Fuel dispensing environment utilizing active sniffer to upgrade legacy equipment

• US 9,972,159 B2
• Filed: 10/10/2014
• Issued: 05/15/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 10/10/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Gilbarco Incorporated (Vontier Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Gilbarco Incorporated (Vontier Corp.)
• Inventors: Carapelli, Giovanni, Park, Thomas J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Van
• Application Number:
  US14/511,993
• Publication Number:
  US 20150105920A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,313 Days
• Field of Search: None
• CPC Class Codes: B67D 7/04 for transferring fuels, lubricants or mixed fuels and lubricants
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/18 involving self-service terminals [SST], vending machines, kiosks or multimedia terminals
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/322 Aspects of commerce using mobile devices [M-devices]
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 13/025 wherein the volume is determined during delivery
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 9/001 Interfacing with vending machines using mobile or wearable devices

Abstract

An assembly for installation in a fuel dispensing environment having a forecourt controller and at least one fuel dispenser communicating via legacy cable. The assembly comprises a sniffer device connectable along the legacy cable such that a first communication side thereof is in electrical communication with the forecourt controller and a second communication side thereof is in electrical communication with the fuel dispenser. The sniffer device is operative to receive an incoming message at either the first communication side or the second communication side. The sniffer device also includes memory and a processor, the processor implementing instructions to interpret the incoming message. Based on an interpretation of the incoming message, the sniffer device is operative to determine an action to be taken regarding the incoming message.

Claims

1. An assembly for installation in a fuel dispensing environment comprising:

a first communication connection configured to be in electrical communication with a forecourt controller and a second communication connection configured to be in electrical communication with pump electronics of a fuel dispenser, wherein the first communication connection and second communication connection are configured to be disposed along a fueling environment legacy cable;

a processor and a memory including computer program code, the memory and the computer program code configured to, with the processor, cause the assembly to;

receive a legacy incoming message at either said first communication connection or said second communication connection;

interpret said incoming message and determine an action to be taken regarding said incoming message based on an interpretation of the incoming message, utilizing a set of rules for expected messages, wherein the set of rules is based on a legacy format of the forecourt controller in electrical communication via the first communication connection and a legacy format of the pump electronics in electrical communication via the second communication connection;

cause the action regarding the incoming message to be executed by the pump electronics or the forecourt controller.

2. An assembly as set forth in claim 1, wherein an action to be taken regarding said incoming message includes passing said incoming message immediately to the other side, delaying said incoming message, or not passing said incoming message to the other side.

3. An assembly as set forth in claim 2, further comprising:

a broadband communication channel connection configured for network communication between said assembly and at least one external device.

4. An assembly as set forth in claim 3, wherein said external device comprises a remote cloud server, and said assembly is operative to receive transaction authorization from said remote cloud server and activate said fuel dispenser based on same.

5. An assembly as set forth in claim 4, wherein said memory and the computer program code are further configured to provide sale and volume information received from said fuel dispenser to said remote cloud server at the conclusion of a fueling transaction.

6. An assembly as set forth in claim 3, wherein said memory and the computer program code are further configured to provide ongoing volume information received from said fuel dispenser during a fueling transaction to said external device via said broadband communication channel.

7. An assembly as set forth in claim 3, further comprising:

an over legacy cable (OLC) modem in electrical communication with said broadband communication channel.

8. An assembly as set forth in claim 3, wherein said memory and the computer program code are further configured to receive remote messages at said broadband communication channel and determine an action to be taken in relation to said remote messages.

9. An assembly as set forth in claim 8, wherein said memory and the computer program code are further configured to implement a protocol in the event a remote message is received while action pursuant to a previous remote or incoming message is in process.

10. An assembly as set forth in claim 1, further comprising:

a wireless proximity transmitter operative to provide dispenser identification to a customer'"'"'s mobile device.

11. An assembly as set forth in claim 1, wherein said assembly further comprises:

at least one port for messages to or from additional input/output devices associated with said fuel dispenser.

