Transaction display on video/graphics in fuel dispensers

Claim 1

A system for dispensing fuel at a retail site comprising a fuel dispenser having a raster-scannable display of information to a customer, a first circuit to generate graphics information concerning fueling data for display on said raster-scannable display, a second circuit to generate user prompts for display on said raster-scannable display, a video signal source supplying video signals to said fuel dispenser to be displayed on said raster-scannable display, and a third circuit to direct fueling data from said first circuit, user prompts from said second circuit and video signals from said video signal source selectively to said raster-scannable display as instructed by a circuit other than said third circuit, said video signal source supplying the same video signals to at least one other similarly equipped dispenser.

Claim 2

A system for dispensing fuel at a retail site comprising a fuel dispenser having a raster-scannable display of information to a customer, a first circuit to generate graphics information concerning fueling data for display on said raster-scannable display, a second circuit to generate user prompts for display on said raster-scannable display, a video signal source supplying video signals to said fuel dispenser to be displayed on said raster-scannable display, and a third circuit to direct fueling data from said first circuit, user prompts from said second circuit and video signals from said video signal source selectively to said raster-scannable display as instructed by a circuit other than said third circuit, said video signal source supplying the same video signals to at least one other similarly equipped dispenser.

Claim 11

An apparatus for dispensing fuel at a retail site comprising a fuel dispenser having a raster-scannable display of information to a customer. a first circuit to generate graphics information concerning fueling data for display on said raster-scannable display, a second circuit to generate user prompts for display on said raster-scannable display, a video signal source supplying video signals to said fuel dispenser to be displayed on said raster-scannable display, and a third circuit to direct fueling data from said first circuit, user prompts from said second circuit and video signals from said video signal source selectively to said raster-scannable display, said third circuit selectively directing graphics information concerning fueling data, graphics information of user prompts or video signals or a combination of them to said raster-scannable display, as instructed by signals provided by said first circuit.

Claim 12

An apparatus for dispensing fuel at a retail site comprising a fuel dispenser having a raster-scannable display of information to a customer. a first circuit to generate graphics information concerning fueling data for display on said raster-scannable display, a second circuit to generate user prompts for display on said raster-scannable display, a video signal source supplying video signals to said fuel dispenser to be displayed on said raster-scannable display, and a third circuit to direct fueling data from said first circuit, user prompts from said second circuit and video signals from said video signal source selectively to said raster-scannable display, said third circuit selectively directing graphics information concerning fueling data, graphics information of user prompts or video signals or a combination of them to said raster-scannable display, as instructed by signals provided by said first circuit.

Claim 15

An apparatus for dispensing fuel at a retail site comprising a fuel dispenser having a liquid crystal raster-scannable display of information to a customer, a first circuit to generate graphics information concerning fueling data for display on said liquid crystal raster-scannable display, a second circuit to generate user prompts for display on said liquid crystal raster-scannable display, a video signal source supplying video signals to said fuel dispenser to be displayed on said liquid crystal raster-scannable display, and a third circuit to direct fueling data from said first circuit, user prompts from said second circuit and video signals from said video signal source selectively to said liquid crystal raster-scannable display.

Claim 16

An apparatus for dispensing fuel at a retail site comprising a fuel dispenser having a liquid crystal raster-scannable display of information to a customer, a first circuit to generate graphics information concerning fueling data for display on said liquid crystal raster-scannable display, a second circuit to generate user prompts for display on said liquid crystal raster-scannable display, a video signal source supplying video signals to said fuel dispenser to be displayed on said liquid crystal raster-scannable display, and a third circuit to direct fueling data from said first circuit, user prompts from said second circuit and video signals from said video signal source selectively to said liquid crystal raster-scannable display.

