Dover Corporation

Stephen J Stephenson

David A Oberrecht

Jonathan P Young

Sean Scott

Curtis E Frederick

A vehicle identification system for use in a refueling station for identifying vehicle requirements, in which a control unit is located in a fuel dispenser for controlling functions of the dispenser such as fuel selection and activation of the dispenser's vapor recovery systems, and a driver circuit is located on the nozzle spout. The control unit communicates with the driver circuit through an intrinsically safe connection in a fuel hose and is programmed to periodically transmit a low power pulse signal to the driver circuit through this connection. The driver circuit includes a power generating means and an antenna for generating an RF interrogation signal in response to each pulse. The RF interrogation signal is detected by a transponder disposed on a vehicle adjacent the vehicle's fill pipe, when the nozzle is positioned adjacent to or in the fill pipe for refueling. The RF interrogation signal energizes the transponder to transmit a return signal containing vehicle identification codes accessed from a memory storage means in the transponder. These identification codes identify vehicle requirements, such as for example, fuel type. The driver circuit further includes a filter for detecting the identification signal from the transponder, and transmitting the signal to the control unit. The control unit interprets the vehicle identification codes and generates signals to control the dispenser in accordance with the vehicle requirements.

Growing community of inventors

Cincinnati, OH, United States of America

Stephen J Stephenson