Battery-powered fuel data collection unit

• US 9,041,548 B2
• Filed: 12/20/2011
• Issued: 05/26/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 12/30/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: QT Technologies LLC
• Original Assignee: QT Technologies LLC
• Inventors: Portocalis, Gerasimos A., Conley, David A., Jackson, Steven T.
• Primary Examiner(s): WONG, ALBERT KANG
• Application Number:
  US13/331,537
• Publication Number:
  US 20120182156A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,253 Days
• Field of Search: 340/636.1, 340/636.15, 340/870.07, 340/870.09, 340/870.16, 702/63
• US Class Current: 340/870.02
• CPC Class Codes: B64F 1/28 Liquid-handling installations specially adapted for fuelling stationary aircraft
• CPC Class Codes: B67D 7/145 by wireless communication means, e.g. RF, transponders or the like
• CPC Class Codes: B67D 7/40 Suspending, reeling or storing devices supports for storing lengths of hoses, in general B65H75/34
• CPC Class Codes: B67D 7/56 Arrangements of flow-indicators, e.g. transparent compartments, windows, rotary vanes indicating or recording presence, absence or direction of movement G01P13/00
• CPC Class Codes: B67D 7/845 Trolleys or like movable supports
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2209/60 for transmitting utility meters data, i.e. transmission of data from the reader of the utility meter
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2209/823 where the data is sent when the measured values exceed a threshold, e.g. sending an alarm
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 9/00 Arrangements in telecontrol or telemetry systems for selectively calling a substation from a main station, in which substation desired apparatus is selected for applying a control signal thereto or for obtaining measured values therefrom

Abstract

A battery-powered fueling data collection unit for use with a meter and a register associated with a fuel transfer apparatus and for use with a system for managing fueling transactions of a fleet operator using fuel transfer apparatuses at multiple locations includes a fueling data interface module for receiving fueling information from the fueling meter and/or register and an internal battery power source. A processor is provided for monitoring the power level in the battery and for detecting if the power level in the battery drops below a threshold amount. Also, a communications module is provided for wirelessly forwarding an alert to a remote computer to alert the remote computer that the battery power is low.

Claims

1. A battery-powered fueling data collection unit for use with a meter and a register associated with a fuel transfer apparatus and for use with a system for managing fueling transactions of a fleet operator for fueling multiple vehicles at multiple locations, using fuel transfer apparatuses at multiple locations, the fueling data collection unit being adapted to work with both digital and mechanical fuel meters/fuel registers, the fueling data collection unit comprising:

a fueling data interface module for receiving fueling information from the fueling meter and/or register, and including a serial input port for receiving electronic signals from a digital fuel meter/digital fuel register and further including one or more pulse input ports for receiving pulses from a pulse transmitter associated with a mechanical fuel meter/mechanical fuel register;

a battery power source;

a processor for monitoring the power level in the battery and for detecting if the power level in the battery drops below a threshold amount; and

a communications module for wirelessly forwarding an alert to a remote computer to alert the remote computer that the battery power is low.

2. The battery-powered fueling data collection unit of claim 1 wherein pulses are directly integrated using a message protocol.

3. The battery-powered fueling data collection unit of claim 1 wherein temperature and density inputs are used to calculate a net volume of fuel delivered.

4. The battery-powered fueling data collection unit of claim 1 wherein the communications module communicates wirelessly with a local hand-held computer device.

5. The battery-powered fueling data collection unit of claim 1 wherein the communications module wirelessly forwards an alert to a remote computer via a local computing device to alert the remote computer that the battery power is low.

6. The battery-powered fueling data collection unit of claim 1 wherein the communications module communicates wirelessly via cellular.

7. The battery-powered fueling data collection unit of claim 1 wherein the communications module communicates wirelessly via Wi-Fi.

8. The battery-powered fueling data collection unit of claim 1 wherein the communications module communicates wirelessly via Bluetooth.

9. The battery-powered fueling data collection unit of claim 1 wherein the fueling data collection unit monitors the maintenance status of the fuel transfer apparatus and is operable for communicating the monitored maintenance status to a remote computer by relaying it through a local computing device.

11. The battery-powered fueling data collection unit of claim 1 wherein the fueling data collection unit is operative to monitor the functioning status of the fuel transfer apparatus and is operable for communicating the monitored functioning status to a remote computer by relaying such through a local computing device.

12. The battery-powered fueling data collection unit of claim 1 wherein the fleet operator operates a fleet of aircraft which are fueled at spaced apart airports and wherein at some of the airports mechanical fuel meters/mechanical fuel registers are employed, at others of the airports digital fuel meters/digital fuel registers are employed, and at others of the airports a mix of mechanical and digital fuel meters/fuel registers are employed, with the battery-powered fueling data collection units being adapted to work with mechanical, digital, or a mix of fuel meters/registers.

13. The fueling data collection unit as claimed in claim 1 wherein the communications module is used to download updated firmware and/or software from a remote computer relayed through a local computing device.

14. The fueling data collection unit as claimed in claim 1 wherein the communications module is used to communicate fueling data to and from a remote computer relayed through a local computing device.

15. The fueling data collection unit as claimed in claim 1 wherein the communications module is used to communicate operating conditions of the fueling operation and fueling data to a remote computer relayed through a local computing device.

17. The fueling data collection unit as claimed in claim 1 wherein the communications module communicates fuel custody transfer quantities and non-fuel data.

18. The fueling data collection unit as claimed in claim 17 wherein the non-fuel data includes one or more of maintenance status of the fuel transfer apparatus, operating status of the fuel transfer apparatus, and power status of the fueling data collection unit.

10. A battery-powered fueling data collection unit for use with a meter and a register associated with a fuel transfer apparatus and for use with a system for managing fueling transactions of a fleet operator for fueling multiple vehicles at multiple locations, using fuel transfer apparatuses at multiple locations, the fueling data collection unit comprising:

a fueling data interface module for receiving fueling information from the fueling meter and/or register;

a battery power source;

a processor for monitoring the power level in the battery and for detecting if the power level in the battery drops below a threshold amount; and

a communications module for wirelessly forwarding an alert to a remote computer to alert the remote computer that the battery power is low; and

wherein the fueling data collection unit monitors the maintenance status of the fuel transfer apparatus and is operable for communicating the monitored maintenance status to a remote computer by relaying it through a local computing device and

wherein the fueling data collection unit monitors the maintenance status of one or more fuel filters in the fuel transfer apparatus by monitoring fuel pressures upstream and downstream of the filter(s) to determine whether the filter(s) is clogged and needs to be replaced.

16. A battery-powered fueling data collection unit for use with a meter and a register associated with a fuel transfer apparatus and for use with a system for managing fueling transactions of a fleet operator for fueling multiple vehicles at multiple locations, using fuel transfer apparatuses at multiple locations, the fueling data collection unit comprising:

a fueling data interface module for receiving fueling information from the fueling meter and/or register;

a battery power source;

a processor for monitoring the power level in the battery and for detecting if the power level in the battery drops below a threshold amount; and

a communications module for wirelessly forwarding an alert to a remote computer to alert the remote computer that the battery power is low, and wherein the fueling data collection unit monitors the maintenance status of one or more fuel filters in the fuel transfer apparatus by monitoring fuel pressures upstream and downstream of the filter(s) to determine whether the filter(s) is clogged and needs to be replaced.