Fuel dispenser user interface system architecture

• US 9,268,930 B2
• Filed: 11/25/2013
• Issued: 02/23/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 11/29/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Gilbarco Italia SRL (Vontier Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Gilbarco SRL (Fortive Corp.), Gilbarco Incorporated (Vontier Corp.)
• Inventors: Williams, Rodger K., Carapelli, Giovanni
• Primary Examiner(s): To, Baotran N
• Application Number:
  US14/089,443
• Publication Number:
  US 20140150056A1
• Time in Patent Office: 820 Days
• Field of Search: 726/2
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/36 by graphic or iconic representation
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/44 Program or device authentication
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/52 during program execution, e.g. stack integrity ; Preventing unwanted data erasure; Buffer overflow
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/57 Certifying or maintaining trusted computer platforms, e.g. secure boots or power-downs, version controls, system software checks, secure updates or assessing vulnerabilities
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/83 input devices, e.g. keyboards, mice or controllers thereof
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/84 output devices, e.g. displays or monitors

Abstract

A vending machine can include a touch display and a touch controller operatively connected to the touch display and configured to transmit display data to the touch display and receive input data from a touchscreen function of the touch display. The vending machine also includes a secure device operatively connected to the touch display for securing the display by managing touch input information provided to one or more applications based on the input data received from the touchscreen functionality. The vending machine has a processor operatively connected to the secure device for communicating access requests for the touch display to the secure device from the one or more applications along with an indication of whether the one or more applications are signed by an authorized entity. The secure device manages the touch input information provided to the one or more applications further based at least in part on the indication.

Claims

1. A vending machine, comprising:

a display;

a touch controller operatively connected to the display and configured to transmit display data to the display and receive input data from a touchscreen function of the display;

a secure device operatively connected to the display and configured to secure the display at least by managing touch input information provided to one or more applications based at least in part on the input data received from the touchscreen functionality; and

a processor operatively connected to the secure device and configured to communicate access requests for the display to the secure device from the one or more applications along with an indication of whether the one or more applications are signed by an authorized entity,

wherein the secure device allows but limits the touch input information provided to the one or more applications if the one or more applications are signed by the authorized entity but are not related to payment for goods or services sold at the vending machine.

2. The vending machine of claim 1, wherein the secure device manages the touch input information at least in part by limiting the touch input information communicated to the one or more applications when the one or more applications are not signed by the authorized entity.

3. The vending machine of claim 2, wherein the secure device limits the touch input information at least in part by communicating an indication of one of a fixed number of regions related to the input data received from the touchscreen functionality to the one or more applications not signed by the authorized entity.

4. The vending machine of claim 2, wherein the secure device limits the touch input information at least in part by refraining from communicating the input data to the one or more applications not signed by the authorized entity.

5. The vending machine of claim 1, wherein the secure device manages the touch input information at least in part by communicating coordinates related to the input data received from the touchscreen functionality when the one or more applications are signed by the authorized entity.

6. The vending machine of claim 1, wherein the processor establishes a secure channel with the secure device for communicating the access requests and indications thereto.

7. The vending machine of claim 6, wherein the processor maintains the secure channel at least in part by sending a consistent ping message to the secure device.

8. The vending machine of claim 7, wherein the secure device disables the display based at least in part on determining that the consistent ping message is not received from the processor over a period of time.

9. The vending machine of claim 1, wherein the processor is configured to store a list of one or more signatures of authorized entities and determine whether the one or more applications are signed by a signature of an authorized entity at least in part by determining whether the signature is in the list of one or more signatures.

10. The vending machine of claim 9, wherein the list of the one or more signatures includes a signature corresponding to a manufacturer of the vending machine or a retail site at which the vending machine operates.

11. The vending machine of claim 9, wherein the secure device communicates the list of the one or more signatures to the processor upon establishing a secure channel with the processor.

12. The vending machine of claim 1, wherein the secure device comprises the touch controller.

13. The vending machine of claim 12, wherein the secure device comprises an anti-tampering shell enclosing the touch controller.

14. The vending machine of claim 13, wherein the anti-tampering shell comprises a wire mesh configured for detecting removal of the ant-tampering shell.

15. The vending machine of claim 1, wherein the secure device comprises a personal identification number (PIN) entry device (PED).

16. The vending machine of claim 1, wherein the secure device is operatively connected to the display by at least one cable attached to a feature connector of the secure device and another feature connector of the display.

17. The vending machine of claim 16, wherein the feature connector or the another feature connector comprise components for detecting removal of the at least one cable.

18. The vending machine of claim 17, wherein the secure device is configured to erase at least a portion of a memory where the components detect removal of the at least one cable.

19. The vending machine of claim 1, further comprising a hub interface printed circuit board (HIP) and a second processor, wherein the processor and the second processor are installed on adjacent sides of the HIP.

20. The vending machine of claim 1, further comprising fuel dispensing components configured to facilitate dispensing of fuel, to measure an amount of fuel dispensed for a transaction, and to output the amount to the secure device for rendering on the display, wherein the secure device is further configured to manage operation of at least one of the fuel dispensing components to control the dispensing of fuel.

21. The vending machine of claim 1, wherein the secure device determines whether the one or more applications are signed by an authorized entity based at least in part on whether a secure channel is established with the one or more applications.

22. The vending machine of claim 21, wherein the one or more applications establish the secure channel with the secure device based at least in part on encrypting communications with the secure device.

23. The vending machine of claim 22, wherein the one or more applications obtain one or more encryption keys for encrypting communication as part of a verification process for the one or more applications, wherein the one or more applications are signed with a signature of a manufacturer of the vending machine as part of the verification process.

24. The vending machine of claim 22, wherein the secure device encrypts a portion of the touch input information for communicating to the one or more applications over the secure channel.