URL-encoded internet access card for retrieving and viewing e-mail at a fuel dispenser

• US 6,619,543 B1
• Filed: 01/23/2001
• Issued: 09/16/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 01/23/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Tokheim Holding B.V. (Dover Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Tokheim Holding B.V. (Dover Corporation)
• Inventors: Smith, Ervin M.
• Primary Examiner(s): LE, THIEN MINH
• Application Number:
  US09/767,616
• Time in Patent Office: 966 Days
• Field of Search: 235/462, 235/472, 235/494, 235/375, 235/383, 235/454, 235/381
• US Class Current: 235/381
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/107 Computer-aided management of electronic mailing [e-mailing]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/342 Cards defining paid or billed services or quantities
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 13/025 wherein the volume is determined during delivery
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 7/025 by means, e.g. cards, providing billing information at the time of purchase, e.g. identification of seller or purchaser, quantity of goods delivered or to be delivered

Abstract

An Internet-enabled fuel dispenser includes a card reader adapted to retrieve a Uniform Resource Locator (URL) data element encoded on a card-type device furnished by the customer. The URL data element defines the Internet address of a server that hosts an e-mail messaging account preferably belonging to the customer. A client machine at the dispenser position accesses the server specified by the retrieved URL data element and receives the email messages downloaded by the server in response to the e-mail request. The customer views the downloaded e-mail messages on a display installed at the dispenser position. The dispenser position is provided with a suitable connection facility to make a networked connection to the Internet, which preferably includes the World Wide Web.

Claims

1. A system for use in a fuel dispenser environment, comprising:

a connection facility enabling connection to a communications network;

data means for providing at least one resource identifier each specifying a host resource in said communications network;

access means, operatively coupled to said connection facility, for accessing the host resource specified by a one of the at least one resource identifier and for receiving information retrieved therefrom; and

means for viewing information received by said access means;

wherein information retrieved from the accessed host resource comprises electronic messages.

2. The system as recited in claim 1, wherein the at least one resource identifier further includes at least one Uniform Resource Locator (URL) data element.

3. The system as recited in claim 2, wherein said communications network further includes the Internet, and the host resource associated with each resource identifier further includes at least one server.

4. The system as recited in claim 1, wherein each resource identifier corresponds to an e-mail messaging account.

5. The system as recited in claim 1, wherein said data means further comprises:

a device containing at least one Uniform Resource Locator (URL) data element; and

a retrieval mechanism to retrieve the at least one URL data element from said device.

6. The system as recited in claim 5, wherein said device further includes a card encoded with an Internet Protocol (IP) address of an e-mail account.

7. The system as recited in claim 1, wherein said data means further comprises:

a card encoded with a network address of an e-mail account; and

a reader to retrieve the network address from said card.

8. The system as recited in claim 7, wherein said card relating to a financial service and being adapted to contain the network address of the e-mail account.

9. The system as recited in claim 8, wherein said card being adapted to have the network address of the e-mail account encoded on at least one magnetic element thereof.

10. The system as recited in claim 7, wherein said viewing means enabling viewing of e-mail messages retrieved from the e-mail account by operation of said access means using the network address.

11. A system for use in a fuel dispenser environment having a plurality of dispenser positions, said system comprising:

connection means for enabling connection to a communications network;

each dispenser position respectively comprising;

a mechanism to provide at least one resource identifier each specifying a host resource in said communications network,

an access device to access the host resource specified by a one of the at least one resource identifier and to receive information retrieved therefrom, and

a viewer to view information received by said access device;

wherein information retrieved from an accessed host resource comprises electronic messages.

12. The system as recited in claim 11, wherein the at least one resource identifier further includes at least one Uniform Resource Locator (URL) data element.

13. The system as recited in claim 12, wherein said communications network further includes the Internet, and the host resource associated with each resource identifier further includes at least one server.

14. The system as recited in claim 11, wherein each resource identifier corresponding to an e-mail messaging account.

15. The system as recited in claim 11, wherein the mechanism of each respective dispenser position further comprises:

a device containing at least one Uniform Resource Locator (URL) data element; and

a retrieval mechanism to retrieve the at least one URL data element from said device.

16. The system as recited in claim 15, wherein said device further includes a card encoded with an Internet Protocol (IP) address of an e-mail account.

17. The system as recited in claim 11, wherein the mechanism of each respective dispenser position further comprises:

a card encoded with a network address of an e-mail account; and

a reader to retrieve the network address from said card.

18. The system as recited in claim 17, wherein said communications network comprises the Internet, and the network address includes a Uniform Resource Locator (URL) data element.

19. The system as recited in claim 17, wherein said card being a payment-type card adapted to contain the network address of the e-mail account.

20. The system as recited in claim 19, wherein said payment-type card being adapted to have the network address of the e-mail account encoded on at least one magnetic element thereof.

21. The system as recited in claim 17, wherein said viewer enabling viewing of e-mail messages retrieved from the e-mail account by operation of said access device using the network address.

