# US 8,770,480 B2 · System and method for managing and monitoring the dispensing of fuels > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 8,770,480 B2 - Document ID: US8770480B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 13/896,002 - Filed: 2013-05-16 - Published: 2013-09-26 - Granted: 2014-07-08 - Earliest claimed: 2007-12-20 - Applicants: Paul Gulli - Inventors: Paul Gulli - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US8770480B2 ## CPC - G06Q 10/087: Inventory or stock management, e.g. order filling, procurement or balancing against orders - G06Q 10/0631: Resource planning, allocation, distributing or scheduling for enterprises or organisations - G06Q 10/08778: {for managing mis-shipments, lost items or stolen goods} - G06Q 20/387: {Payment using discounts or coupons (relating to marketing G06Q30/02)} - G06Q 30/0185: {Product, service or business identity fraud} - G06Q 30/0601: Electronic shopping [e-shopping] - G06Q 50/06: Energy or water supply - G06Q: INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY [ICT] SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR ADMINISTRATIVE, COMMERCIAL, FINANCIAL, MANAGERIAL OR SUPERVISORY PURPOSES; SYSTEMS OR METHODS SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR ADMINISTRATIVE, COMMERCIAL, FINANCIAL, MANAGERIAL OR SUPERVISORY PURPOSES, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR ## Abstract A fuel management system for use by operators of temporary and/or permanent inventories of vehicles such as vehicle dealerships. Fuel vouchers are issued by authorized issuing personnel to authorized recipients if a validation procedure is passed using a database incorporating employee and vehicle inventory information. At the time of delivery, the fueling station will verify the vehicle and individual presenting the voucher. If verification occurs, the authorized quantity of fuel is dispensed. The voucher and sales receipt are returned to the dealership for future auditing and report generation. The system stores information to enable reports to be generated concerning fuel voucher issuance, actual fuel usage and to detect fraud or misuse, allowing more effective fuel expense management. In the event a report generates a fraud alert, appropriate management personnel are immediately notified by email, text messaging or other means. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method for an issuer managing a dispensing of fuel at a fueling location for vehicles in a vehicle fleet comprising: providing a computer system having a database storing a current inventory of stock vehicles and identifications of a plurality of issuers authorized to issue fuel vouchers; entering a request on a computer by an issuer of the plurality of issuers to initiate a fuel voucher generation process; confirming the issuer is authorized to issue a fuel voucher using the computer system; entering an identification of a vehicle into the computer system for refueling and the identification of a fuel voucher recipient; indicating if the vehicle is a stock vehicle or a non-stock vehicle; issuing the fuel voucher for a predetermined amount for a stock vehicle if a vehicle stock number is in current inventory and the fuel voucher recipient is a currently authorized fuel voucher recipient; requesting the issuer to provide additional information if the vehicle is a non-stock vehicle and that the additional information provided corresponds to validation protocols established for non-stock vehicles; and validating the request for a fuel voucher for a stock and a non-stock vehicle if the fuel voucher recipient is a currently authorized fuel voucher recipient. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method for an issuer managing a dispensing of fuel at a fueling location for vehicles in a vehicle fleet of claim 1 wherein additional information includes a dollar amount of fuel and current mileage of the vehicle. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The method for an issuer managing a dispensing of fuel at a fueling location for vehicles in a vehicle fleet of claim 1 wherein the fuel voucher is tamper-resistant having an adhesive backing and wherein the fuel voucher is attached to a fuel receipt. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The method for an issuer managing a dispensing of fuel at a fueling location for vehicles in a vehicle fleet of claim 1 wherein the database is derived from a computerized management system. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The method for an issuer managing a dispensing of fuel at a fueling location for vehicles in a vehicle fleet of claim 1 further includes an audit process, the audit process confirms a fuel voucher number, and includes recording a fuel charge and gallons of fuel from a fuel voucher receipt. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The method for an issuer managing a dispensing of fuel at a fueling location for vehicles in a vehicle fleet of claim 1 further comprising confirming a voucher recipient and vehicle by scanning a bar code on the fuel voucher using a scanning appliance. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The method for an issuer managing a dispensing of fuel at a fueling location for vehicles in a vehicle fleet of claim 6 wherein the confirmation is transmitted for validation. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The method for an issuer managing a dispensing of fuel at a fueling location for vehicles in a vehicle fleet of claim 1 further includes an audit process which includes fraud detection parameters information obtained and stored during the fuel voucher generation process and subsequent auditing is used to provide an automated alert. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The method for an issuer managing a dispensing of fuel at a fueling location for vehicles in a vehicle fleet of claim 1 wherein validation of a request for a fuel voucher for a non-stock vehicle further comprises a fuel station attendant confirming the identity of the fuel voucher recipient using a photo identification presented by the fuel voucher recipient to visually confirm the identification of the non-stock vehicle fueled by utilizing information printed on the voucher. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The method for an issuer managing a dispensing of fuel at a fueling location for vehicles in a vehicle fleet of claim 1 further comprising validating that the vehicle is a stock vehicle by confirming that the vehicle is listed in the current inventory of stock vehicles. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The method for an issuer managing a dispensing of fuel at a fueling location for vehicles in a vehicle fleet of claim 1 further comprising validating that the fuel voucher recipient is a currently authorized fuel voucher recipient by checking a database of authorized fuel voucher recipients. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The method for an issuer managing a dispensing of fuel at a fueling location for vehicles in a vehicle fleet of claim 1 further comprising confirming the voucher amount does not exceed an established limit defined for the fuel voucher recipient. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The method for an issuer managing a dispensing of fuel at a fueling location for vehicles in a vehicle fleet of claim 12, in which the established limit is a defined number of fuel vouchers per day. ### Claim 14 (depends on 12) The method for an issuer managing a dispensing of fuel at a fueling location for vehicles in a vehicle fleet of claim 12, in which the established limit is a defined dollar limit per fuel voucher.