| US5867403A | 1999-02-02 | |||
| US3871503A | 1975-03-18 |
| Claims
1. A method of dispensing fuel comprising the steps of:
receiving input indicating a required value of fuel to be dispensed;
calculating a lower bound volume of fuel from said required value; and supplying a volume of fuel corresponding with said calculated lower bound volume.
2. A method of dispensing fuel according to claim 1, wherein said step of calculating the lower bound volume includes:
subtracting a predetermined amount from said required value to determine a new value; and
dividing the new value by a unit cost of fuel.
3. A method of dispensing fuel according to claim 2, wherein said predetermined amount is less than 0.005.
4. A method of dispensing fuel according to claim 2 or claim 3, wherein said method includes the step of rounding up said lower bound volume of fuel to
generate a rounded-up lower bound volume; and said volume of fuel supplied is equal to said rounded-up lower bound volume.
5. A method of dispensing fuel according to claim 4, wherein said lower
bound volume of fuel is rounded up to two decimal places to generate said rounded-up lower bound volume.
6. A method of dispensing fuel according to any of claims 1 to 5, wherein said method includes the step of receiving said input on a manually operated input device.
7. A method of dispensing fuel according to any of claims 1 to 6, wherein
method includes the step of receiving said input on a manually operated input device located on a fuel pump.
8. Apparatus for controlling a fuel dispenser, comprising:
input means to receive input from a user indicating a required value of fuel to
be dispensed;
a processing means configured to calculate a lower bound volume of fuel which corresponds with said required value; and an interface configured to supply said calculated lower bound volume to a fuel dispenser.
9. Apparatus according to claim 8, wherein said processing means is
configured to calculate a lower bound volume of fuel by: subtracting a predetermined amount from said required value to determine a
new value; and dividing the new value by a unit cost of fuel.
10. Apparatus according to claim 9, wherein said predetermined amount is less than 0.005.
11. Apparatus according to claim 9 or 10, wherein said processing means is
configured to include the step of rounding up said lower bound volume of fuel to
generate a rounded-up lower bound volume; and
said volume of fuel supplied is equal to said rounded-up lower bound volume.
12. Apparatus according to claim 11, wherein lower bound volume of fuel is
rounded up to two decimal places to generate said rounded-up lower bound volume.
13. Apparatus according to claims 8, wherein said input means is a manually operated input device.
14. Apparatus according to claim 13, wherein said input means is a manually
operated input device located on a fuel pump.
15. A fuel dispenser in combination with control apparatus according to claims 8 to 14, wherein said fuel dispenser is configured to receive said calculated
lower bound volume; and dispense a volume of fuel corresponding with said lower bound volume.
16. A method of dispensing fuel substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying Figures.
17. Apparatus for controlling a fuel dispenser substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying Figures. |
METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR DISPENSING FUEL
Background of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method of dispensing fuel.
Brief Summary of the Invention
According to an aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method of dispensing fuel, comprising the steps of: receiving input indicating a required value of fuel to be dispensed; calculating a lower bound volume of fuel from
said required value; and supplying a volume of fuel corresponding with said calculated lower bound volume.
Brief Description of the Several Views of the Drawings
Figure 1 shows a device for controlling the amount of fuel a fuel pump dispenses, attached to a standard fuel pump;
Figure 2 shows an embodiment of the present invention;
Figure 3 shows a diagram of the interactions within the system of the present invention;
Figure 4 shows an embodiment of the present invention in which user
interaction has taken place;
Figure 5 shows a diagram of the interactions within the system of the present
invention as a result of the user selecting step 304 in Figure 3; Figure 6 shows a diagram illustrating the distribution of information between a
device for controlling the amount of fuel a fuel pump dispenses and a standard fuel pump;
Figure 7 shows a diagram of the interactions within the system of the present
invention as a result of step 505 in Figure 5 being calculated;
Figure 8 shows a diagram of the interactions within the system of the present invention as a result of the user selecting step 306 in Figure 3;
Figure 9 shows a diagram illustrating the distribution of information between a device for controlling the amount of fuel a fuel pump dispenses and a standard fuel pump; and
Figure 10 shows a diagram of the interactions within the system of the present invention as a result of step 801 in Figure 8 being calculated.
Description of the Best Mode for Carrying out the Invention Figure 1
A device for controlling the amount of fuel a fuel pump dispenses 101, attached to a standard fuel pump 102, is shown in Figure 1.
Figure 2
An embodiment of the present invention is shown in Figure 2. Device 101
comprises a panel 201 indicating the total value of fuel to be supplied, as well as a panel 202 allowing a user to input the required value of fuel to be supplied. The device
also comprises buttons 203, 204 and 205 allowing further user input.
