fuel dispenser of claim 12, wherein said at least one touch display is dynamically configurable to simultaneously display a combination of two or more of transaction data, advertising data, loyalty program data, an internet browser and a TV broadcast.

17. The fuel dispenser of claim 15, wherein said camera is also used to track the approximate location of the user with respect to said fuel dispenser.

18. The fuel dispenser of claim 15, wherein said camera captures an image of the user to determine the identity of the user.

19. The fuel dispenser of claim 18, wherein the user identity is used to configure the information and graphics presented on said at least one touch display.

20. The fuel dispenser of claim 19, wherein said configuration of information and graphics comprises at least one of changing a viewing angle of said display, changing a background color, changing a size of font, changing a polarization of said at least one touch display and changing a brightness of said at least one touch display.