Fuel dispenser using intelligent intermediaries

Abstract

A fueling-station information-processing network is disclosed for a fueling station that comprises one or more fuel-dispenser stations each of which comprises one or more fuel dispensers for controlling transfer of fuel purchased by a customer from a fuel vendor's fuel-storage tank to the customer's fuel reservoir. The fueling-station information-processing network comprises one or more fuel-dispenser information-processing device(s) that are mounted to one or more of the fuel-dispenser stations and that perform the functions of controlling operation of the fuel-dispenser station and/or displaying information upon display screens for viewing by the customer. One or more of the fuel-dispenser information-processing device(s) of the fueling-station information-processing network are communicatively linked to a proxy server, which is communicatively linked, in turn, to a host server. The invention includes novel methods of operation of the fueling-station information-processing network that capitalize on the configuration of the fueling-station information-processing network.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A fueling-station information-processing network, comprising: 
 one or more fuel-dispenser station(s) each of which comprises one or more fuel dispenser(s) useable to control dispensation of fuel;    a host server;    a proxy server which is communicatively linked to said host server;    one or more fuel-dispenser information-processing device(s) mounted to said one or more fuel-dispenser station(s);    wherein said proxy server is communicatively linked to one or more of said fuel-dispenser information-processing device(s);    operating instructions, which are embodied in computer useable medium and control a portion of operation of said proxy server and which cause said proxy server to perform a file receiving-and-transmitting procedure comprising the steps of: 
 receiving an electronic data-file from said host server;  
 performing a check sum operation upon said electronic data-file in order to verify integrity and completeness of said electronic data-file; and  
 if said electronic data-file is in fact complete and correct, transmitting said electronic data-file or an electronic data-file which is a derivative thereof to said information processing device(s).  
   
     
     
         2 . The fueling-station information-processing network of  claim 1 , wherein: 
 one or more of said fuel-dispenser information-processing device(s) comprise local computer-memory and are configured in such a manner to store said electronic data-file in said local computer memory after receiving it from said proxy server; and    said operating instructions are further configured such that said file receiving-and-transmitting procedure executed by said proxy server further includes, the step of: 
 after said electronic data-file(s) is/are transmitted to said fuel-dispenser information-processing device(s) and stored within local computer-memory thereof, repeatedly and periodically retrieving from said local computer-memory of said fuel-dispenser information-processing device(s) said electronic data-file(s) stored therein and performing a check sum operation upon said electronic data-file(s) in order to verify integrity and completeness of said electronic data-file(s).  
   
     
     
         3 . The fueling-station information-processing network of  claim 2 , wherein: 
 one or more of said fuel-dispenser information-processing device(s) comprise a display screen; and    said proxy server is configured and communicatively linked to said fuel-dispenser information-processing device(s) and said operating instructions are configured in such a manner that said electronic data-file(s) acted upon by said proxy server in said file receiving-and-transmitting procedure may be electronic data-files that comprise text, graphics, and/or pictures for display upon said display screen(s).    
     
     
         4 . The fueling-station information-processing network of  claim 3 , wherein: 
 said fueling-station information-processing network comprises two or more of said fuel-dispenser information-processing devices which comprise display screens;    there are at least two different kinds of said display screens which said fuel-dispenser information-processing devices comprise and some of said types of display screens have different display capabilities than do others;    said operating instructions are further configured such that said file receiving-and-transmitting procedure, which is executed by said proxy server, further comprises the steps of: 
 after receiving from said host server an electronic data-file that is a source electronic-data-file that includes text, graphics, and/or pictures, said proxy server ascertaining whether or not said source electronic-data-file is fully formatted and if it is of a configuration which can be properly displayed upon one or more of said types of display screens without modification;  
 said proxy server transmitting said source electronic-data-file to any of said fuel-dispenser information-processing device(s) that comprise types of display screen(s) that have display capabilities sufficient to display said source electronic-data-file without modification;  
 said proxy server constructing from said source electronic-data-file one or more types of reduced-content electronic-data-files each of which includes text, graphics, and/or pictures selected from said source electronic-data-file and formatted in a manner tailored for display upon display screens with insufficient display capabilities to display said source electronic-data-file without modification; and  
 said proxy server transmitting each different type of reduced-content electronic-data-file to fuel-dispenser information-processing device(s) which comprise display screens that have display capabilities to which said reduced-content electronic-data-files are tailored.  
   
