Fuel dispenser management

• US 8,554,688 B2
• Filed: 11/10/2006
• Issued: 10/08/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 11/14/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Wayne Fueling Systems LLC (Dover Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Dresser Incorporated (Nagano Keiki Company Limited)
• Inventors: Harrell, Daniel C., Lewis, Craig
• Primary Examiner(s): Nigh, James D
• Application Number:
  US11/558,825
• Publication Number:
  US 20080040287A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,524 Days
• Field of Search: 705/50, 705/64, 705/65
• US Class Current: 705/64
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/347 Passive cards
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/3829 involving key management
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 13/025 wherein the volume is determined during delivery
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 7/10 together with a coded signal , e.g. in the form of personal identification information, like personal identification number [PIN] or biometric data
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 7/1075 PIN is checked remotely

Abstract

Systems and processes may provide for managing a fuel dispenser. In particular implementations, a system and process for a fuel dispenser may include the ability to receive at least a portion of transaction data for a fueling session, determine whether at least a portion of the received transaction data requires a security measure, and, if at least a portion of the received transaction data requires a security measure, apply a security measure to at least a portion of the received transaction data.

Claims

1. A method performed by a fuel dispenser, the method comprising:

receiving a first portion and a second portion of transaction data for a fueling session;

storing the first portion on the fuel dispenser; and

applying a security measure to a first part of the second portion of the received transaction data,

determining that a second part of the second portion of the received transaction data does not require the security measure,

preparing at least one of the first part of the second portion of the received transaction data and the second part of the second portion of the received transaction data for conveyance over a wireline communication link; and

preparing the other one of the first part of the second portion of the received transaction data and the second part of the second portion of the received transaction data for conveyance over a wireless communication link.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein transaction data comprises financial information of a customer.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein determining whether at least a portion of the received transaction data requires a security measure comprises determining whether at least a portion of the received transaction data is to be stored at the fuel dispenser for more than a transitory period of time.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein received transaction data may be stored at the fuel dispenser for more than a transitory period of time if the fuel dispenser is not able to communicate with a fueling facility computer.

5. The method of claim 3, wherein the security measure comprises encrypting at least a portion of the received transaction data that requires the security measure.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the encryption uses a symmetric key of 512 bits.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein determining whether at least a portion of the received transaction data requires a security measure comprises determining whether at least a portion of the received transaction data is to be communicated to a fueling facility computer.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the security measure comprises:

preparing at least a portion of the received transaction data that requires a security measure for conveyance over a wireline communication link; and

preparing at least a portion of the received transaction data that does not require a security measure for conveyance over a wireless communication link.

9. The method of claim 7, wherein the security measure comprises encrypting at least a portion of the received transaction data that requires a security measure before conveyance over a communication link.

10. A fuel dispenser, comprising:

a user input device operable to receive transaction data for a fueling session, the transaction data comprising a first portion and a second portion; and

a processor operable to execute instructions stored on tangible, computer-readable and non-transitory media to;

determine that the first portion of the received transaction data is to be stored on the fuel dispenser and the second portion of the received transaction data is to be communicated to a fueling facility computer;

determine that a first part of the second portion of the received transaction data requires a security measure,

apply the security measure to the first part of the second portion of the received transaction data that requires the security measure,

determine that a second part of the second portion of the received transaction data does not require the security measure, and

prepare at least one of the first part of the second portion of the received transaction data and the second part of the second portion of the received transaction data for conveyance over a wireline communication link, and

prepare the other one of the first part of the second portion of the received transaction data and the second part of the second portion of the received transaction data for conveyance over a wireless communication link.

11. The fuel dispenser of claim 10, further comprising a memory, the memory comprising a rule set, wherein the processor is operable to make the determination that at least a part of the second portion of the received transaction data requires a security measure based on one or more rules in the rule set.

12. The fuel dispenser of claim 10, wherein the processor is further operable to:

determine that the first portion of the received transaction data is to be stored at the fuel dispenser for a time duration between approximately three nanoseconds and approximately three seconds; and

determine that a part of the first portion of the received transaction data requires a second security measure based on the determination that the first portion of the received transaction data is to be stored at the fuel dispenser for more than the time duration.

13. The fuel dispenser of claim 12, wherein received transaction data may be stored at the fuel dispenser for more than the time duration if the fuel dispenser is not able to communicate with the fueling facility computer.

14. The fuel dispenser of claim 12, wherein the processor is further operable to encrypt the part of the first portion of the received transaction data that requires the second security measure to apply the second security measure.

15. The fuel dispenser of claim 10, wherein the processor is further operable to prepare the first part of the second portion of the received transaction data that requires the security measure for conveyance over the wireline communication link and to prepare the second part of the second portion of the received transaction data that does not require the security measure for conveyance over the wireless communication link.

16. The fuel dispenser of claim 10, wherein the security measure encrypts the first part of the second portion of the received transaction data that requires the security measure before conveyance over the wireline communication link.

30. The fuel dispenser of claim 15, wherein the processor is further operable to:

determine that the first portion of the received transaction data is to be stored at the fuel dispenser for a time duration between approximately three nanoseconds and approximately three seconds; and

encrypt the first portion of the received transaction data based on the determination that the first portion of the received transaction data is to be stored at the fuel dispenser for more than the time duration.

