INTELLIGENT FUEL DISPENSERS

Smart overview of the Invention

Intelligent fuel dispensers are designed to enhance the fueling experience by recognizing customer identities and personalizing the fueling process. These systems aim to minimize physical contact through touchless interfaces, allowing customers to complete their transactions with reduced risk of exposure to germs and contaminants commonly found on traditional fuel dispensers.

Challenges in Current Fuel Dispensing Systems

The retail petroleum industry faces challenges with existing fuel dispensers that require customers to interact physically with potentially dirty surfaces. Regular customers often have to re-enter their preferences each time they fuel, leading to a tedious experience. There is a clear need for advancements that streamline the fueling process while ensuring safety and hygiene.

Key Features of the Intelligent Fuel Dispenser

The intelligent fuel dispenser incorporates an image sensor and a processor that work together to assess safety conditions and customer identity. It can identify whether a safety condition is met, such as if a customer is smoking nearby or if their vehicle's engine is running. If conditions are unsafe, the system activates an alarm. Additionally, it can recognize facial features or other characteristics to customize the fueling session based on individual preferences.

Customer Interaction and Personalization

The system is capable of retrieving customer profiles automatically, which include fueling preferences like fuel grade and payment methods. By identifying the vehicle or customer through image recognition, the dispenser can present a tailored pre-fueling screen, enhancing user experience. Touchless gestures are also recognized, allowing customers to interact with the display without physical contact.

Safety and Functionality Enhancements

Safety features are integrated into the dispenser's design, ensuring that customers are electrically grounded before dispensing fuel and monitoring for hazardous conditions. The technology also allows for dynamic adjustments of the graphical user interface based on customer characteristics, creating a more intuitive and personalized fueling experience. Overall, these intelligent dispensers represent a significant advancement in the retail petroleum sector, prioritizing both user convenience and safety.