JP7572801B2 - Fuel Supply System - Google Patents

Description

This disclosure relates to a fuel supply system suitable for use in self-service fuel supply stations where customers themselves operate a fuel supply device to supply fuel.

In a self-service fuel supply system, the customer supplies fuel to a vehicle or other target by setting the type of liquid to be supplied, the amount of liquid to be supplied, etc., using a setting device, and then operating the fuel supply nozzle installed in the fuel supply device.

In a self-service fuel supply system, which is an example of a self-service fuel supply system, the customer uses a fuel supply operation setting device to set the fuel supply operation information, such as the type and amount of fuel to be supplied to the target such as a vehicle, removes the fuel supply nozzle (fuel supply nozzle) from the nozzle hanger of the fuel supply machine (fuel supply device), and, with the discharge pipe of the fuel supply nozzle inserted into the fuel filler opening of the vehicle, opens the operating lever to supply fuel to the target.

At that time, when the fuel nozzle is removed from the nozzle hanger of the fuel tanker, the fuel tanker sends a work permission request, including the set refueling work information and a request for permission to send fuel to the fuel nozzle, to the management device (self-service console, SSC).

When the gas station attendant, acting as the work supervisor, confirms that the above-mentioned preparatory work has been carried out correctly and without error by the customer, the management device will allow the pump to send fuel to the fuel nozzle of the fuel pump for which the request for permission to send fuel was received, allowing the customer to start the actual fuel supply (refueling) to the target by operating the operating lever themselves.

As an example, in the self-service refueling systems described in Patent Documents 1 and 2, the management device is equipped with a dedicated operation terminal (remote controller, head-mounted display device) that can be carried by a gas station attendant. The operation terminal is connected to the management device for communication and has a display unit that displays the operating status (operating status) of each of the multiple refueling machines installed at the gas station, and an operation unit that authorizes the operation of the pumps and other liquid delivery devices of each refueling machine to start actual refueling (start of fuel supply).

JP 2000-335696 A JP 2018-52570 A

Conventionally, the operation terminal of the management device (SSC) was configured as a terminal device dedicated to the management device (SSC). However, nowadays, portable general-purpose mobile communication terminal devices such as smartphones and tablet computers with communication functions are widely used.

Since these general-purpose mobile communication terminal devices are no different from the operating terminals of the management device in that they are equipped with a display unit and an operating unit, it is expected that these general-purpose mobile communication terminal devices will be able to be used as operating terminals for the management device (SSC) from the standpoint of performance and cost.

However, these general-purpose mobile communication terminal devices allow users to use applications while making a call, and are equipped with a multitasking function that allows different applications to run simultaneously on each screen divided by a multi-window function. Therefore, if a mobile communication terminal device was to be used as an operation terminal for a management device (SSC), it would be undesirable from the perspective of safety at a self-service fuel supply station. Thus, with these general-purpose mobile communication terminal devices, it was difficult for the management device terminal function to coexist with other functions, including calls, other than as a management device terminal.

Specifically, when a general-purpose mobile communication terminal device is made to function as a remote controller, which is an operating terminal for a management device, other applications unrelated to telephone calls or fuel supply management can be used even while it is operating as a remote controller, which may result in insufficient monitoring and confirmation of the inside of the gas station by the gas station attendant acting as a work supervisor.

The present disclosure aims to solve the above-mentioned problems by providing a fuel supply system with improved safety that does not interfere with the monitoring and confirmation of the inside of the gas station by the attendant, even if a portable general-purpose mobile communication terminal device is applied to the operation terminal of the management device.

The fuel supply system according to the present disclosure comprises:
A fuel supply device that supplies fuel to a supply target;
A fuel supply system including a management device that manages execution of a fuel supply operation by the fuel supply device,
a portable mobile communication terminal device having a function as a terminal of the management device;
The fuel supply system is equipped with a terminal device operation control means that controls the operation of the mobile communication terminal device's function as a terminal of the management device or other functions other than its function as a terminal of the management device depending on the location of the mobile communication terminal device.

According to the present disclosure, it is possible to realize a portable operation terminal for a management device using a portable mobile communication terminal device, and the safety of a fuel supply system equipped with a management device is also improved.

In addition, the problems, configurations, and advantages of this disclosure other than those described above will become clear from the description of the embodiments below.

1 is an overall configuration diagram of a refueling system as one embodiment of a fuel supply system according to the present disclosure; A figure showing the home screen of a specific mobile communication terminal device equipped with a management device terminal function section of a refueling work management device. 13 is a flowchart of SSC terminal processing executed by a specific mobile communication terminal device equipped with a management device terminal function unit of a refueling operation management device. A flowchart of a session connection process executed by a terminal operation control unit of a refueling work management device in response to the start of a session connection of the SSC terminal process executed by a mobile communication terminal device. A figure showing an example of an SSC terminal screen of a specific mobile communication terminal device equipped with a management device terminal function section of a refueling work management device. 13 is a flowchart of a session connection management process executed while a mobile communication terminal device is operating as an operation terminal of a refueling operation management device. 11 is a flowchart of a session termination process performed on the mobile communication terminal device side when the mobile communication terminal device operating as an SSC terminal terminates its operating state as an SSC terminal. A flowchart of a session termination process performed on the refueling work management device when a mobile communication terminal device operating as an SSC terminal terminates its operating state as an SSC terminal. 4 is a flowchart of an emergency call origination process of a mobile communication terminal device operating as an SSC terminal. 11 is a flowchart showing an external communication receiving process in a mobile communication terminal device operating as an SSC terminal.

