Internet capable browser dispenser architecture

• US 8,761,924 B2
• Filed: 05/11/2009
• Issued: 06/24/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 07/18/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Gilbarco Incorporated (Vontier Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Gilbarco Incorporated (Vontier Corp.)
• Inventors: Leatherman, Russel D., Royal, William C. Jr.
• Primary Examiner(s): Karmis, Stefanos
• Assistant Examiner(s): Butler, Michael E
• Application Number:
  US12/464,092
• Publication Number:
  US 20090222131A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,870 Days
• Field of Search: 700/234, 700/241, 700/236, 700/244, 700/239, 709/203
• US Class Current: 700/234
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0601 Electronic shopping [e-shopping]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/00 Finance; Insurance; Tax strategies; Processing of corporate or income taxes
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 13/025 wherein the volume is determined during delivery
• CPC Class Codes: G07G 1/14 Systems including one or more distant stations co-operating with a central processing unit data transmission in general H04L; telemetry systems for selectively calling a substation from a main station H04Q9/00

Abstract

The invention relates to an interactive fuel dispenser system having a plurality of fuel dispensers operating in conjunction with a local server. Each dispenser generally has two fueling positions, each with a graphical user interface through which a customer interacts. In contrast with efforts to turn fuel dispensers into super computers, applicants'"'"' provide a dispenser architecture that need only be sufficient to establish interactivity with a server to create multimedia applications and carry out POS functions with a browser interface. Each fueling position acts as a client of a local server at the fuel station store. In the preferred embodiment, each fueling position client also may access remote servers connected to the same network in which the fueling position clients and the local server are connected. Preferably, this network is connected to the Worldwide Web of the Internet.

Claims

1. A fuel dispenser comprising:

fuel delivery hardware including a fuel supply line, metering device, and an outlet hose with a nozzle for delivering fuel to a vehicle;

a display;

an input device;

a network interface; and

a control system adapted to control fuel delivery via the fuel delivery hardware and run a web browser to display on the display a web page received via the network interface in response to a customer selection received via the input device,

wherein the web page relates to processing a point-of-sale transaction related to the delivering fuel to the vehicle, and

wherein the web browser also displays another web page corresponding to a remotely located service.

2. The fuel dispenser of claim 1 wherein the web page is created using a markup language and provided by a local server in a fuel dispensing environment containing the fuel dispenser.

3. The fuel dispenser of claim 1 wherein the web page is created using a markup language and provided by a remote server via the Internet.

4. A fuel dispenser comprising:

fuel delivery hardware including a fuel supply line, metering device, and an outlet hose with a nozzle for delivering fuel to a vehicle;

a display;

a network interface; and

a control system adapted to control fuel delivery via the fuel delivery hardware and run a web browser to display on the display a web page received via the network interface automatically in response to an occurrence of an event,

wherein the web page relates to processing a point-of-sale transaction related to the delivering fuel to the vehicle, and

wherein the web browser also displays another web page corresponding to a remotely located service.

5. The fuel dispenser of claim 4 further comprising an input device wherein the control system, while running the browser, is further adapted to display on the display a web page received via the network interface in response to a customer selection received via the input device.

6. The fuel dispenser of claim 4 wherein the web page is created using a markup language and provided by a local server in a fuel dispensing environment containing the fuel dispenser.

7. The fuel dispenser of claim 6, wherein said local server is connected to said control system.

8. The fuel dispenser of claim 4 wherein the web page is created using a markup language and provided by a remote server via the Internet.

9. The fuel dispenser of claim 8, wherein said remote server is connected to said control system.

10. The fuel dispenser of claim 4 wherein said control system is comprised of a plurality of control systems, one of said plurality of control systems to control fuel delivery and one of said control systems to run said web browser.

11. The fuel dispenser of claim 4, wherein said web page contains information comprised from the group consisting of advertising, merchandising, weather, traffic conditions, news reports and maps.

12. The fuel dispenser of claim 4, wherein said web page contains information that is capable of being printed using a printer connected to said control system.

13. A fuel dispenser comprising:

fuel delivery hardware including a fuel supply line, metering device, and an outlet hose with a nozzle for delivering fuel to a vehicle;

a display;

a network interface; and

a control system adapted to control fuel delivery via the fuel delivery hardware and run a web browser to display on the display web pages received via the network interface,

wherein at least one of the web pages relate to processing a point-of-sale transaction related to the delivering fuel to the vehicle, and

wherein at least another one of the web pages corresponds to a remotely located service.

14. The fuel dispenser of claim 13 wherein the control system, while running the browser, is further adapted to display on the display a web page received via the network interface automatically in response to an occurrence of an event.

15. The fuel dispenser of claim 13 further comprising an input device wherein the control system, while running the browser, is further adapted to display on the display a web page received via the network interface in response to a customer selection received via the input device.

16. A fuel dispenser comprising:

fuel delivery hardware including a fuel supply line, metering device, and an outlet hose with a nozzle for delivering fuel to a vehicle;

an audio/video interface;

a network interface; and

a control system adapted to control fuel delivery via the fuel delivery hardware and run a web browser to provide markup language content to the audio/video interface received via the network interface,

wherein the markup language content relates to processing a point-of-sale transaction related to the delivering fuel to the vehicle, and

wherein the web browser provides further markup language content corresponding to a remotely located service to the audio/video interface.

17. The fuel dispenser of claim 16 wherein the control system, while running the browser, is further adapted to provide the markup language content received via the network interface to the audio/video interface automatically in response to an occurrence of an event.

18. The fuel dispenser of claim 16 further comprising an input device wherein the control system, while running the browser, is further adapted to provide the markup language content received via the network interface to the audio/video interface in response to a customer selection received via the input device.

19. The fuel dispenser of claim 16 wherein the control system, while running the browser, is further adapted to automatically request markup language content via the network interface and use the markup language content to control a function of the fuel dispenser.