Abstract:
A fuel dispenser includes a delivery device for delivering fuel to a vehicle. A controller has a memory circuit storing a plurality of survey questions. The controller also has a processing circuit. A display is operated by the processing circuit and is constructed and arranged to display certain of the survey questions to a user of the fuel dispenser. An input, associated with the display, is constructed and arranged to permit the user to reply with answers to the survey questions displayed, with the memory circuit storing the user&#39;s answers.

Description:
FIELD 
       [0001]    The invention relates to fuel dispensers such as fuel pumps and, more particularly, to a fuel dispenser that incorporates a survey system that enables a user to view and answer marketing questions while at the dispenser. 
       BACKGROUND 
       [0002]    A driver filling up at a fuel dispensing station such as a gas station is usually waiting for several minutes as the gas tank fills, with the nozzle in the automatic fill mode. Many service stations have added monitors and looped tapes of different forms of entertainment to occupy/attract customers and provide some form of distraction during the wait. These videos may entertain and provide advertising, but they do not obtain any consumer survey data from the user. 
         [0003]    Some vendors provide a phone number or website link on the printed transaction receipt, requesting the user to take a survey. However, the user typically ignores the survey request due to the extra steps needed to take the survey. 
         [0004]    Thus, there is a need to provide a survey question and answer system directly at a fuel dispenser, enabling direct marketing to the user of the dispenser. 
       SUMMARY 
       [0005]    An objective of the invention is to fulfill the need referred to above. In accordance with the principles of the present invention, this objective is obtained by providing a fuel dispenser that includes a delivery device for delivering fuel to a vehicle. A controller has a memory circuit storing a plurality of survey questions. The controller also has a processing circuit. A display is operated by the processing circuit and is constructed and arranged to display certain of the survey questions to a user of the fuel dispenser. An input, associated with the display, is constructed and arranged to permit the user to reply with answers to the survey questions displayed, with the memory circuit storing the user&#39;s answers. 
         [0006]    In accordance with another aspect of an embodiment, a method provides a survey to a user. The method provides a request on a display requesting whether the user wants to conduct a survey. Based on an input provided by the user indicating that the user desires to conduct the survey, questions are provided on the display for the user to answer. Based on inputs provided by the user answering the questions, the user&#39;s answers are stored in a database. 
         [0007]    Other objects, features and characteristics of the present invention, as well as the methods of operation and the functions of the related elements of the structure, the combination of parts and economics of manufacture will become more apparent upon consideration of the following detailed description and appended claims with reference to the accompanying drawings, all of which form a part of this specification. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0008]    The invention will be better understood from the following detailed description of the preferred embodiments thereof, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawing, wherein like reference numerals refer to like parts, in which: 
           [0009]      FIG. 1  is a partial view of a fuel dispenser having a survey system provided in accordance with an embodiment. 
           [0010]      FIG. 2  is a schematic illustration of a survey system of the fuel dispenser of  FIG. 1 . 
           [0011]      FIG. 3  is a flow chart showing the steps of a process of an embodiment. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EXEMPLARY EMBODIMENTS 
       [0012]    With reference to  FIG. 1 , a fuel dispenser is shown, generally indicated at  10 , in accordance with an embodiment. The fuel dispenser  10  includes the conventional delivery device such a nozzle  12  coupled to a pump (not shown) for dispensing one of types or blends  14  of fuel. As used herein the term “fuel” can include gasoline, ethanol blended gasoline, diesel fuel, LPG, electrical charge, or any other energy source typically used by vehicles and needed to be obtained from a dispenser. For example, if the fuel dispenser  10  delivers electrical charge, instead of a nozzle, the delivery device can be in the form of an electrical connector that can deliver to a rapid re-charge. The dispenser  10  also includes the conventional credit card reader  16 , the keypad  18  for entering zip code or the like, the receipt printer  20 , and the primary display  22 , for displaying the price of the fuel and the number of gallons received. 
         [0013]    Consumer survey data is an extremely valuable commodity. Storefronts are constantly asking customers to take an “online” survey with the information given on the receipt. Not all customers take the survey and most simply ignore the information. Since the user of a fuel dispenser may be standing idle next to the dispenser while fuel is being delivered to the vehicle, the user becomes a prime candidate for direct marketing. Thus, in accordance with the embodiment, the dispenser  10  includes survey system, generally indicated at  24 , for providing questions and receiving answers from the user of the dispenser  10 . 
         [0014]    The survey system  24  includes a secondary display  26  that displays information to the user, such as survey questions. The system  24  can include at least one input such as buttons  28 , separate from and adjacent to the display  26 , permitting the user to respond to questions in a Yes or No manner, or for selecting from a list of answers in and A, B, C, D manner. Alternatively, with reference to  FIG. 2 , the display  26 ′ can be of the touch screen type that permits the user to engage a touch-activated portion of the display  26  (e.g. buttons  28 ′ on the display  26 ) to provide the answers or to select a touch-screen QWERTY keyboard  29  so as to enter answers to question in a more personal and complete way. 