One embodiment of the fuel supply system according to the present disclosure will be described below with reference to the drawings. In the description, the fuel supply system according to the present disclosure will be described as an example of a self-service refueling system applied to a self-service gas station where the customer himself operates the refueling nozzle of a refueling machine to refuel a vehicle or other target. Note that the self-service fuel supply station to which the fuel supply system according to the present disclosure is applied is not limited to self-service gas stations, but may also be applied to a self-service liquefied fuel gas supply station, etc.

Figure 1 is an overall configuration diagram of a fuel supply system as one embodiment of a fuel supply system according to the present disclosure.

The fuel supply system 1 according to this embodiment comprises a fuel supply machine 10 applicable to a self-service fuel supply system, a change machine (payment adjustment machine) 20, and a fuel supply station management device 30 that performs overall operational management of a fuel supply station equipped with the fuel supply machine 10 and the change machine 20. The fuel supply system 1 is configured by connecting the fuel supply machine 10, the change machine 20, and the fuel supply station management device 30 via a service station-local area network (SS-LAN) 6 in the fuel supply station via serial communication, enabling communication of various signals and various information data between each of these devices.

The refueling machine 10 houses, within the refueling machine housing 11, a liquid delivery device such as a pump, a flow measurement device such as a flow meter, and a refueling machine control device that controls the operation of each part and calculates the amount of fuel dispensed. A hose 12 having a refueling nozzle 13 at its tip extends from the refueling machine housing 11, and the base end of the hose 12 is connected to the outlet side of the flow meter inside the refueling machine housing 11.

The fuel nozzle 13 is equipped with an automatic valve closing mechanism that opens and closes in response to the operation of an operating lever, and closes when the fuel oil level in the target, such as a vehicle, reaches the discharge pipe at the tip of the nozzle, regardless of the operating position of the operating lever. The fuel nozzle 13 can be freely removed and stored in the nozzle hanger 14 provided on the fuel tanker housing 11, and is stored in the nozzle hanger 14 when refueling work is not being performed.

The refueling machine 10 pumps up fuel oil from an underground tank (storage tank) (not shown) by operating a pump, and the pumped up fuel oil is sent via a flow meter to the refueling nozzle 13 at the end of the hose.

The customer, who is the refueling worker, removes the refueling nozzle 13 from the nozzle hanger 14, inserts its discharge pipe into the refueling port (fuel supply port) of the target to be supplied, such as a vehicle, and operates the operating lever to open the valve to supply fuel to the target.

The amount of fuel oil liquid supplied (amount of fuel supplied) at that time is calculated by the tanker control device based on the flow pulse signal output from a flow transmitter attached to the flow meter, and is displayed on the display 15 provided on the tanker housing 11.

In the illustrated example, the refueling machine 10 is configured such that a plurality of hoses 12, refueling nozzles 13, and nozzle hangers 14 are provided on the front surface of the refueling machine housing 11 in response to different types of fuel to be supplied, such as high octane, regular, and diesel. Similarly, a plurality of hoses 12, refueling nozzles 13, and nozzle hangers 14 are provided on the rear surface of the refueling machine housing 11 (not illustrated) in response to different types of fuel to be supplied, such as high octane, regular, and diesel, as well as a display 15. Accordingly, a plurality of devices such as pumps and flow meters are accommodated in the refueling machine housing 11 in response to different types of fuel to be supplied and the number of refueling nozzles 13 (corresponding to the number of refueling systems).

As a result, in the refueling machine 10 of the illustrated example, one refueling work area (fuel supply work point) E is configured on each of the front and rear sides of the refueling machine housing 11, and in each refueling work area E, the refueling machine control device controls the operation of each part of the refueling machine, including the pump, so that the desired type of fuel oil selected from multiple types of oil, such as high octane, regular, and diesel, can be supplied to a target such as a vehicle by operating the refueling nozzle 13 for that type of oil.

In addition, in the illustrated example, the refueling machine 10 is applied to a self-service gas station, so that the refueling machine 10 is provided with self-service-compatible devices, such as a setting device 16, a refueling fee payment device 17, a receipt issuing device 18, etc., that correspond to each refueling work area E and are integrated into the refueling machine housing 11.

The setting device 16 is a self-service adaptable device that allows a customer, who is a refueling worker, to input his/her own identification information, the type of fuel oil to be supplied to the target (e.g., high octane, regular, diesel, etc.), and the amount of liquid (e.g., a full tank or a desired preset amount or preset price) when the customer removes the refueling nozzle 13 from the nozzle holder 14 and begins refueling work. The information input by the setting device 16 is supplied to the refueling machine control device.

