Systems and methods for alternative fuel life-cycle tracking and validation

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11204271-B2
Application number	US-201615370806-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 6, 2016
Priority date	Dec 8, 2015
Publication date	Dec 21, 2021
Grant date	Dec 21, 2021

Abstract

A method for alternative fuel life-cycle tracking includes electronically receiving, at a remote server, fuel data of fuel in a first container. The fuel comprises first and second batches. The fuel data includes first and second sets of alternative fuel identifiers (AFIs) associated with, respectively, a first unit of the first batch and a second unit of the second batch. The method further includes electronically receiving, at the remote server, a transfer volume of the fuel being transferred to a second container. The method further includes electronically transferring, at the remote server, first and second subsets, respectively, of the first and second sets of AFIs to be associated with the second container. The transfer of the first and second subsets is based on the transfer volume and a proportion of the first unit to the second unit.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method for alternative fuel tracking, the method comprising:
electronically receiving, at a remote server, first alternative fuel data of a first alternative fuel in a first container, the first alternative fuel comprising a storage volume comprising a first batch and a second batch, the first alternative fuel data comprising a first set of alternative fuel identifiers (AFIs) associated with a volume of the first batch and a second set of AFIs associated with a volume of the second batch;
electronically receiving, at the remote server, a transfer volume of the first alternative fuel being transferred to a second container on-board a vehicle, the transfer volume being a subset of the storage volume;
automatically and electronically transferring, at the remote server, a first subset of the first set of AFIs to be electronically associated with the second container and a second subset of the second set of AFIs to be electronically associated with the second container, the transfer of the first subset and the second subset being based on the transfer volume and based on a first volumetric proportion of the volume of the first batch to the volume of the second batch;
controlling a blend ratio of alternative fuel in the second container to primary fuel in a primary fuel container on-board the vehicle based at least in part on one or more characteristics of the first alternative fuel; and
electronically monitoring, at the remote server, consumption of the first alternative fuel within the second container.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising electronically receiving, at the remote server, location data as to where the first alternative fuel was consumed.

3. The method of claim 1 , further comprising detaching, by the remote server, a first portion of the first subset of the first set of AFIs and a second portion of the second subset of the second set of AFIs, the first portion and the second portion being based on a consumed volume of the first alternative fuel and based on the first volumetric proportion.

4. The method of claim 3 , further comprising automatically electronically transmitting, by the remote server, consumption information of the detached first portion and the detached second portion to a reporting authority.

5. The method of claim 1 , further comprising consolidating AFIs of the first subset and the second subset according to feedstock within the first batch and the second batch.

6. The method of claim 5 , further comprising detaching, by the remote server, a first portion of the consolidated AFIs associated with a first feedstock and a second portion of the consolidated AFIs associated with a second feedstock, the first portion and the second portion being based on a consumed volume of the first alternative fuel and based on a volumetric proportion of the first feedstock to the second feedstock.

7. The method of claim 1 , further comprising electronically consolidating the first subset of the first set of AFIs and the second subset of the second set of AFIs with a third set of AFIs associated with a volume of a third batch in the second container, the volume of the third batch being in the second container prior to transfer of the transfer volume of the first alternative fuel.

8. The method of claim 1 , further comprising electronically consolidating the first subset of the first set of AFIs and the second subset of the second set of AFIs with a third set of AFIs associated with a volume of a third batch of a second alternative fuel transferred to the second container, the volume of the third batch being added to the second container after transfer of the transfer volume of the first alternative fuel.

9. A system for alternative fuel life-cycle tracking, comprising:
a remote server in electronic communication with an electronic communication device of a first container and an electronic communication device of a second container, the remote server comprising a processor and a memory coupled to the processor; and
an alternative fuel identifier (AFI) tracking engine electronically stored in the memory of the remote server, wherein the AFI tracking engine is configured to:
electronically receive first alternative fuel data of a first alternative fuel in the first container, the first alternative fuel comprising a storage volume comprising a first batch and a second batch, and the first alternative fuel data comprising a first set of alternative fuel identifiers (AFIs) associated with a volume of the first batch and a second set of AFIs associated with a volume of the second batch;
electronically receive a transfer volume of the first alternative fuel being transferred to the second container on-board a vehicle, the transfer volume being a subset of the storage volume; and
automatically and electronically transfer a first subset of the first set of AFIs to be electronically associated with the second container and a second subset of the second set of AFIs to be electronically associated with the second container, the transfer of the first subset and the second subset being based on the transfer volume and based on a first volumetric proportion of the volume of the first batch to the volume of the second batch;
electronically monitor consumption of the first alternative fuel within the second container; and

a blend controller on-board the vehicle, the blend controller configured to control a blend ratio of alternative fuel in the second container to primary fuel in a primary fuel container on-board the vehicle based at least in part on one or more characteristics of the first alternative fuel.

10. The system of claim 9 , wherein the AFI tracking engine is further configured to electronically receive location data as to where the alternative fuel was consumed.

11. The system of claim 9 , wherein the AFI tracking engine is further configured to detach a first portion of the first subset of the first set of AFIs and a second portion of the second subset of the second set of AFIs, the first portion and the second portion being based on a consumed volume of the first alternative fuel and based on the first volumetric proportion.

12. The system of claim 11 , wherein the AFI tracking engine is further configured to automatically electronically transmit consumption information of the detached first portion and the detached second portion to a reporting authority.

13. The system of claim 9 , wherein the AFI tracking engine is further configured to consolidate AFIs of the first subset and the second subset according to feedstock within the first batch and the second batch.

14. The system of claim 13 , wherein the AFI tracking engine is further configured to detach a first portion of the consolidated AFIs associated with a first feedstock and a second portion of the consolidated AFIs associated with a second feedstock, the first portion and the second portion being based on a consumed volume of the first alternative fuel and based on a volumetric proportion of the first feedstock to the second feedstock.

15. The system of claim 9 , wherein the AFI tracking engine is further configured to electronically consolidate the first subset of the first set of AFIs and the second subset of the second set of AFIs with a third set of AFIs associated with a volume of a third batch in the second container, the volume of the third batch being in the second container prior to transfer of the transfer volume of the first alternative fuel.

16. The system of claim 9 , wherein the AFI tracking engine is further configured to electronically consolidate the first subset of the first set of AF

Assignees

• Gilbarco Inc

Inventors

• Williams Rodger K
• Payne Edward A

Classifications

• H04L67/12

  specially adapted for proprietary or special-purpose networking environments, e.g. medical networks, sensor networks, networks in vehicles or remote metering networks · CPC title

• G01F9/001 Primary

  with electric, electro-mechanic or electronic means (G01F9/008 and G01F9/02 take precedence) · CPC title

• G01F9/00 Primary

  Measuring volume flow relative to another variable, e.g. of liquid fuel for an engine · CPC title