Apparatus and method for an electronic identification, actuation and

Abstract

Dispensing of commodities such as bulk liquids, gases, granules and powders is monitored electronically by identifying receivers of the commodities with specific codes and relating those codes to amounts dispensed by commodity dispensers. The specific apparatus includes a passive module attached to the commodity receiver and a reader linked to the commodity dispenser by radio transmitter or hard-wired. The passive module includes a planar member therein with a code thereon in form of a pattern of conductive and non-conductive areas, the particular organization of which determines the code identifying a particular commodity receiver. The reader includes: an array composed of pairs of opposed inductors for alignment with the conductive and non-conductive areas; a multiplexer for indexing the pairs of opposed inductors to determine if an area is conductive or non-conductive, and a transmitter for relaying the code to the commodity dispenser. The commodity dispenser includes a signal receiver for coordinating the identity of the commodity receiver with the amount of commodity dispensed. The apparatus has a specific application in controlling and monitoring the dispensing of fuel to fleet vehicles.