The fuel payment device 17 is a self-service device that allows a customer to prepay the fuel fee (fuel charge) in advance by cash or a prepaid card when performing self-service fueling operations. The amount information of the prepaid fuel fee entered into the fuel payment device 17 is supplied to the fuel tanker control device.

The refueling machine control device of the refueling machine 10 creates refueling operation information for the refueling operation that will be started by operating the refueling nozzle 13, based on the customer's own identification information, liquid type, and liquid volume set and input by the setting device 16, and the prepaid refueling fee amount information entered by the refueling fee payment device 17. The refueling operation information is transmitted from the refueling machine 10 to the gas station management device 30 via the SS-LAN 6.

The receipt issuing device 18 is a self-service device that issues an accounting receipt for a refueling operation based on refueling result information, such as the actual amount of fuel dispensed and the amount of fuel dispensed, calculated by the refueling machine control device of the refueling machine 10 when the refueling operation is completed, for example, by storing the refueling nozzle 13 in the nozzle holder 14. The refueling result information is transmitted from the refueling machine 10 to the gas station management device 30 via the SS-LAN 6.

In this embodiment, the settlement slip issued by the slip issuing device 18 is used to confirm the contents of the refueling result information, such as the prepaid refueling fee, the type of fuel, the actual amount of refueling, the amount of refueling, the change, etc., and is also used as an identification piece when a customer whose actual refueling amount does not reach the prepaid refueling fee previously deposited in the refueling fee payment device 17 receives change back from the change machine 20. Therefore, when printing out the settlement slip, the slip issuing device 18 generates identification information for the settlement slip so that the customer can be identified as the customer who will receive change from the change machine 20. This identification information is printed out on the settlement slip by the slip issuing device 18 together with the refueling result information. The identification information is also supplied to the refueling machine control device and included in the refueling result information transmitted from the refueling machine 10 to the gas station management device 30.

In the illustrated example, the self-service adaptable device consisting of the setting device 16, fuel fee payment device 17, and receipt issuing device 18 is configured to be integrated into the fuel tanker housing 11 for each fuel tanker 10, but it is also possible to provide them as a self-service adaptable unit device separate from the fuel tanker housing 11 and corresponding to multiple fuel tankers 10, connected to the SS-LAN 6. In this case, the customer also sets and inputs identification information such as the number of the fuel tanker 10 to be used for the fueling operation as fueling operation information.

The change machine (payment adjustment machine) 20 is a device for a customer to receive change during self-service refueling when the amount of fuel dispensed based on the actual amount of fuel dispensed does not reach the amount of fuel paid in advance by the customer who is the refueling worker, and change is required. The change machine 20 receives refueling result information transmitted from the refueling machine 10 each time a self-service refueling operation is performed, and stores the identification information of the settlement slip for customers who need their change returned, the amount of change, etc. as settlement information. When the change machine 20 reads the identification information of a customer's settlement slip with its slip identification unit, it checks the accumulated settlement information, and if it is confirmed that the customer is a customer who should receive the change, it pays the change. In the illustrated example, the change machine (payment adjustment machine) 20 is configured to be shared by multiple refueling machines 10 in a separate housing from the refueling machine 10, but it may be provided integrally with the refueling machine 10.

The gas station management device 30 is installed in the gas station office 3 or the like, and in this embodiment, is configured to include a gas station POS terminal 40 that manages the point of sale at the gas station, a monitoring device 50 for monitoring the status inside the gas station including the gas station operation area E, and a gas station operation management device 60 that manages the execution of self-service gas station operations using a gas station machine 10 by customers themselves. The gas station POS terminal 40 and the gas station operation management device 60 are connected to the SS-LAN 6, and together with the gas station machines 10 and the change dispensers 20, they form a gas station network. The gas station operation management device 60 corresponds to a management device (self-service console, SSC).

The gas station POS terminal 40 receives refueling operation information set by the setting device 16 when starting the refueling operation, requests for permission to start the actual refueling operation (starting the delivery of fuel to the refueling nozzle), and refueling result information created at the end of the refueling operation, all of which are transmitted from each refueling machine 10 via the SS-LAN 6, and manages the point of sale of fuel oil at the gas station.

The monitoring device 50 has monitoring cameras 51 provided corresponding to each of the fuel supply work areas E and the change machine 20, and is connected to the monitoring cameras 51 via a dedicated image data signal line 7. The monitoring device 50 generates and displays monitoring images from the captured images, consisting of moving or still images of each of the fuel supply work areas E and the change machine 20, captured by each of the monitoring cameras 51. This allows the gas station attendant to monitor the situation in each area of the gas station from within the office by viewing the monitoring images. In response to the instructions of the gas station attendant, the monitoring device 50 can generate monitoring images in which the images captured by each of the multiple monitoring cameras 51 are split and displayed, or a desired image can be selected from the captured images and an enlarged monitoring image can be generated.

