System and method for fraud detection and shut-off at a fuel dispenser
AssigneeGilbarco Inc.
InventorsMichael Liebal, Paul Kaper, Chris Scott, Brent K. Price
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A system and method of detecting fuel theft at a fuel dispenser. The dispenser has a primary flow meter, an auxiliary flow detection device positioned at an entrance of a dispenser, and an auxiliary dispenser shutoff system. A rate of flow through the primary flow meter and a rate of flow through the auxiliary flow detection device are calculated. The primary flow meter rate of flow and the auxiliary flow detection device rate of flow are compared. If the difference exceeds a threshold, a shutoff signal is provided to the auxiliary dispenser shutoff system to stop fuel flow through the dispenser.
Claims20
A fuel dispenser comprising:
- a. a shear valve coupled to a riser pipe in fluid communication with an underground storage tank;
- b. a primary flow meter in fluid communication with said shear valve and positioned down stream from said shear valve;
- c. a control system operatively coupled to said shear valve and said flow meter;
- and
- d. an auxiliary flow detection device in fluid communication with said riser pipe and positioned at an entrance of the dispenser;
- wherein said control system is operatively coupled to said auxiliary flow detection device,
- configured to compare a reading obtained from said primary flow meter to a reading obtained from said auxiliary flow detection device, and
- configured to produce a shutoff signal if the result is larger than a predetermined value.
A fuel dispenser comprising:
- a. a control system,
- b. a display operatively coupled to said control system;
- c. a card reader operatively coupled to said control system;
- d. a shear valve coupled to a riser pipe in fluid communication with an underground storage tank;
- e. a primary flow meter in fluid communication with said shear valve, operatively coupled to said control system and positioned downstream from said shear valve;
- f. an auxiliary flow detection device in fluid communication with said riser pipe, operatively coupled to said control system;
- g. an auxiliary shutoff system operatively coupled to said control system and positioned upstream from said primary flow meter;
- and
- h. a point-of-sale terminal located remote from said dispenser and operatively coupled to said control system,
- wherein one of said control system and said point-of-sale terminal is configured to compare a reading obtained from said primary flow meter to a reading obtained from said auxiliary flow detection device, and
- configured to send a shutoff signal to said auxiliary shutoff system if the result of the comparison is larger than a predetermined threshold value.
A method of detecting fuel theft at a fuel dispenser, the method comprising:
- a. providing a dispenser having
- (i) a primary flow meter,
- (ii) an auxiliary flow detection device positioned down stream from a riser pipe to which said dispenser is operatively coupled, and
- (iii) an auxiliary dispenser shutoff system;
- b. calculating a rate of flow through said primary flow meter;
- c. calculating a rate of flow through said auxiliary flow detection device;
- d. comparing said primary flow meter rate of flow to said auxiliary flow detection device rate of flow;
- and
- e. providing a shutoff signal to said auxiliary dispenser shutoff system to stop fuel flow through said dispenser.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.