12. A retrofit kit for installation in a fuel dispenser, said retrofit kit comprising:

a first communication connection configured to be electrically connected to a forecourt controller and a second communication connection configured to be electrically connected to pump electronics of a fuel dispenser, wherein the first communication connection and second communication connection are configured to be disposed along a fueling environment legacy cable;

an over legacy cable modem in operative communication with a broadband communication channel to provide such broadband communication to at least one external device via said legacy cable;

a wireless proximity transmitter operative to provide dispenser identification to a customer'"'"'s mobile device; and

a processor and a memory including computer program code, the memory and the computer program code configured to, with the processor, cause the apparatus to;

receive a legacy incoming message at either said first communication connection or said second communication connection;

interpret said incoming message and determine an action to be taken regarding said incoming message based on an interpretation of the incoming message, utilizing a set of rules for expected messages, wherein the set of rules is based on a legacy format of the forecourt controller in electrical communication via the first communication connection and a legacy format of the pump electronics in electrical communication via the second communication connection;

cause the action regarding the incoming message to be executed by the pump electronics or the forecourt controller.

13. A retrofit kit as set forth in claim 12, wherein said external device comprises a remote cloud server, and said memory and the computer program code are further configured to receive transaction authorization from said remote cloud server and activate said fuel dispenser based on the transaction authorization.

14. A retrofit kit as set forth in claim 13, wherein said memory and the computer program code are further configured to provide sale and volume information received from said fuel dispenser to said remote cloud server at the conclusion of a fueling transaction.

15. A retrofit kit as set forth in claim 13, wherein said memory and the computer program code are further configured to provide ongoing volume information received from said fuel dispenser during a fueling transaction to said remote cloud server via said broadband communication channel.

16. A retrofit kit as set forth in claim 12, wherein said memory and the computer program code are further configured to receive remote messages at said broadband communication channel and determine an action to be taken in relation to said remote messages.

17. A retrofit kit as set forth in claim 12, wherein said memory and the computer program code are further configured to implement a protocol in the event a remote message is received while action pursuant to a previous remote or incoming message is in process.

18. A retrofit kit as set forth in claim 12, wherein said retrofit kit further comprises:

at least one port for messages to or from additional input/output devices associated with said fuel dispenser.

19. A method of controlling a fuel dispenser operative to transmit and receive messages along legacy cable between pump electronics of the fuel dispenser and a remote forecourt controller, said method comprising steps of:

providing a device comprising a first communication connection configured to be electrically connected to said forecourt controller and a second communication connection configured to be electrically connected to said pump electronics, said device further having a broadband communication channel for broadband communication with a remote cloud server, wherein the first communication connection and second communication connection are disposed along a fueling environment legacy cable;

receiving a legacy incoming message at either said first communication connection or said second communication connection;

interpreting, by a processor, said incoming message and determining an action to be taken regarding said incoming message based on an interpretation of the incoming message, utilizing a set of rules for expected messages, wherein the set of rules is based on a legacy format of the forecourt controller in electrical communication via the first communication connection and a legacy format of the pump electronics in electrical communication via the second communication connection;

causing the action regarding the incoming message to be executed by the pump electronics or the forecourt controller;

receiving a host command from said remote cloud server at said device via said broadband communication channel;

interpreting said host command at said device based on information stored in a memory of said device; and

providing a selected pump message to said pump electronics via said legacy cable based on said interpretation of said host command.

20. A method as set forth in claim 19, further comprising the step of providing a selected controller message to said forecourt controller based on said host command.

21. A method as set forth in claim 19, wherein said host command comprises authorization for a fueling transaction to commence and said selected pump message comprises an emulated forecourt controller message.

22. A method as set forth in claim 19, further comprising step the steps of:

receiving sales and volume data from said pump electronics at said device via said legacy cable; and

sending said sales and volume data to said remote cloud server via said broadband communication channel.

23. A fuel dispenser comprising:

pump electronics operative to control fueling operations of the fuel pump; and

a device in electrical communication with said pump electronics, via a second communication connection, and to legacy cable in a forecourt of a fueling environment, via a first communication connection, so as to provide electrical communication with a forecourt controller;

said device comprising;

a broadband communication channel connection to a remote cloud server; and

a processor and a memory including computer program code, the memory and the computer programming code configured to, with the processor, cause the apparatus to;

receive a legacy incoming message at either said first communication connection or said second communication connection;

interpret said incoming message and determine an action to be taken regarding said incoming message based on an interpretation of the incoming message, utilizing a set of rules for expected messages, wherein the set of rules is based on a legacy format of the forecourt controller in electrical communication via the first communication connection and a legacy format of the pump electronics in electrical communication via the second communication connection;

causing the action regarding the incoming message to be executed by the pump electronics or forecourt controller; and

provide legacy messages to said forecourt controller and communicate with a remote cloud server via said broadband communication channel; and

a housing containing said pump electronics and said device.