The "ENTER" button 203 indicates that the user has correctly inputted the
value of fuel to be supplied allowing the device to calculate the volume of fuel to be
supplied. The "CANCEL" button 204 indicates that the user wishes to re-enter the
value of fuel to be supplied and resets the device. The "FILL TANK" button 205
indicates that the user wishes to fill a vehicles fuel tank to its capacity. In an alternative embodiment of the invention the invention may comprise a
touch screen interface, a keyboard interface or any other manually operated input device.
Figure 3
A diagram of the interactions within the system of the present invention, as a result of user actions and input, is shown in Figure 3. At step 301 the device 101
receives a signal from the fuel pump 102, indicating that the fuel pump nozzle 103 has
been removed from its cradle 104, allowing user input to be received.
If the question asked at step 302 is answered in the affirmative then a question is asked at step 303 as to whether the user has selected the "FILL TANK" option. If this is the case the vehicles fuel tank will be filled with fuel to its capacity at step 304. The device 101 will then receive a signal at step 310 from the fuel pump 102, indicating that
the fuel pump nozzle 103 has been replaced in its cradle 104. This in turn indicates that the procedure has been completed.
If the question asked at step 302 is answered in the negative then device 101 is bypassed in favour of the standard method for dispensing fuel using only the fuel pump
102.
If the question asked at step 303 is answered in the negative then a question is
asked at step 305 as to whether the user entered the value of fuel to be supplied. If the
question at step 305 is entered in the affirmative the vehicles fuel tank will be supplied
with the corresponding lower bound volume of fuel at step 306. The device 101 will then receive a signal at step 310 from the fuel pump 102, indicating that the fuel pump
nozzle 103 has been replaced in its cradle 104. This in turn indicates that the procedure has been completed.
If the question at step 305 is answered in the negative then a question is asked at
step 307 as to whether the user has selected the "CANCEL" option. If the question at step 307 is answered in the affirmative the device resets itself and the question asked at step 302 is asked again.
If the question asked at step 307 is answered in the negative step 308 will occur,
in which the device waits for a predetermined amount of time before re-asking the question asked at step 302.
Figure 4 An embodiment of the present invention, illustrating user interaction, is shown
in Figure 4. The user 401 has inputted the required value of fuel to be supplied, into the device 101 using the panel 202. This value is now shown at panel 201 as a result of the user pushing the "ENTER" button 203 to indicate that the correct value of fuel to be supplied has been entered into panel 202.
Figure 5
A diagram of the interactions within the system of the present invention, as a
result of the user selecting step 304 in Figure 3, is shown in Figure 5. Once the fuel pump 102 receives a signal at step 501, indicating that the user is squeezing the trigger of the fuel pump nozzle 103, fuel is supplied to the vehicles fuel tank at step 502.
At step 503 the fuel pump 102 receives a further signal from a sensor situated
on the fuel pump nozzle 103, indicating that the vehicles fuel tank has reached its
capacity. The fuel supply will then be cut off by the fuel pump 102 at step 504. The device 101 will then calculate an extra volume of fuel, according to the nearest designated value supplied, to be dispensed into the vehicles fuel tank at step 505. The
steps followed in order to carry out step 505 are further described in Figures 6 and 7.
The fuel pump 102 will now receive signal 506 indicating that the user is re- squeezing the trigger of the fuel pump nozzle 103. This results in the extra volume of
fuel calculated at step 505 being dispensed at step 507. The fuel supply is then cut off by the fuel pump 102 at step 508.
Figure 6 A diagram illustrating the distribution of information between device 101 and fuel pump 102 is shown in Figure 6. In order for the device 101 to carry out step 505 shown in Figure 5 the device 101 and the fuel pump 102 must first share information 603, 604 and 605. Firstly fuel pump 102 supplies the device 101 with information 603 indicating the value of fuel that has been dispensed into the vehicles fuel tank at step
502. As well as information 605 indicating the unit cost of fuel. The device 101 will then use this information to calculate an extra volume of fuel, according to the nearest designated value supplied, to be dispensed into the vehicles fuel tank. This information
604 is then supplied to the fuel pump 102. The fuel pump 102 then uses this information 604 to dispense the extra volume of fuel at step 507 of Figure 5.
Figure 7
A diagram of the interactions within the system of the present invention, as a result of the step 505 in Figure 5 being calculated, is shown in Figure 7. At step 701 the
device 101 receives information 603, indicating the value of fuel already dispensed
from the fuel pump 102. At step 702 the device 101 identifies the nearest designated value in relation to the value received at step 701.
