GB2391218A

GB2391218A - Fuel dispensing apparatus

Info

Publication number: GB2391218A
Application number: GB0210545A
Authority: GB
Inventors: John Richard Millward
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2002-05-09
Filing date: 2002-05-09
Publication date: 2004-02-04
Also published as: GB0210545D0

Abstract

The fuel dispensing apparatus, primarily for use in self-service petrol stations and the like, comprises a camera 12 which is mounted in or on a display panel 14 of the apparatus 10 and which is preferably a CCTV camera. Also claimed is a security system that includes a camera mounted in or on a fuel dispensing apparatus. The security system may include tamper detection systems which deactivate the fuel dispensing apparatus and/or trigger an alarm if the camera is covered or the view is obstructed. The security system may also include an activation switch for the dispensing apparatus and a display of the camera image, both of which are at a remote location for use by staff, and a facial recognition system.

Description

Title: Fuel Dispensing Apparatus Description of Invention

The present invention relates to a fuel dispensing apparatus for use, for example, for supplying fuel for a motor vehicle such as a car, goods vehicle, bus or coach, particularly, but not exclusively, to a petrol pump, diesel pump, or LEG dispenser.

In self-service petrol stations, it is possible for a customer to fill up their vehicle with fuel such as petrol or diesel and then drive away without paying for the fuel.

In order to deter people from doing this, or to assist in identifying any offenders, it is known to provide a closed-circuit television (CCTV) security system. Typically, CCTV cameras are mounted on walls of the petrol station buildings or on the stanchions supporting the forecourt roof, and tend to be mounted relatively high up the wall or stanchion so that the possibility of the camera being vandalised or otherwise tampered with is reduced. The cameras are thus relatively far away from an offender, and consequently, it can be difficult to distinguish the face of an offender from the CCTV footage.

Often, such offenders will mount false number plates on their vehicle in order to avoid identification, and hence identifying the individual responsible by means of their physical appearance may be the only option available. Thus known CCTV security systems can be ineffective for identifying offenders.

According to a first aspect of the invention, we provide a fuel dispensing apparatus comprising a camera.

Thus, by virtue of the invention, a camera such as a CCTV camera is mounted close to a user of Me fuel dispensing apparatus, and clear images of the face of the user may be obtained

Preferably, the camera is mounted in or on a display panel of the fuel dispensing apparatus.

It would be relatively hard for a user to obtain fuel from the apparatus without at some point facing the display panel, and hence the likelihood of a clear image of the user's face being obtained is increased.

Preferably the camera is a closed-circuit television camera.

According to a second aspect of the invention, we provide a security system comprising a camera mounted in or on a fuel dispensing apparatus.

Preferably the security system further comprises tamper detection means which is adapted to detect if the camera has been covered or a view from the camera otherwise obscured.

The tamper detection means may be connected to the fuel dispensing apparatus and may be adapted to deactivate the fuel dispensing apparatus if the camera is covered or a view from the camera otherwise obscured.

Alternatively, the tamper detection means may be connected to a central alarm system to alert staff if the camera is covered or a view from the camera otherwise obscured.

Thus, the possibility of a user being able to avoid identification by obscuring the view from the camera, for example, by hanging an item of clothing over the camera is minimised.

The security system may further comprise an activation switch operable to permit fuel to be obtained from the fuel dispensing apparatus The activation switch may be remote from the fuel dispensing means and accessible to staff, and the camera may be connected to a display unit visible to staff, the display unit, in use, showing the images obtained via the camera.

Thus staff may verify that an image of the user has been obtained before operating the remote activation switch to allow the user to obtain fuel.

Alternatively, the security system may further comprise image processing means which is capable of determining whether an image of a user's

( face has been obtained and which is connected to the activation switch to operate the activation switch when an image of a user's face has been obtained.

In either case, if the user wears a balaclava or other similar item to hide their face, no fuel will be dispensed.

The invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawing which shows a fuel dispensing device according to the first aspect of the invention.

Referring now to the figure, there is shown a fuel dispensing apparatus 10, which in this case is a petrol or diesel pump, comprising a closedcircuit television camera 12. Other than the inclusion of the camera 12, the pump 10 is of conventional design, and has a nozzle 13 from which fuel is dispensed. The nozzle 13 is connected to a body 13a of the pump 10 by a flexible pipe 13b.

The camera 12 may be an analogue or digital video camera and preferably can take images over, for example, a 15 foot range.

In this example, the camera 12 is mounted in a display panel 14 of the pump 10 alongside a display of the volume and cost of the fuel dispensed. It would, however, be possible to mount the camera 12 at any other appropriate location on the pump 10. Preferably a lens of the camera 12 enables the camera 12 to cover a wide field of view such as substantially a 180 field.

