Data line monitoring system

Claim 2

A data signal monitoring system having microprocessor for monitoring data signals in a data wire without interrupting data signal flow, where said microprocessor then controls other devices from information extracted from said data wire, comprising: (a) a configuration circuit, attached to said data wire to be monitored, having opto-coupler means for coupling and isolating said data wire from said data signal monitoring system allowing data signals to be monitored without interruption, where said opto-coupler generates computer logic signals corresponding to said data signals; (b) a microprocessor including plural input-output ports, programmable read and write only memory, programmable read and write variable memory, said microprocessor having bus means connecting said configuration circuit with at least one of said microprocessor ports for receiving said computer logic signals from said configuration circuit; (c) a programmable switch selector having bus connection to at least one of said microprocessor ports for instructing said microprocessor as to which of said computer logic signals to select and process, and which of said computer logic signals to discard, where said microprocessor generates output signals corresponding to said selected and processed signals; and (d) a converter means having bus connection to at least one of said input-out ports, for transforming said output signals to signals readable by an electrical device to be controlled, whereby said microprocessor controls said device from information extracted from said data wire.

Claim 3

A data signal monitoring system as recited in claim 1, wherein: said opto-coupler means includes a light emitting diode and transistor for transforming said data signals into transistor-transistor logic signals.

Claim 4

A data signal monitoring system as recited in claim 1, wherein: said data wire is between a fuel dispenser and a fuel dispenser control unit.

Claim 5

A data signal monitoring system as recited in claim 3, wherein: said data signal being selected and processed are data signals corresponding to price per gallon of the fuel.

Claim 6

A data signal monitoring system as recited in claim 3 wherein said data signals being selected and processed are data signals corresponding to said dispenser authorization.

Claim 7

A data signal monitoring system as recited in claim 3, wherein: a first said configuration circuit is attached to said data wire for monitoring data signals sent to said dispenser from said dispenser control system, and a second configuration circuit is attached to said data wire for monitoring data signals sent from said dispenser to said dispenser control unit.

Claim 8

A data signal monitoring system as recited in claim 1, wherein: said converter means includes a RS-232 circuit for transforming said microprocessor output signal to a RS-232 signal for controlling said electrical device.

Claim 9

A microprocessor controlled method for monitoring data signals in a data wire without interrupting data signal flow, comprising the steps of: (a) feeding the data signals into a configuration circuit connected to said data wire, said configuration circuit having an opto-coupler with light emitting diode and transistor for coupling said microprocessor to said data wire for allowing the current to be monitored without interrupting data signal flow in said wire; (b) sampling said data signals by said light emitting diode and transferring this information to said transistor for generating computer logic signals corresponding to said data signal; (c) feeding said computer logic signals to said microprocessor having ROM and RAM memory through an input-output port; (d) causing said microprocessor to parse said computer logic signals including to select and decode designated data signals, and discard undesired data signals, where selection is controlled by a programmable switch control input unit, and further causing said microprocessor to generate output signals corresponding to selected and processed data signals; and (e) feeding said microprocessor output signals to an electrical apparatus to be controlled, where said microprocessor controls said apparatus from information extracted from said data wire.

Claim 10

A microprocessor controlled method for monitoring data signals in a data wire without interrupting data signal flow, comprising the steps of: (a) feeding the data signals into a configuration circuit connected to said data wire, said configuration circuit having an opto-coupler with light emitting diode and transistor for coupling said microprocessor to said data wire for allowing the current to be monitored without interrupting data signal flow in said wire; (b) sampling said data signals by said light emitting diode and transferring this information to said transistor for generating computer logic signals corresponding to said data signal; (c) feeding said computer logic signals to said microprocessor having ROM and RAM memory through an input-output port; (d) causing said microprocessor to parse said computer logic signals including to select and decode designated data signals, and discard undesired data signals, where selection is controlled by a programmable switch control input unit, and further causing said microprocessor to generate output signals corresponding to selected and processed data signals; and (e) feeding said microprocessor output signals to an electrical apparatus to be controlled, where said microprocessor controls said apparatus from information extracted from said data wire.

Claim 11

The method as recited in claim 8, wherein: step (a) is practiced by connecting said configuration circuit to a data wire between a fuel dispenser and a dispenser control unit.

Claim 12

The method as recited in claim 8, wherein: step (a) is practiced by connecting said configuration circuit to a data wire between a fuel dispenser and a dispenser control unit, and step (d) is practiced by programming said switch control unit to cause said microprocessor to process data signals corresponding to price per gallon of the fuel, and to discard other data signals.

Claim 13

The method as recited in claim 8, wherein: step (a) is practiced by connecting said configuration circuit to a data wire between a fuel dispenser and a dispenser control unit, and step (d) is practiced by programming said switch control unit to cause said microprocessor to process data signals corresponding to pump activation, and to discard other data signals, where said microprocessor causes an audio message system to be activated.

