An improved control system for a fuel dispenser is disclosed that enables fuel dispensers to process prepaid gas cards based upon a discounted wholesale cost or a non-discounted price that is locked in at the time of the purchase without taking delivery. The control system has access to a snap shot of the regional wholesale gasoline costs across an entire region, such as the US, at the time of purchase of the prepaid gas card. This enables the prepaid gas card to provide a discount on the wholesale cost component of a gallon of gas at any location across the entire region. Since the discount only applies to one component of the retail gas price per gallon; namely, the wholesale gas cost per gallon, the control system automatically calculates a discounted retail gas price at the time and location of delivery based upon the discounted or locked in wholesale cost at the time of purchase of the prepaid gas card. The prepaid gas discount card is received in a magnetic card reader at the fuel dispenser in the same manner as conventional credit cards and provides a wholesaler the ability to create an elastic demand for the gas and regain customer loyalty for gas credit cards.

A system for monitoring flow conditions of fluid flowing from a product container through a solenoid pump. The system includes at least one solenoid pump comprising a solenoid coil, which, when energized, produces a stroke of the solenoid pump, at least one product container connected to the at least one solenoid pump wherein the at least one solenoid pump pumps fluid from the at least one product container during each stroke, at least one PWM controller configured to energize the at least one solenoid pump, at least one current sensor for sensing the current flow through the solenoid coil and producing an output of the sensed current flow, and a control logic subsystem for controlling the flow of fluids through the solenoid pump by commanding the PWM controller and for monitoring the current through the solenoid pump by receiving the output from the current sensor, wherein the control logic subsystem uses the measured current flow through the solenoid coil to determine whether the stroke of the solenoid pump is functional.

A system for controlling selection and distribution of a product in a product dispensing system. The system includes a user interface for prompting a selection and selecting the product, a machine control processor in communication with the user interface, a power distribution module connected to the machine control processor, and a power supply unit for supplying power to the system through the power distribution module.

A system detects a fuel dispensing operation that indicates fuel is being dispensed from the fuel dispensing terminal. The system determines an identifier value associated with a volume of fuel dispensed from the fuel dispensing terminal. The system determines a measured volume per unit time parameter associated with the fuel dispensed from the fuel dispensing terminal by dividing the determined identifier value by a unit parameter. The system compares the measured volume per unit time parameter with a threshold volume per unit time parameter. In response to determining that the measured volume per unit time parameter is less than the threshold volume per unit time parameter, the system communicates an electronic signal to the fuel dispensing terminal that instructs the fuel dispensing terminal to stop dispensing fuel.

A system determines that a fuel dispensing operation may be anomalous. In response, the system accesses fuel inventory data that indicates fuel levels in a fuel tank within a threshold period. The system determines a measure amount of fuel that left the fuel tank based on the fuel inventory data. The system determines a calculated amount of dispensed fuel associated with one or more fuel dispensing operations within the threshold period. The system compares the measured amount of fuel that left the fuel tank with the calculated amount of dispensed fuel. The system determines that the measured amount of fuel that left the fuel tank is more than the calculated amount of dispensed fuel. In response, the system confirms that the fuel dispensing operation is anomalous and communicates an electronic signal to the fuel dispensing terminal that causes the fuel dispensing terminal to stop dispensing fuel.

A system for controlling selection and distribution of a product in a product dispensing system. The system includes a user interface for prompting a selection and selecting the product, a machine control processor in communication with the user interface, a power distribution module connected to the machine control processor, and a power supply unit for supplying power to the system through the power distribution module.

A system for controlling selection and distribution of a product in a product dispensing system. The system includes a user interface for prompting a selection and selecting the product, a machine control processor in communication with the user interface, a power distribution module connected to the machine control processor, and a power supply unit for supplying power to the system through the power distribution module.

A beverage dispensing system includes at least one web-enabled beverage dispenser and a web-based entity connectable with the at least one beverage dispenser via a data network, the web-based entity being adapted to perform at least one of the following functions: a status reporting function for providing status information regarding the at least one beverage dispenser to a third party over the data network; a statistics function for providing information regarding use statistics of the at least one beverage dispenser to a third party over the data network; a stock check function for providing current information regarding stock of consumables of the at least one beverage dispenser to a third party over the data network; a consumer profile function for storing consumer preferences and providing the stored consumer preferences to the at least one web-enabled beverage dispenser; a remote diagnostics function providing a video stream and/or an audio stream to a third party over the data network; an access function enabling dispensing a beverage by the at least one beverage dispenser for a pre-determined validity period.

A machine for replacing used transmission or power steering fluid in a vehicle with new transmission or power steering fluid includes a frame having a housing. The machine includes a pair of service hoses that extend from the machine and connect to the vehicle for placing the machine in the fluid flow. New, used, and axillary fluid tanks are provided. A pump and a manifold are associated with two of the tanks. The pumps provide for the selective withdraw or insertion of fluid into or out of the tanks. A display on the housing presents an operator of the machine with various tasks or options the machine can perform. A processor controls activation of the pumps and other electrical components based on inputs received by the display. Scales are provided under one or more of the tanks for determining the amount of fluid going into and out of the tanks during the exchange process.

A system to display liquid levels in vehicle auxiliary tanks is disclosed. The vehicle includes a plurality of auxiliary tanks disposed on a vehicle cargo bed. The vehicle further includes a first detection unit to detect a user activity associated with the plurality of auxiliary tanks, and a second detection unit to measure a vehicle weight. The vehicle further includes a control unit to identify a first auxiliary tank, from the plurality of auxiliary tanks, which is associated with the user activity. The control unit further determines a vehicle weight change based on the measurement of weight and an initial vehicle weight. In addition, the control unit correlates first auxiliary tank identification and weight change determination, and calculates a liquid level change associated with the first auxiliary tank. Responsive to the calculation, the control unit displays the liquid level change on a user interface.