Systems for Deterring Improper Fueling and Charging of Vehicles at Fueling and Charging Stations, Respectively

Abstract

Systems for deterring improper fueling and charging of vehicles at vehicle fueling and electrical charging stations, respectively, are provided. Each system includes a stationary communication device configured to receive wireless signals transmitted by a mobile communication device located proximate its station. Each signal contains identification data. A plurality of pushbutton switch assemblies are included at each station. Each of the assemblies is manually operable to allow a customer to initiate a fuel dispensing or charging transaction. One or more sensory indicators are located at each station and are configured to provide an alert to assist the customer to make a proper selection of either fuel or charging connector. A controller or processor is configured to determine the proper grade or type of fuel by processing the identification data and to activate or alter the one or more sensory indicators thereby assisting the customer in his or her selection process.

Claims

1. A system for deterring fueling of a vehicle at a fueling station with an improper grade or type of fuel, the system comprising: a stationary communication device configured to receive wireless signals transmitted by a mobile communication device located proximate the fueling station, each of the signals containing identification data; a plurality of pushbutton switch assemblies, each of the assemblies being manually operable to allow a customer to initiate a fuel dispensing transaction at the fueling station; one or more sensory indicators located at the fueling station and configured to controllably indicate proper and improper grade or fuel types for the vehicle; and a controller or processor coupled to the stationary communication device, the assemblies and the one or more sensory indicators and configured to determine the proper grade or type of fuel for the vehicle by processing the identification data and to activate or alter the one more sensory indicators based at least upon the determined proper grade or type of fuel to provide an alert to assist the customer to select the proper assembly to operate.

2. The system as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a detector or sensor coupled to the controller or processor and configured to provide a signal when the vehicle is physically present within a designated area at the fueling station.

3. The system as claimed in claim 2, wherein the sensor or detector comprises a camera having a field of view and configured to capture at least one image of the vehicle within the field of view at the fueling station.

4. The system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the one or more sensory indicators include at last one indicator light source to provide a visual alert to the customer.

5. The system as claimed in claim 4, wherein each indicator light source includes individually addressable, multi-colored lighting elements and a control circuit to individually control the lighting elements based on an activation scheme so that a desired illumination pattern is displayed.

6. The system as claimed in claim 5, wherein color and amount of light emitted by each of the lighting elements is controlled by its control circuit by controlling the intensity of light emitted by each of its lighting elements in accordance with the activation scheme.

7. The system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the identification data identifies the proper grade or type of fuel for the vehicle.

8. The system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the identification data identifies the type of vehicle to be fueled at the fueling station.

9. The system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the mobile communication device is configured to be mounted on the vehicle.

10. The system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the controller or processor is configured to generate a disabling or blocking signal to prevent the initiation of a fuel dispensing transaction with an improper grade or type of fuel.

11. A system for deterring charging of a vehicle at a charging station with an improper electrical charging connector, the system comprising: a stationary communication device configured to receive wireless signals transmitted by a mobile communication device located proximate the charging station, each of the signals contain identification data; a plurality of pushbutton switch assemblies, each of the assemblies being manually operable to allow a customer to initiate an electrical charging transaction at the charging station; one or more sensory indicators located at the charging station and configured to controllably indicate proper and improper charging connectors for the vehicle; a controller or processor coupled to the stationary communication device, the assemblies and the one or more sensory indicators and configured to determine the proper charging connector for the vehicle by processing the identification data to activate or alter the one or more sensory indicators based at least upon the determined proper charging connector to provide an alert to assist the customer to select the proper assembly to operate.

12. The system as claimed in claim 11, further comprising a detector or sensor coupled to the controller or processor and configured to provide a signal when the vehicle is physically present within the designated area at the charging station.

13. The system as claimed in claim 12, wherein the sensor or detector comprises a camera having a field of view and configured to capture at least one image of the vehicle within the field of view at the charging station.

14. The system as claimed in claim 11, wherein the one or more sensory indicators include at least one indication light source to provide a visual alert to the customer.

15. The system as claimed in claim 14, wherein each indicator light source includes individually addressable, multi-colored lighting elements and a control circuit to individually control the lighting elements based on an actuation scheme so that a desired illumination pattern is displayed.

16. The system as claimed in claim 15, wherein color and amount of light emitted by each of the lighting elements is controlled by its control circuit by controlling the intensity of light emitted by each of its lighting elements in accordance with the activation scheme.

17. The system as claimed in claim 11, wherein the identification data identifies the proper charging connector for the vehicle.