Claim 17

An apparatus for dispensing fuel at a retail site comprising a fuel dispenser having a raster-scannable display of information to a customer, a first circuit including a microprocessor to generate graphics information concerning fueling data for display on said raster-scannable display, a reader for cards having magnetic stripes, a printer, a second circuit including a microprocessor to generate user prompts for display on said raster-scannable display and associated with said reader for cards having magnetic stripes and said printer, a communications link between said second circuit and an external card-verifying authority, a fuel meter communicating data about fuel dispensed to said first and second circuits, a user-actuable portion to permit responses to the prompts to be communicated to said second circuit, a video signal source supplying analog video signals to said fuel dispenser to be displayed on said raster-scannable display as analog signals, and a third circuit including a microprocessor to selectively direct graphics information concerning fueling data from said first circuit, graphics information of user prompts from said second circuit and video signals from said video signal source or a combination of them selectively to said raster-scannable display using synchronization signals in the video signals to establish graphics information signals synchronized with the video signals and converting either the video or the graphics signals to be compatible with the other, such as both RGB, both composite video or both S-Video.

Claim 18

An apparatus for dispensing fuel at a retail site comprising a fuel dispenser having a raster-scannable display of information to a customer, a first circuit including a microprocessor to generate graphics information concerning fueling data for display on said raster-scannable display, a reader for cards having magnetic stripes, a printer, a second circuit including a microprocessor to generate user prompts for display on said raster-scannable display and associated with said reader for cards having magnetic stripes and said printer, a communications link between said second circuit and an external card-verifying authority, a fuel meter communicating data about fuel dispensed to said first and second circuits, a user-actuable portion to permit responses to the prompts to be communicated to said second circuit, a video signal source supplying analog video signals to said fuel dispenser to be displayed on said raster-scannable display as analog signals, and a third circuit including a microprocessor to selectively direct graphics information concerning fueling data from said first circuit, graphics information of user prompts from said second circuit and video signals from said video signal source or a combination of them selectively to said raster-scannable display using synchronization signals in the video signals to establish graphics information signals synchronized with the video signals and converting either the video or the graphics signals to be compatible with the other, such as both RGB, both composite video or both S-Video.

Claim 19

A method of dispensing fuel at a retail site comprising providing a fuel dispenser having a raster-scannable display of information, generating graphics information concerning fueling transactions for display on the raster-scannable display with a first circuit, generating graphics information concerning user prompts for display on said raster-scannable display with a second circuit, supplying video signals to the fuel dispenser to be displayed on the raster-scannable display, selectively directing graphics information concerning fueling transactions, user prompts or video signals or a combination thereof to the raster-scannable display with a third circuit as instructed by a circuit other than the third circuit, and supplying the same video signals from a common source to at least one other similarly equipped dispenser.

Claim 20

A method of dispensing fuel at a retail site comprising providing a fuel dispenser having a raster-scannable display of information, generating graphics information concerning fueling transactions for display on the raster-scannable display with a first circuit, generating graphics information concerning user prompts for display on said raster-scannable display with a second circuit, supplying video signals to the fuel dispenser to be displayed on the raster-scannable display, selectively directing graphics information concerning fueling transactions, user prompts or video signals or a combination thereof to the raster-scannable display with a third circuit as instructed by a circuit other than the third circuit, and supplying the same video signals from a common source to at least one other similarly equipped dispenser.

Claim 28

A method of dispensing fuel at a retail site comprising providing a fuel dispenser having a raster-scannable display of information, generating graphics information concerning fueling transactions for display on the raster-scannable display, generating graphics information concerning user prompts for display on said raster-scannable display, supplying video signals to the fuel dispenser to be displayed on the raster-scannable display, selectively directing graphics information concerning fueling transactions, user prompts or video signals or a combination of them to the raster-scannable display, and detecting beginnings of video programs in the video signals; and starting to direct video signals to the raster-scannable display only at detected program beginnings.