The refueling operation management device 60 is capable of receiving refueling operation information, requests for permission to start actual refueling, and refueling result information transmitted from each refueling machine 10 via the SS-LAN 6 in the same manner as the gas station POS terminal 40. The refueling operation management device 60 is also data-connected to the monitoring device 50, and is capable of receiving desired monitoring images from the monitoring device 50.

The refueling operation management device 60 determines the operating state of each refueling machine 10, for example, the refueling operation acceptance state, the waiting state for operation permission, and the refueling operation end state (standby state) of the refueling machine 10 based on the refueling operation information, the permission request for the actual start of refueling, and the refueling result information transmitted from each refueling machine 10 via the SS-LAN 6. The refueling operation management device 60 also determines the start/stop state, refueling state (liquid delivery operating state), and refueling prohibited state (emergency stop state) of the refueling machine 10 based on the start/stop instruction, operation permission, and emergency stop transmitted to each refueling machine 10 via the SS-LAN 6. The refueling operation management device 60 then sequentially stores these determined operating states of each refueling machine 10 in its memory unit.

At that time, the display unit of the refueling operation management device 60 displays the current or latest operating status of each refueling machine 10, and the refueling station attendant can operate the operation unit of the refueling operation management device 60 to give permission to start actual refueling for the refueling machine 10 that has received operation permission and is waiting for operation permission, or select the target refueling machine 10 and set it to a refueling prohibited state (emergency stop state). In this case, permission to start actual refueling refers to permission to operate the pump or other liquid delivery equipment of the corresponding refueling machine 10 so that fuel can be discharged from the refueling nozzle when the customer operates the operation lever to open the valve, and prohibition of refueling refers to prohibition of operation of the pump or other liquid delivery equipment of the corresponding refueling machine 10 until a specified recovery operation is performed, regardless of whether the operation state of the refueling machine 10 is in a refueling operation state or in a standby state where no refueling operation is being performed. The permission to start refueling and the prohibition of refueling are transmitted from the refueling operation management device 60 to the target refueling machine 10 via the SS-LAN 6.

In addition, in this embodiment, the refueling operation management device 60 has an operation unit that doubles as the operation unit of the monitoring device 50, and a display unit that doubles as a display device for the monitoring image. Therefore, the refueling operation management device 60 can indicate the monitoring image generated by the monitoring device 50, display the monitoring image generated by the monitoring device 50, and further display the current or latest operating status (refueling operation information, the presence or absence of an operation permission request, and refueling result information) of the corresponding refueling machine 10 on the monitoring image generated by the monitoring device 50 via an OSD (On-Screen Display).

In addition, in this embodiment, the refueling operation management device 60 is configured to be able to safely use a portable general-purpose mobile communication terminal device 70 such as a smartphone, a tablet computer with communication capabilities, or the like, as an operation terminal (SSC terminal) dedicated to the refueling operation management device 60. In this case, the operation terminal dedicated to the refueling operation management device 60 refers to a portable wireless terminal device that can receive an operation permission request and give permission to start actual refueling to a refueling machine 10 that is waiting for operation permission, select a target refueling machine 10 and set it to a refueling prohibited state (emergency stop state), display the current or latest operation state of each refueling machine 10, and instruct the monitoring device 50 on the mode of a monitoring image and display the monitoring image, similar to the operation unit and display unit of the refueling operation management device 60 described above.

The refueling operation management device 60 includes a wireless communication unit 68 capable of communicating with a mobile communication terminal device 70. The wireless communication unit 68 enables the refueling operation management device 60 to wirelessly connect to the mobile communication terminal device 70 through network communication via a communication network such as a mobile communication network, the Internet, or a wireless LAN, or through D2D (device to device) communication with the mobile communication terminal device 70. The following describes a case where the refueling operation management device 60 is wirelessly connected to the mobile communication terminal device 70 through network communication via the Internet.

The refueling operation management device 60 includes a registration management unit that registers and manages a specific mobile communication terminal device 70 as an operation terminal of the refueling operation management device 60, and a terminal operation control unit that controls the operation of the specific mobile communication terminal device 70 registered in the registration management unit as an operation terminal of the refueling operation management device 60.

The registration management unit causes a pre-registered mobile communication terminal device 70 to function as an operation terminal for the refueling work management device 60. The terminal operation control unit controls the operation of the mobile communication terminal device 70 registered in the registration management unit, either as an operation terminal for the refueling work management device 60 or as a function other than as an operation terminal for the refueling work management device 60, depending on the mobile communication terminal device 70's own location status.

The registration management unit has an authentication information storage unit that stores identification information (e.g., a MAC address (Media Access Control Address)) specific to the mobile communication terminal device 70 that is permitted to be used as an operation terminal of the refueling work management device 60, and a password that corresponds to the identification information specific to the mobile communication terminal device 70. The registration of the device-specific identification information and password in the authentication information storage unit is performed using the operation unit of the refueling work management device 60.

