Outdoor payment terminals

Various exemplary outdoor payment terminals and methods of using outdoor payment terminals are provided. In general, data signals can be transmitted between a payment terminal configured to receive payment information from a customer and a point of sale (POS) configured to authorize the customer's payment and provide various commands, e.g., instructions, to the payment terminal. A payment terminal can include a translator configured to translate commands transmitted from the POS to the payment terminal so the payment terminal carries out the type of command requested by the POS but executes in a way that accounts for payment terminal functionality unknown to the POS.

FIELD

The present disclosure relates generally to outdoor payment terminals and methods of using outdoor payment terminals.

BACKGROUND

Various product dispensers exist that can dispense products. For example, the retail petroleum industry utilizes various types of fuel dispensers for dispensing fuel to customers. Some form of a remote dispenser controller is traditionally used for controlling the actual dispensing of fuel by the fuel dispensers. The dispenser controller is often at the same site as the fuel dispensers and coupled to a store interface unit so that a site attendant can monitor and control particular fuel dispensers from a building at the site (e.g., a gas station or other store). The dispenser controller sends data signals to the fuel dispensers providing various information and commands thereto. The information traditionally includes price, preset amounts of fuel to dispense, and authorization to dispense fuel. The fuel dispensers likewise send data signals to the dispenser controller, traditionally including pump number, pump status, dispensed fuel volume, and sale value.

For fuel dispensers which allow local payment, some other form of point of sale (POS) system is traditionally used to control the payment functionality of the fuel dispenser. The POS system is often on the same site as the fuel dispensers and sends data signals to the dispensers providing various information and commands thereto. The information traditionally includes user prompting controls, graphics, and media for display on the dispenser's display screen. The fuel dispensers likewise send data signals to the POS system, traditionally including pump number, prompt status, transaction data, and sale value. However, fuel dispensers and other product dispensers that are controlled by a POS system are typically more technologically advanced than the POS system since they are being developed faster than POS systems and since fuel dispensers and other product dispensers are typically added to existing sites with an existing POS system. The POS system may thus be unable to transmit complete instructions to the fuel dispensers and other product dispensers because the POS does not recognize all the functionality of the fuel dispensers and other product dispensers. It is typically expensive to upgrade or replace POS systems, so some functionality of the fuel dispensers and other product dispensers cannot be properly utilized. Additionally, the instructions received at the fuel dispensers and other product dispensers from the POS do not take into account the functionality of the fuel dispensers and other product dispensers that the POS does not recognize. The fuel dispensers and other product dispensers may therefore not be able to utilize this functionality because the POS instructions take priority.

For example, a POS system typically does not support media for display, such as advertisements, local news, etc., whereas fuel dispensers and other product dispensers often can display media. A POS instruction regarding a payment prompt for display at the dispenser will thus not take into account media being displayed by the dispenser such that the media will not be displayed at all or will display improperly because payment-related POS instructions for display at the dispenser have priority over other display functions of the dispenser. Thus, media will not be displayed at the dispenser at least at certain times due to the POS's limitations.

Similar issues exist with terminals that do not dispense products but that do communicate with a POS system and do accept payment for products dispensed elsewhere and/or for services. Examples of such terminals include parking terminals that accept payment for parking space(s), terminals that accept payment for pharmacy items, and terminals that accept payment for groceries to be delivered.

Accordingly, there remains a need for improved payment terminals.

SUMMARY

In general, outdoor payment terminals and methods of using outdoor payment terminals are provided. In particular, methods and devices for performing, via a mobile device, payment transactions for products dispensable from the product dispenser, are provided.

In one aspect, a payment system is provided that in one embodiment includes a payment terminal including a controller, a communication unit, and a payment reader configured to receive payment information from a customer. The system also includes a non-transient machine-readable medium storing instructions which, when executed by the controller, configure the payment terminal to perform operations including providing a prompt, using the controller, to the customer for a transaction purchasing at least one of a product and a service. The instructions, which, when executed by the controller, also configure the payment terminal to perform operations including receiving a response, at the payment terminal, to the prompt, transmitting, over a network using the communication unit, data indicative of the response from the payment terminal to a point of sale located outside of the payment terminal and, in response, receive, over the network, a command from the point of sale. The command instructs the payment terminal to provide information to the customer via the payment terminal, and the command identifies the information to be provided. The instructions, which, when executed by the controller, also configure the payment terminal to perform operations including, in response to receiving the command, providing information to the customer via the payment terminal in a form different than the information identified in the command.

