Systems and methods for fueling motor vehicles

• US 9,947,063 B2
• Filed: 10/28/2014
• Issued: 04/17/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 10/28/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Mobile Fueling Solutions LLC
• Original Assignee: Mobile Fueling Solutions LLC
• Inventors: Miller, Nicholas S.
• Primary Examiner(s): Flynn, Kevin H
• Assistant Examiner(s): Molnar, Hunter A
• Application Number:
  US14/526,178
• Publication Number:
  US 20160117636A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,267 Days
• Field of Search: 705332
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/0832 Special goods or special handling procedures, e.g. handling of hazardous or fragile goods
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/06 Energy or water supply
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/40 Business processes related to the transportation industry shipping G06Q10/083
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/008 communicating information to a remotely located station transmission systems for measured values G08C
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/202 Dispatching vehicles on the basis of a location, e.g. taxi dispatching

Abstract

Methods and systems can automate the delivery of motor vehicle fuel while reducing the need for operator involvement and driving to a gas station. A server with access to a database and in wireless communication with computers installed in a motor vehicle can collect data from the computers including vehicle fuel level and vehicle geographic location. The data can be compared to a fuel level threshold and geographic boundary. The data can be transmitted wirelessly through a wireless network to the database. A mobile fuel tanker truck can be dispatched to the vehicle'"'"'s location when at least one of: fuel service is requested by a user of the vehicle or the vehicle'"'"'s fuel level falls beneath the fuel level threshold. Fuel service can be requested by a user via a smartphone running an application that enables the monitoring, management, selection, and ordering of fuel service.

Claims

1. A method for automating the delivery of motor vehicle fuel wherein the need for motor vehicle user involvement is minimized, comprising:

a wireless appliance including a microcontroller, a GPS chipset, and a radio frequency transceiver communicating with on-board diagnostics of a motor vehicle;

a fuel level sensor communicating with at least one of the on-board diagnostics and the wireless appliance; and

a short-range wireless data communication module communicating with a smartphone and accessing a remote server;

wherein said wireless appliance communicates with the remote server when the fuel level sensor detects that a fuel level drops below an established threshold in a fuel tank integrated in the motor vehicle and a request for refueling together with the motor vehicle'"'"'s location is also transmitted to the remote server via a cellular network;

providing the remote server with access to a database, the remote server in wireless communication with the wireless appliance pluggable into an on-board diagnostics port of the motor vehicle, the wireless appliance providing access for the remote server via the on-board diagnostics port to at least one computer installed in the motor vehicle for obtaining data including a motor vehicle fuel level from the fuel level sensor and a motor vehicle location from a geographic location module provided in at least one of the wireless appliance or via short-range wireless data connection to the smartphone, wherein the remote server collects the data from the at least one computer installed in the motor vehicle;

the remote server comparing the data to a fuel level threshold stored in a profile within the database with respect to the motor vehicle and a geographic boundary limit for service provided by mobile fuel tanks indicating as available to refuel the motor vehicle;

the remote server notifying the motor vehicle user via an electronic message on the smartphone that a fuel service is being dispatched to the motor vehicle; and

the remote server dispatching a mobile fuel tanker truck to the motor vehicle'"'"'s location when the fuel service is requested or accepted by the motor vehicle user via electronic message after the motor vehicle'"'"'s fuel level falls beneath the fuel level threshold.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising the wireless appliance utilizing the smartphone, the smartphone including an application that enables communication with the computer to facilitate at least one of:

monitoring the motor vehicle'"'"'s fuel level, alerting the motor vehicle user when the motor vehicle is within range of mobile fuel service, and providing the motor vehicle user with the ability to place a fuel order.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising the remote server comparing the motor vehicle'"'"'s location to a fixed or variable geographic service boundary to determine if a mobile fuel tank can be dispatched to the motor vehicle within the service boundary.

4. The method of claim 3, further comprising the remote server dispatching a mobile fuel tank to the motor vehicle location if a mobile fuel tank is available and providing the mobile fuel tank instructions including motor vehicle identification and location.

