Patent Application
20150148942
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention is directed to a providing Dispenser Security Monitoring System more particular one that can monitor at a distance and send warning messages from a control board.
2. Background
Fuel theft from retail dispensers is a significant source of economic loss for fuel retailers. Current fueling facilities rely on remote monitoring of the fueling process by fuel retailer personnel and “self service” dispensing of the fuel into the vehicle, making the facilities vulnerable to theft of fuel. Often, by the time the monitoring personnel becomes aware of the theft, the thief has already left the facility and the loss has already occurred. When diesel fuel is stolen by a driver of an over-the-highway tractor, a large amount of fuel can be lost in a single theft.
Fuel is stolen from retail dispensers using many techniques. For example, doors or panels on the fuel dispenser can be opened or removed to provide access to internal metering components of the dispenser such as pulsars. The metering component can be disabled so that fuel may be pumped from the dispenser without triggering any indication of fuel flow. In other cases, the dispenser is placed in a programming mode that is normally used to change operating characteristics of the fuel dispenser. When the dispenser is in programming or stand alone mode, fuel can be pumped from the dispenser without triggering any indication of fuel flow.
There is still room for improvement in the art.
The invention is a dispenser security system controls one or more fuel dispensing components to prevent the flow of fuel from the dispenser if the security system detects that dispenser is being tampered with. The dispenser security system includes one or more sensors that detect and send signals indicative of tampering, a dispenser security controller that receives the tampering signals, and one or more dispenser disablement mechanisms that prevent flow of fuel from the dispenser. The dispenser security controller controls the dispenser disablement mechanisms based on inputs from the sensors including a light sensor.
The system accepts a signal from any device or security component to the board. The board programming then instructs the system to take the appropriate action for outputs.
Outputs can vary from sending a signal to the appropriate relay to kill power (stopping fuel loss) to sending alerts to digital keypad/display as well as sending alerts through network connection as email or text. This can be done based on certain criteria as set by a user.
The System is a Real Time” system that prevents real loss. With the “Real Time” system, it will know if someone is tampering with the dispensers, such as installing a skimmer inside, placed it in service mode, or if have an employee assisting in a theft.
Further features and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following detailed description made with reference to the accompanying drawings.
Without restricting the full scope of this invention, the preferred form of this invention is illustrated in the following drawings:
There are a number of significant design features and improvements incorporated within the invention.
The invention is a dispenser security system controls one or more fuel dispensing components to prevent the flow of fuel from the dispenser if the security system detects that dispenser is being tampered with. The dispenser security system includes one or more sensors that detect and send signals indicative of tampering, a dispenser security controller that receives the tampering signals, and one or more dispenser disablement mechanisms that prevent flow of fuel from the dispenser. The dispenser security controller controls the dispenser disablement mechanisms based on inputs from the sensors. The sensors may be, for example, can be magnetic reed switches mounted on access panels or near a programming mode switch where when an access panel or programming mode switch is moved out of position, a trigger signal is generated by the dispenser security controller that activates the dispenser disablement mechanism. The dispenser security controller may also activate one or more alert mechanisms. The dispenser disablement mechanism may be, for example, a switch or contactor. The switch or contactor can prevent the flow of power to a control valve that allows the flow of fuel out of the dispenser or the flow of power to a pump that pumps fuel out of the dispenser.
The system accepts a signal from any device or security component to the board. The board programming then instructs the system to take the appropriate action for outputs. Outputs can vary from sending a signal to the appropriate relay to kill power (stopping fuel loss) to sending alerts to digital keypad/display as well as sending alerts through network connection as email or text.
The System uses wireless technology to secure a fuel dispenser in conjunction with an IS barrier. It communicates to a panel receiver that switches a relay to kill power so the theft is prohibited.
The System is a Real Time” system that prevents real loss. With the “Real Time” system, it will know if someone is tampering with the dispensers, such as installing a skimmer inside, placed it in service mode, or if have an employee assisting in a theft.
In most modern retail fuel establishments, the amount of fuel being dispensed by each dispenser are also communicated to a central control board panel 120 located, for example, at a remote location. The control board 120 is used to enable operation of the pump 10 when dispensing is approved or disable operation of the pump 10 when dispensing has not been approved. In the preferred embodiment, this is done by a breaker 200 cutting power to the pump 10.
