Fluid management controller

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2019100425-A1
Application number	US-201815928782-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Mar 22, 2018
Priority date	Oct 2, 2017
Publication date	Apr 4, 2019
Grant date	—

Abstract

A fluid management controller includes a processor, a wireless interface, and a memory. The wireless interface is configured to communicate between the processor and one or more fluid management components. The processor is configured to authorize control of the one or more fluid management components over the wireless interface. The memory is encoded with instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to provide dispense authorizations to the one or more fluid management components and record fluid dispense information from the one or more fluid management components in the memory.

First claim

1 . A fluid management system comprising:
at least one fluid management component; a user interface device; and a fluid management controller configured to communicate wireles sly with the at least one fluid management component, authorize the at least one fluid management component to initiate a dispense event, and collect data received from the at least one fluid management component.

2 . The fluid management system of claim 1 , further comprising:
a wireless network, wherein the fluid management controller is configured to communicate wirelessly with the at least one fluid management component and the user interface device over the wireless network.

3 . The fluid management system of claim 1 , wherein the at least one fluid management component comprises one or more of a tank level monitor, a pump controller, and a dispensing meter.

4 . The fluid management system of claim 3 , wherein the at least one fluid management component includes the tank level monitor, and wherein the tank level monitor is configured to monitor a fluid level of a fluid tank, and wherein the fluid management controller is further configured to collect data regarding the fluid level from the tank level monitor.

5 . The fluid management system of claim 3 , wherein the at least one fluid management component includes the pump controller, and wherein the pump controller is configured to active a pump in response to the fluid management controller initiating the dispense event, and wherein the fluid management controller is further configured to collect data regarding the dispense event from the pump controller.

6 . The fluid management system of claim 3 , wherein the at least one fluid management component includes the dispensing meter, and wherein the fluid management controller is further configured to collect data regarding the dispense event from the dispensing meter.

7 . The fluid management system of claim 6 , wherein the data regarding the dispense event includes at least one of a volume of fluid dispensed, an identity of a user completing the dispense event, and a time of the dispense event.

8 . The fluid management system of claim 1 , wherein the fluid management controller includes a processor, a memory, a wireless transceiver, and is contained within a single housing.

9 . The fluid management system of claim 8 , wherein the fluid management controller is configured to host a wireless personal area network that includes the at least one fluid management component.

10 . A method comprising:
authorizing, by a fluid management controller, a first dispense event; collecting, by the fluid management controller, first fluid data regarding the first dispense event from at least one fluid management component, wherein the fluid management controller is configured to communicate wirelessly with the at least one fluid management component; and providing access, by the fluid management controller, to the first fluid data by a user interface device.

11 . The method of claim 10 , wherein the first fluid data is stored in a memory of the fluid management controller, and wherein the method further comprises:
accessing, by the user interface device, the first fluid data from the memory of the fluid management controller through a web browser.

12 . The method of claim 11 , further comprising:
collecting, by the fluid management controller, second fluid data regarding a second dispense event from the at least one fluid management component.

13 . The method of claim 12 , further comprising:
aggregating, by the fluid management controller, the first fluid data and the second fluid data as aggregated data; and providing access to the user interface device, by the fluid management controller, to the aggregated data.

14 . The method of claim 13 , further comprising:
transmitting, by the fluid management controller over a wireless network, the aggregated data to a local management system.

15 . The method of claim 10 , further comprising:
hosting, by the fluid management controller, a wireless personal area network that includes the at least one fluid management component.

16 . A fluid management controller comprising:
a processor; a wireless transceiver configured to enable wireless communication between the fluid management controller and one or more fluid management components; and a computer readable memory encoded with instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the fluid management controller to authorize the at least one fluid management component to initiate a dispense event, and collect data received from the at least one fluid management component.

17 . The fluid management controller of claim 16 , further comprising:
a housing enclosing the processor, the computer readable memory, and at least a portion of the wireless transceiver.

18 . The fluid management controller of claim 17 , wherein the wireless transceiver includes at least one antenna external to the housing.

19 . The fluid management controller of claim 16 , further comprising a plurality of connectors selected from the group consisting of a wired network connector, a universal serial bus connector, a high-definition multimedia interface connector, an external memory connector, and a power connector.

20 . The fluid management controller of claim 16 , wherein the processor and the computer readable memory are configured on a single circuit board.

Assignees

• Graco Minnesota Inc

Inventors

• Paar Benjamin J
• Kahler Bradley G
• Igo Chad G
• Sleckert Gregory D

Classifications

• G06Q50/06

  Energy or water supply · CPC title

• G05B2219/15117

  Radio link, wireless · CPC title

• G06Q10/00

  Administration; Management · CPC title

• G06Q10/08

  Logistics, e.g. warehousing, loading or distribution; Inventory or stock management · CPC title

• G05B19/042

  using digital processors (G05B19/05 takes precedence) · CPC title