WO2000046101A1 - Fuel dispensing system and method with bar code scanning - Google Patents

Abstract

A fuel dispensing system (10) and method according to which a hood (30) is mounted to a dispensing unit and has a slot (36) for receiving a bar coded card (50) and an opening adjacent to which a bar coded item (52) can be placed. The hood covers either a beam scanner (44, 46) for scanning cards placed in the slot or an omni scanner for scanning items placed adjacent the opening.

Description

FUEL DISPENSING SYSTEM AND METHOD WITH BAR CODE SCANNING

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application is based on provisional application S.N. 60/118,270 filed February 2, 1999.

BACKGROUND This invention relates to a retail fuel dispensing system and method and, more particularly, to a system and method according to which bar codes on cards, or the like, can be scanned.

For more than a decade, retail fuel dispensers have included magnetic strip card readers for reading magnetic strip debit/credit cards. These cards are usually issued by banks and are typically in the form of small plastic cards that contain a strip of magnetic data that includes information such as an account number.

However, modern retail practices lend themselves to the use of bar-coded cards which are usually similar in size to the magnetic strip cards but contain bar codes rather than magnetic strips. The bar codes are formed by optical data in the form of black and white segments in a particular pattern corresponding to an account, or the like, established with the customer. The bar-coded cards allow the retailers to provide added services, such as providing customers with frequent shopper awards, preventing unauthorized use, providing certain purchase discounts, and identifying an internal payment account, etc.

Omni, visible-laser diode scanners are one of the most popular types of scanners for scanning bar-coded cards. These scanners emit multiple scan lines at several different angles which gives the scanner repeated opportunities to read the bar code. This reduces the number of times an item doesn't scan, and, more importantly, the card does not have to be precisely located in a slot or the like.

However, since these omni scanners often can't read poorly designed cards, beam scanners have evolved which are designed to read cards that are placed in a slot so that the cards are precisely located relative to the scan lines. Although the beam scanner obtains better results than an omni scanner, the size and type of card that can be used is limited with a beam scanner, thus prohibiting the use of bar codes on other devices, such as key tags, or the like. Therefore, what is needed is a device that can be installed on a fuel dispenser, or the like, that can receive cards, or other bar-coded items, for scanning by an omni scanner or a beam scanner, and thus avoid the above problems.

SUMMARY

To this end, the present invention is directed to a dispensing system and method according to which a bar code receiving device is provided that is adapted to receive a bar- coded card or item for use with an omni scanner, and a different bar-coded card for use with a beam scanner. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Fig. 1 is an isometric view of a fuel dispensing unit incorporating a device for receiving a bar-coded card or other item according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged, partial view of the receiving device of Fig. 1 shown receiving a bar-coded card for use with a beam scanner.

Fig. 3 is a view similar to that of Fig. 2 but showing the receiving device receiving a bar-coded item for use with an omni scanner.

DESCRIPTION OF A PREFERRED EMBODIMENT In Fig. 1, the reference numeral 10 designates a fuel dispensing unit such as the type utilized in gasoline service stations, and the like. The unit 10 includes a housing 12 from which a hose 14 extends that receives a dispensing nozzle 16 at one end thereof. It is understood that the hose 14 is connected to a conduit (not shown) disposed internally of the housing 12 which, in turn, is connected to an underground storage tank for the fuel. Thus, when activated, the nozzle 16 can dispense fuel into the tanks of vehicles in a conventional manner.

The housing 12 includes a bezel, or front end, 18 which includes two graphics displays 20 and 22 and a keyboard 24. The graphics displays 20 and 22 each include an LCD panel, with the display 20 being adapted to display information to the customer and the display 22 adapted to display information regarding the customer transaction, such as price, amount of fuel and cost per unit of fuel, or other customer-related messages. The keyboard 24 is for receiving information that is inputted by the customer.

A magnetic card reader 26 is also provided on the bezel 18 and is adapted to read a magnetic strip on a standard credit card, or the like, that is provided by the customer to pay for the fuel that is dispensed. To this end, the reader 26 includes magnetic strip reading circuitry connected to a controller, or the like, (not shown) disposed in the interior of the housing 12 which controls the reader as well as other functions of the dispenser 12. Since all of the above is conventional, it will not be described in any further detail.

According to an embodiment of the present invention, a dual-purpose bar code receiving device is provided on the bezel 18 and is referred to in general by the reference numeral 30. The device 30 is shown in greater detail in Figs. 2A and 2B and is in the form of a hood, or housing, formed by an upper wall 34, two sidewalls 36 each having a triangular cross section, and a front wall 38 having an elongated slot 38a formed therein and defining an open lower end, as viewed in the drawings. An indicator light 40 (Fig. 1) is provided on the bezel 18 just above the device 30 for reasons to be described.

