JPH08301396A - Automatic charging system in gas station - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE: To provide an automatic charging system in a gas station which does not require that users carry credit cards or the like in the case of getting gasoline in vehicles in the gas station and prevents gasoline from spilling from the fuel tank of vehicle carelessly to supply it accurately and safely, and further make it possible to easily realize an unattended operation in a gas station. CONSTITUTION: An light-emitting element 7 transmitting ID codes is mounted at the neighboring position of the oil inlet 2a of fuel tank of a vehicle and a light-receiving element 15 receiving the light from the light-emitting element 7 is provided at the neighboring position of oiling nozzle 3a of an oiling device. The ID code signals are transmitted or received in the state the oiling nozzle 3a is inserted in the oil inlet 2a of fuel tank. These ID code signals are checked in a server of financial institutions or the like. When the code is confirmed to be correct, oiling to a vehicle by the oiling device is allowed. Information such as the oil charge according to the supplied oil is transmitted to a server and the price is charged to the user.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an automatic billing system for separately paying a charge for gasoline or the like at a gas station, and more particularly to a technique for unmanning the gas station.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, as a system for separately paying a refueling charge to a vehicle at a gas station, a system using a credit card owned by a user who receives refueling has been generally used. In this system, a user hands a credit card to a worker at a gas station, and the worker puts this credit card on a card reader to read the information recorded on the credit card, and the information is sent to a credit card company. Send. In a credit card company, when the validity of the credit card is confirmed, the worker refuels the vehicle.

[0003]

However, in the cashless automatic charging system for a gas station using a credit card as described above, the user carries the credit card with him when the vehicle is refueled. It is necessary to be refueled and cannot refuel when not carrying a credit card. Also, if a credit card is stolen, it may be damaged. In addition, when refueling at a gas station, workers are required to perform refueling work accurately while preventing accidents such as inadvertent outflow of gasoline to the outside of the vehicle's fuel tank. Therefore, there was a problem to be solved in unmanned gas stations and cashless operation. The present invention has been made to solve the above-mentioned problems, and when a user receives fuel at a gas station without cash, the user does not need to carry a credit card, and the credit card is not necessary. Can be prevented from being stolen and damaged,
Furthermore, it is possible to prevent gasoline from accidentally leaking to other than the fuel tank of the vehicle when refueling, and it is possible to refuel accurately and safely, and it is easy to achieve cashless unmanned gas stations. It is an object of the present invention to provide an automatic billing system in a gas station capable of operating.

[0004]

In order to achieve the above object, an automatic billing system for a gas station according to the invention described in claim 1 refuels a vehicle with gasoline and separately processes the refueling fee. And an ID code transmission means for transmitting an ID code signal for user identification registered for each vehicle, which is installed near the fuel tank filler port on the vehicle side.
An ID code receiving means provided near the oiling nozzle on the oiling machine side for receiving the ID code signal transmitted from the ID code transmitting means, and an ID received by the ID code receiving means.
The collation means for collating the legitimacy of the code signal, the lubrication control means for permitting the lubrication operation of the vehicle by the lubricator when the legitimacy is confirmed by the collation means, and the lubrication control means for refueling Equipped with a charging processing means for calculating a charge according to the amount and automatically charging the registrant of the vehicle by separate payment processing. The ID code transmitting means and the ID code receiving means insert the lubrication nozzle into the fuel filler port. The ID code signal can be sent and received only in the closed state. Further, in the automatic billing system in the gas station according to the invention described in claim 2, in the configuration described in claim 1, the ID code transmitting means is
The ID code information has a recording means and a light emitting element for emitting the registered ID code signal, and the ID code receiving means has a light receiving element for receiving the light emission output of the light emitting element. is there.

