Intelligent fuel dispensers

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2024281908-A1
Application number	US-202418652447-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	May 1, 2024
Priority date	May 13, 2016
Publication date	Aug 22, 2024
Grant date	—

Abstract

In general, intelligent fuel dispensers are provided. In at least some implementations, an intelligent fuel dispenser can determine customer identities and/or other characteristics and provide customized fueling sessions based on the determined customer identities and/or other characteristics. In at least some implementations, the fuel dispenser includes a touchless interface allowing customers to complete fueling sessions with minimal physical contact with the fuel dispenser.

First claim

1 . A fuel dispenser comprising:
a housing comprising fuel dispensing components disposed therein; one or more display screens; a transceiver capable of establishing a communication session with a customer wireless communications device and of receiving, from the customer wireless communications device, identity data representative of identity information of a customer; and at least one data processor operatively coupled to the one or more display screens and the transceiver and programmed to:
receive the identity data;
transmit the identity data to a server communicatively coupled to the at least one data processor;
receive profile data representative of a user profile from the server, wherein the user profile comprises customer-related data; and
provide, for display by at least one of a display screen of the customer wireless communications device and the one or more display screens, data representative of targeted content determined based on the customer-related data.

2 . The fuel dispenser of claim 1 , wherein the at least one data processor is further programmed to:
receive from the one or more display screens or the screen of the customer wireless communications device, selection data representative of a selection of the targeted content; and provide, within at least one of the one or more display screens and the screen of the customer wireless communications device, data representative of additional information pertaining to the targeted content.

3 . The fuel dispenser of claim 2 , wherein the at least one data processor is further programmed to:
receive from the one or more display screens or the screen of the customer wireless communications device, data representative of a second selection of the additional information; and provide, within the at least one of the one or more display screens and the screen of the customer wireless communications device, data representative of an order for one or more products or services corresponding to the targeted content, wherein the order comprises one or more of a quantity, a price, a payment method and delivery information, determined based on the user profile.

4 . The fuel dispenser of claim 3 , wherein the at least one data processor is further programmed to:
receive from the one or more display screens or the screen of the customer wireless communications device, data representative of a confirmation of the order; and modify data representative of a fuel purchase to be paid by the customer based on the order.

5 . The fuel dispenser of claim 4 , wherein the customer-related data comprises one or more payment methods, and the at least one data processor is further programmed to complete the fuel purchase after a fueling session using the one or more payment methods.

6 . The fuel dispenser of claim 5 , wherein the at least one data processor is further programmed to:
provide an electronic receipt to at least one of the one or more display screens and the screen of the customer wireless communications device, wherein the electronic receipt comprises an itemized summary of the fuel purchase.

7 . The fuel dispenser of claim 1 , wherein the targeted content further comprises a price discount for one or more products or services available at a store at which the fuel dispenser is located, or one or more affiliated stores.

8 . The fuel dispenser of claim 7 , wherein the price discount is determined based on the user profile.

9 . The fuel dispenser of claim 7 , wherein the price discount is a fuel price discount.

10 . The fuel dispenser of claim 1 , wherein the targeted content comprises at least one of a textual description, an image, an audio message and a video.

11 . The fuel dispenser of claim 1 , wherein the customer wireless communications device is a vehicle or a mobile device.

12 . The fuel dispenser of claim 1 , wherein the user profile comprises fueling preferences of the customer and the one or more display screens is further programmed to display a fueling preferences screen comprising one or more fuel grade virtual buttons, wherein the one or more fuel grade virtual buttons are determined by the at least one data processor of the fuel dispenser based on fueling preferences.

13 . The fuel dispenser of claim 12 , wherein the customer wireless communications device is a customer vehicle and the at least one data processor of the fuel dispenser is programmed to determine the one or more fuel grade virtual buttons based on one or more fuel grades compatible with the customer vehicle.

14 . The fuel dispenser of claim 1 , wherein a brightness of the one or more display screens is configured to switch between at least a first brightness level and a second brightness level wherein the second brightness level is brighter than the first brightness level.

15 . The fuel dispenser of claim 1 , wherein the transceiver communicates via at least one of a Bluetooth protocol, a near field communication protocol, a cellular protocol, a WIFI protocol, and a radio frequency identification (RFID) protocol.

16 . An electronics module for a fuel dispenser, comprising:
one or more display screens; a transceiver capable of establishing a communication session with a customer wireless communications device and of receiving, from the customer wireless communications device, identity data representative of identity information of a customer; and at least one data processor operatively coupled to the one or more display screens and the transceiver and programmed to:
receive the identity data;
transmit the identity data to a server communicatively coupled to the at least one data processor;
receive profile data representative of a user profile from the server, wherein the user profile comprises customer-related data; and
provide, for display by at least one of a display screen of the customer wireless communications device and the one or more display screens, data representative of targeted content determined based on the customer-related data.

17 . The electronics module of claim 16 , wherein the at least one data processor is further programmed to:
receive, from the one or more display screens or the screen of the customer wireless communications device, selection data representative of a selection of the targeted content; and provide, within at least one of the one or more display screens and the screen of the customer wireless communications device, data representative of additional information pertaining to the targeted content.

18 . The electronics module of claim 17 , wherein the at least one data processor is further programmed to:
receive, from the one or more display screens or the screen of the customer wireless communications device, data representative of a second selection of the additional information; and provide, within the at least one of the one or more display screens and the screen of the customer wireless communications device, data representative of an order for one or more products or services corresponding to the targeted content, wherein the order comprises one or more of a quantity, a price, a payment method and delivery information, determined based on the user profile.

19 . The electronics module of claim 16 , wherein the targeted content further comprises a price discount for one or more products or services available at a store at which the fuel dispenser is located, or one or more affiliated stores.

20 . The electronics module of claim 19 , wherein the price discount is a fuel price discount.

Assignees

• Wayne Fueling Systems Llc

Inventors

• Morris John Joseph
• Negley Iii Scott R
• Birkler Annika
• Carlsson Richard
• Jeitler Patrick
• Kretzler Randal S

Classifications

• G06F2203/04804

  Transparency, e.g. transparent or translucent windows · CPC title

• G06F21/84

  output devices, e.g. displays or monitors · CPC title

• G06F21/32

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

• G06F3/0482

  Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus · CPC title

• B67D7/22

  Arrangements of indicators or registers (indicating or recording in fluid meters G01F15/06) · CPC title