Patent ID: 6370488
Filing Date: 2002-04-09
Classification: G01F,G06M,G06Q,G08C

Abstract:
A system for monitoring fluid distribution for heavy duty vehicles adapted to transport fluid, the system comprising:a handheld RF data communications terminal including a portable housing readily adapted to be positioned in the hand of a driver of a heavy duty vehicle, a first RF transceiver connected to said portable housing for transmitting and receiving RF data communications, a first processor mounted in said portable housing for processing data communications, a first user interface connected to said first processor and to an external surface of said portable housing for interfacing with a heavy duty vehicle driver, and a data collection device connected to said first-processor and to said portable housing for collecting data from customer fluid delivery locations; a vehicle data communications terminal positioned to be mounted to at least one heavy duty vehicle, the vehicle data communications terminal including a second RF transceiver for transmitting and receiving RF data communications, a second processor for processing data communications, and a second user interface for interfacing with a driver of a heavy duty vehicle; at least one fluid storage tank identifier positioned to be mounted to a fluid storage tank at a customer fluid delivery location to identify the fluid storage tank and adapted to be received by said data collection device of said at least one handheld RF data communications terminal; and a main office data monitoring and dispatching terminal at least portions of which are positioned in a main office to monitor and dispatch fuel distribution data to the at least one heavy duty vehicle, said main office terminal including a third RF transceiver for transmitting and receiving data communications to and from the vehicle data communication terminal, a third processor connected to said third RF transceiver for processing data communications, and a main office user monitoring and dispatching interface for monitoring fluid distribution data and for providing dispatching instructions from a main office user.