FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0001] The present invention relates generally to fuel management systems for use with motor
vehicles and particularly to a wireless system for authorization and monitoring of
fuel delivery.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] Fuel management systems which monitor fuel usage by vehicles and record the identity
and other particulars of vehicles being fueled are known. Patents showing fuel management
systems include the following U.S. Patents: 5,156,198; 4,934,419; 4,846,233; 4,469,149;
4,263,945; 4,109,686 and 3,642,036. In addition, PCT published patent application
WO 95/14612 describes a vehicle mounted fueling system identification unit which employs
an inductive communication loop arranged to surround a fuel intake pathway of a vehicle.
Circuitry is provided which transmits, via the loop, various parameters, such as vehicle
identification number, credit information, and required fuel particulars.
[0003] A drawback to prior art systems is that they require wired connections to transmit
the fuel/vehicle parameters.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0004] The present invention seeks to provide a wireless system for authorization and monitoring
of fuel delivery.
[0005] There is thus provided in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention
a fueling system including a fuel supply subsystem including at least one fueling
nozzle, a recipient identifier associated with a fill location of a recipient fuel
store, a fueling communicator associated with the fueling nozzle and communicating
in a wireless manner with the recipient identifier, at least in order to obtain recipient
identification information therefrom, and an authorization and monitoring assembly
operative to communicate in a wireless manner with the fueling communicator for receiving
at least recipient identification information therefrom.
[0006] In accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention the authorization
and monitoring assembly is also operative to communicate in a wireless manner with
the fuel supply subsystem to authorize supply of fuel to the recipient.
[0007] Further in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention the fueling
communicator communicates with at least one of the authorization and monitoring assembly
and the recipient identifier in an encrypted manner.
[0008] Still further in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention
the fueling communicator communicates with at least one of the authorization and monitoring
assembly and the recipient identifier in a manner requiring authentication by at least
one of the authorization and monitoring assembly and the recipient identifier.
[0009] In accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention the fueling communicator
is mounted onto the nozzle at least partially by means of an anti-theft tag including
a monitored attachment mechanism which attaches the tag to the nozzle and which provides
an output indication of tampering with the attachment mechanism.
[0010] Additionally in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention the
recipient identifier is mounted at the fill location of the recipient fuel store at
least partially by means of an anti-theft tag including a monitored attachment mechanism
which attaches the tag to the fill location of the fuel store and which provides an
output indication of tampering with the attachment mechanism.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0011] The present invention will be understood and appreciated more fully from the following
detailed description, taken in conjunction with the drawings in which:
Fig. 1A is a simplified illustration of a fueling system constructed and operative
in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention embodied in a filling
station;
Fig. 1B is a more detailed illustration of components of the fueling system of Fig.
1A;
Fig. 2 is a simplified sectional illustration of an anti-theft tag used to mount certain
components of the fueling system of Fig. 1 in accordance with a preferred embodiment
of the present invention; and
Fig. 3 is a simplified illustration of a fueling system constructed and operative
in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention embodied in mobile
fueling system.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF A PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
[0012] Reference is now made to Figs. 1A and 1B which illustrate a fueling system 10 constructed
and operative in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention embodied
in a filling station 12.
[0013] Fueling system 10 includes a fuel supply subsystem 14 which includes one or more
fueling nozzles 16. In Fig. 1B, one of the fueling nozzles 16 is being used to supply
fuel to a fuel intake pipe 18 of a fuel tank 20 of a vehicle 21, herein referred to
as a fill location 18 of a recipient fuel store 20. A recipient identifier 22 is provided
in association with fill location 18. Recipient identifier 22 is preferably mounted
inside vehicle 21 in propinquity to fill location 18. Recipient identifier 22 preferably
comprises a transceiver for wirelessly communicating recipient identification information
to a fueling communicator 24 which is preferably mounted on fueling nozzle 16. Typical
recipient identification information may include vehicle license plate number, charge
account number and credit status, for example.
[0014] Fueling communicator 24 preferably comprises a transceiver for wirelessly communicating
data, such as the recipient identification information, to an authorization and monitoring
assembly 26. Assembly 26 preferably includes a transceiver 28 which communicates with
a CPU 30 which controls and manages operation of filling station 12.
[0015] A typical example of operation of fueling system 10 is as follows. Nozzle 16 is initially
inserted in fill location 18. Recipient identifier 22 is activated, such as by the
insertion of nozzle 16 or by some other mechanism, to wirelessly transmit the recipient
identification information to fueling communicator 24. Fueling communicator 24 relays
this information to assembly 26. Upon verification of the information by CPU 30, transceiver
28 of assembly 26 preferably wirelessly communicates with fuel supply subsystem 12
to authorize supply of fuel to vehicle 21.
[0016] In accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention, in order to increase
communication security, fueling communicator 24 communicates with assembly 26 and/or
recipient identifier 22 in an encrypted manner. For example, well known encryption
algorithms, such as RC-5, DES or DVB, may be employed. To provide an even greater
level of trust, mutual zero-knowledge interaction authentication sessions between
fueling communicator 24, assembly 26 and/or recipient identifier 22 may be held, such
as the so-called Fiat-Shamir authentication methods taught in US Patent 4,748,668
to Shamir and Fiat, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference.
