Fuel information messaging system

• US 20050159878A1
• Filed: 01/20/2005
• Published: 07/21/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 01/20/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.), Varec, Inc. (Leidos Holdings, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Varec, Inc. (Leidos Holdings, Inc.)
• Inventors: Archer, Timothy Lee, Simmons, John Eric, Blagg, Derek, Jackson, Steven, Coggins, Keith
• Granted Patent: US 7,376,495 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/123
• CPC Class Codes: B67D 7/145 by wireless communication means, e.g. RF, transponders or the like
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/06 Energy or water supply

Abstract

A fueling agent operates a fueling agent client device for collecting and generating transaction data relating to a fueling transaction. The fueling agent client device transmits the transaction data to a fuel management server, for example, via a wireless communications link. The fuel management server stores the transaction data in a transaction record. The transaction data includes final fuel load data indicating an amount of fuel dispensed during the fueling transaction. Selected transaction data is retrieved from the transaction record and is delivered to a data communications system for transmission to a receiver. The receiver may be in the cockpit of an aircraft. An aircraft data communication system may be a digital data link system for transmitting data to and from the aircraft via VHF radio, such as ACARS. The fuel management server may communicate with an aircraft data communication system directly, or indirectly via an airline computer system.

Claims

1. A fuel information messaging system comprising:

a fueling agent client device for collecting and generating transaction data relating to a fueling transaction;

a fuel management server for receiving said transaction data from the fueling agent client device and storing it in a transaction record; and

a data communications system for receiving selected transaction data from the fuel management server and for transmitting said selected transaction data to a receiver.

2. The fuel information messaging system of claim 1, wherein the data communications system comprises an aircraft data communications system;

and

wherein the receiver is located in the cockpit of an aircraft.

3. The fuel information messaging system of claim 2, wherein the aircraft data communication system comprises a digital data link system for transmitting data to and from the aircraft via VHF radio.

4. The fuel information messaging system of claim 3, wherein the aircraft data communication system comprises Aircraft Communication Addressing and Reporting System.

5. The fuel information messaging system of claim 2, wherein the receiver in the aircraft cockpit comprises a cockpit computer.

6. The fuel information messaging system of claim 2, wherein the receiver in the aircraft cockpit comprises a cockpit printer.

7. The fuel information messaging system of claim 2, wherein the fuel management server communicates the selected transaction data to an airline computer system and wherein the airline computer system communicates the selected transaction data to the aircraft data communications system.

8. The fuel information messaging system of claim 2, wherein the fuel management server is in communication with an airline computer system for retrieving flight schedule information and fuel planning information related to the fueling transaction;

and

wherein the fuel management server stores the flight schedule information and the fuel planning information in the transaction record.

9. The fuel information messaging system of claim 8, wherein the fuel planning information specifies an amount of fuel to be dispensed, a configuration of the aircraft'"'"'s fuel tanks, and any other information required by the fueling agent to perform the fueling transaction.

10. The fuel information messaging system of claim 8, wherein the fuel management server periodically communicates with the airline computer system to retrieve any updated flight schedule information and any updated fuel planning information related to the fueling transaction;

and

wherein the fuel management server stores the updated flight schedule information, if any, and the updated fuel planning information, if any, in the transaction record.

11. The fuel information messaging system of claim 8, wherein the fueling agent client device communicates with the fuel management server during the fueling transaction to receive selected transaction data from the transaction record.

12. The fuel information messaging system of claim 11, wherein the fueling agent client device periodically communicates with the fuel management server to receive updates to the selected transaction data.

13. The fuel information messaging system of claim 1, wherein the fuel management server and the fueling agent client device communicate via a wireless communications link.

14. The fuel information messaging system of claim 1, wherein the transaction data generated by the fueling agent client device comprises final fuel load data indicating an amount of fuel dispensed during the fueling transaction.

15. The fuel information messaging system of claim 14, wherein the final fuel load data is determined based on fuel meter start/stop values and fuel tank gauge readings input to the fueling agent client device.

16. The fuel information messaging system of claim 15, wherein the fuel meter start/stop values are electronically transmitted to the fueling agent client device by a data collection unit connected to and configured for monitoring the fuel meter.

17. The fuel information messaging system of claim 15, wherein the fuel tank gauge readings are transmitted to the fuel management server via the data communications system;

wherein the fuel management server transmits the fuel tank gauge readings to the fueling agent client device.

18. The fuel information messaging system of claim 1, wherein the selected transaction data is encoded into an electronic message compatible with the data communications system.

19. The fuel information messaging system of claim 1, wherein the selected transaction data is encoded into the electronic message by an adapter accessible to the fuel management server.

