FUEL DISPENSER

• US 20090048945A1
• Filed: 08/13/2008
• Published: 02/19/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 08/15/2007
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Gilbarco Incorporated (Vontier Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Gilbarco Incorporated (Vontier Corp.)
• Inventors: DeLine, Jonathan E.
• Application Number:
  US12/191,066
• Publication Number:
  US 20090048945A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/27
• CPC Class Codes: B67D 7/08 Arrangements of devices for controlling, indicating, metering or registering quantity or price of liquid transferred arrangement of flow- or pressure-control valves B67D7/36; computing, calculating, counting G06; coin-freed apparatus for dispensing fluids G07F13/00; prepayment devices for metering liquids G07F15/00
• CPC Class Codes: B67D 7/14 responsive to input of recorded programmed information, e.g. on punched cards
• CPC Class Codes: B67D 7/145 by wireless communication means, e.g. RF, transponders or the like
• CPC Class Codes: B67D 7/346 by reading a code
• CPC Class Codes: B67D 7/348 by interrogating an information transmitter, e.g. a transponder B67D7/145 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/10 specially adapted for electronic funds transfer [EFT] systems; specially adapted for home banking systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/20 Point-of-sale [POS] network systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0601 Electronic shopping [e-shopping]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/06 Energy or water supply
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 13/025 wherein the volume is determined during delivery
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 7/1041 PIN input keyboard gets new key allocation at each use
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 9/0235 the arrangements being full-front touchscreens
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 9/026 for alarm, monitoring and auditing in vending machines or means for indication, e.g. when empty
• CPC Class Codes: G07G 3/00 Alarm indicators, e.g. bells

Abstract

A method of conducting a transaction at a fuel dispenser comprising the steps of providing a fuel dispenser having a housing, a fuel dispensing apparatus mounted within the housing, the fuel dispensing apparatus having control electronics, and at least one touch display mounted in the housing and operatively coupled to the control electronics, the touch display being configured to allow a user to make selections for conducting a transaction. The fuel dispensing apparatus control electronics is operatively connected to electronics in a store associated with the fuel dispenser. The method further comprises the steps of presenting a real-time image of an inside of the store, moving through the store by touching the at least one touch display, and selecting a product being shown in the real-time image for purchase by touching the at least one touch display.

Claims

1. A method of conducting a transaction at a fuel dispenser comprising the steps of:

a. providing a fuel dispenser having;

i. a housing,

ii. a fuel dispensing apparatus mounted within said housing, said fuel dispensing apparatus having control electronics,

iii. at least one touch display mounted in said housing and operatively coupled to said control electronics, said touch display being configured to allow a user to make selections for conducting a transaction, wherein said fuel dispensing apparatus control electronics is operatively connected to electronics in a store associated with said fuel dispenser;

b. presenting a real-time image of an inside of the store;

c. moving through the store by touching said at least one touch display;

d. selecting a product being shown in said real-time image for purchase by touching said at least one touch display.

2. The method of conducting a transaction at a fuel dispenser of claim 1, further comprising the step of zooming in to a specific area of said real-time image when the user makes a predetermined hand gesture on said at least one touch display.

3. The method of conducting a transaction at a fuel dispenser of claim 1, the step of moving through the convenience store further comprising the step of performing a set of predetermined hand gestures on said at least one touch display to cause the subject matter of said real-time image to change.

4. The method of conducting a transaction at a fuel dispenser of claim 1, further comprising the step of completing the transaction at said fuel dispenser.

5. The method of conducting a transaction at a fuel dispenser of claim 4, further comprising the step of picking up the purchased products at the convenience store after the transaction has been completed.

6. The method of conducting a transaction at a fuel dispenser of claim 1, wherein said control electronics is programmed to recognize a plurality of predetermined hand gestures made on said at least one touch screen for controlling said real-time image presented on said at least one touch display.

7. A method of conducting a transaction at a fuel dispenser comprising the steps of:

a. providing a fuel dispenser having;

i. a fuel dispensing apparatus, said fuel dispensing apparatus having control electronics,

ii. at least one touch display operatively coupled to said control electronics, said touch display being configured to allow a user to make selections for conducting a transaction, wherein said fuel dispensing apparatus control electronics is operatively connected to electronics in a store associated with said fuel dispenser;

b. presenting a real-time image of the inside of the store on said at least one touch display;

c. navigating through the store by touching said at least one touch display;

d. selecting a product for purchase by making an input at said fuel dispenser.

8. The method of conducting a transaction at a fuel dispenser of claim 7, wherein the step of presenting a real-time image of the inside of the store further comprises transmitting video images of the store to said fuel dispenser in response to inputs made at said fuel dispenser at least one touch display.

9. The method of conducting a transaction at a fuel dispenser of claim 7, wherein said navigating step further comprises performing a plurality of hand gestures made on said at least one touch display.

10. The method of conducting a transaction at a fuel dispenser of claim 9, wherein said selecting input comprises a predetermined hand gesture made on said at least one touch display.

11. The method of conducting a transaction at a fuel dispenser of claim 7, further comprising the step of zooming into a specific area of the store by making a predetermined hand gesture on said at least one touch display over a portion of said real-time image of interest to the user.

12. The method of conducting a transaction at a fuel dispenser of claim 11, wherein said predetermined hand gesture comprises moving a thumb and a pointer finger toward one another while touching said at least one touch display.

13. The method of conducting a transaction at a fuel dispenser of claim 7, further comprising the step of zooming out from a specific area of the store by making a second predetermined hand gesture on said at least one touch display.

14. The method of conducting a transaction at a fuel dispenser of claim 13, wherein said second predetermined hand gesture comprises moving the thumb and the pointer finger away from one another while touching said at least one touch display.

15. A method of conducting a transaction at a fuel dispenser comprising the steps of:

a. presenting a real-time image of an inside of a store on a touch display mounted in a fuel dispenser associated with the store;

b. moving through the store by touching said touch display;

c. selecting a product for purchase shown in said real-time image by touching said at least one touch display;

d. completing the transaction at the fuel dispenser.

16. The method of conducting a transaction at a fuel dispenser of claim 15, wherein the step of presenting a real-time image of the inside of the store further comprises transmitting video images of the store to the fuel dispenser in response to inputs made on the touch display.

17. The method of conducting a transaction at a fuel dispenser of claim 15, wherein said moving step further comprises performing a plurality of hand gestures made on the touch display.

18. The method of conducting a transaction at a fuel dispenser of claim 15, wherein said selecting step comprises a predetermined hand gesture made on the touch display.

19. The method of conducting a transaction at a fuel dispenser of claim 15, further comprising the step of zooming into a specific area of the store by making a predetermined hand gesture on the touch display over a portion of the real-time image of interest to the user.

20. The method of conducting a transaction at a fuel dispenser of claim 19, wherein said predetermined hand gesture comprises moving a thumb and a pointer finger toward one another while touching the touch display.