18. The system as claimed in claim 11, wherein the identification data identifies the type of vehicle to be charged at the charging station.

19. The system as claimed in claim 11, wherein the mobile communication device is configured to be mounted on the vehicle.

20. The system as claimed in claim 11, wherein the controller or processor is configured to generate a disabling or blocking signal to prevent the initiation of an electrical charging transaction with an improper charging connector.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0064] FIG. 1 is a diagrammatic representation of a retail fuel dispensing environment in which an embodiment of the present invention may be utilized;

[0065] FIG. 2 is a front elevational view, partially broken away, of a prior art fuel dispenser within the retail fueling environment of FIG. 1 that incorporates a grade select assembly;

[0066] FIG. 3 is a front elevational view, partially broken away, of a fuel dispenser capable of dispensing multiple fuels and fuel blends;

[0067] FIG. 4 is an enlarged front perspective view, partially broken away, of a fuel select assembly that may be utilized with the fuel dispenser of FIG. 3;

[0068] FIG. 5 is an enlarged front view of a grade select assembly that may be utilized with the fuel dispenser of FIG. 3;

[0069] FIG. 6 is an enlarged view, partially broken away and in cross section, of a top portion of a selection button that may be utilized with the assemblies of FIGS. 3, 4 and 5;

[0070] FIG. 7 is a conceptual diagram illustrating a portion of the selection button of FIG. 6 together with typical UV and visible light sources;

[0071] FIG. 8 is a schematic view, partially broken away and in cross section, of a conventional injection molding system which may be utilized to make plastic selection buttons; a mold of the system is depicted in its open position with a formed plastic film sheet placed between two mold halves of the system;

[0072] FIG. 9 is a combined schematic and block diagram view, partially broken away, including a mobile communication device supported on a vehicle; a human is standing between the vehicle and an apertured housing of a fuel dispenser; a stationary communication device is supported on the fuel dispenser; the block diagram also includes a 3D or depth sensor, an image processor and a controller/processer;

[0073] FIG. 10 is a block diagram including the apertured housing of the fuel dispenser of FIG. 9 which also includes a plurality of UV and visible light sources, push button switch assemblies and lockout devices all electrically connected or coupled to the controller/processor; and

[0074] FIG. 11 is a schematic top plan view of a two dimensional, 10×10 array or sets of UV-C LEDs, visible light LEDs and/or infrared light LEDs which may populate one or more printed circuit boards; typical dimensions of the array are provided in millimeters (i.e. mm).

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0075] As required, detailed embodiments of the present invention are disclosed herein; however, it is to be understood that the disclosed embodiments are merely exemplary of the invention that may be embodied in various and alternative forms. The figures are not necessarily to scale; some features may be exaggerated or minimized to show details of particular components. Therefore, specific structural and functional details disclosed herein are not to be interpreted as limiting, but merely as a representative basis for teaching one skilled in the art to variously employ the present invention.

[0076] “Antimicrobial” is equivalent to antibacterial, antifungal, antiviral, antiparasitic, microbicidal, and microbistatic. Most antimicrobial agents control microorganism growth by penetrating the microorganism’s thin cellular walls, thereby interrupting the organism’s metabolic function, and finally killing said organism.

[0077] A part having “antimicrobial properties” or characteristics includes any material that kills or inhibits growth of a microorganism.

[0078] A “microorganism” corresponds to bacteria, fungi, archea and protists and, most typically, the microorganism is unicellular.

[0079] “Dispersed throughout” corresponds to the dispersal of a species, e.g., an antimicrobial additive or agent, homogeneously or heterogeneously throughout a plastic layer which may be clear. For example, the antimicrobial agent may be homogeneously dispersed throughout a surface layer such that the concentration of antimicrobial agent at its surface is substantially the same as the concentration at any other sampling location in the layer. Heterogeneous dispersal corresponds to more antimicrobial agent at one sampling location in the layer relative to some other sampling location in the layer. For example, there may be more antimicrobial agent at the surface relative to other sampling locations or there may be islands of more concentrated antimicrobial agent throughout the layer.

[0080] As used in this application, the term “substrate” refers to any flexible, semi-flexible or rigid single or multi-layer component having a surface to which a decorative, UV-light transmissible or transparent membrane or film is or can be applied. The substrate may be made of polymers and other plastics, as well as composite materials. Furthermore, the size and shape of the substrate and, particularly, the surface to be covered can be any part of an assembly or device manufactured by any of various methods, such as, without limitation, conventional molding, deep-drawing, extruding, or otherwise fabricated.

