Gilbarco Inc.

Marconi Commerce Systems Inc.

Dolan F Blalock

Paul D Miller

John S McSpadden

Joseph D Long

Howard M Myers

Howard Weinstein

Lester G Ward

David S Eldredge

Roger W Stout

Joshua D Wyatt

Paul D Kaufman

The present invention relates to a payment mat that wirelessly communicates with a payment device for payment of items, such as goods and/or services, in a retail environment. A customer presents the payment device within the radiation range of an antenna contained in the payment mat for payment. The payment mat may also include a visual indicator, audio indicator, keypad, transaction display, advertising display, receipt printer, and transaction card reader. The payment mat may be constructed out of a rigid or flexible material. The payment mat may be placed flat on counters in retail stores, nearby cash registers or order entry devices. The payment mat may be placed on drive-thru windows in retail environment, such as quick service restaurants (QSR) or pharmaceutical stores. The payment mat may be placed behind a secure order entry window.

Wireless payment mat device and method for retail environments

The present invention provides a fuel dispenser capable of sensing the proximity or location of a customer relative to the fuel dispenser without requiring direct customer contact and controlling the display or aspects of the display accordingly to conserve energy, reduce heat generation or draw the customer's attention to the display once the customer is within a relative proximity to the fuel dispenser.

Customer-sensitive dispenser using proximity sensing devices

Fuel dispenser loop conductor antenna

A fuel dispenser includes an overbody within which a wide, flat conductor acts as a loop antenna. The conductor is concentrically coiled to create a plurality of turns comparable in appearance to a coiled tape measure. The antenna is then molded into a panel or overbody and affixed to the fuel dispenser to present a visually pleasing appearance.

Loop conductor antenna for fuel dispenser

A bar code reader system is required to be integrated into an energy dispenser that is able to read a variety of bar code formats printed on a variety of media. The bar code reader system accepts both bar encoded cards having very low aspect ratios and other printed bar encoded media having differing aspect ratios. The system also provides a robust scanning pattern such that other printed bar encoded media can be placed into a receiving cavity without regard to a particular orientation. Further, the system provides a sensing mechanism capable of determining when a card has been inserted into the system or when another bar encoded media has been placed into the receiving cavity.

Energy dispensing system having a bar code scanning unit

Fuel dispenser bar code reader

A printed paper dispensing and severing apparatus includes an elongated paper to be printed, dispensed and severed. A printer including a positive drive mechanism projects paper along a guide path to an exit chute in a housing, the guide path being defined at least in part by a deflection plate so that the projection of the paper will encounter the deflection plate and be guided to exit the housing. A cutting mechanism adjacent the guide path includes a blade with a centrally peaked ridge in a guide surface generally parallel to the guide path. The reliability of this mechanism is dramatically improved due the absence of moving parts in the guide path, cutter blade, deflection plate and exit chute. The guide path and the exit chute are angled to one another, the elongated paper is provided in the form of a roll of paper which gives the paper a curl and the curl of the paper is in the same sense as the angle. Thus, paper projected along the guide path by the positive drive mechanism passes against the blade and through the exit chute to exit the housing in an untensioned condition. The subsequent application of a tension to the paper cuts the paper against the blade, producing an essentially straight cut.

Printed receipt severing

A fluid flow control valve includes a valve body including a side wall, an inlet port through a portion of the side wall, a top, a bottom, a discharge port centrally located in the bottom, and an interior chamber; a piston slideably mounted within the interior chamber, the piston having one end overlappingly opposing the concentric with the discharge port, the one end having a centrally located recessed portion; a sealing member removably secured to, located within, the concentric with the recessed portion of the one end of the piston for providing a fluid tight seal between the piston and a valve seat about the circumference of the discharge port whenever the piston is positioned for closure of the valve; a throttle rigidly attached to and concentric with a portion of the sealing member, the upper portion of the throttle proximate the piston being cylindrical and having an outside diameter approaching the inside diameter of the discharge port, the lower portion of the throttle including a plurality of scalloped regions; and a positioning member for selectively positioning the piston within the valve body, for obtaining a desired fluid flow rate.

Growing community of inventors

Kernersville, NC, United States of America

Dolan F Blalock