5. The method of claim 4, further comprising the remote server providing at least one of an electronic code or a manually entered code to an operator of the mobile fuel tank to unlock at least one of an electromechanically operated fuel door, an electromechanically operated fuel cap, a mechanically operated fuel door or a mechanically operated fuel cap associated with the motor vehicle.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising the remote server receiving a quantity of fuel dispensed into the motor vehicle for bill processing.

7. A method implemented by a computer coupled to a motor vehicle and programmed for automating the delivery of motor vehicle fuel in a manner that minimizes motor vehicle user involvement, comprising:

a wireless appliance including a microcontroller a GPS chipset and a radio frequency transceiver communicating with on-board diagnostics of the motor vehicle;

a fuel level sensor communicating with at least one of the on-board diagnostics and the wireless appliance; and

a short-range wireless data communication module communicating with a smartphone and accessing a remote server;

wherein the wireless appliance communicates with the remote server when a fuel level sensor detects that a fuel level drops below an established threshold in a fuel tank integrated in the motor vehicle and a request for refueling together with the motor vehicle'"'"'s location is also transmitted to the remote server via a cellular network;

the wireless appliance determining the motor vehicle'"'"'s fuel level based on measurements from the fuel level sensor located in the motor vehicle'"'"'s fuel tank;

the wireless appliance determining the motor vehicle'"'"'s location based on a location module located in at least one of;

the motor vehicle, or the smartphone in communication with the remote server;

the wireless appliance transmitting the fuel level and location data over a wireless network to the remote server for analysis and for dispatch of a mobile fuel tanker truck to the motor vehicle'"'"'s location to refuel the motor vehicle;

the remote server comparing the data to a fuel level threshold stored in a profile within a database with respect to the motor vehicle and a geographic boundary limit for service provided by mobile fuel tanks indicating as available to refuel the motor vehicle;

the remote server notifying the motor vehicle user via an electronic message on the smartphone that a fuel service is being dispatched to the motor vehicle; and

the remote server dispatching a mobile fuel tanker truck to the motor vehicle'"'"'s location when the fuel service is requested or accepted by the motor vehicle user via a reply electronic message after the motor vehicle'"'"'s fuel level falls beneath the fuel level threshold.

8. The method of claim 7, further comprising the remote server comparing the motor vehicle'"'"'s location to a fixed or variable geographic service boundary to determine if a mobile fuel tank can be dispatched to the motor vehicle within the service boundary.

9. The method of claim 7, further comprising the remote server providing at least one of an electronic code or a manually entered code to an operator of the mobile fuel tank to unlock at least one of an electromechanically operated fuel door, an electromechanically operated fuel cap, a mechanically operated fuel door or a mechanically operated fuel cap associated with the motor vehicle.

10. A system for automating the delivery of motor vehicle fuel wherein the need for motor vehicle user involvement is minimized, comprising:

a wireless appliance including microcontroller, GPS chipset, and radio frequency transceiver in communication with on-board diagnostics of a motor vehicle;

a fuel level sensor in communication with at least one of the on-board diagnostics and the wireless appliance;

a short-range wireless data communication module enabling communication with a smartphone and access to a remote server wherein said wireless appliance communicates with the remote server when the fuel level sensor detects that a fuel level drops below an established threshold in a fuel tank integrated in the motor vehicle and a request for refueling together with the motor vehicle'"'"'s location is also transmitted to the remote server;

wherein the remote server compares fuel level data obtained by the fuel level sensor to a fuel level threshold stored in a profile within a database with respect to the motor vehicle, a geographic boundary limit is determined by the remote server for fuel service provided by mobile fuel tanks indicating as available to refuel the motor vehicle, the motor vehicle user is notified via an electronic message on the smartphone that a fuel service is being dispatched to the motor vehicle, and a mobile fuel tank is dispatched to the motor vehicle'"'"'s location when the fuel service is requested by or accepted by the motor vehicle user via a reply electronic message after the motor vehicle'"'"'s fuel level falls beneath the fuel level threshold.

11. The system of claim 10, further comprising a security code-enabled locking mechanism installed on a refill spout associated with the fuel tank, wherein a mobile fuel tank truck operator can open the locking mechanism with a code provided by the remote server.