US 5,394,336 AGranted

Fuel dispenser-cash register control console

AssigneeProgressive International Electronics

InventorsWalter E. Warn, Fred K. Carr

Life of this patent

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Abstract

A fuel dispenser-cash register control console is provided for simultaneously controlling fuel dispensers and the input key switches on a cash register keyboard so that sales information on each dispensing transaction can be down-loaded to a cash register at the end of the sale. The system includes a control console having a programmable data processor coupled with a read-only-memory ROM chip and read-and-write-memory RAM chip. Commands to the dispensers are initiated through input keys on the console. Sales information is down-loaded to the cash register through a cash register interface board which has a second microprocessor with ROM and RAM, serially connected to the processor in the console. When the register interface processor receives sales information from the console, it locks out the cash register key board, transfers the sales information to the designated department, and then unlocks the keyboard. The system further includes a communication protocol translator for configuring the command logic signals from the console into a communication protocol readable by the dispensers, and the responses from the dispensers into logic signals readable by the microprocessor in the pump controller.

A fuel dispenser-cash register control system for controlling the dispensing process in at least one fuel dispenser, for controlling at least one department input key switch on a cash register keyboard for transferring information on each dispensing transaction to a cash register at the end of the sale, and for storing in memory totals on the amount of fuel dispensed from said dispenser, comprising:

(a) a control console means having a first programmable data processor coupled with a first read-only-memory device and a first read-and-write-memory device, and a series of console input key switches, for
(1) controlling said dispenser from said console input key switches causing said first data processor to retrieve dispenser control commands from said first read-only-memory device in a predetermined sequence and output said commands to said fuel dispenser causing said dispenser to dispense fuel;
(2) receiving dispenser responses from said dispenser during the fueling process and storing said responses in said first read-and-write-memory device;
(3) transferring to said cash register sales information on each dispensing transaction at the completion of the transaction;
(b) a cash register interface means, with serial connection to said first microprocessor in said control console means, having a second microprocessor coupled with a second read-only-memory device and a second read-and-write memory device, for
(1) receiving from said first microprocessor said sales information on each dispensing transaction at completion of the transaction;
and
(2) controlling said department input key switch on said cash register keyboard such as to post the fueling transaction as a sale in said cash register;
(c) a configuration means with serial connection to said control console means and said fuel dispenser;
for
(1) configuring said dispenser control commands into a communication protocol readable by said fuel dispenser, and
(2) configuring said dispenser responses into a communication protocol readable by said control console means.

9 more elements

Facts

Application

08/171,411Filed 22 Dec 1993

Granted

28 Feb 1995

Term ends

Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification14 codes

B67D 7/08
Details or accessories: arrangements of devices for controlling, indicating, metering or registering quantity or price of liquid transferred
B67D 7/103
Operated by keys, push-buttons or cash registers: operated by keys
B67D 7/14
Arrangements of devices for controlling, indicating, metering or registering quantity or price of liquid transferred: responsive to input of…
G06Q 20/202
Point-of-sale [POS] network systems: interconnection or interaction of plural electronic cash registers [ECR] or to host computer, e.g. network…

Abstract

Claims6