Then, when the mobile communication terminal device 70 is connected to the refueling work management device 60 by the wireless communication unit 68 via network communication, the registration management unit checks whether the device-specific identification information matches the device-specific identification information pre-registered in the authentication information storage unit, and if they match, it prompts the mobile communication terminal device 70 to input a password, and then checks whether the input password received from the mobile communication terminal device 70 matches the password pre-registered in the authentication information storage unit. If they match, the registration management unit downloads to the mobile communication terminal device 70, in response to a registration operation by the operation unit of the refueling work management device 60, an application for a management device terminal function for causing the mobile communication terminal device 70 to function as an operation terminal for the refueling work management device 60, which is stored as an application in the storage unit of the refueling work management device 60, to the mobile communication terminal device 70, thereby configuring a management device terminal function unit in the mobile communication terminal device 70. Accordingly, for example, on the home screen 71 of the mobile communication terminal device 70, an SSC activation switch "SSC" 72 for activating the management device terminal function unit and operating the mobile communication terminal device 70 as an operation terminal for the refueling work management device 60 is configured as shown in FIG. 2.

Figure 2 shows the home screen of a specific mobile communication terminal device equipped with the management device terminal function section of the refueling operation management device.

Next, the SSC terminal processing that enables the mobile communication terminal device 70 having the management device terminal function unit configured in this manner to be operated and controlled as an operation terminal for the refueling operation management device 60 will be described with reference to Figures 3 and 4.

FIG. 3 is a flowchart of the SSC terminal process executed by a specific mobile communication terminal device having a management device terminal function section of the refueling operation management device.
FIG. 4 is a flowchart of a session connection process executed by a terminal operation control unit of a refueling operation management device in response to a session connection start of the SSC terminal process executed by a mobile communication terminal device.

When the SSC activation switch of the mobile communication terminal device 70 is operated, the management device terminal function unit of the mobile communication terminal device 70 starts to execute the SSC terminal processing in cooperation with the terminal operation control unit of the refueling operation management device 60 connected via wireless communication.

In the SSC terminal process, when the SSC activation switch of the mobile communication terminal device 70 is operated, the management device terminal function unit checks whether any other functions (applications) are operating on the mobile communication terminal device 70 other than as a management device terminal, including the call function (FIG. 3, S010, S020).

If no other functions are in operation other than as a management device terminal (S020, NO), the management device terminal function unit performs the processing shown in step S030 onwards, and if it is in operation (S020, YES), in order to prevent multitasking with the operation terminal of the refueling work management device 60, a pop-up is displayed on the home screen 71, for example, to notify the user of the mobile communication terminal device 70 that it cannot be started as an SSC terminal (S130), and the SSC terminal processing is terminated.

In response to this, in step S030, the management device terminal function unit sets the mobile communication terminal device 70 to a state in which other functions than those of the management device terminal cannot be activated or operated, and disables the execution of other functions by the mobile communication terminal device 70 other than those of the management device terminal.

Then, the management device terminal function unit starts acquiring its own location information using the mobile communication terminal device 70's GPS, base station communication, etc. (S040), and transmits a request to start a session connection to the refueling work management device 60 (S050). In addition, when transmitting the request to start a session connection, the management device terminal function unit pops up a password input screen for the gas station attendant on the home screen 71, for example, and has the user input a password that was preregistered in the registration management unit of the refueling work management device 60. Then, upon password input, a request to start a session connection is transmitted from the mobile communication terminal device 70 to the refueling work management device 60.

Meanwhile, the terminal operation control unit of the refueling work management device 60, which has received a request to start a session connection from the mobile communication terminal device 70, acquires device-specific identification information, an input password, and current location information from the mobile communication terminal device 70 in the session connection process on the refueling work management device side shown in FIG. 4, and checks whether the acquired device-specific identification information matches the device-specific identification information preregistered in the registration management unit, whether the acquired input password matches the password preregistered in the registration management unit, and whether the acquired current location information of the mobile communication terminal device 70 is included in the location range information preregistered in the location information storage unit of the terminal operation control unit, for example, information indicating the inside of a gas station based on the gas station address, etc. (FIG. 4, S210, S220).

If the terminal operation control unit finds a match between these three (S220, YES), the management device terminal function unit performs the processing shown in step S230 onwards, and if any of the three does not find a match (S220, NO), the management device terminal function unit transmits a response to the mobile communication terminal device 70 not permitting the session connection (S250), and ends the session connection processing on the refueling operation management device side.

In response to this, in step S230, the terminal operation control unit registers in the memory unit of the terminal operation control unit that the mobile communication terminal device 70 with the matching device-specific identification information is operating as the operation terminal of the refueling work management device 60 (S230), and in order to establish a session state with the mobile communication terminal device 70, transmits a response to the mobile communication terminal device 70 permitting the session connection (S240), and terminates the session connection process on the refueling work management device side.

