GB2028768A

GB2028768A - Fuel dispensing system

Info

Publication number: GB2028768A
Application number: GB7928593A
Authority: GB
Original assignee: Beck & Co Ltd
Current assignee: Beck & Co Ltd
Priority date: 1978-08-16
Filing date: 1979-08-16
Publication date: 1980-03-12
Also published as: GB2028768B

Abstract

A fuel dispensing system and data treating means therefor in which a central processor unit (20) is provided in a separate unit (5) to a cash accounting unit (4), the central processor unit being enabled to be connected to fuel contents data and sales data and a relay means (8) for relaying data collected by the central processor unit to a remote centre. Access to the fuel contents data and sales data is possible simultaneously with the display of data. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Fuel dispensing system The present invention relates to fuel dispensing systems suitable for self service.

Such systems are known in which a supervised central display at a service station presents information as to the amount of fuel dispensed at a particular pump or dispenser and the sales price of the amount dispensed. A separate print out service can be arranged to print out detailed sales analysis of the fuel used at a series of such dispensers at the service station.

Accessing of such information by a remote centre over telephone lines has also been proposed.

In a chain of service stations of the above kind, the necessary scattered geographical locations of these stations which may be many miles apart causes management complications and also the servicing of each station with replacement fuel and other consumable items involves complicated accounting procedures.

Such a self service dispensing system is described in Patent No. 1,458,465. Unfortunately this system has several disadvantages. One of these is that the processing of information concerning sales is carried out in the cash logging console in such a way that remote accessing of information must be interrupted during a local operation of the dispensers.

This particular console stores and processes info from the dispenser. That is to say accessing by a remote station is only conveniently carried out after the dispensers have been closed say at the end of the day. This is despite override devices which enable temporary insertion and access of info.

A further disadvantage of the system described in Patent No. 1,458,465 is that because of the location of the processor in the cash console, its capacity is limited to that for which the console was immediately designed and the ability of the system to accept and treat information from additional peripheral equipment is limited to the power supplies and card capacity of the console as originally designed.

Afuel dispensing system according to the present invention comprises a station sales display means enabled to indicate the sales in cash and/or volume terms from one or more dispensers, fuel tank contents read out means, data treating means enabling access to the fuel contents read out means and sales data and simultaneous display of dispenser and/or tank data, relay means enabled by said treating means to be connected to a remote centre so that data retrieved from the display means and/or read out means by said treating means may be passed to the remote centre.

The data treating means in the preferred embodiment is quite separate from the sales display so that as a system incorporating the invention is expanded to handle additional data such as sales of spare parts and so on, it is merely necessary to reprogram the treating means and make additional electrical connection to this unit whilst having the main dispenser data handling arrangements untouched. The dispenser data handling system is therefore able to run quite independently of the dispenser data handling.

This is an added advantage when servicing equipment.

In a further aspect of the invention a fuel dispensing data treating means comprises a central processor unit enabled to be connected to a fuel contents and sales data storage means, the central processor unit being connected to a relay means for remote centre accessing.

The use of a separate processor means provides a facility whereby data requested by the remote centre can be accessed and handled quite independently of any data being processed during dispenser sales.

Normaily in a system incorporating the invention the data treating means would be connected to a video sales display to which would be connected a kiosk customer display and cash register.

Preferably the or each dispenser is connected to one or more fuel tanks each having a fuel contents transmitter, the transmitter being enabled to feed contents data to the station data treating means.

This enables the remote centre to read out fuel levels in individual tanks at each service station. This data can be fed direct to a fuel supply organisation's data store so that refuelling can be easily organised without any request by the service station.

Equally other data which would be useful to the remote centre can be interfaced with the station data treating means.

Afurtherfacility can be added by providing each service station with data print out means connected to the station data store so as to receive data from the remote centre. In this way the remote centre can indicate to each service station that fuel prices are to be changed.

Preferably the link between the station data store and the remote centre is via national telephone lines and suitably uses the MODEM system. The remote centre may be provided with a print out or cathode ray tube displayed linked with the data treating means and the remote centre is peferably provided with a keyboard to transmit instructions and request access to the data at the station.

The station cash register may be used to enter cash transactions for items other than fuel, such as oil, cigarettes, tyres or food. Such transactions may then be stored in the station data treating means if required and accessed by the remote centre which can retrieve necessary central accounting data and make resupply arrangements.

