Systems and methods for managing refueling interactions

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11459225-B2
Application number	US-201916706168-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 6, 2019
Priority date	Dec 6, 2019
Publication date	Oct 4, 2022
Grant date	Oct 4, 2022

Abstract

System, methods, and other embodiments described herein relate to controlling a fuel dispenser. In one embodiment, a method of controlling a fuel dispenser includes broadcasting a pairing signal to a vehicle, receiving, from the vehicle, a confirmation signal confirming completion of a pairing process between the fuel dispenser and the vehicle, transmitting, subsequent to the confirmation signal, a disable signal to the vehicle in response to data from one or more proximity sensors indicating that the vehicle is within a threshold range and a determination that the vehicle is refueling, and transmitting an enable signal to the vehicle in response to a determination that the vehicle is no longer refueling. The disable signal disables a moving capability of the vehicle, and the enable signal restores the moving capability of the vehicle.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A fuel dispenser control system for a fuel dispenser, comprising:
a wireless communication device;
one or more proximity sensors;
one or more processors; and
a memory communicably connected to the one or more processors and storing:
a communication module including one or more instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to broadcast a pairing signal to a vehicle and receive a confirmation signal from the vehicle confirming completion of a pairing process between the fuel dispenser and the vehicle; and
a control module including one or more instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to transmit, subsequent to the confirmation signal, a disable signal to the vehicle in response to data from the one or more proximity sensors indicating that the vehicle is within a threshold range and a determination that the vehicle is refueling, and to transmit an enable signal to the vehicle in response to a determination that the vehicle is no longer refueling,
wherein the control module further includes instructions to determine that the vehicle is at least one of:
refueling based at least in part on detecting a fuel nozzle being removed from the fuel dispenser, or
no longer refueling based at least in part on detecting the fuel nozzle being replaced in the fuel dispenser,

wherein the disable signal disables a moving capability of the vehicle, and the enable signal restores the moving capability of the vehicle, and
wherein the fuel dispenser control system is configured to be disposed on the fuel dispenser.

2. The fuel dispenser control system of claim 1 , wherein the instructions to determine that the vehicle is refueling further include instructions to determine that the vehicle is refueling based at least in part on a refueling signal received from the vehicle, the refueling signal being triggered by a fuel port of the vehicle being opened.

3. The fuel dispenser control system of claim 1 , wherein the instructions to determine that the vehicle is no longer refueling further include instructions to determine that the vehicle is no longer refueling based at least in part on a completion signal being received from the vehicle, the completion signal being triggered by a fuel port of the vehicle being closed.

4. The fuel dispenser control system of claim 1 , wherein the communication module further includes instructions to transmit a first notification to the vehicle indicating that the moving capability of the vehicle is disabled and a second notification to the vehicle indicating that the moving capability of the vehicle is enabled.

5. The fuel dispenser control system of claim 4 , wherein the first notification includes information about a way to execute a manual override procedure that enables the moving capability of the vehicle.

6. A method of controlling a fuel dispenser, comprising:
broadcasting a pairing signal to a vehicle;
receiving, from the vehicle, a confirmation signal confirming completion of a pairing process between the fuel dispenser and the vehicle;
transmitting, subsequent to the confirmation signal, a disable signal to the vehicle in response to data from one or more proximity sensors indicating that the vehicle is within a threshold range and a determination that the vehicle is refueling; and
transmitting an enable signal to the vehicle in response to a determination that the vehicle is no longer refueling,
wherein at least one of:
the determination that the vehicle is refueling is based at least in part on detecting a fuel nozzle being removed from the fuel dispenser, or
the determination that the vehicle is no longer refueling is based at least in part on detecting the fuel nozzle being replaced in the fuel dispenser,

wherein the disable signal disables a moving capability of the vehicle, and the enable signal restores the moving capability of the vehicle, and
wherein the broadcasting, the receiving, the transmitting the disable signal, and the transmitting the enable signal are controlled by a processor configured to be disposed on the fuel dispenser.

7. The method of claim 6 , wherein the determination that the vehicle is refueling is further based at least in part on a refueling signal received from the vehicle, the refueling signal being triggered by a fuel port of the vehicle being opened.

8. The method of claim 6 , wherein the determination that the vehicle is no longer refueling is further based at least in part on a completion signal being received from the vehicle, the completion signal being triggered by a fuel port of the vehicle being closed.

9. The method of claim 6 , further comprising:
transmitting a first notification to the vehicle indicating that the moving capability of the vehicle is disabled; and
transmitting a second notification to the vehicle indicating that the moving capability of the vehicle is enabled.

10. The method of claim 9 , wherein the first notification includes information about a way to execute a manual override procedure that enables the moving capability of the vehicle.

11. A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing instructions for controlling a fuel dispenser and that when executed by one or more processors cause the one or more processors to:
broadcast a pairing signal to a vehicle;
receive, from the vehicle, a confirmation signal confirming completion of a pairing process between the fuel dispenser and the vehicle;
transmit, subsequent to the confirmation signal, a disable signal to the vehicle in response to data from one or more proximity sensors indicating that the vehicle is within a threshold range and a determination that the vehicle is refueling; and
transmit an enable signal to the vehicle in response to a determination that the vehicle is no longer refueling,
wherein at least one of:
the determination that the vehicle is refueling is based at least in part on a detection that a fuel nozzle is removed from the fuel dispenser, or
the determination that the vehicle is no longer refueling is based at least in part on a detection that the fuel nozzle is replaced in the fuel dispenser,

wherein the disable signal disables a moving capability of the vehicle, and the enable signal restores the moving capability of the vehicle, and
wherein the non-transitory computer-readable medium is configured to be disposed on the fuel dispenser.

12. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 11 , wherein the determination that the vehicle is refueling is further based at least in part on a refueling signal received from the vehicle, the refueling signal being triggered by a fuel port of the vehicle being opened.

13. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 11 , wherein the determination that the vehicle is no longer refueling is further based at least in part on a completion signal being received from the vehicle, the completion signal being triggered by a fuel port of the vehicle being closed.

14. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 11 , further comprising instructions to:
transmit a first notification to the vehicle indicating that the moving capability of the vehicle is disabled; and
transmit a second notification to the vehicle indicating that the moving capability of the vehicle is enabled.

15. The fuel dispenser control system of claim 1 , wherein the disable signal is configured to prevent an engine of the vehicle from at least one of starting or shifting into gear.

16. The fuel dispenser control system of claim 1 , wherein the confirmati

Assignees

• Toyota Eng & Mfg North America

Inventors

• Birdsall Jacquelyn
• Yokoo Takehito

Classifications

• B67D7/3218 Primary

  relating to emergency shut-off means · CPC title

• B67D7/04 Primary

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

• G07C5/008

  communicating information to a remotely located station (transmission systems for measured values G08C) · CPC title

• B67D7/3281

  Details · CPC title

• B67D2007/329

  Function indicator devices · CPC title