In accordance with the present invention several interrelated communications systems are implemented together. Generally these communication systems are employed as a novel fuel dispensing and fund transfer control mechanism. The system of the present invention is intended to efficiently substitute existing POS network employing existing technology, as well as to provide other benefits, to be described below.
In a preferred embodiment of the invention, at the POS incorporating the system of the invention, three wireless communications networks are integrated, as explained schematically with reference to FIGS. 2A-2C. In FIG. 2A the first subsystem is described as a wireless bus 70 which connects to several types of devices. Fuel dispensing units 72, POS controller 74, global network 76 are a few types of devices connected to the wireless bus 70. In FIG. 2B, the same system is described as a wireless LAN (WLAN) 82 to which are linked dispensing units 72 POS controller 74, and global network 76 and other devices 78.
A fuel dispensers in the POS is directly associated with at least one transceiver, hereinafter referred to as a dispenser unit (DU). The DU communicate with two types of transponders. An active transponder, or an active vehicle tag (AVTAG), and with a nozzle transceiver (NTR) which is also an active tag.