[0081] The term “overlies” and cognate terms such as “overlying” and the like, when referring to the relationship of one or a first, superjacent layer relative to another or a second, subjacent layer, means that the first layer partially or completely lies over the second layer. The first, superjacent layer overlying the second, subjacent layer may or may not be in contact with the subjacent layer; one or more additional layers may be positioned between respective first and second, or superjacent and subjacent layers.

[0082] As used herein, a material/structure is considered to be “reflective” to ultraviolet light of a particular wavelength when the material/structure has an ultraviolet reflection coefficient of at least 30 percent for the ultraviolet light of the particular wavelength. A highly ultraviolet reflective material/structure has an ultraviolet reflection coefficient of at least 80 percent.

[0083] A material, structure or layer is considered to be “transparent” to ultraviolet radiation of a particular wavelength when the material/structure/layer allows at least ten percent of radiation having a target wavelength, which is radiated at a normal incidence to an interface of the material/structure/layer to pass therethrough.

[0084] Referring again to the drawing Figures, FIG. 9 illustrates a vehicle, generally indicated at 104. The vehicle 104 is illustrative of any type of automobile or other vehicle. For example, the vehicle 104 may include, but is not limited to, cars, trucks, SUVs, semi-trucks, tractors, boats, etc. The vehicle 104 is located at a self-service fuel dispensing or charging station generally of the type illustrated in FIGS. 1-3 for refueling or recharging, respectively. A human is shown between the vehicle 104 and a fuel dispenser, generally indicated at 112.

[0085] The fuel dispenser 112 includes at least one antimicrobial, push button switch assembly, generally indicated at 114 in FIGS. 3-5 and 10, for use at the self-service dispensing or charging station. Each assembly 114 includes a housing or enclosure 116 and a selection button, generally indicated 118, supported for bi-directional movement within an opening 120 in the housing 116. The housing or enclosure 116 may be made of a thermoplastic resin, TPO, ABS, PC/ABS, or polypropylene with a mold-in color.

[0086] Referring to FIG. 6, the button 118 includes a plastic substrate 122 and a plastic film sheet, generally indicated at 124, bonded to the substrate 122 in a molding process as illustrated in FIG. 8. The film sheet 124 has an outer touch surface 126 configured to be pressed as indicated by arrow 128 by a customer to initiate a dispensing or charging transaction. The film sheet 124 is configured to allow antimicrobial agents to travel therethrough to the outer touch surface 126 to disinfect the outer touch surface 126 of pathogenic microorganisms. The film sheet 124 includes a clear plastic surface layer 129 which has the antimicrobial agents which exhibit controlled migration through the surface layer 129 to the outer touch surface 126.

[0087] The film sheet 124 may be a thin membrane composite having a thickness of less than 0.5 millimeters. The film sheet 124 is preferably pre-painted. The film sheet 124 is preferably a polyester sheet such as Mylar®, a polyurethane or polycarbonate sheet.

[0088] The substrate 122 may be formed from a thermoplastic resin such a polyolefin, polycarbonate, tee tpe, sebs tpe, and a mixture of polycarbonate and acrylonitrile/butadiene/styrene (ABS). The corresponding film layer or sheet 124 is compatible with the plastic of the substrate 122 so that diffusion between contact surfaces occurs in the molding method described.

[0089] The film sheet 124 preferably has the following coatings placed on a membrane 131, a layer 133 of acrylic color in mating contact with the membrane 131 and a layer 135 of polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) with the acrylic clear coat or surface layer 129 to protect the film from damage and to provide film elasticity, chemical resistance, stain resistance, weathering and UV protection. In a preferred embodiment, the PVDF layer comprises most of the total pre-form thickness which is less than 1.0 mils and is preferably about 0.2 mils.

[0090] Referring again to FIG. 8, there is illustrated a conventional injection mold, generally indicated at 176, of a system (not shown) for making the plastic selection button 118. With such a system there is included an injection molding machine (not shown) having a nozzle (not shown) for injecting predetermined amounts of shots of molten resin. The injection molding machine includes a hydraulic screw ram (not shown) which is disposed in a bore formed in a barrel (not shown) of the injection molding machine. The ram plasticizes and advances resin towards the nozzle. Upon complete plasticization of the resin, the screw ram is hydraulically advanced towards threaded portions of the barrel to inject molten plastic through the nozzle, as is well known in the art.