[0017] As one example, fueling communicator 24 may communicate with assembly 26 in a manner
requiring authentication by recipient identifier 22. Additionally or alternatively,
fueling communicator 24 may communicate with assembly 26 only upon authorization from
assembly 26 itself. Similarly, fueling communicator 24 may communicate with recipient
identifier 22 in a manner requiring authentication by assembly 26. Additionally or
alternatively, fueling communicator 24 may communicate with recipient identifier 22
only upon authorization from recipient identifier 22 itself.
[0018] In accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention fueling communicator
24 is mounted onto nozzle 16 at least partially by means of an anti-theft tag 32 including
a monitored attachment mechanism 34 which attaches tag 32 to nozzle 16 and which provides
an output indication of tampering with attachment mechanism 34.
[0019] Reference is now made to Fig. 2 which illustrates tag 32. Tag 32 is preferably a
tag of the type described in applicant/assignee's US Patent Application 08/815,389,
the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference. Tag 32 preferably includes
electronics (not shown) comprising a battery, a receiver antenna, receiver circuitry,
a transmitter antenna, transmitter circuitry, a microprocessor, a timer, a logic and
memory component, an analog-to-digital (A/D) converter and a current source, for example.
The electronics of tag 32 is not limited to the abovementioned components, and may
include more or less components, depending upon the application.
[0020] The electronics of tag 32 are in electrical communication with an electrically resistive
element 34, such as via I/O pads 36. Resistive element 34 is preferably bonded to
an nozzle 16 with an adhesive 42 so as to define an electrical resistance. Any change
in bonding of element 34 to nozzle 16 causes a change in the electrical resistance.
Adhesive 42 may be a double sided adhesive tape or adhesive foam.
[0021] Resistive element 34 may be constructed in a variety of manners, as taught in US
Patent Application 08/815,389. For example, resistive element 34 may be printed in
any suitable pattern to provide a desired resistance value which may be adjusted after
curing by laser trimming, abrasion or mechanical punching, for example. Resistive
element 34 is preferably attached to tag 32 by means of a conductive adhesive 50,
such as a metal impregnated adhesive. Preferably the adhesive strength of adhesive
42 is greater than the adhesive strength of conductive adhesive 50, so that removal
of tag 32 from nozzle 16 causes shearing or other deformation of conductive adhesive
50, and alters the resistance of resistive element 34. Alteration of the resistance
of element 34 may then alert fueling system 10 of tampering with the system.
[0022] Similarly, recipient identifier 22 may be mounted at fill location 18 by means of
anti-theft tag 32.
[0023] Reference is now made to Fig. 3 which illustrates a fueling system 60 constructed
and operative in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention embodied
in mobile fueling system. Fueling system 60 is substantially identical with fueling
system 10, except that in fueling system 60, the fill location is a fuel intake pipe
62 and the recipient fuel store is a fuel tank 64 of a domicile. Fueling communicator
24 is mounted in a cabin or on top of a fuel delivery truck.
[0024] It will be appreciated by persons skilled in the art that the present invention is
not limited by what has been particularly shown and described hereinabove. Rather
the scope of the present invention includes both combinations and subcombinations
of the features described hereinabove as well as modifications and variations thereof
which would occur to a person of skill in the art upon reading the foregoing description
and which are not in the prior art.
1. A fueling system (10) comprising:
a fuel supply subsystem (14) including at least one fueling nozzle (16); and
a recipient identifier (22) associated with a fill location (18) of a recipient fuel
store (20);
characterized by a fueling communicator (24) associated with said at least one fueling
nozzle (16) and communicating in a wireless manner with said recipient identifier
(22), at least in order to obtain recipient identification information therefrom;
and
an authorization and monitoring assembly (26) operative to communicate in a wireless
manner with said fueling communicator (24) for receiving at least recipient identification
information therefrom.
2. The fueling system (10) according to claim 1 further characterized in that said authorization
and monitoring assembly (26) is also operative to communicate in a wireless manner
with said fuel supply subsystem (14) to authorize supply of fuel to said fill location
(18).
3. The fueling system (10) according to claim 1 further characterized in that said fueling
communicator (24) communicates with at least one of said authorization and monitoring
assembly (26) and said recipient identifier (22) in an encrypted manner.
4. The fueling system (10) according to claim 1 further characterized in that said fueling
communicator (24) communicates with at least one of said authorization and monitoring
assembly (26) and said recipient identifier (22) in a manner requiring authentication
by at least one of said authorization and monitoring assembly (26) and said recipient
identifier (22).
5. The fueling system (10) according to claim 1 further characterized in that said fueling
communicator (24) is mounted onto said at least one nozzle (16) at least partially
by means of an anti-theft tag (32) including a monitored attachment mechanism (34)
which attaches the tag (32) to said at least one nozzle (16) and which provides an
output indication of tampering with said attachment mechanism (34).
6. The fueling system (10) according to claim 1 further characterized in that said recipient
identifier (22) is mounted at said fill location (18) of said recipient fuel store
(20) at least partially by means of an anti-theft tag (32) including a monitored attachment
mechanism (34) which attaches the tag (32) to said fill location (18) of said fuel
store (20) and which provides an output indication of tampering with said attachment
mechanism (34).