Systems and methods for controlling a fuel pump

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12148428-B2
Application number	US-202318343192-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 28, 2023
Priority date	Oct 20, 2020
Publication date	Nov 19, 2024
Grant date	Nov 19, 2024

Abstract

A method of controlling a fuel pump includes receiving a first set of data characterizing an audible activation word including a first voice pattern. Control of the fuel pump is authorized in response to the first voice pattern matching a stored voice pattern within a database. A second set of data characterizing an audible command word is received, where the audible command word includes a second voice pattern. The fuel pump is controlled based on the audible command word in response to the second voice pattern matching the stored voice pattern within the database.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method, comprising:
receiving, by a first controller communicably coupled to a dispenser, first data characterizing a pattern of words acquired by a sensor communicably coupled to the first controller, the pattern of words provided by a user of the dispenser and including an activation word associated with initiating operation of the dispenser and a command word associated with operating the dispenser, the activation word preceding the command word;
determining, by the first controller, an operating state of the dispenser based on the first data;
generating, by the first controller, control signals configured to cause the dispenser to operate in the determined operating state, wherein the determined operating state is an active operating state and the command word is provided within a predetermined amount of time after the activation word for the dispenser to remain in the active operating state; and
providing, by the first controller, the generated control signals to the dispenser, which when received by the dispenser cause the dispenser to operate in the determined operating state.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the pattern of words further includes at least one of a termination word associated with terminating operation of the dispenser, or an emergency word associated with an emergency event present at the dispenser.

3. The method of claim 1 , further comprising determining an authorization status of the user based on the pattern of words, wherein the authorization status of the user is determined based on matching a voice pattern of at least one word in the pattern of words acquired by the sensor with a voice pattern of at least one word included in a previously provided pattern of words associated with the user and stored in a database communicably coupled to the first controller.

4. The method of claim 3 , wherein responsive to determining the authorization status of the user is an authorized user status, the operating state of the dispenser is determined to be the active operating state.

5. The method of claim 4 , wherein the authorized user status is determined based on the pattern of words including the activation word associated with initiating operation of the dispenser and the command word associated with operating the dispenser.

6. The method of claim 4 , wherein the authorized user status is determined based on the pattern of words including the activation word associated with initiating operation of the dispenser and a plurality of command words, each command word associated with operating one or more dispensers including the dispenser.

7. The method of claim 6 , wherein the active operating state is terminated based on a termination word associated with terminating operation of the dispenser or expiration of a predetermined amount of time.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein upon expiration of the predetermined amount of time, the dispenser enters an inactive operating state.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the operating state of the dispenser is determined to be an inactive operating state responsive to the pattern of words including an emergency word associated with an emergency event present at the dispenser.

10. The method of claim 9 , wherein the inactive operating state is determined based on determining the authorization status of the user is an unauthorized user status.

11. The method of claim 9 , wherein the first controller is further configured to generate control signals to cause a speaker of the dispenser to generate an audible emergency signal responsive to determining the operating state of the dispenser is in the inactive operating state.

12. A system comprising:
a dispenser;
a sensor;
a database; and
a controller communicably coupled to the dispenser, the sensor, and the database, the controller including a data processor and a non-transitory memory device storing non-transitory computer readable instructions, which when executed by the data processor cause the data processor to perform operations including
receive first data characterizing a pattern of words acquired by the sensor, the pattern of words provided by a user of the dispenser and including an activation word associated with initiating operation of the dispenser and a command word associated with operating the dispenser, the activation word preceding the command word;
determine an operating state of the dispenser based on the first data;
generate control signals configured to cause the dispenser to operate in the determined operating state, wherein the determined operating state is an active operating state and the command word is provided within a predetermined amount of time after the activation word for the dispenser to remain in the active operating state; and
provide the generated control signals to the dispenser, which when received by the dispenser cause the dispenser to operate in the determined operating state.

13. The system of claim 12 , wherein the pattern of words further includes at least one of a termination word associated with terminating operation of the dispenser, or an emergency word associated with an emergency event present at the dispenser.

14. The system of claim 12 , wherein the processor is further configured to determine an authorization status of the user based on the pattern of words, wherein the authorization status of the user is determined based on matching a voice pattern of at least one word in the pattern of words acquired by the sensor with a voice pattern of at least one word included in a previously provided pattern of words associated with the user and stored in a database communicably coupled to the first controller.

15. The system of claim 14 , wherein responsive to determining the authorization status of the user is an authorized user status, the operating state of the dispenser is determined to be the active operating state.

16. The system of claim 15 , wherein the authorized user status is determined based on the pattern of words including at least one activation word associated with initiating operation of the dispenser and at least one command word associated with operating the dispenser.

17. The system of claim 15 , wherein the authorized user status is determined based on the pattern of words including the activation word associated with initiating operation of the dispenser and a plurality of command words, each command word associated with operating one or more dispensers including the dispenser.

18. The system of claim 17 , wherein the active operating state is terminated based on a termination word associated with terminating operation of the dispenser or expiration of a predetermined amount of time.

19. The system of claim 12 , wherein upon expiration of the predetermined amount of time, the dispenser enters an inactive operating state.

20. The system of claim 12 , wherein the operating state of the dispenser is determined to be an inactive operating state responsive to the pattern of words including an emergency word associated with an emergency event present at the dispenser.

21. The system of claim 20 , wherein the inactive operating state is determined based on determining the authorization status of the user is an unauthorized user status.

22. The system of claim 20 , further comprising a speaker, wherein the first controller is further configured to generate control signals to cause the speaker of the dispenser to generate an audible emergency signal responsive to determining the operating sta

Assignees

• Wayne Fueling Systems Llc

Inventors

• Gindler David
• Hairston Hob
• Fieglein Henry
• Cisek Lukasz

Classifications

• G10L2015/227

  of the speaker; Human-factor methodology · CPC title

• G10L2015/223

  Execution procedure of a spoken command · CPC title

• G10L2015/088

  Word spotting · CPC title

• G10L15/08

  Speech classification or search · CPC title

• G06F21/32

  using biometric data, e.g. fingerprints, iris scans or voiceprints · CPC title