The invention will now be described in detaii by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 is a block diagram of the main components of the system according to the invention, and Figure 2 is a block diagram of the expansion box and console of the system according to the invention.

In the drawing there is shown at the service station a sales printer 1 connected to a video display 2. The sales printer provides at request an analysis of point sales in a known way. The video display displays sales information in a known way of each individual fuel dispenser and customer sale enabling individual transactions to be completed. The video display is connected to a kiosk customer display and thence to an electronic cash register 4. The cash register can be activated for transactions such as fuel sales and also sales of other items such as tyres, oil, cigarettes or food. Although normally provided a cash register as such need not be provided since this may be omitted in the case for instance when the sales of fuel are done entirely on a credit card basis or else when the system is used by an organisation in which the dispensed fuel is not sold for cash.

Connected to the video display and electronic cash register is an expansion box 5 in which is a station data treating means sometimes acting as a data store but not necessarily so. Connected to the expansion box is a station information display or printer 6 and electronic tank gauges 7 and a relay means contained in a MODEM unit 8. The MODEM unit enables access to the expansion box and display or printer 6 via a telephone link or line 9 either to a remote centre (head office) or possibly directly to a fuel supply organisation computer 10.

At the head office a printer 11 and keyboard 12 is provided so that access can be ordered via telephone link 9 to the expansion box 5. In this way any ifnormation in the expansion box such as tank levels or sales levels can be read and printed out on the printer 11. Also instructions can be keyed to the service station printer 6 so that the service station operator can be advised of price changes, deliveries and other useful information. At any time the head office has immediate information over all sales at one or more of any number of service stations scattered throughout an area.

In Figure 2 the expansion box 5 is shown in more detail. Central to the box is the central processor unit (C.P.U.) 20 which may be provided a memory bank but is not genrally so provided. The C.P.U. has connected to it within the box 5 a communication interface 21 connected to the MODEM unit 8 as previously described, an antonomous tank level interface 22 connected to the tank gauges 7, an antonomous cash register interface 23 in the case when the cash register 4 is provided, a station printer inferface for printer 6, and a program control 25. The expansion box C.P.U. 20 enables data to be processed quite separately from data in the console unit thus enabling the expansion box to function quite separately from the console unit. The expansion box C.P.U. 20 is connected directly to a separate C.P.U.

30 within the console unit C.P.U. 30 is connected to its program control 31, memory storage 32 keyboard 33, console display 2 and sales printer 1. Connection to fuel dispensers 40 are via a control buffer 34.

In order to simplify the programming of the expansion box individual programme cards are provided for the expansion box each card controlling a discrete function for example to indicate tank levels or indicate cash register data or control to operate station printer. In this way the system can be tailor made to fit each station, head office or fuel supply organisation requirement. Furthermore this enables further facilities to be added without reprogramming the entire expansion box programme.

Claims

1. Afuel dispensing system comprising a station sales display means enabled to indicate the sales in cash and/or volume terms from one or more dispensers, fuel tank contents read out means, data treating means enabling access to the fuel contents read out means and sales data and simultaneous display of dispenser and/ortank data, relay means enabled by said treating means to be connected to a remote centre so that data retrieved from the display means and/or read out means by said treating means may be passed to the remote centre.

2. A fuel dispensing data treating means comprising a central processor unit enabled to be connected to a fuel contents and sales data storage means, the central processor unit being connected to a relay means for remote centre accessing.

3. A system as claimed in Claim 1 wherein the data treating means comprises a first central processor unit enabled to be connected to the fuel contents and sales data storage means and wherein the first central processor unit is connected to the relay means for remote centre accessing.

4. A system or treating means according to Claim 2 or Claim 3 wherein the first central processor unit is connected to a communication interface and then to the relay means.

5. A system or treating means according to any one of Claims 2 to 4 wherein the first central processor unit is connected to an autonomous tank level interface and thence to tank gauges.

6. A system or treating means according to any one of Claims 2 to 5 wherein the first central processor unit is connected to an autonomous cash register interface and thence to a cash register.

7. A system or treating means as claimed in any one of Claims 2 to 6 wherein the first central processor unit is connected to an autonomous station printer interface and thence a station printer.

8. A system as claimed in any one of Claims 2 to 7 in which a second central processor unit is connected to the first central processor unit, this second processor unit being connected to a sales display.

9. A fuel dispensing data system substantially as described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

10. Afuel dispensing treating means substantially as described with reference to the accompanying drawings.