A fuel dispenser may include a transceiver for wireless communication with a transceiver on a vehicle in order to receive vehicle information about a vehicle in response to a transceiver on the vehicle coming into a wireless communication range of the transceiver of the fuel dispenser. The vehicle information may be used to identify at least one fuel type that is suitable for the vehicle and the fuel dispenser may be prevented from dispensing a fuel type other than the at least one identified fuel type. The vehicle may also request a specific amount of fuel. A fuel transaction is complete when the amount of fuel dispensed reaches the requested amount or when an automatic shut-off mechanism is triggered.

An improved fluid transfer accuracy, information collection, and overall management. A system may utilize a pump to transfer fluid from a source to a target vessel, a meter for measuring an amount of fluid transferred, a density meter to detect actual fluid density, and a control unit to determine actual fluid transfer amount based on density. As an example, a fluid flow meter can be coupled with a flow conduit to determine fluid volume, along with the density meter to detect real-time density of transferred fluid. During a fluid transfer event, such as aircraft refueling, LPG fueling, or other refined fuels or valuable liquids, fluid volume can be converted to fluid weight in real-time based on actual density. The real-time fluid weight can be used to determine if a target fluid weight has been reached, and fluid flow can be shut off at the appropriate time.

The present application provides an automated beverage dispenser for dispensing a beverage and ice into a cup. The automated beverage dispenser may include an ice dispensing station with an ice auger and a weight sensor, a beverage dispensing station, and a control device. The control device instructs the ice auger to fill the cup with a predetermined amount of ice and instructs the beverage dispensing station to fill the cup with a predetermined amount of the beverage in response to a weight of the cup as determined by the weight sensor.

A liquid volume transfer system includes: a liquid infusion device, including a first communication module, a first controller and a first flow rate detecting module; a liquid container, including a second communication module; and an unmanned aerial vehicle, including a third communication module, a third controller and a second flow rate detecting module. The first controller obtains a remaining liquid volume value from the second communication module through the first communication module, and determines a target infused liquid volume value based on the remaining liquid volume value and a total infused liquid volume value; after completion of infusion, the total infused liquid volume value is sent to the second communication module through the first communication module; the third controller obtains the total infused liquid volume value through the third communication module, and sends the remaining liquid volume value to the second communication module through the third communication module after spraying.

A refrigerator includes a dispenser having a dispenser well, a control for regulating a product dispensing operation, and an optical sensing system includes a camera within the dispenser well in communication with a controller for controlling the filling of a container within the dispenser well based on image data. The image data can used to detect at least one of a presence of a container in the dispenser well, a height of liquid within the container, a height of ice within the container and a shape of the container within the dispenser well, as well as to adjust a dispensing rate of product.

A fuel dispenser may include a transceiver for wireless communication with a transceiver on a vehicle in order to receive vehicle information about a vehicle in response to a transceiver on the vehicle coming into a wireless communication range of the transceiver of the fuel dispenser. The vehicle information may be used to identify at least one fuel type that is suitable for the vehicle and the fuel dispenser may be prevented from dispensing a fuel type other than the at least one identified fuel type. The vehicle may also request a specific amount of fuel. A fuel transaction is complete when the amount of fuel dispensed reaches the requested amount or when an automatic shut-off mechanism is triggered.

Described herein is a fuel authorization program that vehicles enrolled in the fuel authorization program to provide fuel tank sensor data in each fuel authorization request, so that an amount of fuel authorized will be limited to the amount needed to fill the vehicle's fuel tank, reducing a likelihood that fuel will be diverted. In at least some embodiments, the fuel authorization controller at the vehicle automatically uses the fuel tank sensor data and known tank size to include in a fuel authorization request sent to a fuel vendor data defining how much fuel is required to fill the vehicle fuel tanks. In at least some embodiments, the fuel vendor consults data from a source other than the vehicle (such as records maintained by the fuel authorization program) to determine how large the vehicles fuel tanks are, and to calculate how much fuel is required.

A system for dispensing a flowable food product from a reservoir is provided. A wall of the reservoir defines an aperture therethrough allowing the flowable food product to exit the reservoir. The system includes a valve having a base member having a first passageway extending therethrough and a moving member having a second passageway extending therethrough, the moving member configured to slide relative to the base member between a closed position in which the first passageway and the second passageway do not overlap and an open position in which the first passageway and the second passageway overlap. When the moving member is in the open position, an axis extending through the first passageway and the second passageway extends through the aperture in the reservoir.

A system for accurately dispensing small amounts of custom blended liquids for vaporizing in an electronic cigarette device comprising a plurality of interactive display devices; a controller for relaying input from a first interactive device to a second and a third interactive device and a liquid dispenser. The dispenser in electronic communication with the second interactive device and controller and comprising a plurality of containers for holding liquids; a plurality of spouts, each spout for dispensing the liquids as a mixture; and a plurality of pumps for moving the liquids from the containers to the spouts. A plurality of calibrated delivery devices for further custom blending the liquid by addition of a liquid flavoring can also be used. The liquid dispenser is configured to eliminate cross-contamination of components when dispensing.

An apparatus remotely provides refueling management instructions for a vehicle. One or more initial vehicle parameters are determined, including an initial quantity of fuel, a plurality of route parameters including a starting point, an ending point and an estimated average fuel efficiency of the vehicle, and a plurality of refueling parameters including one or more refueling locations. The sufficiency of an initial quantity of fuel is evaluated in relation to the estimated average fuel efficiency and a distance to be traveled by the vehicle equal to a difference between the ending point and the starting point. One or more current vehicle parameters are interpreted at a first predetermined time, a refueling agenda is created, and an associated predetermined refueling amount at each of the identified one or more refueling locations is determined.