GB2394072A

GB2394072A - A process and system for controlling the release of fuel from a fuel pump

Info

Publication number: GB2394072A
Application number: GB0223315A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Ian Comyns
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2002-10-08
Filing date: 2002-10-08
Publication date: 2004-04-14
Also published as: GB0223315D0

Abstract

A system for controlling the release of fuel, such as petrol or diesel, from a pump comprises a fuel pump 5, a tag 2 for identifying a vehicle 1, a reader 4 for reading the tag 2 and a controller for selectively allowing or preventing release of fuel from the pump 5. When a vehicle 1 approaches the pump 5, the reader 4 reads information relating to the vehicle's identity from the tag 2. A remote database may then be used to check that the vehicle is not stolen, there are no outstanding parking fines or unpaid fuel bills etc. before allowing or preventing release of fuel from the pump 5 to the vehicle 1. The tag 2 and reader 4 may communicate with each other using radio waves, and means for manually over-riding the controller may be provided.

Description

A Process and System for Contro]lin the Release of Petrol from a Petrol

Pump The present invention relates to a system for preventing the release of petrol from a petrol pump.

Each year bi]]ions of pounds are lost by national governments through nonpayment of motoring-related fees such as parking fines, road tax, motor insurance etc., since it is often difficult to locate the persons from whom the fees are due. Oil companies also frequently lose revenue due to non-payment of petrol by customers at petrol stations.

An object of the present invention is to provide a system for controlling the release of petro] from petrol pumps when persons owing motoringrelated fees or persons who have committed a motoring-related offence attempt to obtain petrol.

The invention provides a system for controlling the release of petrol from a petrol pump as claimed in Claim I or 7 and a method for controlling the release of petrol from a

petrol pump as claimed in Claim 8. The remaining claims set forth preferred or optional features. The invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure I is a diagrammatic view of a system according to the invention; Figure 2 is a block diagram of a first embodiment of the system according to the invention, and Figure 3 is a block diagram of a second embodiment of the system according to the invention.

In Figure 1, a vehicle I having a radio frequency identification tag 2 enters a forecourt of a petrol station. The radio frequency identification tag 2 is attached to or mounted on the vehicle I, for example on the windscreen or on the chassis of the vehicle 1, and is capable of transmitting a signal which identifies the vehicle 1. A single tag 2 is issued at the time of purchase of road tax or initial purchase of the vehicle 1. Alternatively, the tag 2 can be issued to the owner of the vehicle I at regular intervals, such as, annually or bi-annually. The tag 2 can replace traditional owner documentation such as tax discs, vehicle registration documents and insurance documents. The information relating to the vehicle 1 is stored on a central database 3 and is updated at regular intervals to reflect changes such as changes in ownership, changes in the vehicle colour etc. A radio frequency reader 4 for reading the signal transmitted by the tag 2 is provided on the forecourt of the petrol station. It is preferable if each pump 5 on the forecourt is provided with a reader 4, so that the tag 2 can be read at the pump 5. Alternatively, the reader 4 is arranged in the vicinity of the entrance of the petrol station, so that the reader 4 can read the signal from the radio frequency identification tag 2 as the vehicle enters the forecourt. The operating range of the reader 4 must be sufficient to detect the signal from the tag 2 on the vehicle 1, even when the tag 2 is arranged/mounted on a side of the vehicle I remote from the reader 4. A suitable operating range is approximately 2 metros. When the vehicle I reaches the pump 5, the reader 4 senses the arrival of the vehicle I by means of movement sensors such as light sensors or pressure sensors, and transmits a signal, preferably a low frequency signal, to the tag 2 in order to activate the tag 2. The tag 2 sends a signal, preferably an ultra high frequency signal, back to the reader 4. The ultra high frequency signal identifies the vehicle 1. According to a first embodiment of the invention (see Figure 2), the information from the signal from the tag 2 is transmitted by the reader 4 to the central database 3 containing information relating to the vehicle 1, and to many other vehicles. The information stored in relation to the vehicle I includes information on the payment of road tax, car insurance, parking fines, speeding fines, road tolls, as well as basic information about the vehicle I itself, for

example, the vehicle colour, the owner of the vehicle, the age and model number of the vehicle. The database 3 also contains information on road traffic offences and other offences, such as theft of the vehicle 1 itself or failure to pay for petrol or other goods.

The database 3 is updated regularly so as to ensure that the information relating to the vehicle I is accurate.

The reader 4 sends the signal from the tag 2 directly to the central database 3. Once the signal has been processed at the central database 5, the central database 5 runs a check on the vehicle by reviewing the data stored for the vehicle I and sends a signal back to the reader 4. If there is an outstanding fine, such as a parking or speeding fine, or the owner of the vehicle I has not paid for petrol at another petrol station, the signal will inform the reader 4 accordingly. The reader 4 will send a corresponding signal to a controller 6, which acts to de-activate the pump 5, so that no petrol can be released therefrom. The controller 6 can be in the form of a switch located in the reader 4, which opens/closes to prevent the release of petrol, depending on its configuration.

Alternatively, the controller 6 can be located externally of the reader. For example, the controller 6 could be a valve or another flow control device in the pump 5.

The reader 4 may have a display or may be linked to a display on the pump 5. The display can be used to inform the driver of the vehicle 1 that monies are owed.