20. A method for communicating fuel information comprising:

receiving transaction data relating to a fueling transaction from a fueling agent client device and storing said transaction data in a transaction record;

retrieving selected transaction data from the transaction record and encoding it into an electronic message compatible with a data communications system; and

transmitting the encoded message to the data communications system for transmission to a receiver.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein the data communications system comprises an aircraft data communications system;

and

wherein the receiver is located in the cockpit of an aircraft.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein the aircraft data communication system comprises a digital data link system for transmitting data to and from the aircraft via VHF radio.

23. The method of claim 21, wherein the aircraft data communication system comprises Aircraft Communication Addressing and Reporting System.

24. The method of claim 21, wherein the receiver in the aircraft cockpit comprises a cockpit computer.

25. The method of claim 21, wherein the receiver in the aircraft cockpit comprises a cockpit printer.

26. The method of claim 21, wherein the selected transaction data is transmitted to an airline computer system where it is encoded into the electronic message;

and

wherein the airline computer system communicates the electronic message to the aircraft data communications system.

27. The method of claim 21, further comprising the steps of:

receiving from an airline computer system flight schedule information and fuel planning information related to the fueling transaction; and

storing the flight schedule information and fuel planning information in the transaction record.

28. The method of claim 27, wherein the fuel planning information specifies an amount of fuel to be dispensed, a configuration of the aircraft'"'"'s fuel tanks, and any other information required by the fueling agent to perform the fueling transaction.

29. The method of claim 27, further comprising the steps of:

periodically communicating with the airline computer system to retrieve any updated flight schedule information and any updated fuel planning information related to the fueling transaction; and

storing the updated flight schedule information, if any, and the updated fuel planning information, if any, in the transaction record.

30. The method of claim 27, further comprising the step of transmitting selected transaction data to the fueling agent client device from the transaction record.

31. The method of claim 30, further comprising the step of periodically transmitting updates to the selected transaction data to the fueling agent client device.

32. The method of claim 20, wherein the transaction data is received from a fueling agent client device via a wireless communications link.

33. The method of claim 20, wherein the transaction data received from the fueling agent client device comprises final fuel load data indicating an amount of fuel dispensed during the fueling transaction.

34. The method of claim 33, wherein the final fuel load data is determined based on fuel meter start/stop values and fuel tank gauge readings input to the fueling agent client device.

35. The method of claim 34, wherein the fuel meter start/stop values are electronically transmitted to the fueling agent client device by a data collection unit connected to and configured for monitoring the fuel meter.

36. The method of claim 34, wherein the fuel tank gauge readings are transmitted to the fuel management server via the data communications system;

and

wherein the fuel management server transmits the fuel tank gauge readings to the fueling agent client device.

37. A fuel information messaging system comprising:

a fuel management server in communication with an airline computer system for retrieving flight schedule information and fuel planning information related to a fueling transaction and for storing said flight schedule information and fuel planning information in a transaction record;

a fueling agent client device in communication with the fuel management server for receiving selected flight schedule information and fuel planning information from the transaction record; and

wherein the fueling agent client device is further operable for collecting and generating transaction data relating to the fueling transaction and for transmitting said transaction data to a receiver via a wireless communication link.

38. The fuel information messaging system of claim 37, wherein the receiver is located in an aircraft cockpit.

39. The fuel information messaging system of claim 37, wherein the fuel planning information specifies an amount of fuel to be dispensed, fuel tank configuration and any other information required by the fueling agent to perform the fueling transaction.

40. The fuel information messaging system of claim 37, wherein the fuel management server periodically communicates with the airline computer system to retrieve any updated flight schedule information and any updated fuel planning information related to the fueling transaction;

and

wherein the fuel management server stores the updated flight schedule information, if any, and the updated fuel planning information, if any, in the transaction record.

41. The fuel information messaging system of claim 37, wherein the fueling agent client device communicates with the fuel management server during the fueling transaction to receive selected transaction data from the transaction record.

42. The fuel information messaging system of claim 41, wherein the fueling agent client device periodically communicates with the fuel management server to receive updates to the selected transaction data.

43. The fuel information messaging system of claim 37, wherein the transaction data generated by the fueling agent client device comprises final fuel load data indicating an amount of fuel dispensed during the fueling transaction.

44. The fuel information messaging system of claim 43, wherein the final fuel load data is determined based on fuel meter start/stop values and fuel tank gauge readings input to the fueling agent client device.

45. The fuel information messaging system of claim 44, wherein the fuel meter start/stop values are electronically transmitted to the fueling agent client device by a data collection unit connected to and configured for monitoring the fuel meter.