FUEL DISPENSER USER INTERFACE

• US 20110134044A1
• Filed: 06/09/2010
• Published: 06/09/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 06/09/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Gilbarco Italia SRL (Vontier Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Gilbarco Sri
• Inventors: Carapelli, Giovanni
• Granted Patent: US 8,874,937 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/168
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/10 Protecting distributed programs or content, e.g. vending or licensing of copyrighted material protection in video systems or pay television H04N7/16 ; Digital rights management [DRM]
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/86 Secure or tamper-resistant housings
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 13/025 wherein the volume is determined during delivery
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 19/20 Automatic teller machines [ATMs]
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 19/205 Housing aspects of ATMs
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 9/02 Devices for alarm or indication, e.g. when empty; Advertising arrangements in coin-freed apparatus alarms or warning devices indicating the interruption of flow to be metered G07F15/10
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 257/922 with means to prevent inspection of or tampering with an integrated circuit, e.g. "smart card", anti-tamper

Abstract

A user interface for a fuel dispenser comprising a display, a display controller, and control circuitry. The control circuitry comprises a processing device, memory, and at least one microswitch. The display controller and the control circuitry are positioned such that the microswitch connects the control circuitry to the display controller. The microswitch is activated if the control circuitry is separated from the display controller. Activation of the microswitch causes any sensitive information stored by the control circuitry to be erased. In one aspect, separation of the display controller from the control circuitry is the only manner by which the processing device and/or the memory may be accessed.

Claims

1. A user interface for a fuel dispenser adapted to handle sensitive information, the user interface comprising:

a display board;

a display operatively connected to the display board; and

control circuitry comprising a processor, memory, and a first trigger, wherein the display board and the control circuitry are in respective planes that are generally parallel to one another, and a portion of the display board physically overlays a portion of the control circuitry so that the first trigger is connected to the display board portion.

2. The user interface of claim 1 wherein activation of the first trigger causes sensitive information stored in the memory to be erased.

3. The user interface of claim 1 further comprising a frame, wherein the display and the control circuitry are mounted to the frame.

4. The user interface of claim 1 wherein the portion of the display board physically overlays at least a portion of the processing device.

5. The user interface of claim 4 wherein the first trigger is physically connected to the control circuitry and the display board.

6. The user interface of claim 5 wherein the first trigger physically connects the processor to the display board.

7. The user interface of claim 6 wherein the processor comprises the first trigger.

8. The user interface of claim 5 wherein the first trigger is a microswitch.

9. The user interface of claim 1 further comprising a reader module operatively connected to the control circuitry.

10. The user interface of claim 9 wherein the reader module receives at least a portion of the sensitive information from a debit or credit card.

11. The user interface of claim 1 wherein the first trigger is a trigger selected from the group consisting of a mechanical trigger, a physical trigger, an electrical trigger, a software enabled trigger, and a signal.

12. The user interface of claim 1 wherein the display is a touch screen.

13. The user interface of claim 6 wherein the first trigger is a microswitch.

14. The user interface of claim 9 wherein a second trigger operatively connects the control circuitry to the reader module and activation of the second trigger causes sensitive information stored in the memory to be erased.

15. The user interface of claim 9 wherein the reader module is a magnetic stripe card reader.

16. The user interface of claim 9 wherein the reader module is a radio frequency identification reader.

17. The user interface of claim 3 wherein a second trigger operatively connects the control circuitry to the frame and activation of the second trigger causes sensitive information stored in the memory to be erased.

18. The user interface of claim 1 further comprising:

a keypad interface operatively connected to the processor; and

a second trigger connected to the control circuitry and the keypad interface,

wherein activation of the second trigger causes sensitive information stored in the memory to be erased.

19. The user interface of claim 18 wherein the second trigger is physically connected to the keypad interface and the control circuitry.

20. The user interface of claim 1 wherein the control circuitry is located between the display and the display board, a second trigger of the control circuitry is connected to the display, separation of the control circuitry from the display board activates first trigger, separation of the control circuitry from the display activates the second trigger, and activation of either trigger causes any sensitive information stored in the memory to be erased.

21. A fuel dispenser comprising:

control circuitry comprising a processor, memory, and a trigger;

a display operatively connected to the processor; and

a frame configured to support the control circuitry and the display,

wherein activation of the trigger due to tampering causes sensitive information stored in the memory to be erased.

22. The fuel dispenser of claim 21 wherein the trigger is connected to the frame so that separation of the control circuitry from the frame causes activation of the trigger.

23. The fuel dispenser of claim 21 further comprising a display controller operatively connected to the processor and the display, wherein the trigger is connected to the display controller so that separation of the control circuitry from the display controller causes activation of the trigger.