22. An apparatus for use in combination with a fuel dispenser environment and a communications network, said apparatus comprising:

a connection device to connect to said communications network;

a mechanism to provide at least one Uniform Resource Locator (URL) data element each specifying a host resource in said communications network;

an access device to access the host resource specified by a one of the at least one resource identifier and to receive information retrieved therefrom; and

a viewer operatively coupled to said access device;

wherein the retrieved information comprises electronic messages.

23. The apparatus as recited in claim 22, wherein said mechanism further comprises:

a portable storage device containing the at least one URL data element; and

a retrieval device to retrieve the at least one URL data element from said portable storage device.

24. The apparatus as recited in claim 23, wherein said storage device further includes a card, and said retrieval device further includes a read module adapted to enable operative reading of said card.

25. The apparatus as recited in claim 24, wherein said card being encoded with an Internet Protocol (IP) address of an e-mail account.

26. The apparatus as recited in claim 25, wherein the e-mail account being associated with a customer furnishing said card.

27. The apparatus as recited in claim 22, wherein said mechanism further comprises:

a card encoded with a network address of an e-mail account; and

a reader to retrieve the network address from said card.

28. The apparatus as recited in claim 27, wherein said communications network comprises the Internet, and the network address includes a Uniform Resource Locator (URL) data element.

29. The apparatus as recited in claim 27, wherein said card being a payment-type card adapted to contain the network address of the e-mail account.

30. The apparatus as recited in claim 29, wherein said payment-type card being adapted to have the network address of the e-mail account encoded on at least one magnetic element thereof.

31. The apparatus as recited in claim 27, wherein said viewer enabling viewing of e-mail messages retrieved from the e-mail account by operation of said access device using the network address.

32. An apparatus for use in combination with a fuel dispenser environment and a communications network, said apparatus comprising:

a connection device to connect to said communications network;

a card encoded with a network address of an e-mail messaging resource in said communications network;

a reader to retrieve the network address from said card; and

an access device to access the e-mail messaging resource using the network address and to receive information retrieved therefrom.

33. The apparatus as recited in claim 32, further comprises:

a viewer to view the information retrieved from the e-mail messaging resource.

34. The apparatus as recited in claim 32, wherein the information retrieved from the e-mail messaging resource comprises electronic messages.

35. The apparatus as recited in claim 32, wherein said communications network further includes the Internet, and the network address further includes a Uniform Resource Locator (URL) data element.

36. The apparatus as recited in claim 32, wherein said card being furnished by a customer.

37. The apparatus as recited in claim 32, wherein said card being a finance-related device suitable for use in tendering payment.

38. The apparatus as recited in claim 37, wherein said card being one of a credit card arid a debit card adapted to have the network address encoded thereon.

39. A method for use in a fuel dispenser environment having a connection to a communications network, said method comprising the steps of:

providing at least one resource identifier each specifying a host resource in said communications network;

accessing the host resource specified by a one of the at least one resource identifier;

retrieving information from the accessed host resource, the retrieved information comprising electronic messages; and

displaying the retrieved information.

40. The method as recited in claim 39, wherein the at least one resource identifier further includes at least one Uniform Resource Locator (URL) data element.

41. The method as recited in claim 39, wherein said communications network further includes the Internet, and the host resource associated with each resource identifier further includes at least one server.

42. The method as recited in claim 39, wherein the step of providing at least one resource identifier further comprises the steps of:

providing a device containing at least one Uniform Resource Locator (URL) data element; and

retrieving the at least one URL data element from said device.

43. The method as recited in claim 42, wherein the step of providing a device further includes the steps of:

providing a card encoded with an Internet Protocol (IP) address of an e-mail account.

44. The method as recited in claim 39, wherein the step of providing at least one resource identifier further comprises the steps of:

providing a card-type device encoded with a network address of an e-mail account; and

retrieving the network address from said card-type device.

45. A system for use in combination with a fuel dispenser environment and a communications network, said system comprising:

a connection means to connect to said communications network;

a storage element containing at least one resource identifier each specifying a host resource in said communications network;

a retrieval device to retrieve at least one of the at least one resource identifier from said storage element; and

an access means to access the respective host resource specified by each retrieved resource identifier and to receive information retrieved therefrom, wherein the information received from the accessed host resource comprises electronic messages.

46. The system as recited in claim 45, wherein said storage element comprises:

a card-type device bearing at least one Uniform Resource Locator (URL) data element.

47. The system as recited in claim 46, wherein said retrieval device comprises:

a card reader.

48. The system as recited in claim 45, wherein each resource identifier being representative of a network address in said communications network.

49. The system as recited in claim 45, wherein each host resource comprising a respective e-mail messaging account.

50. The system as recited in claim 45, wherein said communications network comprises the Internet.

51. The system as recited in claim 45, further comprises:

a viewing assembly to enable viewing of information retrieved from an accessed host resource.