Alternatively, the reader 4 may produce a noise to alert the driver to the fact that monies are owed. The noise can be in the form of a recorded message, which might also include information as to how the pump 5 can be re-activated. However, the noise could alternatively be a simple alarm bell. As a further alternative, a combination of a visual display and a noise could be provided.

The action of the controller 6 in preventing release of petrol can be reversed or even over-ridden to allow petrol to be released on payment of the monies owed. For example, a credit card payment unit can be provided on the pump 5 to facilitate payment. Once payment has been received, a corresponding signal is sent to the central database 3 and the information on the database 3 is updated accordingly. The database 3 then sends a signal to the controller 6 to permit the pump S to be re- activated, so that it

can release petrol. The pump 5 can also be re-activated by means of an over-ride switch at the point of sale or in the vicinity of the pump, should a customer make a payment at the point of sale, rather than at the pump 5. The customer could also make a payment to the authority to whom monies are owed by telephone.

If the check on the vehicle I by the central database 3 shows that no monies are owed, a respective signal will be sent to the reader 4 by the central database 3, with the result that the controller 6 releases petrol, as normal.

In Figure 3, the signal generated by the tag 2 is picked up by the radio frequency reader 4, as described above. However, the signal is sent to a processor 7 in the petrol station before being transferred to the central database 3. This allows use of a less sophisticated reader 4 at the pump 5, thus reducing costs. The reader 4 may be connected to the processor by means of spare cables in the pump 5. Alternatively, if the pump 5 has a credit card payment unit, the reader 4 could share the cables of the credit card payment unit. Alternatively, the reader 4 could be linked to the processor 7 by radio or another wireless communication network.

As before, the signal is processed at the central database 3 and a check is carried out on the vehicle 1. If the check reveals that the driver of the vehicle 1 owes monies, a signal to that effect is sent to the processor 7. The information relating to the monies owed is displayed on the processor 7. The processor 7 in turn sends a signal to the controller 6 in the pump 5 to ensure that no petrol is dispensed. If required, the pump 5 may additionally display information relating to the monies owed, or at least alert the driver to the fact that no petrol can be released until a payment is made for the outstanding debt, for example, by means of a recorded message. If there is no means of alerting the driver at the pump 5, it is necessary for the operator of the processor 7 to inform the driver accordingly, for example, in person or by means of an intercom system. If desired, a print-out of the details of the monies owed can be obtained from the processor 7.

If the driver subsequently makes a payment for the monies owed, the processor 7 sends a signal to the central database 3 and the central database 3 is updated. The central database can send a signal back to the processor 7 authorising release of petrol. This signal is then forwarded to the controller 6. Alternatively, the operator of the processor 7 can actuate the over-ride switch to allow petrol to be released.

As described above, if no monies are owed by the driver, the signal from the central database 3 will indicate that the processor 7 should forward a signal to the controller 6 so that petrol is released from the pump 5, as normal.

In the embodiments of the invention described above, the central database 3 is linked to the reader 4 or to the processor 7 by means of the Internet, standard ISDN lines or any other alternative communication network, depending on the existing telecommunications infrastructure of the host country. Alternatively, the reader 4 or processor 7 could generate a readable code which could be passed on to an operator at the central database 3 by telephone.

It will be appreciated that the present invention facilitates the recouperation of motoring-related fees relatively inexpensively. The invention also allows the consumption of petrol to be monitored, which could be useful in calculating fuel duty, petrol prices etc. Furthermore, the invention can be used to locate stolen vehicles or vehicles which have been used in connection with other offences. In such cases, no petrol would be released from the pump 5 and the appropriate authorities would be alerted. It will be appreciated that radio frequency is a preferred means of communication used in the present invention. It would also be possible to use other wireless technologies such as Wireless Application Protocol (WAP). Alternatively, a bar code could be provided on the vehicle for reading by a bar code reader.

The present invention has been described above purely by way of example, and modifications can be made within the spirit of the invention. The invention also

consists in any individual features described or implicit herein or shown or implicit in the drawings or any combination of any such features or any generalization of any such features or combination.

Claims

Claims: 1. A system for controlling the release of petrol from a petrol

pump, comprising a petrol pump, an identification tag adapted to be arranged on a vehicle, a reader for reading the identification tag and adapted to be located in the vicinity of the petrol pump, and a controller, wherein the release of petrol from the petrol pump is controlled by the controller in response to the reading of the reader.
2. A system as claimed in Claim 1, wherein the tag and the reader are adapted to communicate with one another via radio waves.
3. A system as claimed in Claim 1 or 2, and comprising means for checking the information read by the reader against data stored in a central database.
4. A system as claimed in Claim 3, wherein the central database is remote from the pump.
5. A system as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein over-ride means are provided for over-riding the controller.
6. A system as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, and comprising a processor in the vicinity of the pump for processing the information read by the reader.
7. A system for controlling the release of petrol from a petrol pump, substantially as herein described with reference to any one of the embodiments shown in the . accompanying drawings.
8. A method for controlling the release of petrol from a petrol pump, comprising the steps of identifying a vehicle in the vicinity of the petrol pump, checking the identified vehicle against selected parameters and allowing or preventing the release of petrol from the petrol pump as a result of the checking.