[0091] As depicted in FIG. 8, opposing surfaces of mold parts 178 and 180, respectively, of the mold 176 define a mold cavity 182 with the formed film sheet 124 disposed therein. FIG. 8 illustrates an open position of the mold 176.

[0092] The one-piece film sheet 124 is first placed in the mold cavity 182 in the open position of the mold 176. Thereafter, the substrate 122 is molded in the mold 176 of the plastic injection molding system to form the completed unitary, laminate, plastic selection button 118.

[0093] In an alternative embodiment, the mold 176 can be modified to produce a plastic button with embossed lettering. This embossed effect is achieved by etching into the mold 176 the desired pattern or letters so that the letters have at least a 0.5 millimeter radius on the edge of the letter, or else the film sheet 124 may tear and stretch.

[0094] The unique features of the laminate selection button 118 are: 1) a stiff inner material (i.e. substrate 122) to support the intended application; 2) reduction and/or elimination of paint problems such as drips, runs, spits, dry spray, light coverage and gloss and improved color match and paint adhesion; 3) reduced molding scrap due to splay, flow marks and minor surface imperfections (in the substrate 122), which can be completely covered by the film sheet 124; and 4) increased durability of the resulting plastic laminate selection button 118.

[0095] Prior to injection molding, the painted film sheet 124 may be placed in a vacuum mold (not shown) which is operated to form a pre-form if the film sheet 124 is to have anything other than a planar shape.

[0096] Molten plastic is injected into the mold 176 through its injection aperture at a temperature and pressure sufficient to melt the bottom surface layer of the film sheet 124 or pre-form. Then the selection button 118 is cooled to a temperature beneath the softening point of both resins.

[0097] As described above, the molding process is an injection molding process during which plastic of the substrate 122 is injected into the mold cavity 182 wherein temperature and pressure within the mold cavity 182 is sufficient to melt a bottom surface of the film sheet 124 during the injection molding process to bond the substrate 122 to the film sheet 124 and wherein the mold cavity 182 has a shape defining the selection button 118.

[0098] The film sheet 124 may be a pre-painted film sheet which provides information such as fuel grade or type to the customer.

[0099] The film sheet 124 may include the clear plastic layer 129 which may comprise an acrylic polymer clear coat layer. The plastic substrate 122 may be molded from a thermoplastic resin. The plastic film sheet 124 may have the lower surface of the membrane 131 bonded to the outer upper surface of the substrate 122. The plastic film sheet 124 may include the layer 133 of acrylic color bonded to the membrane and separate from the substrate 122. The plastic film sheet 124 may include the layer 135 of polyvinylidene fluoride overlying and protecting the layer 133 of acrylic color.

[0100] The antimicrobial additive or agent within the surface layer 129 may comprise an antimicrobial substance, which is non-toxic and free of heavy metal and may be a chlorinated phenol (e.g., 5-chloro-2-(2, 4-dichlorophenoxy) phenol). An alternative antimicrobial agent is polyhexamethylene biguanide hydrochloride (PHMB). Other chemical compounds having known antimicrobial characteristics may also be used. The preferred method is to incorporate the antimicrobial additive or agent into a synthetic, polymeric master batch prior to film sheet formation.

[0101] Referring now to FIG. 7, a second embodiment of a switch assembly, generally indicated at 114′, includes a selection button 118′ having a film sheet 124′ (greatly enlarged for illustrative purposes) which does not include antimicrobial agents but rather is configured to allow germicidal light from a UV light source 130′ to travel therethrough to an outer touch surface 126′ to disinfect the outer touch surface 126′ of pathogenic microorganisms. The button 118′ also includes layers 135′, 133′, 131′, 129′ and 122′ substantially the same as the layers 135, 133, 131, 129 and 122, respectively, of the first embodiment.

[0102] The layer 129′ is a clear plastic surface layer 129′ which comprises a UV light transmissive waveguide. One or more UV light sources 130′ are optically coupled to edges of the waveguide layer 129′ and are configured to emit germicidal light into the waveguide layer 129′ so that the UV light travels through the waveguide layer 129′ via total internal reflection (TIR) and to the outer touch surface 126′ via frustrated total internal reflection (FTIF) when a user’s finger is touching or is in close proximity to the outer touch surface 126′ as indicated by arrow 128′. The UV light sources 130′ preferably include one or more UV-C light LEDs as shown in FIG. 11.

[0103] The germicidal light is preferably UV-C light which has an intensity within a relatively narrow range of wavelengths which kills microbes without damaging healthy tissue of the customer.