     
     
         5 . The fueling-station information-processing network of  claim 1 , wherein: 
 said proxy server is configured and communicatively linked to said fuel-dispenser information-processing device(s) in such a manner and said operating instructions are configured in such a manner that said electronic data-file(s) acted upon by said proxy server in said file receiving-and-transmitting procedure may be electronic data-files that comprise fuel-dispenser operating instructions for controlling operations of said fuel-dispenser information-processing device(s).    
     
     
         6 . A fueling-station information-processing network, comprising: 
 one or more fuel-dispenser station(s) each of which comprises one or more fuel dispenser(s) useable to control dispensation of fuel;    a host server;    a proxy server which is communicatively linked to said host server;    one or more fuel-dispenser information-processing device(s) mounted to said fuel-dispenser station(s);    wherein said proxy server is communicatively linked to said one or more fuel-dispenser information-processing devices;    wherein one or more of said fuel-dispenser information-processing device(s) comprise display screen(s);    wherein one or more of said fuel-dispenser information-processing device(s) comprise a customer interface;    wherein each of said customer interface(s) is configured and communicatively linked to a fuel-dispenser information-processing device in such a manner that said customer interface may be operated by a customer to communicate a request to said fueling-station information-processing network that a web page of the customer's choice or information derived from a web page of the customer's choice be displayed upon said display screen; and    wherein a predetermined-list of preferred web-pages is stored within computer memory of said proxy server, said fuel-dispenser information-processing device(s), and/or said host server, and operating instructions of said host server, said proxy server, and/or said fuel-dispenser information-processing device(s) limit display of web pages or derivative images thereof upon said display screens to web pages in said predetermined-list of preferred web-pages.    
     
     
         7 . The fueling-station information-processing network of  claim 6 , wherein: 
 one or more of said customer interface(s) comprise one or more operating button(s) which are disposed adjacent said display screen(s) and which are communicatively linked to said fuel-dispenser information-processing device(s);    one or more of said customer interface(s) comprise one or more web-page identifier(s) displayed upon said display screen(s) in such a manner that each of said web-page identifier(s) can be understood by the customer to correspond to one of said operating buttons of said customer interface; and    wherein said fueling-station information-processing network comprises operating instructions embodied in computer useable medium which cause said fueling-station information-processing network to perform the step of: 
 displaying upon one or more of said display screen(s) a web page of the customer's choice or information derived from a web page of the customer's choice after the customer communicates their choice to said fueling-station information-processing network by pressing one of said operating buttons, which corresponds to a web-page identifier of the customer's choice.  
   
     
     
         8 . The fueling-station information-processing network of  claim 6 , wherein: 
 said predetermined-list of preferred web-pages comprises web pages that include information related to local commerce.    
     
     
         9 . A fueling-station information-processing network, comprising: 
 one or more fuel-dispenser station(s) each of which comprises one or more fuel dispenser(s) useable to control dispensation of fuel;    a host server;    a proxy server which is communicatively linked to said host server;    one or more fuel-dispenser information-processing device(s) mounted to said fuel-dispenser station(s);    wherein said proxy server is communicatively linked to one or more of said one or more fuel-dispenser information-processing device(s);    wherein one or more of said fuel-dispenser information-processing device(s) comprise display screen(s);    wherein one or more of said fuel-dispenser information-processing device(s) comprise a customer interface;    wherein each of said customer interface(s) is communicatively linked to a fuel-dispenser information-processing device and, thus, to said proxy server;    wherein one or more of said customer interface(s) comprise one or more operating button(s) which are disposed adjacent said display screen(s) and which are communicatively linked to said fuel-dispenser information-processing device(s);    wherein one or more of said customer interface(s) comprise one or more web-page identifier(s) displayed upon said display screen(s) in such a manner that each of said web-page identifier(s) can be understood by a customer to correspond to one of said operating buttons of said customer interface; and    wherein said fueling-station information-processing network comprises operating instructions embodied in computer useable medium which cause said fueling-station information-processing network to perform the step of: 
 displaying upon one or more of said display screen(s) a web page of the customer's choice or information derived from a web page of the customer's choice after the customer communicates their choice to said fueling-station information-processing network by pressing one of said operating buttons of said customer interface(s), which corresponds to a web-page identifier of the customer's choice.