[0005]

According to the automatic billing system of the first aspect of the present invention having the above-mentioned structure, the ID is provided only when the fueling nozzle of the vehicle is inserted into the fuel tank filler port.
An ID code signal is transmitted from the code transmitting means to the ID code receiving means, and after the collating means collates the validity of the ID code signal, the lubrication control means performs the lubrication operation to the vehicle based on the collation result. The charging processing means calculates a charge according to the amount of fuel refueled into the vehicle and automatically charges the registrant of the vehicle by separate payment processing.Therefore, when using the gas station, the user carries a credit card etc. Even if you don't have it, you can get deferred payment processing.
Further, unlike the automatic charging system using a credit card, since the ID code information is mounted on the vehicle itself, the automatic charging system is less likely to be stolen or lost, so that the ID code used is authentic. The thing is highly reliable. Therefore, since there is a low possibility that another person will use the vehicle without permission, it is possible to ensure the safety of the transaction even if the user does not sign the usage slip. Also,
Since it is possible to prevent gasoline from accidentally flowing out of the fuel tank from the refueling nozzle, and it becomes possible to refuel accurately and safely, it is easy to unmanned a gas station, which in turn leads to It is possible to reduce the selling cost. In addition, in the automatic billing system at the gas station according to the second aspect, in addition to the above operation, since the ID code is transmitted and received between the light emitting element and the light receiving element by light, it is not affected by noise or the like. It is possible to send and receive the ID code by highly reliable communication.

[0006]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a schematic view of an automatic charging system at a gas station according to an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing a fuel filler port on a vehicle side and an oil filler nozzle portion on a lubricator side used in the automatic charging system. 3 is a block diagram of the automatic charging system. The automatic charging system 1 is a vehicle 2 of a user who uses the system.
And a lubricator 3 installed in a gas station and a host computer 4 installed in a gas station store. The host computer 4 can communicate with a server 5 of a financial institution such as a credit company or a bank. It is connected.

In the vicinity of the fuel tank filling port 2a of the user's vehicle 2, as the user of this system, an identification number (hereinafter referred to as an identification number given when a contract is made with a gas station company etc. in advance and registration is performed). An ID code) is stored in the storage device 6 such as a ROM, and the ID
An adapter 8 equipped with a light emitting element 7 such as an LED that transmits a code by an optical signal is mounted. The adapter 8 has a function of reading an ID code from the storage device 6 and controlling light emission of the light emitting element 7 based on the ID code. Further, the adapter 8 is configured to be in an operating state when the door 10 is opened by a signal from a switch 9 which operates in response to opening and closing of the door 10 provided at the fuel filler port 2a. The upper storage device 6, the adapter 8 and the light emitting element 7 constitute an ID code receiving means.

In the vicinity of the oiling nozzle 3a of the oiling machine 3 installed at the gas station, the light receiving element 15 for receiving the ID code signal transmitted by the light emission of the light emitting element 7 is received.
Is provided. In addition, the lubricating device 3 includes a light receiving element 15
The control device 16 that receives the ID code received by the control device 16 and controls the operation of the lubricator 3 and the lubrication device 17 that controls the lubrication operation to the vehicle 2 and counts the lubrication amount according to a command from the control device 16 are provided. Has been. Further, the lubricator 3 is provided with a printer 19 that prints the amount of gasoline and the fee charged to the vehicle 2, and an input key 20 for inputting the amount of gasoline that the user desires.
In addition, the transmission and reception of the optical signal between the light emitting element 7 and the light receiving element 15 is
The configuration is made possible only after the lubrication nozzle 3a of the lubricator 3 is inserted into the fuel tank filler port 2a.

The lubricator 3 is connected to a host computer 4 in a gas station store, and the host computer 4 is connected to the I computer transmitted from the controller 16 of the lubricator 3.
A CPU 21 that receives the D code and controls the entire operation is provided. Further, the host computer 4 includes a memory 22 such as a RAM for temporarily storing the received ID code and the like, a display 23 for displaying the ID code and the operation status of the oiling machine 3, and a server provided in a financial institution or the like. A transmitter / receiver 24 for communicating with the communication device 5 is provided. ID by the light receiving element 15, the control device 16 and the like
Code receiving means is configured.

The server 5 stores a collation ID code of the user of this system, and the host computer 4
It is provided with a function (collating means) for collating the legitimacy of the ID code transmitted from the computer and, when the collation confirms the legitimacy, returns the fact to the host computer 4 side.
The CPU 21 which has received the reply of the justification confirms the control device 1
6 to send a signal for confirmation of validity to the control device 1
6 permits oiling by the oiling device 17. The control device 16, the lubrication device 17, etc. constitute lubrication control means. Further, the amount of gasoline that has been lubricated by the lubrication device 17 is counted by the device, and information on the amount of lubrication is transmitted from the control device 16 to the CPU 21.
Calculates a charge based on the amount of lubrication and transmits this information to the server 5 to automatically charge the user. The control device 16, the CPU 21, the server 5, and the like constitute a billing processing means.