         [0015]    The user is given an option upon the start of fill-up (inserting credit card) whether they would like to answer a few questions. The user can enter Yes or No. If No is entered, the display  26  can display video or other advertisement to the user. If Yes is entered, the survey system  24  can obtain user demographic data that is based on the user&#39;s credit card information. This data can be obtained from a controller  30 , such as a server, of the system  24 . The system  24  has a processor circuit  34  that causes questions, stored in memory circuit  32  of the server  30  and targeted for the user, to be shown on the display  26 . Since a user does not want to take too much time on the survey only 4-6 questions can be asked. Some of the questions can request basic demographic information such as age group, car information, etc. A user can always select a “choose not to answer” option. If a user declines to answer many direct demographic questions, the system  24  can “learn” and reduce the number of that type of question asked. The system  24  can still build-up data based on the answers to question, but the demographic data is then built-up into more general questions. 
         [0016]    As shown in  FIG. 2 , the server  30  includes the processor circuit  34  containing the appropriate algorithms for performing the survey process. Based on knowing the user from the credit card information, repeat customers can be sent new questions and surveys upon each visit to the same fueling station. The user inputted answers are stored in the memory circuit  32  of the server  30  for use by the vendor or other marketing firm. The server  30  of can be part of the fuel dispenser  10 , can be located at the fueling station, or can communicate with the system  24  remotely, for example, by an internet connection. 
         [0017]    To entice users to take the survey at the dispenser  10 , if the user conducts the survey, the user can obtain an instant reward, can receive additional reward points (with user&#39;s account tracked by the server  30 ) if the fueling station has a reward program, or a coupon can be dispensed from the printer  20  of fuel dispenser  10 . For example, the coupon can be for a free item at the fueling station, or for a discount off the next purchase at the fueling station. The user may obtain rewards based on the number of questions answered such that the more questions answered, the more rewards given. 
         [0018]      FIG. 3  shows the steps performed by the algorithm to enable functions of the survey system  24 . In step  36 , the credit card reader  16  reads the credit card information of the user and the controller  30  obtains user demographic information from the memory circuit  32 . In step  38 , the processor circuit  34  of the controller  30  causes the display  26  to show the greeting or request on the display  26 , asking the user if he or she wants to take a survey. The user provides an input in step  40  as to whether a survey is desired. If no survey is desired, the processor circuit  34  causes the display  26  to show an advertisement or video. If a survey is desired, in step  44 , the processor circuit  34  causes the display  26  to show questions (preferably one at a time) on the display  26 . Upon the user&#39;s input in reply to the question, in step  46 , the user&#39;s answers are stored in the memory circuit  32  or other database. In step  48 , the user may receive rewards for completing the survey. 
         [0019]    Thus the system  24  advantageously provides a way to obtain survey information by otherwise idle users at a fuel dispenser. 
         [0020]    The operations and algorithms described herein can be implemented as executable code within the controller  30  having processor circuit  34  as described, or stored on a standalone computer or machine readable non-transitory tangible storage medium that are completed based on execution of the code by a processor circuit implemented using one or more integrated circuits. Example implementations of the disclosed circuits include hardware logic that is implemented in a logic array such as a programmable logic array (PLA), a field programmable gate array (FPGA), or by mask programming of integrated circuits such as an application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC). Any of these circuits also can be implemented using a software-based executable resource that is executed by a corresponding internal processor circuit such as a microprocessor circuit and implemented using one or more integrated circuits, where execution of executable code stored in an internal memory circuit causes the integrated circuit(s) implementing the processor circuit to store application state variables in processor memory, creating an executable application resource (e.g., an application instance) that performs the operations of the circuit as described herein. Hence, use of the term “circuit” in this specification refers to both a hardware-based circuit implemented using one or more integrated circuits and that includes logic for performing the described operations, or a software-based circuit that includes a processor circuit (implemented using one or more integrated circuits), the processor circuit including a reserved portion of processor memory for storage of application state data and application variables that are modified by execution of the executable code by a processor circuit. The memory circuit  32  can be implemented, for example, using a non-volatile memory such as a programmable read only memory (PROM) or an EPROM, and/or a volatile memory such as a DRAM, etc. 
         [0021]    Although the system  24  has been described for use at a fueling dispenser, the system is applicable to any Point of Sale (POS) system, such as self check-out systems at stores, for example, grocery or drug stores. 
         [0022]    The foregoing preferred embodiments have been shown and described for the purposes of illustrating the structural and functional principles of the present invention, as well as illustrating the methods of employing the preferred embodiments and are subject to change without departing from such principles. Therefore, this invention includes all modifications encompassed within the spirit of the following claims.