[0104] Touching or near proximity to the external surface may allow for some UV light to exit the transparent film material onto the user’s contact points such as fingertips and immediate surrounding areas. As a result, exiting UV light may disinfect the contacting fingertips and immediate surrounding areas including the outer, external surface of the transparent film material potentially carrying disease causing agents.

[0105] The UV light is preferably far UV-C light having a wavelength range of about 200 nm to about 230 nm.

[0106] The switch assembly 114′ may further include an illumination device or visible light source 132′ to illuminate at least one of the selection button 118′ and the area proximate the selection button 118′. The illumination device 132′ may include one or more visible light LEDs 132′ as shown in the array of FIG. 11.

[0107] In summary, in the second embodiment of FIG. 7, a UV and visible light transparent film material is molded onto the layer or substrate 122′ to automatically disinfect an external touch surface 126′ of the film sheet 124′. UV light is emitted from the UV light source 130′ into an edge of the transparent film material 129′ in order to transfer the UV light through the transparent film material 129′ while remaining in the transparent film material via total internal reflection (TIR). Some UV light exits the transparent film material 129′ at points of contact to disinfect fingertips and immediate surrounding areas through frustrated total internal reflection (FTIR).

[0108] Each of the UV lighting devices 130′ preferably comprises a far UV-C LED surface mounted device (i.e SMD). Each device 130′ may contain an integrated circuit (IC) which includes a control circuit (not shown) having a current driver and signal processing circuitry necessary to control and activate the LED function. Each control circuit may preferably include a signal shaping amplifier circuit, a constant current driver circuit and an RC oscillator.

[0109] Preferably, each UV lighting device 130′ has a package size and pinouts as well as LED support locations. Each UV lighting device 130′ may be supplied by Crystal IS Inc. and Asahi Kasei and, preferably, comprises an UV-C LED device 130′ integrated with its IC. The devices 130′ provide UV-C light in a region of the spectrum which kills microbes but does not damage healthy tissue (about 200 nm to about 230 nm). The devices 130′ may be serially interconnected by signal traces on their respective PC boards such as PC board 146 in FIG. 11. Obviously, other UV-C lighting devices (even smaller than the UV-C lighting devices shown in FIG. 11) may be used if desired. If the UV-C LEDs are unable to operate in this narrow wavelength range, a filter (not shown) may be disposed between the devices 130′ and the button 118′ to substantially reject all UV-C light outside this narrow range.

[0110] The system also includes one or more 3-D or depth sensors such as 2.5 D volumetric or 2-D/3-D hybrid sensors, one of which is generally indicated at 110 in FIG. 9. The sensor technology is sometimes called “3-D” because it measures X, Y and Z coordinates of objects and/or humans within a scene. This can be misleading terminology. Within a given volume these sensors only obtain the X, Y and Z coordinates of the surfaces of objects; the sensors are not able to penetrate objects in order to obtain true 3-D cross-sections, such as might be obtained by a CAT scan of the human body. For this reason, the sensors are often referred to as 2 ½-D sensors which create 2 ½ dimensional surface or depth maps to distinguish them from true 3-D sensors which create 3-D tomographic representations of not just the surface, but also the interior of an object.

[0111] In spite of this distinction between 2.5-D and 3-D sensors, people in the vision industry will often speak of 2.5-D sensors as 3-D sensors. The fact that “3-D Vision” sensors create 2.5-D surface maps instead of 3-D tomographs is implicit.

[0112] Still referring to FIG. 9, preferably each sensor 110 comprises a near-infrared pattern projector or emitter 132, a pair of near-infrared cameras or detectors 134, a visible light, monochromatic or color camera 130 and a uniform light source 140 (either IR or visible light). A near infrared pattern of light is projected by the emitter 132 onto the face of the human of FIG. 9 and the reflected light is read by the one or more detectors 134 along with the information from the camera 130. In other words, the projector 132 operates in the near infrared range by means of diffractive optical elements to project several tens of thousands of laser pencils or beams onto a scene including the human face to be analyzed. The infrared cameras 134 analyze the infrared scene to locate the intersections of the laser pencils with the scene and then uses geometry to calculate the distance to the human face in the scene. The visible light camera 130 in a preferred embodiment is used to associate a color or monochrome intensity to each portion of the analyzed image.

