Fuel Dispenser Commerce

Abstract

Systems and processes may provide for commerce at a fuel dispenser. In one general aspect, a system and process at a fuel dispenser may have the ability to present a user interface including data regarding at least one merchant remote from the fuel dispenser's fueling facility and to determine if ordering data corresponding to the remote merchant has been received. If ordering data corresponding to the remote merchant has been received, the system and process may have the ability to present a user interface regarding payment data. The system and process may also have the ability to determine if payment data has been received and, if payment data has been received, generate a message regarding the ordering data for a remote merchant computer.

1 . A fuel dispenser comprising:
 a dispenser manager configured for internal mounting within the fuel dispenser and operable, during a fueling session, to create fueling session data, the dispenser manager comprising a communications interface;   a user interface device capable of detecting user instructions, the user interface device being operable to exchange information regarding the detected user instructions with the dispenser manager during a fueling session;   a point-of-sale module resident on the dispenser manager, the point-of-sale module being operable full time in a stand-alone mode to generate commands to authorize payment for a fuel-dispensing request in response to the detected user instructions;   a display operatively coupled to the dispenser manager through the communications interface, wherein the dispenser manager is operable to output at least a portion of the fueling session data to create a visual representation on the display; and   a fuel controller operatively coupled to the dispenser manager through the communications interface and operable to manage one or more fuel transfer components, the dispenser manager being operable to exchange fueling commands and status data with the fuel controller during the fueling session.   
     
     
         2 . The fuel dispenser according to  claim 1 , wherein the point-of-sale module is operable to process credit card transactions. 
     
     
         3 . The fuel dispenser according to  claim 1 , wherein the point-of-sale module is operable to access a database resident in the fuel dispenser that comprises at least one or more of fuel prices, payment authorization information, and pump operational rules. 
     
     
         4 . The fuel dispenser according to  claim 1 , wherein the point-of-sale module is operable to access a database resident in the fuel dispenser that comprises at least one or more of customer instructional prompts for display, fueling session data for display, advertisement information for display, and uniform resource locator links. 
     
     
         5 . The fuel dispenser according to  claim 1 , wherein the point-of-sale module is operable to access a database resident in the fuel dispenser that comprises at least one or more of completed transaction logs and error logs. 
     
     
         6 . The fuel dispenser according to  claim 5 , wherein the point-of-sale module is operable to perform at least one of transaction logging and credit card processing. 
     
     
         7 . The fuel dispenser according to  claim 1 , wherein the point-of-sale module is operable to access a first database resident in the fuel dispenser that comprises at least one or more of completed transactions logs and error logs, a second database resident in the fuel dispenser that comprises at least one or more of fuel prices, payment authorization information, and pump operational rules, and a third database resident in the fuel dispenser that comprises at least one or more of customer instructional prompts for display, fueling session data for display, advertisement information for display, and uniform resource locator links. 
     
     
         8 . The fuel dispenser according to  claim 1 , wherein the dispenser manager is operable to communicate, through the communications interface, with remote dispenser processing equipment that is not co-located within the fuel dispenser. 
     
     
         9 . The fuel dispenser according to  claim 1 , wherein the fuel transfer components comprise one or more of fuel pumps and fuel valves. 
     
     
         10 . The fuel dispenser according to  claim 1 , wherein the point-of-sale module operates independent of any communication link to a point-of-sale device that is external to the fuel dispenser such that the point-of-sale module is configured to authorize payments for all fuel-dispensing requests. 
     
     
         11 . The fuel dispenser according to  claim 1 , wherein, in response to the point-of-sale module authorizing the payment, the dispenser manager is configured to allow the fuel controller to cause fuel to be dispensed through operation of the one or more fuel transfer components. 
     
     
         12 . A fuel dispenser comprising:
 a dispenser manager configured for internal mounting within the fuel dispenser and operable, during a fueling session, to create fueling session data, the dispenser manager comprising a communications interface;   a user interface device capable of detecting user instructions for fuel-dispensing, the user interface device being operable to exchange information regarding the detected user instructions with the dispenser manager during the fueling session; and   a point-of-sale module resident on the dispenser manager, the point-of-sale module being operable to generate commands to control the dispenser manager for each detected user instruction for fuel dispensing;   a display operatively coupled to the dispenser manager through the communications interface, wherein the dispenser manager is operable to output at least a portion of the fueling session data to create a visual representation on the display; and   a fuel controller operatively coupled to the dispenser manager through the communications interface and operable to manage one or more fuel transfer components, the dispenser manager being operable to exchange fueling commands and status data with the fuel controller during the fueling session   
     
     
         13 . The fuel dispenser according to  claim 12 , wherein the point-of-sale module is operable to process credit card transactions. 
     
     
         14 . The fuel dispenser according to  claim 12 , wherein the point-of-sale module is operable to access a database resident in the fuel dispenser that comprises at least one or more of fuel prices, payment authorization information, and pump operational rules. 
     
     
         15 . The fuel dispenser according to  claim 12 , wherein the point-of-sale module is operable to access a database resident in the fuel dispenser that comprises at least one or more of customer instructional prompts for display, fueling session data for display, advertisement information for display, and uniform resource locator links. 
     
     
         16 . The fuel dispenser according to  claim 12 , wherein the point-of-sale module is operable to access a database resident in the fuel dispenser that comprises at least one or more of completed transaction logs and error logs. 
     
     
         17 . The fuel dispenser according to  claim 16 , wherein the point-of-sale module is operable to perform at least one of transaction logging and credit card processing. 
     
     
         18 . The fuel dispenser according to  claim 12 , wherein the point-of-sale module is operable to access a first database resident in the fuel dispenser that comprises at least one or more of completed transactions logs and error logs, a second database resident in the fuel dispenser that comprises at least one or more of fuel prices, payment authorization information, and pump operational rules, and a third database resident in the fuel dispenser that comprises at least one or more of customer instructional prompts for display, fueling session data for display, advertisement information for display, and uniform resource locator links. 
     
     
         19 . The fuel dispenser according to  claim 12 , wherein the dispenser manager is operable to communicate, through the communications interface, diagnostic information to remote dispenser processing equipment that is not co-located with the fuel dispenser. 
     
     
         20 . The fuel dispenser according to  claim 12 , wherein the fuel transfer components comprise one or more of fuel pumps and fuel valves. 
     
     
         21 . The fuel dispenser according to  claim 12 , wherein the point-of-sale module is operable to operate independent of any communication link to a point-of-sale device that is external to the fuel dispenser such that the point-of-sale module is configured to authorize payments for each detected user instruction for fuel dispensing.