3, the mobile communication terminal device 70 transmits a request to start a session connection to the fueling operation management device 60 (S050), and then checks whether a response has been received from the fueling operation management device 60 (S060). If a response permitting the session connection is received (S060, YES), the process shown in step S070 and thereafter is performed. If a response not permitting the session connection is received (S060, NO), the mobile communication terminal device 70 notifies the user of the mobile communication terminal device 70 that it cannot be started as an SSC terminal by displaying a pop-up on the home screen 71, for example (S130), and ends the SSC terminal process. Therefore, in this embodiment, even if the device-specific identification information and input password of the mobile communication terminal device 70 match, if the mobile communication terminal device 70 is located outside the specified location range and outside the gas station, it cannot operate as an operation terminal for the fueling operation management device 60. Of course, if the unique identification information of the mobile communication terminal device 70 is not preregistered in the refueling operation management device 60, or if the input password is not preregistered in the refueling operation management device 60, the device is configured not to function as an operation terminal for the refueling operation management device 60.

On the other hand, in step S070, the mobile communication terminal device 70, which has received a response from the refueling operation management device 60 permitting the session connection, starts a session with the refueling operation management device 60 as the operation terminal (SSC terminal) of the refueling operation management device 60. Accordingly, the management device terminal function unit of the mobile communication terminal device 70 changes its home screen 71 to, for example, an SSC terminal screen 75 as shown in FIG. 5.

Figure 5 shows an example of an SSC terminal screen of a specific mobile communication terminal device equipped with a management device terminal function section of a refueling operation management device.

In the illustrated example, the SSC terminal screen is configured to include a permission waiting notification section 76 that notifies whether there is a refueling work area (fuel supply work point) E waiting for permission to start actual refueling (whether it remains or not), a point selection section 77 that displays the operation status of the refueling machine corresponding to each refueling work area E (refueling work information, presence or absence of an operation permission request, refueling result information) in different colors and allows the selection operation of the refueling work area E for which actual refueling is permitted to start, an emergency stop operation section 78 that performs an emergency stop, and a permission instruction section 79 that instructs permission to start actual refueling for the refueling work area E selected in the point selection section 77.

Next, in the mobile communication terminal device 70, the management device terminal function unit causes the mobile communication terminal device 70 to function as an operation terminal for the refueling work management device 60, and manages the execution of the refueling management work as the operation terminal for the refueling work management device 60 (S080). In managing the execution of this refueling management work, the mobile communication terminal device 70 cooperates with the refueling work management device 60 to give permission to start actual refueling for refueling machines 10 that have received an operation permission request and are waiting for operation permission, select one or all of the refueling machines 10 to put them in a refueling prohibited state (emergency stop state), display the current or latest operation state of each refueling machine 10, and instruct the monitoring device 50 on the form of a monitoring image and display the monitoring image.

In the execution management of the refueling management work shown in step S080, the session-connected refueling work management device 60 and the mobile communication terminal device 70 cooperate to appropriately repeat the session connection management process while the mobile communication terminal device 70 is operating as the operation terminal for the refueling work management device 60, as shown in FIG. 6.

Figure 6 is a flowchart of the session connection management process that is executed when the mobile communication terminal device is operating as the operation terminal of the refueling operation management device.

In FIG. 6, in the refueling operation management device 60, the terminal operation control unit acquires the current location of the mobile communication terminal device 70 from the mobile communication terminal device 70 operating as its terminal operation unit (S310). In this case, the current location of the mobile communication terminal device 70 is acquired using the GPS, base station communication, etc. of the mobile communication terminal device 70.

Then, in the refueling operation management device 60, the terminal operation control unit checks whether the current location of the mobile communication terminal device 70 is included in the location range information indicating the inside of the gas station that is preregistered in the location information storage unit of the terminal operation control unit (S320, S330). As a result, if the current location of the mobile communication terminal device 70 is included in the location range information registered in the location information storage unit (S330, YES), the terminal operation control unit ends the current session connection management process.

In contrast, if the current location of the mobile communication terminal device 70 is not included in the location range information registered in the location information storage unit (S330, NO), the refueling operation management device 60 transmits an end of the session connection with the mobile communication terminal device 70 to the corresponding mobile communication terminal device 70 (S340), deletes the registration in the storage unit of the terminal operation control unit that the mobile communication terminal device 70 is operating as an operating terminal for the refueling operation management device 60 (S350), and ends the current session connection management process.

On the other hand, when the mobile communication terminal device 70 operating as the operation terminal of the refueling operation management device 60 starts a session with the refueling operation management device 60 as an operation terminal (SSC terminal) (S070), as shown in FIG. 4, it manages the execution of the refueling management work shown in step S080 until it receives a notification of the end of the session connection from the refueling operation management device 60 (S090, NO).

Then, when the mobile communication terminal device 70 receives a session connection termination from the refueling operation management device 60 (S090, YES), it terminates the session with the refueling operation management device 60 as an SSC terminal (S100) and terminates the acquisition of its own location information using GPS, base station communication, etc. (S110).

Furthermore, the mobile communication terminal equipment 70 cancels the disabling of the execution of other functions by the mobile communication terminal equipment 70 other than as a management device terminal, which was performed in step S030 when the mobile communication terminal equipment 70 was made to function as an SSC terminal (S120). When the operation as an SSC terminal of the mobile communication terminal equipment 70 is thus terminated, the SSC terminal screen shown in FIG. 5 is returned to the home screen shown in FIG. 2. Therefore, the mobile communication terminal equipment 70 is no longer used as an SSC terminal, and can execute other functions other than as a management device terminal, including making calls, which were not available when the mobile communication terminal equipment 70 was being used as an SSC terminal.