[0113] The IR pattern emitter 132 may comprise of an infrared laser diode emitting at 830 nm and a series of diffractive optics elements (DOE). These components work together to create a laser “dot” pattern. The laser beam from the laser diode is shaped in order to give it an even circular profile then passed through two diffractive optic elements (DOE). The first element creates a dot pattern containing dots, the second element multiplies this dot pattern into a grid. When the infrared pattern is projected onto a face surface, the infrared light scattered from the surface is configured to be sensitive in the neighborhood of 830 nm.

[0114] In addition to the IR sensor or detectors 134, the camera 130 is configured to be sensitive in the visible range, with a visible light, band-pass filter operative to reject light in the neighborhood of 830 nm. During operation, the information from the IR sensors 134 is used to calculate the depth of a human face and the information from the RGB sensor 130 is used to sense the color and brightness of the human face. This provides the ability to interpret an image in what is traditionally referred to as two and a half dimensions. As previously mentioned, it is not true 3-D due to the sensor only being able to detect surfaces that are physically visible to it (i.e., it is unable to see through objects or to see surfaces on the far side of an object).

[0115] Alternatively, the 3-D or depth sensor 110 may comprise light-field, laser scan, time-of-flight or passive binocular sensors, as well as active monocular and active binocular sensors.

[0116] Preferably, the 3-D or depth sensor 110 measures distance via massively parallel triangulation using a projected pattern (a “multi-point disparity” method). The specific types of active depth sensors which are preferred are called multipoint disparity depth sensors.

[0117] “Multipoint” refers to a laser projector which projects thousands of individual beams (aka pencils) onto a scene. Each beam intersects the scene at a point.

[0118] “Disparity” refers to the method used to calculate the distance from the sensor to objects in the scene. Specifically, “disparity” refers to the way a laser beam’s intersection with a scene shifts when the laser beam projector’s distance from the scene changes.

[0119] “Depth” refers to the face that these sensors are able to calculate the X, Y and Z coordinates of the intersection of each laser beam from the laser beam projector with a scene.

[0120] “Passive Depth Sensors” determine the distance to humans or objects in a scene without affecting the scene in any way; they are pure receivers.

[0121] “Active Depth Sensors” determine the distance to objects or humans or human face in a scene by projecting energy onto the scene and then analyzing the interactions of the projected energy with the scene. Some active sensors project a structured light pattern onto the scene and analyze how long the light pulses take to return, and so on. Active depth sensors are both emitters and receivers.

[0122] For clarity, the sensor 110 is preferably based on active monocular, multipoint disparity technology as a “multipoint disparity” sensor herein. This terminology, though serviceable is not standard. A preferred monocular (i.e., a single infrared camera) multipoint disparity sensor is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 8,493,496. A binocular multipoint disparity sensor, which uses two infrared cameras 134 to determine depth information from a scene, is also preferred as shown in FIG. 9.

[0123] Multiple volumetric sensors may be placed in key locations around and above the fuel dispenser 34. Each of these sensors typically captures hundreds of thousands of individual points in space. Each of these points has both a Cartesian position in space and an associated RGB color value. Before measurement, each of these sensors is registered into a common coordinate system at the fuel dispenser 34. This gives the present system the ability to correlate a location on the image of a sensor with a real-world position. When an image is captured from each sensor, the pixel information, along with depth information, is converted by the image processor and controller/processor of FIG. 9 into a collection of points in space, called a “point cloud.”

[0124] A point cloud is a collection of data representing a scene as viewed through a “vision” sensor. In three dimensions, each datum in this collection might, for example, consist of the datum in this collection might, for example, consist of the datum’s X, Y and Z coordinates along with the Red, Green and Blue values for the color viewed by the sensor 110 at those coordinates. In this case, each datum in the collection would be described by six numbers. To take another example: in two dimensions, each datum in the collection might consist of the datum’s X and Y coordinates along with the monotone intensity measured by the sensor 110 at those coordinates. In this case, each datum in the collection would be described by three numbers.

[0125] The controller/processor controls the cameras 134 and 130, the emitter 132 and a uniform light source 140 of the sensor 110. The uniform light source 140 preferably comprises a laser diode operating as a DOE pattern generator. The light source 140 may be configured to uniformly illuminate the surface of the target object (i.e. human face) within the scene with light having an intensity within a relatively narrow range of wavelengths such that the light overwhelms the intensity of ambient light within the narrow range to obtain reflected, backscattered illumination which is captured by one or more of the cameras 130 and 134.