Claim 14

A data signal monitoring system having microprocessor for monitoring data signals in a data wire between at least one fuel dispenser and dispenser control system without interrupting data signal flow, where said microprocessor then controls the display on a fuel price display sign from information on fuel price extracted from the data wire, comprising: (a) a configuration circuit, connected to said data wire, having opto-coupler means with light emitting diode for sampling said data signals and a transistor for generating computer logic signals corresponding to said data signal which allows said data signal to be monitored without interrupting signal flow in said data wire; (b) a microprocessor having plural input-output ports, programmable read and write only memory, programmable read and write variable memory, said microprocessor having bus connection to said configuration circuit with at least one of said microprocessor ports for receiving said computer logic signals; (c) a programmable switch selector means having bus connection to at least one of said microprocessor ports for instructing said microprocessors to select and process said computer logic signals corresponding to fuel price, and to discard all other computer logic signals, where said microprocessor generates output signals corresponding to said selected signals; (d) a converter means having bus connection to at least one of said microprocessor port for transforming said microprocessor output signals to signals readable by said fuel price display sign, whereby said microprocessor controls display on said fuel price signage from information extracted from said data wire.

Claim 15

A data signal monitoring system having microprocessor for monitoring data signals in a data wire between at least one fuel dispenser and dispenser control system without interrupting data signal flow, where said microprocessor then controls the display on a fuel price display sign from information on fuel price extracted from the data wire, comprising: (a) a configuration circuit, connected to said data wire, having opto-coupler means with light emitting diode for sampling said data signals and a transistor for generating computer logic signals corresponding to said data signal which allows said data signal to be monitored without interrupting signal flow in said data wire; (b) a microprocessor having plural input-output ports, programmable read and write only memory, programmable read and write variable memory, said microprocessor having bus connection to said configuration circuit with at least one of said microprocessor ports for receiving said computer logic signals; (c) a programmable switch selector means having bus connection to at least one of said microprocessor ports for instructing said microprocessors to select and process said computer logic signals corresponding to fuel price, and to discard all other computer logic signals, where said microprocessor generates output signals corresponding to said selected signals; (d) a converter means having bus connection to at least one of said microprocessor port for transforming said microprocessor output signals to signals readable by said fuel price display sign, whereby said microprocessor controls display on said fuel price signage from information extracted from said data wire.

Claim 16

A data signal monitoring system having microprocessor for monitoring data signals in a data wire between at least one fuel dispenser and dispenser control system without interrupting data signal flow, where said microprocessor activates an audio message system when the nozzle of the dispenser is lifted and the pump activated, comprising: (a) a configuration circuit, connected to said data wire, having opto-coupler means with light emitting diode for sampling said data signals and a transistor for generating computer logic signals corresponding to said data signals which allows said data signals to be monitored without interrupting signal flow in said data wire; (b) a microprocessor having plural input-output ports, programmable read and write only memory, programmable read and write variable memory, said microprocessor having bus connection to said configuration circuit with at least one of said microprocessor ports for receiving said computer logic signals; (c) a programmable switch selector means having bus connection to at least one of said microprocessor ports for instructing said microprocessor to select and process said computer logic signals corresponding to pump activation, and to discard all other logic signals, where said microprocessor generates output signals corresponding to said selected signals; (d) a converter means having bus connection to at least one of said microprocessor parts for transforming said microprocessor output signals to signals readable by said audio message system, whereby said microprocessor causes activation of said audio message system from information extracted from said data wire.

Claim 17

A data signal monitoring system having microprocessor for monitoring data signals in a data wire between at least one fuel dispenser and dispenser control system without interrupting data signal flow, where said microprocessor activates an audio message system when the nozzle of the dispenser is lifted and the pump activated, comprising: (a) a configuration circuit, connected to said data wire, having opto-coupler means with light emitting diode for sampling said data signals and a transistor for generating computer logic signals corresponding to said data signals which allows said data signals to be monitored without interrupting signal flow in said data wire; (b) a microprocessor having plural input-output ports, programmable read and write only memory, programmable read and write variable memory, said microprocessor having bus connection to said configuration circuit with at least one of said microprocessor ports for receiving said computer logic signals; (c) a programmable switch selector means having bus connection to at least one of said microprocessor ports for instructing said microprocessor to select and process said computer logic signals corresponding to pump activation, and to discard all other logic signals, where said microprocessor generates output signals corresponding to said selected signals; (d) a converter means having bus connection to at least one of said microprocessor parts for transforming said microprocessor output signals to signals readable by said audio message system, whereby said microprocessor causes activation of said audio message system from information extracted from said data wire.