Next, the processing performed by the automatic billing system 1 configured as described above will be described. FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing the flow of processing in the vehicle 2 of the automatic charging system 1. When the user opens the door 10 of the fuel tank filler port 2a for gasoline refueling, the switch 9 is turned on (YES in S1), and the adapter 8 reads the ID code from the storage device 6 (S2).
The light emitting element 7 is controlled to emit light according to this ID code. The light emitting element 7 converts the ID code into an optical signal to receive the light receiving element 1.
5 (S3).

Next, the processing performed on the gas station side of the automatic charging system 1 will be described. Figure 5
3 is a flowchart showing a flow of processing in the lubricator 3 and the host computer 4 of the automatic charging system 1. When the user inserts the lubrication nozzle 3a into the fuel tank filler opening 2a of the vehicle 2 in order to perform the lubrication work on the vehicle 2, the light emitting element 7 mounted near the filler opening 2a and the vicinity of the filler nozzle 3a. Since the light receiving element 15 provided in the light receiving element 15 comes close to and faces each other, the ID code signal emitted from the light emitting element 7 is received by the light receiving element 15 (YES in S11), and this ID code signal is transmitted to the control device. 1
6 and is further output to the CPU 21 of the host computer 4 in the gas station store. CPU 21
Transmits the received ID code signal to the server 5 of the financial institution with which the user has a contract, via the transceiver 24. The server 5 verifies the validity of the ID code,
The collation result is returned to the CPU 21. If the reply is that the validity is confirmed, the CPU 21 outputs a command to permit the lubrication operation of the lubricator 3 to the control device 16 (YES in S12, S13). On the other hand, if the reply is that the correctness could not be confirmed, a command for refusing the lubrication operation to the lubricator 3 is output to the control device 16 and the process ends (NO in S12, S14).

After the lubricator 3 is ready for the lubrication operation (S13), the user inputs the desired lubrication amount from the input key 20 and performs a predetermined operation, so that the lubrication device 17 is supplied to the vehicle 2. Lubricate (S15). The amount of gasoline that has been lubricated is being counted, and when the lubrication is completed (YES in S16), the data of the amount of lubrication that has been counted is the control device 1
It is output to the CPU 21 by 6 (S17). The control device 16 detects that the fuel tank of the vehicle 2 is full and automatically stops the lubrication. The CPU 21 calculates the charge based on the received refueling amount data (S1
8), it is stored in the memory 22 as customer usage data together with the user's ID code, usage date, etc. (S19). Further, the CPU 21 transmits this customer usage data to the control device 16 and the server 5 of the financial institution (S20). The control device 16 prints the content indicated by the customer usage data by the printer 19 and presents it to the user as a user copy slip (receipt) (S21). The financial institution bills the user for the usage amount at a later date based on the customer usage data received by the server 5.

As described above, according to the automatic charging system 1 of the present embodiment, the user's ID code is stored in the storage device 6 mounted on the user's vehicle 2 itself, so that the user can fill the gas station. Even if you don't carry a credit card at the time of refueling, you can receive deferred payment processing of the refueling fee. Furthermore, since it is less likely to be stolen like a credit card and is unlikely to be used by another person without permission, it is less likely to be illegally used and damaged, and the ID code is authentic. Since it is highly reliable, it is not necessary to request the user's signature on the usage slip, which is necessary for post-payment processing using a credit card or the like. Also, the ID code is checked only after the user inserts the lubrication nozzle 3a of the lubricator 3 of the gas station into the fuel tank filler opening 2a of the vehicle 2, and the fuel is refueled after that, so carelessly. It is possible to prevent the gasoline from flowing out of the refueling tank from the refueling nozzle 3a, so that the refueling can be performed accurately and safely, and it is possible to easily unmann the gas station. Further, since the means for transmitting / receiving the ID code signal and the means for confirming that the lubrication nozzle 3a has been inserted into the fuel tank oil supply port 2a are combined, the number of parts can be small and the cost can be reduced. . In addition, the light emitting element 8
If a plurality of light receiving elements 15 and a plurality of light receiving elements 15 are provided, the signals can be transmitted and received more reliably.

