Fuel dispenser alternative content control based on monitored fueling transaction phase

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11197033-B2
Application number	US-201815992966-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 30, 2018
Priority date	May 30, 2017
Publication date	Dec 7, 2021
Grant date	Dec 7, 2021

Abstract

In an example embodiment, a card reader in dispenser (CRIND) is provided including a processor and a memory including computer program code, the memory and the computer programming code configured to, with the processor, cause the CRIND to receive one or more transaction messages from a forecourt controller or a peripheral device associated with a fuel dispenser, compare the one or more transaction messages to one or more message sequences associated with transaction phases of a fuel dispenser, determine a transaction phase of the fuel dispenser based on the comparison of the one or more transaction messages with the one or more message sequences, and cause feature processing circuitry to provide selected alternative media content to a user interface of the fuel dispenser based on the determined transaction phase.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An apparatus that is configured to be integrated in a fuel dispenser, the apparatus comprising:
a CRIND apparatus for location in the fuel dispenser;
a user interface including a display;
a user interface access switch; and
the CRIND apparatus including a processor and a memory storing computer program code, the memory and the computer program code configured to, via the processor, cause the CRIND apparatus to:
receive one or more transaction messages from a forecourt controller external to the fuel dispenser;
compare the one or more transaction messages to stored message information associated with transaction phases of the fuel dispenser;
determine a transaction phase of the fuel dispenser based on the comparison of the one or more transaction messages with the stored message information; and
cause feature processing circuitry to provide selected alternative content to the user interface based on the determined transaction phase,

wherein the memory and the computer program code are further configured to cause the user interface access switch to allow the selected alternative content to be transmitted to the user interface based on the determined transaction phase.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the memory and the computer program code are further configured to:
cause an action to be performed by a peripheral device of the fuel dispenser based on the determined transaction phase.

3. The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the transaction phase is idle.

4. The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the transaction phase is fueling.

5. The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the transaction phase is fuel grade prompt.

6. The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the transaction phase is receipt printing.

7. The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the transaction phase is fueling complete.

8. The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the memory and the computer program code are further configured to:
receive a subsequent one or more transaction messages from the forecourt controller; and
determine a second transaction phase based on the subsequent transaction messages, wherein the second transaction phase is secure processing.

9. The apparatus according to claim 8 , wherein the memory and the computer program code are further configured to:
cause the user interface access switch to prevent the selected alternative content from being transmitted to the user interface based on the secure processing transaction phase.

10. An apparatus that is configured to be integrated in a fuel dispenser, the apparatus comprising:
a CRIND apparatus for location in the fuel dispenser;
a user interface including a display;
a user interface access switch; and
the CRIND apparatus including a processor and a memory storing computer program code, the memory and the computer program code configured to, via the processor, cause the CRIND apparatus to:
receive a first one or more transaction messages from a forecourt controller external to the fuel dispenser;
receive an indication of a transaction phase from a separate computing device;
associate the first one or more transaction messages with the indicated transaction phase;
cause the user interface access switch to allow selected alternative content to be transmitted to the user interface if the indicated transaction phase is a first transaction phase; and
cause the user interface access switch to prevent selected alternative content from being transmitted to the user interface if the indicated transaction phase is a second transaction phase.

11. The apparatus according to claim 10 , wherein the memory and the computer program code are further configured to:
receive a second one or more transaction messages;
receive a second indication of the transaction phase from the separate computing device;
associate the transaction messages with the indicated transaction phase;
compare the first one or more transaction messages associated with the transaction phase to the second one or more transaction messages associated with the transaction phase; and
determine a transaction message sequence for the transaction phase based on the comparison of the first and second one or more transaction messages associated with the transaction phase.

12. An apparatus that is configured to be integrated in a fuel dispenser, the apparatus comprising:
a CRIND apparatus for location in the fuel dispenser;
a user interface including a display;
a user interface access switch; and
the CRIND apparatus including a processor and a memory storing computer program code, the memory and the computer program code configured to, via the processor, cause the CRIND apparatus to:
receive one or more transaction messages from a forecourt controller external to the fuel dispenser;
determine a first transaction message sequence based on the one or more transaction messages and a first transaction phase criteria; and
associate the first transaction message sequence with a first transaction phase; and
cause the user interface access switch to allow selected alternative content to be transmitted to the user interface if the indicated transaction phase is the first transaction phase.

13. The apparatus according to claim 12 , wherein the memory and the computer program code are further configured to:
receive a subsequent one or more transaction messages from the forecourt controller;
determine a second transaction message sequence based on the subsequent one or more transaction messages, the first transaction sequence, and a second transaction phase criteria; and
associate the second transaction message sequence with a second transaction phase.

14. The apparatus according to claim 12 , wherein the first transaction phase is idle.

15. The apparatus according to claim 12 , wherein the first transaction phase criteria is a predetermined amount of time between transaction messages.

16. The apparatus according to claim 12 , wherein the second transaction phase criteria is fueling.

Assignees

• Gilbarco Inc

Inventors

• Carapelli Giovanni

Classifications

• G06Q20/202

  Interconnection or interaction of plural electronic cash registers [ECR] or to host computer, e.g. network details, transfer of information from host to ECR or from ECR to ECR · CPC title

• B67D7/04

  for transferring fuels, lubricants or mixed fuels and lubricants · CPC title

• B67D7/14

  responsive to input of recorded programmed information, e.g. on punched cards · CPC title

• G06Q20/209

  Specified transaction journal output feature, e.g. printed receipt or voice output · CPC title

• G06Q20/18

  involving self-service terminals [SST], vending machines, kiosks or multimedia terminals · CPC title