The camera 12 may be hidden to enable covert surveillance, or notices may be provided to draw the user's attention to the presence of the camera 12.

When a user 16 picks up the nozzle 13, he is close to the camera 12, and tends to be facing the camera 12. Thus clear images of the face of the user 16 may be obtained via the camera 12. It would be relatively difficult for the user 16 to pick up the nozzle 13 without at least partially facing the camera 12 The camera 12 may be part of a security system which further comprises tamper detection means which is adapted to detect if the camera 12 has been covered or a view from the camera otherwise obscured. Such tamper detection

means may include a light detector which detects abnormal, sudden changes in the light levels detected by the camera.

The tamper detection means may be connected to the pump 10 and may be adapted to deactivate the pump 10 to prevent fuel from being dispensed if the camera 12 is covered or a view from the camera 12 otherwise obscured.

Alternatively, the tamper detection means may be connected to a central alarm system to alert staff if the camera 12 is covered or a view from the camera 12 otherwise obscured. Once alerted, staff may take action manually to deactivate the pump 12.

Thus, the possibility of the user 16 being able to avoid identification by obscuring the view from the camera, for example, by hanging an item of clothing over the camera 12 is minimised.

The security system may further comprise an activation switch operable to permit fuel to be obtained from the pump 10.

The activation means may be remote from the pump 10 and accessible to staff, for example the activation switch may be located in or adjacent to tills used by staff to process payment for fuel. In this case, the camera 12 may be connected to a television screen visible to staff which shows the images obtained via the camera. Thus staff may verify that an image of the user 16 has been obtained before operating the activation switch to allow the user 16 to obtain fuel.

Alternatively, the security system may further comprise image processing means which is capable of determining whether an image of a user's face has been obtained and which is connected to the activation switch to operate the activation switch when an image of a user's face has been obtained.

The images obtained via the camera 12 are preferably stored on suitable storage means, such as video tape for an analogue camera or a hard disc drive for a digital camera, and used, if necessary to identify any users who left without paying for their fuel.

( The pump 10 may further include a motion detector or other means to detect the arrival of a vehicle at the pump 10, the motion detector or other means being connected to the camera to activate the camera only when a vehicle is present at the pump 10. Thus, video footage will only be taken when necessary, i.e. when a vehicle is present, and the storage of hours of footage of an empty forecourt would be avoided.

Whilst the above example uses a video camera 12, the camera may instead take still images. In this case it would be necessary to provide a motion detector to detect the presence of a user, the motion detector being connected to the camera 12 to activate the camera to take a photograph when a user is in an appropriate position.

In the present specification "comprises" means "includes or consists of'

and "comprising" means "including or consisting of".

The features disclosed in the foregoing description, or the following

claims, or the accompanying drawings, expressed in their specific forms or in terms of a means for performing the disclosed function, or a method or process for attaining the disclosed result, as appropriate, may, separately, or in any combination of such features, be utilised for realising the invention in diverse forms thereof.

Claims

1. A fuel dispensing apparatus comprising a camera.

2. A fuel dispensing apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the camera is mounted in or on a display panel of the fuel dispensing apparatus.

3. A fuel dispensing apparatus according to claim 1 or 2 wherein the camera is a closed-circuit television camera.

4. A fuel dispensing apparatus substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and/or as shown in the accompanying drawing.

5. A security system comprising a camera mounted in or on a fuel dispensing apparatus.

6. A security system according to claim 5 wherein the security system further comprises tamper detection means which is adapted to detect if the camera has been covered or a view from the camera otherwise obscured.

7. A security system according to claim 6 wherein the tamper detection means is connected to the fuel dispensing apparatus and is adapted to deactivate the fuel dispensing apparatus if the camera is covered or a view from the camera otherwise obscured.

8. A security system according to claim 6 wherein the tamper detection means is connected to a central alarm system to alert staff if the camera is covered or a view from the camera otherwise obscured.

(

9. A security system according to any one of claims 5 to 8 further comprising an activation switch operable to permit fuel to be obtained from the fuel dispensing apparatus.

10. A security system according to claim 9 wherein the activation switch is remote from the fuel dispensing means and accessible to staff, and the camera is connected to a display unit visible to staff, the display unit, in use, showing the images obtained via the camera.

11. A security system according to claim 9 further comprising image processing means which is capable of determining whether an image of a user's face has been obtained and which is connected to the activation switch to operate the activation switch when an image of a user's face has been obtained.

12. A security system substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawing.

13. Any novel feature or combination of features hereinbefore described with reference to and /or as shown in the accompanying drawing.