17. An article of manufacture comprising a machine-readable medium storing instructions operable to cause a fuel dispenser to perform operations comprising:

receiving a first portion and a second portion of transaction data for a fueling session;

storing the first portion on the fuel dispenser; and

applying a security measure to a first part of the second portion of the received transaction data,

determining that a second part of the second portion of the received transaction data does not require the security measure,

preparing at least one of the first part of the second portion of the received transaction data and the second part of the second portion of the received transaction data for conveyance over a wireline communication link; and

preparing the other one of the first part of the second portion of the received transaction data and the second part of the second portion of the received transaction data for conveyance over a wireless communication link.

18. The article of claim 17, further comprising determining whether the first portion of the received transaction data is to be stored at the fuel dispenser for more than a transitory period of time.

19. The article of claim 18, further comprising encrypting at least a portion of the received transaction data that requires the security measure.

20. The article of claim 17, further comprising determining whether the first portion or the second portion of the received transaction data is to be communicated to a fueling facility computer.

21. The article of claim 20, wherein the first part of the second portion of the received transaction data that requires a security measure is prepared for conveyance over a wireline communication link and the second part of the second portion of the received transaction data that does not require a security measure is prepared for conveyance over a wireless communication link.

22. The article of claim 17, further comprising encrypting the first part of the second portion of the received transaction data that requires a security measure before conveyance over a communication link.

23. A fuel dispenser, comprising:

means for receiving transaction data for a fueling session;

means for determining that a first portion of the received transaction data is to be stored on the fuel dispenser and a second portion of the received transaction data is to be communicated to a fueling facility computer;

means for determining that at least a first part of the second portion of the received transaction data requires a security measure;

means for applying the security measure to the first part of the second portion of the received transaction data that requires the security measure;

means for determining that a second part of the second portion of the received transaction data does not require the security measure;

means for preparing at least one of the first part of the second portion of the received transaction data and the second part of the second portion of the received transaction data for conveyance over a wireline communication link; and

means for preparing the other one of the first part of the second portion of the received transaction data and the second part of the second portion of the received transaction data for conveyance over a wireless communication link.

24. The fuel dispenser of claim 23, further comprising:

means for determining that the first portion of the received transaction data is to be stored at the fuel dispenser for a time duration between approximately three nanoseconds and approximately three seconds; and

means for determining that a part of the first portion of the received transaction data requires the security measure based on the determination that the first portion of the received transaction data is to be stored at the fuel dispenser for more than the time duration.

25. The fuel dispenser of claim 24, further comprising encrypting the part of the first portion of the received transaction data that requires the security measure.

26. The fuel dispenser of claim 23, wherein the means for applying the security measure comprises:

means for preparing the first part of the second portion of the received transaction data that requires the security measure for conveyance over the wireline communication link; and

means for preparing the second part of the second portion of the received transaction data that does not require the security measure for conveyance over the wireless communication link.

27. The fuel dispenser of claim 23, further comprising means for encrypting the first part of the second portion of the received transaction data that requires the security measure before conveyance over the wireline communication link.

31. The fuel dispenser of claim 26, further comprising:

means for determining that the first portion of the received transaction data is to be stored at the fuel dispenser for a time duration between approximately three nanoseconds and approximately three seconds; and

means for encrypting the first portion of the received transaction data based on the determination that the first portion of the received transaction data is to be stored at the fuel dispenser for more than the time duration.

28. A fuel dispenser, comprising:

a user input device operable to receive first transaction data for a first fueling session from a fueling customer and second transaction data for the first fueling session from the fueling customer;

a management module stored in memory on the fuel dispenser; and

a processor operable to execute the management module,

wherein the management module is operable when executed to;

receive transaction data comprising a first portion and a second portion;

determine that the first portion of the received transaction data is to be stored on the fuel dispenser;

determine that the first portion of the received transaction data to be stored on the fuel dispenser comprises confidential customer information of a first type;

encrypt the first portion of the received transaction data comprising confidential customer information of the first type;

store the encrypted first portion of the received transaction data on the fuel dispenser;

determine that the second portion of the received transaction data is to be communicated to a fueling facility computer,

determine that the received second transaction data to be communicated to the fueling facility computer comprises a first part and a second part, wherein one of

the first part and the second part has confidential customer information of a second type;

prepare at least one of the first part of the second portion of the received transaction data and the second part of the second portion of the received transaction data for conveyance over a wireline communication link;

prepare the other one of the first part of the second portion of the received transaction data and the second part of the second portion of the received transaction data for conveyance over a wireless communication link; and

transmit the one of the first part and the second part of the second portion of the received transaction data to the fueling facility computer by the wireline communication link.

29. The fuel dispenser of claim 28, wherein the received transaction data includes a third portion and the management module is further operable when executed to:

determine that the third portion of the received transaction data is to be communicated to the fueling facility computer,

determine that the third portion of the received transaction data to be communicated to the fueling facility computer comprises non-confidential information; and

transmit the third portion of the received transaction data to the fueling facility computer by the wireless communication link.