Fuel dispensing environment utilizing retrofit broadband communication system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9496920-B2
Application number	US-201213679764-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 16, 2012
Priority date	Nov 16, 2011
Publication date	Nov 15, 2016
Grant date	Nov 15, 2016

Abstract

A fueling environment communication system for providing high bandwidth information via existing field wiring to a plurality of forecourt devices. The communication system according to this aspect comprises a back room communication module having a first plurality of Ethernet ports for connection to external devices using Ethernet communication and a second plurality of Ethernet ports. The back room communication module further comprises a plurality of modulation interface devices each connected on a first side to a respective one of the second plurality of Ethernet ports. A summing and isolation module having a high pass filter is connected to each of the modulation interface devices on a second side thereof to pass a modulated high frequency signal. The summing and isolation module further has a low pass filter through which low frequency legacy data can be passed and combined with said modulated high frequency signal. In addition, summing and isolation module is connectable via existing field wiring to communicate with forecourt devices in point-to-point fashion.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A fueling environment communication system for providing high bandwidth communication between a first location in a fueling environment and a plurality of forecourt devices remote from said first location via a plurality of existing field wiring extending between said first location and respective of said forecourt devices, said communication system comprising:
a back room communication module having a first plurality of Ethernet ports for connection to external devices using Ethernet communication and a second plurality of Ethernet ports;
said back room communication module further comprising a plurality of modulation interface devices each connected on a first side to a respective one of said second plurality of Ethernet ports, said modulation interface devices operative to convert between a modulated high frequency signal and an Ethernet signal;
a combiner module having a high pass filter connected to each of said modulation interface devices on a second side thereof to pass said modulated high frequency signal;
said combiner module having a low pass filter through which low frequency legacy data can be passed and combined with said modulated high frequency signal to produce a plurality of combined signals to be passed to respective of said forecourt devices; and
said combiner module connectable via said plurality of existing field wiring to communicate said plurality of combined signals with respective of said forecourt devices in point-to-point fashion in respective field wiring.

2. A fueling environment communication system as set forth in claim 1 , wherein said combiner further comprises electrical isolation circuitry such that said field wiring may be located in power feed conduit.

3. A fueling environment communication system as set forth in claim 2 , wherein said isolation circuitry includes an opto-isolator for the low frequency legacy data.

4. A fueling environment communication system as set forth in claim 2 , wherein said isolation circuitry includes a plurality of capacitors for said modulated high frequency signal.

5. A fueling environment communication system as set forth in claim 4 , wherein said plurality of capacitors comprise said high pass filter.

6. A fueling environment communication system as set forth in claim 1 , further comprising a respective communication module located in said forecourt devices and connected to said respective field wiring, said communication module having first and second communication lines for the low frequency legacy data and the high frequency modulated signal, respectively.

7. A fueling environment communication system as set forth in claim 6 , wherein said first communication line includes a TCL circuit in electrical communication with a low pass filter thereof.

8. A fueling environment communication system as set forth in claim 6 , wherein said high frequency modulated signal is a DSL signal.

9. A fueling environment communication system as set forth in claim 8 , wherein a lower portion of a typical DSL radio frequency spectrum is permanently disallowed to facilitate reliable communication of the low frequency legacy data.

10. A fueling environment communication system as set forth in claim 6 , wherein a frequency bandplan for a communication channel to a particular forecourt device is individualized to facilitate communication over specific field wiring cable to accommodate at least one of legacy current loop, RS485, specific RF profiles, and specific noise profiles of other signals present in the wiring conduit.

11. A fueling environment communication system as set forth in claim 10 , wherein a different set of spectral frequency ranges is disallowed in each of said communication channels to respective of said forecourt devices.

12. A fueling environment communication system as set forth in claim 1 , wherein said plurality of forecourt devices comprise fuel dispensers.

13. A fueling environment communication system as set forth in claim 1 , further comprising a protocol processor module.

14. A system for providing high bandwidth communication via two wire field wiring coexisting in a power feed conduit along with separate AC power wiring, said communication system comprising back room circuitry including:
a communication module having a first plurality of Ethernet ports for connection to external devices using Ethernet communication and a second plurality of Ethernet ports;
a plurality of modulation interface devices each connected on a first side to a respective one of said second plurality of Ethernet ports;
electrical isolation circuitry connected on one side to respective of said modulation interface devices and connectable on another side to a respective of said two wire field wiring;
said modulation interface devices operative to modulate and demodulate a modulated high frequency signal from and to an Ethernet signal to communicate with a respective remote device from among a plurality of remote devices in point-to-point fashion, said remote device also receiving power from said separate AC power wiring; and
said electrical isolation circuitry providing breakdown isolation of at least 3500 volts.

15. A system as set forth in claim 14 , wherein said isolation circuitry includes a plurality of capacitors for said modulated high frequency signal.

16. A system as set forth in claim 14 , wherein said modulation interface devices are operative to provide Ethernet to DSL conversion.

17. A system as set forth in claim 16 , wherein a frequency bandplan for a communication channel to a particular remote device is individualized to facilitate communication over specific field wiring cable.

18. A system as set forth in claim 14 , wherein said circuitry includes combiner circuitry operative to combine said modulated high frequency signal with a low frequency legacy data.

19. A system as set forth in claim 18 , wherein said combiner includes high pass filter for passing the modulated high frequency signal and a low pass filter for passing the low frequency legacy data.

20. A system as set forth in claim 18 , wherein said isolation circuitry includes a plurality of capacitors which comprise said high pass filter.

21. A system as set forth in claim 14 , wherein at least one of said remote devices comprises a fuel dispenser.

22. A system for providing high bandwidth communication via two wire field wiring coexisting in a power feed conduit along with separate AC power wiring, said communication system comprising back room circuitry including:
a communication module having at least one first Ethernet port for connection to an external device using Ethernet communication and at least one second Ethernet port;
a respective modulation interface device connected on a first side to said at least one second Ethernet port;
electrical isolation circuitry connected on one side to said modulation interface device and connectable on another side to said two wire field wiring;
said modulation interface device operative to modulate and demodulate a modulated high frequency DSL signal from and to an Ethernet signal to communicate with a remote device from among a plurality of remote devices in point-to-point fashion, said remote device also receiving power from said separate AC power wiring; and
said electrical isolation circuitry providing breakdown isolation of at least 3500 volts.

Assignees

• Gilbarco Inc

Inventors

• Carapelli Giovanni
• Long Joseph D
• Mcninch Wayne
• Myers Howard

Classifications

• H04B3/54 Primary

  Systems for transmission via power distribution lines · CPC title

• H04B3/50 Primary

  Systems for transmission between fixed stations via two-conductor transmission lines (H04B3/54 takes precedence) · CPC title