Fuel dispenser

• US 8,284,053 B2
• Filed: 11/08/2011
• Issued: 10/09/2012
• 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 A
• Application Number:
  US13/291,182
• Publication Number:
  US 20120078741A1
• Time in Patent Office: 336 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 comprises fuel dispensing apparatus mounted within a housing and a nozzle for dispensing fuel. The fuel dispensing apparatus includes control electronics and at least one touch display mounted in the housing and operatively coupled to the control electronics. The touch display is configured to allow a user to make selections for conducting a transaction. A camera or other suitable proximity detector is configured to detect the presence of a user and whether the user exceeds a height threshold without the user physically touching the fuel dispenser. In response to detecting the presence of the user, the fuel dispenser control electronics activates the display so that instructions are presented to the user in a first orientation or a second orientation depending on whether the user'"'"'s height exceeds the threshold.

Claims

1. A method of operating a fuel dispenser having at least one display, said method comprising steps of:

(a) detecting the presence of a customer who has not physically touched said fuel dispenser;

(b) determining whether said customer exceeds a predetermined height threshold;

(c) if said customer does exceed said height threshold, showing information on said at least one display in a first orientation; and

(d) if said customer does not exceed said height threshold, showing information on said at least one display in a second orientation.

2. A method of operating a fuel dispenser as in claim 1, wherein said at least one display comprises a first upper display and a second lower display.

3. A method of operating a fuel dispenser as in claim 2, wherein said first orientation presents first information on said first upper display and second information on said second lower display.

4. A method of operating a fuel dispenser as in claim 3, wherein said second orientation presents said second information on said first upper display and said first information on said second lower display.

5. 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 selections for conducting a transaction; and

(d) a nozzle operatively coupled to said fuel dispensing apparatus,

wherein

said fuel dispenser is configured to detect the presence of a user without the user physically touching the fuel dispenser and determine whether said user exceeds a predetermined height threshold, and

to show information on said at least one display in a first orientation or a second orientation depending on whether said user exceeds said predetermined height threshold.

6. The fuel dispenser of claim 5, wherein said at least one display comprises a first upper display and a second lower display.

7. The fuel dispenser of claim 6, wherein said first orientation presents first information on said first upper display and second information on said second lower display.

8. The fuel dispenser of claim 7, wherein said second orientation presents said second information on said first upper display and said first information on said second lower display.

9. The fuel dispenser of claim 5, said fuel dispenser being further configured to present instructions to the user for carrying out a transaction at said fuel dispenser when said user physically contacts said fuel dispenser.

10. The fuel dispenser of claim 9, wherein said transaction is a fuel dispensing transaction.

11. The fuel dispenser of claim 9, wherein said transaction is a purchase from a convenience store associated with said fuel dispenser.

12. The fuel dispenser of claim 9, where said transaction is a purchase from an unrelated internet site.

13. The fuel dispenser of claim 5, wherein said at least one touch display is a capacitive type touch display that is configured to detect the presence of a user.

14. The fuel dispenser of claim 5, further comprising a camera for detecting the presence of the user.

15. The fuel dispenser of claim 14, wherein said touch display is a capacitive-type touch display configured to assist in detecting the presence of the user.