Therefore, as shown in Figures 3, 4, and 6, in the refueling system 1 of this embodiment, a portable general-purpose mobile communication terminal device 70 such as a smartphone or a tablet computer with communication capabilities can be used as an operation terminal for the refueling work management device 60. In this case, for example, differences in the number of fuel supply work points at a fuel supply station or an increase or decrease in the number of fuel supply work points can be accommodated simply by changing the conditions on the refueling work management device 60 side, which improves the flexibility of system design in response to differences in equipment at each fuel supply station and equipment changes.

In addition, the mobile communication terminal device 70 can only be used as an operating terminal for the refueling operation management device 60 when it is located within a predetermined location range, such as a location range within a gas station based on the gas station address, thereby ensuring the safety of the system.

Furthermore, while the mobile communication terminal device 70 is being used as the operating terminal for the refueling operation management device 60, it is not possible to execute any other functions than as a management device terminal, so that the execution and management of refueling operations cannot be performed while doing other things, such as while making a call or using an application unrelated to refueling operation management, and therefore the safety and accuracy of the operation are not compromised.

Next, in the above-mentioned refueling system 1, a case where the use of the refueling operation management device 60 as an operation terminal is terminated on the mobile communication terminal device 70 side will be described with reference to Figures 7 and 8.

FIG. 7 is a flow chart of a session termination process performed on the mobile communication terminal device side when the mobile communication terminal device operating as an SSC terminal terminates its operating state as an SSC terminal.
FIG. 8 is a flowchart of a session termination process performed on the refueling operation management device side when a mobile communication terminal device operating as an SSC terminal ends its operating state as an SSC terminal.

When an operation to terminate operation as an SSC terminal is performed on the mobile communication terminal device 70 that is operating as an SSC terminal, as shown in FIG. 7, the management device terminal function unit transmits a request to terminate the session connection from the mobile communication terminal device 70 to the refueling operation management device 60 (S410).

When the refueling operation management device 60 receives a permission request to end the session connection from the mobile communication terminal device 70, it checks the operation status at each refueling operation point and determines whether there is any refueling operation that has already started but not yet been completed (S510, S520).

In the refueling operation management device 60, if the customer is not in the middle of a refueling operation (S520, NO), the terminal operation control unit performs the processing shown in step S530 onwards, and if there is a refueling operation that has already started but not yet finished, the session termination processing performed on the refueling operation management device side is terminated without disconnecting the session connection with the mobile communication terminal device 70.

In response to this, in step S530, the refueling operation management device 60 transmits to the corresponding mobile communication terminal device 70 a message indicating the end of the session connection with the mobile communication terminal device 70 (S530), and the registration of the mobile communication terminal device 70 as being in operation as an operating terminal for the refueling operation management device 60 in the memory unit of the terminal operation control unit is deleted (S540).

As a result, as explained in steps S90-S120 of FIG. 3, even if the mobile communication terminal device 70 is within a location range indicating inside a gas station, if operation as an operation terminal for the refueling work management device 60 is not required, the mobile communication terminal device 70 can terminate operation as an operation terminal for the refueling work management device 60 when it is active.

Therefore, even if the mobile communication terminal device 70 is within a position range indicating the inside of a gas station, if operation as an operating terminal for the refueling work management device 60 is not required, operation as an operating terminal can be terminated, allowing the device to perform other functions, including making calls, other than as a management device terminal, thereby improving the convenience of the refueling work management device 60 as an operating terminal. Even in this case, if there is refueling work that has already started but not yet been completed, the operating state as an operating terminal for the refueling work management device 60 continues, thereby improving the safety of refueling work management.

Furthermore, in the refueling system 1 of this embodiment, even if the mobile communication terminal device 70 is operating as an operation terminal for the refueling work management device 60 and cannot perform any other functions, including making calls, other than as a management device terminal, it is configured to be able to send emergency communications while still operating as an operation terminal.

Figure 9 is a flowchart showing the process for making an emergency call on a mobile communication terminal device operating as an SSC terminal.

When a predetermined emergency communication transmission operation is performed on the mobile communication terminal device 70 operating as an SSC terminal, the management device terminal function unit of the mobile communication terminal device 70 transmits an emergency stop instruction for all refueling work points to the refueling work management device 60, even if the selection operation of the refueling work point is not performed by the gas station attendant (S610). Then, the mobile communication terminal device 70 is permitted to transmit emergency communication/emergency calls to a predetermined emergency contact that has been registered in advance (S620). In addition, by permitting the transmission of emergency communication/emergency calls to the emergency contact, the mobile communication terminal device 70 automatically transmits the emergency communication to the other party, and it becomes possible to make a call with the other party.

As a result, the refueling operation management device 60, which receives an emergency stop command for all refueling operation points from the mobile communication terminal device 70, can stop or prohibit the operation of the pumps and other liquid delivery equipment of each refueling machine 10 at all refueling operation points, thereby ensuring the safety of the entire gas station in situations where emergency communications/emergency calls are being made.

