Dispenser Health Monitoring and Healthy Dispenser Replication

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2024109766-A1
Application number	US-202318478682-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Sep 29, 2023
Priority date	Sep 30, 2022
Publication date	Apr 4, 2024
Grant date	—

Abstract

Various exemplary devices, systems, and methods for dispenser health monitoring and dispenser replication are provided. In one embodiment, such a system can include a first product dispenser located at a product dispensing station and configured in part for the delivery of a product to a vehicle in accordance with an optimized configuration, and the system can also include a second product dispenser located at the product dispensing station. The system can further include a site local server located at the product dispensing station that is in operable communication with each of the first product dispenser and the second product dispenser. The site local server can be configured to receive configuration data characterizing the first configuration and to transmit the configuration data to the second product dispenser for implementation thereon.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A system, comprising:
a first product dispenser located at a product dispensing station and having first components for delivery of a product to a dispensing station user, the first components configured for the delivery of the product in accordance with a first configuration; a second product dispenser located at the product dispensing station and having second components for the delivery of a product to a dispensing station user, the second components configured for the delivery of the product; and a site local server located at the product dispensing station and in operable communication with each of the first product dispenser and the second product dispenser, the site local server configured to receive configuration data characterizing the first configuration and to transmit the configuration data to the second product dispenser, wherein the second product dispenser is configured to execute instructions that cause the second components to be configured for the delivery of the product in accordance with the first configuration.

2 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the second components are initially configured for the delivery of the product in accordance with a second configuration differing from the first configuration, and wherein the second product dispenser is configured to execute instructions that cause the second components to be reconfigured for the delivery of the product in accordance with the first configuration.

3 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the second product dispenser includes a graphical display configured to operate a graphical user interface for configuring the second components and to receive user inputs thereon, and wherein the second product dispenser is configured to execute the instructions in response to receipt of the user input at the graphical display.

4 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the site local server is configured to determine the instructions and to provide the instructions to the second product dispenser, and wherein the instructions are executed by the second product dispenser in response to receiving the instructions from the site local server.

5 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the configuration data characterizes a configuration of a payment terminal of the first product dispenser.

6 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the configuration data characterizes one or more networking settings of the first product dispenser.

7 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the configuration data characterizes a configuration of an operating platform of the first product dispenser.

8 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the first product dispenser is configured to transmit the configuration data to the site local server.

9 . The system of claim 8 , wherein the first product dispenser is configured to receive, from the site local server, a command that causes the first product dispenser to transmit the configuration data to the site local server.

10 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the site local server is operably coupled to the first product dispenser and the second product dispenser.

11 . A computer-implemented method, comprising:
receiving, from a site local server located at a product dispensing station and by a first product dispenser located at the product dispensing station, configuration data characterizing a configuration of a second product dispenser located at the product dispensing station, the first product dispenser featuring first components configured for the delivery of a product; and executing computational instructions that cause the first components to be configured for the delivery of the product in accordance with the configuration.

12 . The computer-implemented method of claim 11 , wherein the first components are initially configured for the delivery of the product in accordance with a second configuration differing from the configuration, and wherein the computational instructions, when executed, cause the first components to be reconfigured for the delivery of the product in accordance with the configuration.

13 . The computer-implemented method of claim 11 , wherein the first product dispenser includes a graphical display configured to operate a graphical user interface for configuring the first components and to receive user inputs thereon, and wherein the computational instructions are executed in response to receipt of the user input at the graphical display.

14 . The computer-implemented method of claim 11 , wherein the site local server is configured to determine the computational instructions, and wherein the computational instructions are executed by the first product dispenser in response to receiving the computational instructions from the site local server.

15 . The computer-implemented method of claim 11 , wherein the configuration data characterizes a configuration of a payment terminal of the second product dispenser.

16 . The computer-implemented method of claim 11 , wherein the configuration data characterizes one or more networking settings of the second product dispenser.

17 . The computer-implemented method of claim 11 , wherein the configuration data characterizes a configuration of an operating platform of the second product dispenser.

18 . The computer-implemented method of claim 11 , further comprising:
receiving, by the site local server and from the second product dispenser, the configuration data.

19 . The computer-implemented method of claim 18 , further comprising:
receiving, by the second product dispenser and from the site local server, a command that causes the second product dispenser to transmit the configuration data to the site local server.

20 . The computer-implemented method of claim 11 , wherein the site local server is operably coupled to the first product dispenser and the second product dispenser.

Assignees

• Wayne Fueling Systems Llc

Inventors

• Morris John Joseph
• Chinnaswamy Rohith
• Kobayashi Mark

Classifications

• G07F9/002

  Vending machines being part of a centrally controlled network of vending machines · CPC title

• H04L67/34

  involving the movement of software or configuration parameters  (network booting or remote initial program loading [RIPL] G06F9/4416) · CPC title

• B67D7/145 Primary

  by wireless communication means, e.g. RF, transponders or the like · CPC title

• G07F9/006 Primary

  Details of the software used for the vending machines · CPC title

• G06Q20/18

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