The nearest designated value can be set to any value and is programmed into the device 101, this could be done by the proprietor of the device 101 or a technician. The nearest designated value 702 could be set so as to round up the value of fuel dispensed
701 to the next ten pence, fifty pence or any other value required. The example given in
Figure 7 at 708 indicates that that the received value of fuel dispensed from the fuel
pump 701 is 19.92. This value is then rounded up to the nearest 10 pence at step 709 so as to reach 20.00.
The value of fuel dispensed 701 is subtracted from the nearest designated value
702 at step 703, resulting in the calculation of the value of extra fuel to be supplied at
step 704. This can be seen in the example at steps 710 and 711. At step 705 a
predetermined amount is subtracted from the calculated extra fuel value 704. The predetermined amount can be set to any amount up to the value of 0.005 and can be programmed into the device 101 for example by the proprietor of the device 101. The subtraction of the predetermined amount at step 705 enables the extra volume of fuel to
be calculated, by subtracting the maximum predetermined amount of 0.005 the extra
volume of fuel that can be dispensed is calculated. If more than 0.005 is subtracted then
the volume of fuel dispensed would have a value less than the value of fuel required. Step 705 is illustrated in the example at step 712. At step 706 the result of the calculation of step 705 is divided by the unit cost of fuel giving the volume of extra fuel to dispense. This volume is rounded up to two
decimal places at step 706. Step 706 is illustrated in the example at step 713. This extra
fuel volume is then supplied to the fuel pump 102 at step 707.
Figure 8 A diagram of the interactions within the system of the present invention, as a result of the user selecting step 306 in Figure 3, is shown in Figure 8. At step 801 the
device 101 calculates the lower bound volume of fuel to dispense according to the
required value of fuel entered at step 305 in Figure 3. The steps required in order to calculate the lower bound volume of fuel at step 801 are further described in Figures 9 and 10.
Once the fuel pump 102 receives the signal at step 802, indicating that the user
is squeezing the trigger of the fuel pump nozzle 103, fuel is supplied to the vehicles
fuel tank at step 803.
If the question asked at step 804, does the fuel pump 102 receive a signal from a sensor situated on the fuel pump nozzle 103 indicating that the vehicles fuel tank has reached its capacity, is answered in the affirmative the fuel supply will be cut off by the
fuel pump 102 at step 805. The device 101 will then calculate an extra volume of fuel,
according to the nearest designated value supplied, to be dispensed into the vehicles
fuel tank at step 806. The steps followed in order to carry out step 806 have been further described in Figures 6 and 7.
The fuel pump 102 will now receive signal at step 807 indicating that the user is re-squeezing the trigger of the fuel pump nozzle 103. This results in the extra volume
of fuel calculated at step 806 being dispensed at step 808. The fuel supply is then cut off by the fuel pump 102 at step 810.
If the question asked at step 804 is answered in the negative then step 809
occurs in which the fuel pump 102 continues to dispense the lower bound volume of fuel as calculated at step 801. The fuel supply is then cut off by the fuel pump 102 at step 810.
Figure 9
A diagram illustrating the distribution of information between the device 101 and fuel pump 102 is shown in Figure 9. In order for the device 101 to carry out step 801 shown in Figure 8 the device 101 and the fuel pump 102, must first share
information 605 and 901. Firstly fuel pump 102 supplies the device 101 with
information 605 indicating the unit cost of fuel. The device 101 will then use this information to calculate the volume of fuel to be dispensed into the vehicles fuel tank. This information 901 is then supplied to the fuel pump 102. The fuel pump 102 then
uses this information 901 to dispense the lower bound volume at steps 803 and 809 of
Figure 8.
Figure 10
A diagram of the interactions within the system of the present invention, as a result of step 801 in Figure 8 being calculated, is shown in Figure 10. At step 1001 a
predetermined amount is subtracted from the required value of fuel entered to
determine a new value. An example of this is shown at 1006.
As previously stated the predetermined amount can be set to any amount up to
the value of 0.005 and can be programmed into the device 101 for example by the proprietor of the device 101. The subtraction of the predetermined amount at step 1001 enables the lower bound volume of fuel to be calculated, by subtracting the maximum
predetermined amount of 0.005 the maximum lower bound volume of fuel that can be
dispensed is calculated. If more than 0.005 is subtracted then the volume of fuel dispensed would have a value less than the value of fuel required.
The device 101 then receives the unit cost of fuel from the fuel pump 102 at step 1002. An example of this is shown at 1007. The new value is then divided by the
unit cost of fuel to give the volume of fuel to dispense at step 1003, an example of this is shown at 1008. The volume to dispense is then rounded up to two decimal places at step 1004 in order to ensure that the volume of fuel dispensed does not fall below the lower bound volume of fuel calculated. An example of this is shown at step 1009. The
volume of fuel is then supplied to the fuel pump 102 at step 1005.