Figure 10 is a flowchart showing the external communication reception process in a mobile communication terminal device operating as an SSC terminal.

As shown in the figure, when the mobile communication terminal device 70 is operating as an SSC terminal and an external communication call, including a phone call, is received by the mobile communication terminal device 70, the management device terminal function unit, for example, automatically answers and places the call or email on hold (S710), and ends the external communication receiving process.

As a result, even if the mobile communication terminal device 70 is being used as an operating terminal for the refueling work management device 60 and cannot perform any other functions other than those of a management device terminal, including making calls, incoming calls are automatically processed, so that these external communications can be confirmed when the mobile communication terminal device 70 is not in an operating state as an operating terminal for the refueling work management device 60.

The refueling system of this embodiment is configured as described above, but the specific configuration is not limited to that described above as long as the mobile communication terminal device 70 is used as an operation terminal for the refueling work management device 60.

For example, in the refueling system of the embodiment, confirmation of whether the mobile communication terminal device 70 used as the operation terminal is located within a predetermined location information range (confirmation of the location status of the mobile communication terminal device 70) is configured to be performed by the mobile communication terminal device 70 and the refueling work management device 60 in cooperation with each other, but it can also be configured to be performed by either the mobile communication terminal device 70 or the refueling work management device 60 alone. Accordingly, in this case, the method of session connection and communication content between the mobile communication terminal device 70 and the refueling work management device 60 will also change. In addition, the communication method (network communication, D2D communication) between the mobile communication terminal device 70 and the refueling work management device 60 in the refueling station system will also change. In addition, the determination of whether the mobile communication terminal 70 is located within a predetermined location information range is not limited to a direct comparison of location information. For example, the mobile communication terminal 70 may make a determination based on the radio wave intensity received from the refueling work management device 60. For example, if the radio wave strength is lower than a predetermined set value, the function as a management device terminal may be stopped, and if it is higher than the set value, other functions, including telephone calls, other than those of the management device terminal may be stopped.

In addition, in the fuel supply system of the embodiment, when the management device terminal function unit is configured in the mobile communication terminal device 70, the location status of the mobile communication terminal device 70 is not checked, but the location status of the mobile communication terminal device 70 may be checked in this case as well. For example, if the management device terminal function unit can be configured in the mobile communication terminal device 70 only within a gas station, the user of the mobile communication terminal device 70 can be confirmed in person, improving crime prevention.

1 refueling system,
3. Gas station office,
6. SS-LAN
7. Image data dedicated signal line,
10 tanker,
11 tanker housing,
12 hose,
13 refueling nozzle,
14 Nozzle hook,
15 display device,
16 setting device,
17 fuel payment device,
18 slip issuing device,
20. Change machine,
30 Gas station management device,
40 Gas station POS terminals,
50 monitoring device,
51 Surveillance cameras,
52 monitor device,
53 monitor display,
60 Refueling operation management device,
68 wireless communication unit,
70 Mobile communication terminal equipment,
71 Home screen,
72 operating switch,
75 SSC terminal screen,
76 Permission waiting notification unit,
77 Point selection section,
78 Emergency stop operation section,
79 permission instruction unit,
E Refueling operation area (fuel supply operation point).

Claims (5)

A fuel supply device that supplies fuel to a supply target;
a management device that permits fuel supply by the fuel supply device;
A portable mobile communication terminal device,
the mobile communication terminal device has a first function as an operation terminal of the management device and a second function other than the first function;
When the mobile communication terminal device operates as the first function, the mobile communication terminal device cooperates with the management device to permit fuel supply by the fuel supply device;
The management device includes a determination means for determining whether the mobile communication terminal device is located within a predetermined range, and a terminal device operation control means for disabling execution of the second function of the mobile communication terminal device and enabling the first function when the determination means determines that the mobile communication terminal device is located within the predetermined range.
A fuel supply system comprising: 2. The fuel supply system according to claim 1, wherein the terminal device operation control means enables the mobile communication terminal device to execute the second function when the determination means determines that the mobile communication terminal device is not located within the specified range. The determination means further determines whether the mobile communication terminal device is located in a fuel supply station where the fuel supply device is installed or at a fuel supply point in the fuel supply station;
3. The fuel supply system according to claim 1, wherein the terminal device operation control means disables execution of the second function of the mobile communication terminal device when the determination means determines that the mobile communication terminal device is not located within the fuel supply station or the fuel supply point. The terminal device operation control means
3. The fuel supply system according to claim 1, further comprising: a fuel supply device that supplies fuel to a fuel supplying device via a fuel supplying unit; a fuel supplying unit that supplies fuel to a fuel supplying device via a fuel supplying unit; the second function of the mobile communication terminal device includes a notification function of transmitting an emergency stop instruction for fuel supply at all fuel supply points of the fuel supply device to the management device,
A fuel supply system as described in any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the terminal equipment operation control means enables emergency communication to an external communication equipment when the emergency stop instruction is sent by the notification function, even if execution of the second function of the mobile communication terminal equipment is disabled.

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