Dispenser with radio frequency on-board vapor recovery identification

Abstract

A dispensing system (10) that utilizes radio frequencies identification capabilities in a service station environment to reliably and accurately detect an on-board vapor recovery (ORVR) system in a vehicle (26). The dispensing system (10) includes a vapor recovery system (33) for recovering fuel vapors responsive to a fuel being dispensed. The vapor recovery system (33) has a disabling mechanism (42) for selectively preventing its operation. The dispensing system (10) also includes an antenna (22A, 22B, 24A, 24B) for detecting a radio frequency signal from a transmitter (23 or 25) in a vehicle (26). The radio frequency signal may be a single bit indicating that the vehicle (26) has the ORVR system, or may include additional bits indicating a type of fuel to be dispensed. When the transmitter (23 or 25) is within a predetermined distance from the antenna (22A, 22B, 24A, 24B), a controller (20) receives the radio frequency signal from the antenna (22A, 22B, 24A, 24B) and asserts a disable signal (41). The disabling mechanism, responsive to the asserted disable signal (41), prevents the vapor recovery system (33) from operating and thereby eliminates any unwanted accumulation of air.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.