[0126] The hybrid 2-D/3-D sensor 110 is used to measure color, brightness and depth at each of hundreds of thousands of pixels per sensor 110. The controller/processor together with the image processor processes the data generated by the sensor 110 in order to detect faces in the images captured. For this purpose, the controller/processor defines windows 110′ at candidate locations in each image, wherein the window sizes are determined by the depth information provided by the depth cameras 134. The controller/processor applies a face detection algorithm to each such window 110′ in order to determine whether the window 110′ contains a human face. If so, the controller/processor applies a face recognition algorithm to identify the person to whom the face belongs. Such algorithms are well known in the art of face recognition.

[0127] The volumetric sensor 110 described above can be utilized in a method and system for deterring an unauthorized transaction at a self-service, dispensing or charging station having the previously described push button switch assembly 114. The system typically includes one or more cameras 134 and 130 configured to capture at least one image of a face of a person (i.e. FIG. 9) within a field of view of the cameras 134 and 130 at the push button switch assembly 114. The at least one image may include a depth or 3D image and each camera 134 may include a 3D image depth sensor. The assembly 114 has an outer touch surface 126 (or the outer touch surface 126′ of the second embodiment) configured to be pressed by the person of FIG. 9 to initiate a dispensing or charging transaction. The system further includes a memory device configured to store data containing facial characteristics or features of known, suspicious persons. The memory device may be located at the station (as shown in the controller of FIG. 9) or remotely from the station. The processor or controller is configured to determine whether the person within the filed of view is a known, suspicious person or not by comparing the facial characteristics or features of the person within the field of view with the facial characteristics or features of known, suspicious persons. If located remotely from the station, the stored data can be downloaded from a system 30 over the communication link 28 of FIG. 1.

[0128] The IR light source or emitter 132 is configured to illuminate the face of the person of FIG. 9 with structured IR light to obtain the reflected, backscattered IR radiation wherein the cameras 134 are configured to sense the reflected, backscattered IR radiation to obtain the at least one image of the person’s face.

[0129] The light source 140 may be configured to uniformly illuminate the face of the person with visible or IR light having an intensity within a relatively narrow range of wavelengths such that the light overwhelms the intensity of ambient light within the narrow range to obtain the reflected, backscattered illumination.

[0130] The controller or processor may be configured to generate a blocking or disabling signal (to fuel or charging lockout devices of FIG. 10) to prevent the initiation of a refueling or charging transaction upon determining that the person within the field of view of the cameras 130 and 134 is a known, suspicious person. In addition, or alternatively, the controller or processor may be configured to activate or alter at least one sensory indicator such as blinking or flashing light to deter the initiation of the transaction upon determining that the person within the field of view is a known, suspicious person.

[0131] Referring again to FIGS. 9 and 10, there is illustrated a system for deterring fueling of the vehicle 104 at the fueling or charging station with an improper grade or type of fuel or with an improper charging connector, respectively. The system includes a stationary communication device such as an RF transceiver at the station which is configured to receive wireless signals transmitted by a mobile communication device such as an RF transceiver mounted on the vehicle 104 when located proximate the station. The mobile communication device is typically controlled by the vehicle’s electronic control unit (ECU) via a controller.

[0132] Each of the transmitted signals from the vehicle-mounted RF transceiver contains identification data which may identify proper grade or type of fuel for the vehicle or the type of vehicle to be fueled. The system includes the plurality of push button switch assemblies 114. Each of the assemblies 114 is manually operable to allow a customer (such as the human in FIG. 9) to initiate a fuel dispensing or charging transaction at the fueling or charging station, respectively.

[0133] The system also includes one or more sensory indicators, such as visible light sources 132′ (i.e. FIG. 10), which are located at the station and are configured to controllably indicate proper, marginally acceptable and improper grade or fuel types for the vehicle 104 by providing a visual alert to the customer.

[0134] The controller/processor is coupled to the stationary communication device (i.e. the RF transceiver), the bush button assemblies 114 and the one or more sensory indicators (i.e. light sources 132′) and is configured to determine the proper grade or type of fuel for the vehicle 104 by processing the identification data and to activate or alter the one or more visible light sources 132′ of FIG. 10 based at least upon the determined proper grade or type of fuel to provide a visible alert to assist the customer to select the proper push button switch assembly 114 to operate the fuel dispenser 112.

[0135] The system may further include a detector or sensor coupled to the controller or processor and configured to provide a signal when a vehicle such as the vehicle 104 is physically present within a designated area at the fueling station as shown in FIG. 9. The sensor or detector may comprise one of the cameras 130 or 134 having a field of view and configured to capture at least one image of the vehicle 104 within the field of view at the fueling station.