The present invention is not limited to the configuration of the above embodiment, and various modifications can be made. For example,
In the above embodiment, the ID code is transmitted from the fuel filler port 2a of the vehicle 2 to the fueling nozzle 3a of the fueling machine 3 at the gas station by light, but it may be transmitted by electromagnetic induction. . When the ID code is confirmed by electromagnetic induction, the ID code may be read by sending a command for reading the ID code from the control device 16 of the lubricator 3 to the storage device 6 on the vehicle 2 side. . Further, in the above description, the server 5 performs the collation of the validity of the ID code, but the CPU 21 of the host computer 4 may perform the collation.

[0016]

As described above, according to the automatic charging system for a gas station according to the invention described in claim 1, the fuel tank of the vehicle is not inserted until the fuel nozzle of the lubricator is inserted into the fuel tank filler port of the vehicle. Between the ID code transmitting means for user identification mounted near the fueling port and the ID code receiving means provided near the oiling nozzle of the lubricator, I
The D code can be sent and received, and the validity of the D code is verified to permit refueling. Therefore, even if you do not carry a credit card etc. at the time of using the gas station, you can receive deferred payment processing of the refueling fee. it can. In addition, since the ID code information is mounted on the vehicle itself, it is less likely to be stolen as compared with the case of an automatic billing system using a credit card, so that the ID code used is authentic. Is high. Therefore, since it is unlikely that another person will use the vehicle without permission, it is possible to eliminate the need for the user to sign the usage slip. In addition, it is possible to prevent gasoline from leaking out of the fuel tank from the fueling nozzle carelessly, and it becomes possible to refuel accurately and safely, which makes it easy to unmanned a gas station, and eventually It is possible to reduce the selling cost of gasoline, etc. Further, according to the automatic charging system at the gas station according to the invention of claim 2,
In addition to the above effects, since the ID code is transmitted and received by light between the light emitting element and the light receiving element, the ID code can be transmitted and received by highly reliable communication without being affected by noise or the like.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of an automatic charging system in a gas station according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing a fuel filler port on the vehicle side and an oil filler nozzle on the oil filler side used in the automatic charging system.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram of the automatic charging system.

FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing a flow of processing on the vehicle side of the automatic charging system.

FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing a processing flow in an oiling machine and a host computer of the automatic charging system.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 Automatic Billing System 2 Vehicle 2a Fuel Tank Filling Port 3 Lubrication Machine 3a Lubrication Nozzle 4 Host Computer 5 Server 6 Storage Device 7 Light-Emitting Element 15 Light-Receiving Element 16 Control Device 17 Lubrication Device 21 CPU

Claims (2)

[Claims] 1. An automatic billing system in a gas station for refueling a vehicle with gasoline and separately charging the refueling fee, the user being installed near the fuel tank refueling port on the vehicle side and registered for each vehicle. An ID code transmitting means for transmitting an ID code signal for identification, and an ID provided near the lubrication nozzle on the lubricating machine side for receiving the ID code signal transmitted from the ID code transmitting means.
Code receiving means, collating means for collating the legitimacy of the ID code signal received by the ID code receiving means, and lubrication of the vehicle by the lubricator when the legitimacy is confirmed as a result of collation by the collating means. The ID code is provided with an oiling control means for permitting operation, and a charging processing means for calculating a charge according to the amount of oil refueled by the oiling control means and automatically charging the registrant of the vehicle by separate payment processing. The transmitting means and the ID code receiving means are provided only when the lubrication nozzle is inserted into the filler opening.
An automatic billing system at a gas station, which is configured to be able to send and receive an ID code signal. 2. The ID code transmitting means includes a recording means for registering ID code information and a light emitting element for emitting the registered ID code signal, and the ID code receiving means for emitting light by the light emitting element. The automatic billing system at a gas station according to claim 1, further comprising a light receiving element that receives an output.