For the purposes of this description, the fuel dispenser components shown in
A dispenser security system 40 is shown installed within the fuel dispenser 10 in
The photosenser 110, reed switches and key switch provide tamper detection inputs to the alarm unit 41 that indicate that the dispenser is being tampered with, such as, for example, a door or panel being opened to access a dispenser metering component or the programming reed or key switch being actuated. When the tamper detection sensors are switches that are configured in a normally open condition as described herein, they can be wired in parallel and tied together to create a single alarm tamper detection input that is turned on when any of the switches closes.
The dispenser security system 40 may includes a photosenser 110 to detect light, an alarm unit 41, a siren 67, a strobe light 68 with the arming status indicator LED 69, and remote controller 120. Because the control valve 29 must be powered for fuel to be dispensed from the dispenser 10, if power 400 is cut fuel cannot be dispensed.
The thieves may attempt to place the dispenser's computer in programming mode so that fuel can be dispensed without console knowledge. In some embodiments, a programming switch sensor that senses operation of the programming enable switch is connected to dispenser security controller to provide a tamper detection input when the programming switch is actuated.
As discussed above, a microprocessor changes between the armed mode and disarmed mode in response to RF signals from the remote controller board 120 that is capable of sending an arming signal, a disarming signal, and a reset signal. The specific frequency of the signals periodically changes to a different randomly selected signal. The method of selecting frequencies is synchronized between any receiver and the control board 120 to protect against unauthorized signals communicating with the microprocessor to disarm or reset the alarm unit. In addition, a “panic” feature may be included in which the alarm may be triggered by pressing a panic button. The control board 120 treats the panic input as a tamper detection input.
The Control boards 120 and Relay breakers 30p are serialized to manage the power source 300 where they can disable dispensing thus stopping fuel theft which also have a manual override feature.
The wireless receiver 125 receives wireless signals and route the signals to a computer board or microprocessor 145.
The system will have a light detector 110 within the dispenser 10. This will be a photinc cell that will distinguish ambient light. This light detector will be able to let the system know if someone is opening the door or cutting into the door to tamper with dispenser 10.
In the preferred embodiment it will run off of a 3 volt battery but it can use any energy source.
The system will have a kill at the breaker 300 instead of at the dispenser 10 for any breach as shown in
The system will accept a signal from any device or security component to the board 120. The board 120 programming as stored in an electronic medium such as a hard drive 165 then instructs the system to take the appropriate action for outputs. Outputs can vary from sending a signal to the appropriate breaker 300 to kill power 400 (stopping fuel loss) to sending alerts to digital keypad/display 20 as well as sending alerts through network connection as SMS messages, recorded messages, email or text to computers 100 or phones 150
The system uses wireless technology to secure a fuel dispenser 10. The system communicates to the control board 120 that switches a breaker 300 to kill power 400 to prevent theft.
The control board 120 will have a list of criteria that will determine if it kills the power to the dispensers 10 and/or sends a message. If this criteria is met such as is the photosenser 110 signals the control board 120 or employee theft is detected a message will be sent and/or a message
As shown in
While various aspects of the invention are described and illustrated herein as embodied in combination in the exemplary embodiments, these various aspects may be realized in many alternative embodiments not shown, either individually or in various combinations and sub-combinations thereof. Unless expressly excluded herein all such combinations and sub-combinations are intended to be within the scope of the present invention. Still further, while various alternative embodiments as to the various aspects and features of the invention, such as alternative materials, structures, configurations, methods, devices, and so on may be described herein, such descriptions are not intended to be a complete or exhaustive list of available alternative embodiments, whether presently known or later developed. Those skilled in the art may readily adopt one or more of the aspects, concepts or features of the invention into additional embodiments within the scope of the present invention even if such embodiments are not expressly disclosed herein.
With respect to the above description, it is to be realized that the optimum dimensional relationships for the parts of the invention, to include variations in size, materials, shape, form, function and manner of operation, assembly and use, are deemed readily apparent and obvious to one skilled in the art, and all equivalent relationships to those illustrated in the drawings and described in the specification are intended to be encompassed by the present invention.
Therefore, the foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly, all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention.
