The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Oct. 22, 2002
Filed:
Feb. 17, 1998
William S. Johnson, Jr., Jamestown, NC (US);
Gilbarco Inc., Greensboro, NC (US);
Abstract
The current invention is a dispensing system for deterring and preventing transponder misuse in a fueling environment. The system includes a fuel dispenser associated with a control system and a receiver adapted to receive signals, including identification indicia from a remote communications unit associated with a customer. The receiver operates in conjunction with the control system to provide the control system with the first indicia and determine if the remote communications unit has been lost, stolen or used in an unauthorized manner. The control system is adapted to prevent fueling and transaction continuance upon determining the remote communications unit in communication if the dispenser was lost, stolen or used in an unauthorized manner. Preferably, the dispenser is further associated with a transmitter operating in conjunction with the control system wherein the control system is adapted to provide an unauthorized use signal for transmission to the remote communications unit via the transmitter upon determining the remote communications unit was lost, stolen or used in an unauthorized manner. The signal may cause the remote communications unit to act in a manner aiding in the prevention of subsequent authorizations by the same or other dispensers in the same or other fueling environments.