[0136] Each indicator visible light source of FIG. 10 (such as visible light LEDs 132′ of FIG. 11) typically includes individually addressable, multi-colored lighting elements and a control circuit to individually control the lighting elements based on an activation scheme so that a desired illumination is displayed. Color (i.e. green, yellow or red) and amount of light emitted by each of the lighting elements is controlled by its control circuit by controlling the intensity of light emitted by each of its lighting elements in accordance with the activation scheme. As a result, the visible light sources 132′ of FIG. 10 may emit different flashing colors to indicate an improper fuel (flashing red), a proper fuel (flashing green) or a marginally acceptable fuel (a flashing yellow).

[0137] As previously mentioned, the controller or processor is also configured to generate a disabling or blocking signal to prevent the initiation of a fuel dispensing transaction with an improper grade or type of fuel via a fuel lockout device or to prevent the initiation of a fueling transaction. In like fashion, the controller can transmit a disabling or blocking signal to a charging lockout device when so desired.

[0138] The dispenser 112 may include a physical presence detector or sensor that is in communication with the processor. The physical presence detector or sensor (such as one of the cameras 130 and 134) can indicate that a human (i.e. the human of FIG. 9) or an object (such as the vehicle 114) has entered into a designated area or defined zone adjacent the charging or fueling station.

[0139] The detector/sensor may be activated by motion, sound, thermal voice or other indicia of physical presence, or any combination of the above. These can be, in particular, passive detectors that sense body heat, those that send out pulses of ultrasonic waves and measure the reflection off a moving object, microwave active sensor that send out microwave pulses and measures the changes due to reflection off a moving object similar to a police radar gun, and tomographic systems that sense disturbances to radio waves. Many existing detectors use dual-technologies, but these have to be well configured to decrease the frequency of “false positives,” while increasing the detectors’ efficiencies.

[0140] As previously mentioned, the physical presence detector can communicate information that a person or object (i.e. vehicle) has entered the defined zone at the station. That information will be communicated to the processor. The fueling dispenser 112 may include a mechanism to provide one or more visual indicators adjacent their respective push buttons so as to inform the customer which selector button to push. A green flashing light may indicate a proper fuel, a yellow flashing light may indicate a marginally acceptable fuel and a red flashing light may indicate an unacceptable fuel. The dispenser 112 may also include a mechanism to provide one or more acoustic indicators so as to inform the customer via unique tones of actions required to select the proper fuel or fuel type.

[0141] One form of the indicator may comprise one or more light sources 132′ such as light-emitting diodes (LEDs) (as shown in FIGS. 10 and 11). The indicator is preferably a light source, such as an LED or an array of LEDs.

[0142] In one particularly preferred embodiment, the optical indicator signaling the customer is in the form of one or more flashing lights along at least one side of the enclosure adjacent the push buttons. The flashing lights may comprise or are coupled to light sources that can wholly or partially illuminate the push buttons with different colors which may flash. The light emitting assemblies may also comprise distinct light emitting objects arranged along a path adjacent the push buttons. Thus, separate LEDs may be provided to be lighted in accordance with a prescribed lighting scheme or algorithm. The lights may be pulsating, flashing or change color in order to improve visibility to signal the customer that the customer is to push a certain push button in order to properly fuel the customer’s vehicle.

[0143] In one embodiment, the visual indicators may emit red, yellow and green colors or different colors, which are produced by LED lights located around the perimeter of the push buttons.

[0144] When conditions require use of one dispenser versus another dispenser for proper refueling, the controller may disable the use of the one dispenser and/or provide an alert that use of the other dispenser is required. Such disabling can be made via a mechanical device that actuates to inhibit a path in which a push button travels. For example, a controller may activate an actuator that moves a blocking or lockout device to prevent a button of the dispenser from full movement, thereby preventing the improper fuel from being dispensed. Alternatively, if a particular fuel or fuel type can be dispensed automatically due to a signal received by a proximity sensor or a push button, the controller can cause the signal that is normally sent from the sensor or push button to be blocked. This example and other examples are contemplated that can cause the disabling of a dispenser when activation of that dispenser would not result in proper fueling.

[0145] Along with or alternative to audio and visual indicators, tactile indicators (e.g., vibration indicators) can be utilized to indicate proper or improper fueling.

[0146] While exemplary embodiments are described above, it is not intended that these embodiments describe all possible forms of the invention. Rather, the words used in the specification are words of description rather than limitation, and it is understood that various changes may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. Additionally, the features of various implementing embodiments may be combined to form further embodiments of the invention.