Claim 29

A method of dispensing fuel at a retail site comprising providing a fuel dispenser having a raster-scannable display of information, generating graphics information concerning fueling transactions for display on the raster-scannable display, generating graphics information concerning user prompts for display on said raster-scannable display, supplying video signals to the fuel dispenser to be displayed on the raster-scannable display, selectively directing graphics information concerning fueling transactions, user prompts or video signals or a combination of them to the raster-scannable display, and detecting beginnings of video programs in the video signals; and starting to direct video signals to the raster-scannable display only at detected program beginnings.

Claim 30

A method of dispensing fuel at a retail site comprising providing a fuel dispenser having a raster-scannable display of information, generating graphics information concerning fueling transactions for display on the raster-scannable display with a first circuit, generating graphics information concerning user prompts for display on said raster-scannable display with a second circuit, supplying video signals to the fuel dispenser to be displayed on the raster-scannable display, selectively directing graphics information concerning fueling transactions, user prompts or video signals or a combination of them to the raster-scannable display with a third circuit as instructed by a circuit other than the third circuit, determining the relative placement of graphics information concerning fueling transactions and the placement of graphics information concerning user prompts on the raster-scannable display with video information, and effecting placement of the information concerning fueling data and the information concerning user prompts in relation to the video on the raster-scannable display on the basis of such determination as desired during a fueling operation.

Claim 31

A method of dispensing fuel at a retail site comprising providing a fuel dispenser having a raster-scannable display of information, generating graphics information concerning fueling transactions for display on the raster-scannable display with a first circuit, generating graphics information concerning user prompts for display on said raster-scannable display with a second circuit, supplying video signals to the fuel dispenser to be displayed on the raster-scannable display, selectively directing graphics information concerning fueling transactions, user prompts or video signals or a combination of them to the raster-scannable display with a third circuit as instructed by a circuit other than the third circuit, determining the relative placement of graphics information concerning fueling transactions and the placement of graphics information concerning user prompts on the raster-scannable display with video information, and effecting placement of the information concerning fueling data and the information concerning user prompts in relation to the video on the raster-scannable display on the basis of such determination as desired during a fueling operation.

Claim 32

A method of dispensing fuel at a retail site comprising providing a fuel dispenser having a raster-scannable display of information, a card reader and a user-actuable portion, generating graphics information concerning fueling transactions for display on the raster-scannable display with a first circuit, communicating data about fuel dispensed from a fuel meter to affect the graphics information concerning fueling transactions, generating graphics information concerning user prompts for display on said raster-scannable display with a second circuit, communicating responses through the user-actuable portion to affect the graphics information concerning user prompts, reading information on cards having magnetic stripes in the card reader and processing the magnetic stripe information to affect the graphics information concerning user prompts with the second circuit, communicating magnetic stripe information to an external card-verifying authority, supplying analog video signals from a single source to the fuel dispenser to be displayed on the raster-scannable display and to other similarly equipped dispensers, and selectively directing graphics information concerning fueling transactions, graphics information concerning user prompts or video signals or a combination of them to the raster-scannable display with a third circuit as instructed by a circuit other than the third circuit.

Claim 33

A method of dispensing fuel at a retail site comprising providing a fuel dispenser having a raster-scannable display of information, a card reader and a user-actuable portion, generating graphics information concerning fueling transactions for display on the raster-scannable display with a first circuit, communicating data about fuel dispensed from a fuel meter to affect the graphics information concerning fueling transactions, generating graphics information concerning user prompts for display on said raster-scannable display with a second circuit, communicating responses through the user-actuable portion to affect the graphics information concerning user prompts, reading information on cards having magnetic stripes in the card reader and processing the magnetic stripe information to affect the graphics information concerning user prompts with the second circuit, communicating magnetic stripe information to an external card-verifying authority, supplying analog video signals from a single source to the fuel dispenser to be displayed on the raster-scannable display and to other similarly equipped dispensers, and selectively directing graphics information concerning fueling transactions, graphics information concerning user prompts or video signals or a combination of them to the raster-scannable display with a third circuit as instructed by a circuit other than the third circuit.