Gilbarco Inc.

Marconi Commerce Systems Inc.

Other

Bell Telephone Laboratories

Masconi Commerce Systems Inc.

John S McSpadden

Cheryl Felix

Charles C Keane

Ray Hutchinson

Steven N Terranova

David L Kaehler

Zhou Yang

Seifollah S Nanaji

Timothy E Dickson

Dolan F Blalock

Benjamin Tasso Siler

Harold R Young

Kent Reid

Kenneth L Pope

Russel Dean Leatherman

David J Bolt

Jeremy Robert Baillargeon

William P Shermer

Philip A Robertson

G Frank Dye

Leon B Smith

Thomas J Park

James R McMordie

Lester G Ward

Anthony G Blake

Vance A Tate

Paul D Kaufman

Phil Robertson

David S Eldredge

A system and method of detecting fuel theft at a fuel dispenser. The system has a fluid flow meter, a pulser operatively coupled to said fluid flow meter, and a control system in electrical communication with the pulser. The control system is configured to calculate a flow rate of fuel being dispensed from a gasoline dispenser during a single dispensing transaction. The flow rate is sampled at predetermined time intervals during the single dispensing transaction. The system then compares the sampled flow rates to a predetermined flow rate pattern indicative of potential fraud. A shutoff signal is then provided to the dispenser to stop fuel flow through the dispenser if the sampled flow rates are substantially similar to the predetermined pattern.

System and method for fraud detection by low flow rate monitoring at a fuel dispenser

A method of determining whether a measured fuel delivery rate determined by a fuel meter of a fuel dispenser corresponds to an actual fuel delivery rate at which fuel is being dispensed to a vehicle through a fuel flow path. The method includes measuring a fuel delivery rate at a given time during a fueling operation, measuring a fuel pressure of the fuel within the fuel flow path at the given time, comparing the measured fuel pressure to a plurality of fuel pressure values from a data set including a plurality of actual fuel delivery rate values that correspond to the plurality of fuel pressure values, retrieving one of the plurality of actual fuel delivery rate values from the data set that corresponds to the measured fuel pressure value; and comparing the measured fuel delivery rate from the fuel meter to the one actual fuel delivery rate value to determine if the measured fuel delivery rate corresponds to the actual fuel delivery rate at which fuel is being dispensed to the vehicle.

Fuel dispenser utilizing pressure sensor for theft detection

A fuel dispenser including a fuel delivery path configured to deliver fuel to a vehicle, a display configured to display the total dispensed fuel volume, and a fuel meter configured to measure a fuel delivery rate. A data set having a plurality of fuel volume compensation values corresponding to a plurality of fuel delivery rate values, and a microprocessor configured to calculate a volume of fuel dispensed and retrieve a fuel volume compensation value. The fuel meter measures the fuel delivery rate at the time of the event, the microprocessor determines which fuel delivery rate value corresponds to the fuel delivery rate, retrieves the corresponding fuel volume compensation value, and adds the retrieved fuel volume compensation value to the calculated volume of fuel dispensed to obtain the total dispensed fuel volume.

Nozzle snap flow compensation

An in-dispenser leak pan provided inside the housing of a fuel dispenser. The leak collection chamber collects any fuel that leaks from fuel-handling components located inside the fuel dispenser above the pan. The pan is secondarily contained by an outer pan or container such that an interstitial space is formed therebetween. If a breach exists in the top part of the pan, the captured leaked fuel will be contained in by the outer pan in the interstitial space. The interstitial space of the pan is drawn under a vacuum level using a vacuum-generating source to monitor for leaks. If a leak is detected, a control system may generate an alarm and/or cause the submersible turbine pump to stop supplying fuel, or cause the dispenser product line shear valves to close, thereby only stopping fuel flow to the individual fuel dispenser containing the leak.

Secondarily contained in-dispenser sump/pan system and method for capturing and monitoring leaks

A leak collection chamber is provided inside the housing of a fuel dispenser. The leak collection chamber collects any leaked fuel from fuel handling components inside the fuel dispenser so that the fuel does not leak to the environment. The leak collection chamber can be removed from the fuel dispenser for evacuation. The control system inside the fuel dispenser can determine the liquid level inside the leak containment chamber and generate signals and alarms if the liquid level exceeds a threshold liquid level value and/or the rate of increase in liquid level exceeds a threshold liquid level increase value. The control system can alert service personnel and/or other systems of the leak collection chamber liquid level. Further, the control system and/or other systems shut down the submersible turbine pump that services the fuel dispenser with fuel in response to catastrophic leak condition.

Leak container for fuel dispenser

A flow switch used in conjunction with a fuel meter in a fuel dispenser to determine when fuel is flowing. A flow switch can only be activated if fuel is flowing through the flow path of the flow switch. If fuel is flowing as indicated by the fuel flow switch, but the meter is not registering fuel flow, there is a meter error, which may be an error internally with components of the meter and/or a pulser that generates pulse signals indicative of fuel flow. If the meter pulser is registering fuel flow, but the flow switch is not registering fuel flow, then an error exists with the flow switch. If fuel is flowing and there are no errors, both the meter and the flow switch should indicate fuel flow.