According to the embodiment of Fig. 2A, a beam scanner 44 is mounted to the bezel 18 in a conventional manner and is covered by the device 30. The beam scanner 44 is a conventional, visible-laser, diode scanner, adapted to emit scan lines in a predetermined, relatively concentrated, pattern. The device 30 is thus designed to receive a bar-coded card 50 having a standard bar code 50a provided on one surface thereof and position the card relatively precisely relative to the scanner. To this end, the card 50 is inserted in the slot 38a of the device 30 in a manner so that the code 50a extends parallel to the slot. When the card 50 is fully inserted in the slot, the code 50a extends within the device 30 and is precisely located relative to the beam scanner 44 which emits scan lines in a concentrated pattern to read the code. In this embodiment, indicia could be provided adjacent to, or on, the device 30 which instructs the customer to insert his or her card into the slot 38a in the manner discussed above.

According to the embodiment of Fig. 2B, an omni scanner 46 is mounted to the bezel 18 in a conventional manner and is covered by the device 30. The omni scanner 46 is a conventional, visible-laser diode scanner, but is adapted to emit multiple scan lines at several different angles which give the scanner repeated opportunities to read the bar code. As a result, the embodiment of Fig. 2B is designed to accommodate objects that are not necessarily in card form, such as a tag 52, having a bar code 52a formed on one surface thereof. In this embodiment, the tag 52 is placed underneath the open end of the device 30 with the code 52a facing the open end (i.e., upwardly as viewed in Fig. 2B) and is thus generally located relatively to the omni scanner 46. Since the scanner 46 is designed to emit multiple scan lines at several different angles to read the code 52a, the tag 52 does not have to be precisely located relative to the device 30, yet the code 52a still can be read by the scanner 46. Of course, other objects of differing sizes can also be accommodated in this manner including a card similar, or identical to, the card 50. Indicia could be provided adjacent to, or on, the device 30 which instructs the customer to insert the card just below the open end of the device in the manner discussed above.

Although not shown in the drawings, it is understood that the bezel 18 will be designed so that either scanner 44 and 46 can easily be installed on its front face so that the station owner will have a choice of which scanner to use.

It is also understood that when either scanner 44 or 46 is mounted to the bezel 18, it would be connected in an electrical circuit including a microprocessor, or the like, that is mounted in the interior of the housing 12. The microprocessor functions to decode the information provided by the bar code 50a and scanned by the scanner 44 or 46. This information can be used in several manners, such as, for example, to determine frequent shopper awards, prevent unauthorized use, provide certain purchase discounts, identify an internal payment account, etc., all in a conventional manner. In both of the above modes, the indicator light 40 would be connected in this circuit to provide a visual indication to the customer that the code on the card or tag is being scanned. Several advantages result from the foregoing. For example, a station owner utilizing the fuel dispensing unit 10 will have a choice between the beam scanner 44 and the omni scanner 46 yet only has to install the one device 30. More particularly, if the cards issued to customers are in the form of a standard-sized, bar-coded card, such as card 50, the owner can install the beam scanner 44 in which case the customer would place the card in the slot 38a of the device 30. The beam scanner 44 would thus function to read the precisely located bar code 50a.

Alternately, the owner can select the omni scanner 46 for installation in the unit 10. In this situation, the customers can be provided with a tag, or any similar piece, having a bar code formed thereon, and can simply place it in a general area under the open end of the device 30 where it is read by the omni scanner 46. Of course, if the customer has a bar code provided on a standard card it can also be placed under the open end of the hood to be read by the omni scanner 46 but, as stated above, this scanning will not be as precise as that of the beam scanner 44. Thus according to the above embodiments the dispensing unit 10 can easily be adapted to utilize either a beam scanner or an omni scanner, depending on the particular type of scanning that is necessary, yet the receiving device 30 does not have to be changed. Several variations can be made in the foregoing without departing from the scope of the invention. For example, the slot 38a can receive a bar-coded item other than a card. Also the present invention is equally applicable to other types of scanners, such as, for example, charged couple devices and laser-emitting diodes. Further, the particular location of the device 30 and the scanners 44 or 46 on the bezel 18 can be varied. Also, the back end of the housing 12 of the dispenser 10 can be provided with a bezel, identical to the bezel 18, and thus include an additional device, identical to the device 30, for servicing an additional customer.

