Patent ID: 7624042
Filing Date: 2009-11-24
Classification: B67D,G06Q,G07F,G07G

Abstract:
1. A fuel dispenser, comprising: a dispenser manager for controlling electronic functions of the fuel dispenser; a display coupled to the dispenser manager; a user interface coupled to the dispenser manager; a dispenser computer controlling sale and pump control functions coupled to the dispenser manager; the fuel dispenser operable to allow a credit-card transaction for payment of a fuel-dispensing request while the fuel dispenser is in communication with external transaction-card processing equipment; and a point-of-sale module within the fuel dispenser, the point-of sale module associated with the dispenser manager and operable to authorize, using locally stored rules for authorization of credit cards, a credit-card transaction for payment of a fuel-dispensing request during at least a portion of a period of time of loss of communication with external transaction-card processing equipment and transmit, to the external transaction-card processing equipment, information associated with the authorized credit-card transaction after reconnection of the fuel dispenser with the external transaction-card processing equipment, wherein the point-of-sale module remains in an idle state when the fuel dispenser has a connection to an external point-of-sale link and becomes active responsive to disconnection of the external point-of-sale link.