Fuel dispenser fuel meter error detection device, system and method

A shear valve assembly for a fuel dispenser that ensures that the energy from an impact to the fuel dispenser causes a shear valve placed inline to the fuel supply conduit to engage if there is a possibility that such impact could cause the fuel supply conduit to break thereby causing a leak of fuel to the environment. The shear valve assembly may be constructed as part of the fuel dispenser during the manufacture of the fuel dispenser, or the shear valve assembly may be constructed separately from the fuel dispenser and attached to the fuel dispenser in the field during installation of a fuel dispenser.

Fuel dispenser shear valve assembly

The present invention provides a system and method allowing customers to conduct a remote banking transaction at a fuel dispenser, including obtaining cash in association with the transaction at the dispenser or a common terminal in the dispenser forecourt. The system may include a cash dispenser at the dispenser, fueling position, or the central terminal, or, alternatively, a delivery system configured to deliver cash from a central location to the customer at the dispenser, fueling position, or central terminal. During a transaction for purchasing fuel or other products associated with the service station, a customer is provided an opportunity to conduct a remote banking transaction. Providing a customer the opportunity to conduct such a transaction in association with a dispenser transaction will attract more customers to the station because of convenience as well as provide customers with more disposable cash to spend at the associated quick-serve restaurants and convenience store.

Remote banking during fueling

The present invention provides a system and method allowing customers to conduct a transaction at a fuel dispenser and obtain cash back in association with the transaction at the dispenser or a common terminal in the dispenser forecourt. The system may include a cash dispenser at the fuel dispenser, fueling position, or the central terminal, or, alternatively, a delivery system configured to deliver cash from a central location to the customer at the dispenser, fueling position, or central terminal. During a transaction for purchasing fuel or other products associated with the service station, a customer is provided an opportunity to select an amount of cash to be dispensed or delivered in association with that transaction. Providing a customer the opportunity to receive cash back in association with a dispenser transaction will attract more customers to the station because of convenience as well as provide customers with more disposable cash to spend at the associated quick-serve restaurants and convenience store.

Cash back during dispenser transaction

The present invention provides a system and method allowing customers to conduct a remote banking transaction at a fuel dispenser, including obtaining cash in association with the transaction at the dispenser or a common terminal in the dispenser forecourt. The system may include a cash dispenser at the dispenser, fueling position, or the central terminal, or, alternatively, a delivery system configured to deliver cash from a central location to the customer at the dispenser, fueling position, or central terminal. During a transaction for purchasing fuel or other products associated with the service station, a customer is provided an opportunity to conduct a remote banking transaction. Providing a customer the opportunity to conduct such a transaction in association with a dispenser transaction will attract more customers to the station because of convenience as well as provide customers with more disposable cash to spend at the associated quickserve restaurants and convenience store.

A system for blending two-blend components to form a blended final product including a first supply line for supplying a first blend component at a first flow rate and a second supply line for supplying a second blend component at a second flow rate. The first supply line and the second supply line intersect to form a blended product line. The system further includes a blended product measuring device positioned in the blended product line for measuring the flow rate of the blended product and an auxiliary measuring device positioned in the first supply line for measuring the flow rate of the first blend component. The auxiliary measuring device may have a degree of accuracy less than that of the blended product meter. Alternatively, the auxiliary measuring device may have the same level of accuracy as that of the blended product meter. A calculation device determines the flow rate of the second blend component by measuring the difference between the flow rates measured by the blended product meter and the auxiliary measuring device. A method for determining the inputs to a blending system for blending a first blend component and a second blend component to form a blended mixture. The method includes measuring the flow rate of the blended mixture directly using a blended mixture flow meter and measuring the flow rate of the first blend component directly using an auxiliary measuring device having substantially less accuracy than that of the blended product flow meter. The flow rate of the second blend component is determined by measuring the difference between the blended mixture flow rate and the first blend component flow rate.

Blending system and method using an auxiliary measuring device

Fuel dispensing unit

A fuel dispensing system for providing dual-stage preconditioning and authentication for enhancing a fueling transaction. The system includes a fuel dispenser associated with a control system and a receiver adapted to receive signals, including a first indicia, from a remote communications unit of a customer. The receiver is operatively associated with the control system and enables the control system to retrieve the first indicia and precondition the dispenser for fueling. The control system is adapted to receive second indicia subsequent to receiving the first indicia, and authenticate a transaction involving the remote communications unit by determining the requisite authentication data based on the first indicia and correlating the authentication data with the second indicia. Authentication occurs when the second indicia and the requisite transaction indicia correlate. Various security and encryption techniques may be used when receiving the first and second indicia.

Preconditioning a fuel dispensing system using a transponder

A system for assisting handicapped individuals in operating gasoline dispensers which includes a transponder in which data is stored according to the specific gasoline requirements of the individual. A transceiver is located proximate the gasoline dispenser and interrogates the transponder to obtain such stored data, and generates a signal which is a function of the stored data that is transmitted to a computer which receives the signal and generates predetermined control signals for operating the gasoline dispenser. The system may also include a warning signal device activated by the transponder to notify an attendant that the handicapped individual is approaching and this device may include a read-out device which displays predetermined personal information relating to the handicapped individual.

Growing community of inventors

Greensboro, NC, United States of America

John S McSpadden