It is understood that spatial references, such as "above", "below", "upper", "lower", "side", "front", "rear", "vertical", etc. are for the purpose of illustration only and are not intended to limit the specific orientation or location of the structure described above. Since still other modifications, changes, and substitutions are intended in the foregoing disclosure, it is appropriate that the appended claims be construed broadly and in a manner consistent with the scope of the invention.

Claims

WHAT IS CLAIMED IS:

1. A gas dispensing system comprising a housing; a hose connected to the housing for receiving fuel; a nozzle connected to the hose for dispensing the fuel; a bezel; a hood mounted on the bezel and having a slot for receiving a bar coded item for scanning by a beam scanner, and an opening adjacent to which a bar coded item can be placed for scanning by an omni scanner.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the beam scanner emits multiple scan lines in a predetermined, relatively concentrated pattern for scanning the bar code in the item in the slot; and wherein the omni scanner emits multiple scan lines from the dispensing unit at several different angles for scanning the bar code on the item adjacent the opening.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein bar codes on cards placed in the slot are scanned by the scan lines by the beams from the beam scanner, and wherein bar codes on items other than cards placed adjacent the opening are scanned by the beams from the omni scanner.

4. In combination, a hood having a slot for receiving a bar coded item and an opening adjacent to which another bar coded item can be placed, the hood adapted to cover a beam scanner for scanning items placed in the slot or an omni scanner for scanning items placed adjacent the opening.

5. The combination of claim 4 wherein the beam scanner emits multiple scan lines in a predetermined, relatively concentrated pattern for scanning the bar code in the item in the slot; and wherein the omni scanner emits multiple scan lines from the dispensing unit at several different angles for scanning the bar code on the item adjacent the opening.

6. The combination of claim 5 wherein bar codes on cards placed in the slot are scanned by the scan lines by the beams from the beam scanner, and wherein bar codes on items other than cards placed adjacent the opening are scanned by the beams from the omni scanner.

7. A method of selling fuel from a fuel dispensing unit, the method comprising the steps of connecting the dispensing unit to a source of fuel, dispensing the fuel from the dispensing unit into the customer's vehicle; providing a slot on the unit for receiving a bar- coded item in which case multiple scan lines in a predetermined, relatively concentrated, pattern are emitted from the dispensing unit for scanning the bar codes; and providing an opening on the unit adjacent to which a bar-coded item can be placed in which case multiple scan lines are emitted from the dispensing unit at several different angles for scanning the latter bar codes.

8. The method of claim 7 wherein bar codes on cards placed in the slot are scanned by the scan lines in the concentrated pattern, and wherein bar codes on items other than cards placed adjacent the opening are scanned by the scan lines emitted at the several different angles.

9. A method of selling fuel from a fuel dispensing unit, the method comprising the steps of connecting the dispensing unit to a source of fuel; dispensing the fuel from the dispensing unit into the customer's vehicle; installing either a beam scanner or an omni scanner on the unit for scanning bar codes; covering the scanner with a receiving device having a slot for receiving a bar-coded item when the beam scanner is installed so that the beams from the beam scanner scans the bar code; and having an opening adjacent which a bar-coded item can be placed when the omni scanner is used so that the beams from the omni scanner scan the bar code.

10. The method of claim 9 wherein the beam scanner emits multiple scan lines in a predetermined, relatively concentrated pattern for scanning the bar code in the item in the slot; and wherein the omni scanner emits multiple scan lines from the dispensing unit at several different angles for scanning the bar code on the item adjacent the opening.

11. The method of claim 10 wherein bar codes on cards placed in the slot are scanned by the scan lines by the beams from the beam scanner, and wherein bar codes on items other than cards placed adjacent the opening are scanned by the beams from the omni scanner.

12. A method of selling fuel from a fuel dispensing unit, the method comprising the steps of connecting the dispensing unit to a source of fuel; dispensing the fuel from the dispensing unit into the customer's vehicle; mounting a receiving device having a slot that receives a bar-coded item and an opening adjacent which a bar-coded item can be placed, mounting a beam scanner to the unit to scan bar-coded items placed in the slot, or mounting an omni scanner to the unit to scan bar-coded items placed adjacent the opening.

13. The method of claim 12 wherein the beam scanner emits multiple scan lines in a predetermined, relatively concentrated pattern for scanning the bar code in the item in the slot; and wherein the omni scanner emits multiple scan lines from the dispensing unit at several different angles for scanning the bar code on the item adjacent the opening.

14. The method of claim 13 wherein bar codes on cards placed in the slot are scanned by the scan lines by the beams from the beam scanner, and wherein bar codes on items other than cards placed adjacent the opening are scanned by the beams from the omni scanner.