The payment system can vary in any number of ways. For example, the instructions which, when executed by the controller, can also configure the payment terminal to perform operations including, in response to receiving the instructions, identifying one or more additional commands pre-programmed at the payment terminal that correspond to the commands, and providing the information according to the identified one or more instructions. For another example, the instructions which, when executed by the controller, can also configure the payment terminal to perform operations including receiving a second response to the information provided to the customer, translating the second response into a form recognized by the point of sale, and transmitting, over the network using the communication unit, data indicative of the translation from the payment terminal to the point of sale. For yet another example, the command can instruct the payment terminal to provide a receipt for the purchase, and providing the information to the customer can include the payment terminal providing the receipt in a form unsupported by the point of sale. For still another example, the command can instruct the payment terminal to prompt the customer for purchase of an additional product or service known by the point of sale to be available for purchase, and providing the information to the customer can include the payment terminal prompting the customer to purchase an additional product or service not known by the point of sale to be available for purchase. For another example, the command can instruct the payment terminal to display media identified in the command on a display of the payment terminal, the payment terminal can include a memory having stored therein media that is not supported by the point of sale, and providing the information to the customer can include the payment terminal causing the display to display the media that is not supported by the point of sale. For still another example, the payment terminal can include a fuel dispenser. For yet another example, the payment terminal can include one of a terminal configured to accept payment for a parking space, a terminal configured to accept payment for a pharmacy item, and a terminal configured to accept payment for groceries to be delivered.

For another example, the payment system can include the point of sale configured to communicate with the remotely located payment authorization system to authorize payment for the purchase. In at least some embodiments, the point of sale can be located inside a store, and the payment terminal can be located outside of the store.

In another embodiment, a payment system includes a payment terminal including a payment reader, a communication unit, and a controller. The system also includes a non-transient machine-readable medium storing instructions which, when executed by the controller, configure the payment terminal to perform operations including receiving payment information, via the payment reader, from a customer for payment of at least one of a product and a service. The instructions which, when executed by the controller, also configure the payment terminal to perform operations including transmitting, over a network using the communication unit, the payment information to a point of sale and, in response, receive data from the point of sale, over a network, indicating that the payment is authorized and receive a command from the point of sale for completing a purchase of a plurality of predetermined items. The point of sale is configured to communicate with a remotely located payment authorization system to authorize payment for the purchase. The payment terminal is also configured to, in response to receiving the data and the command, cause, using the controller, the command to be executed and cause, using the controller, an additional command to be executed at the payment terminal. The additional command is unsupported by the point of sale.

The payment system can have any number of variations. For example, the command can instruct the payment terminal to provide a receipt for the purchase, and the additional command can instruct the payment terminal to provide the receipt in a form unsupported by the point of sale. For another example, the command can instruct the payment terminal to prompt the customer for purchase of an additional product or service known by the point of sale to be available for purchase, and the additional command can instruct the payment terminal to prompt the customer to purchase an additional product or service not known by the point of sale to be available for purchase. For yet another example, the command can instruct the payment terminal to display media identified in the command on a display of the payment terminal, the payment terminal can include a memory having stored therein media that is not supported by the point of sale, and the additional command can instruct the payment terminal to cause the display to display the media that is not supported by the point of sale. For still another example, the payment terminal can include a memory installed therein, the memory can have stored therein the point of sale module, and the point of sale module can be configured to be programmed after the memory has been installed in the payment terminal to allow for selective updating of the point of sale module after the memory installation. For another example, the payment terminal can include a fuel dispenser. For yet another example, the payment terminal can include one of a terminal configured to accept payment for a parking space, a terminal configured to accept payment for a pharmacy item, and a terminal configured to accept payment for groceries to be delivered.

For another example, the payment system can include the point of sale configured to communicate with the remotely located payment authorization system to authorize payment for the purchase of the plurality of predetermined items. In at least some embodiments, the point of sale can be located inside a store, and the payment terminal can be located outside of the store.

In another aspect, a payment method is provided that in one embodiment includes providing a prompt, at a payment terminal, to a customer for a transaction purchasing at least one of a product and a service. The method also includes receiving a response, at the payment terminal, to the prompt, transmitting, over a network using a communication unit of the payment terminal, data indicative of the response from the payment terminal to a point of sale located outside of the payment terminal and, in response, receiving, over the network, at the payment terminal a command from the point of sale. The command instructs the payment terminal to provide information to the customer via the payment terminal. The command identifies the information to be provided. The method also includes, in response to receiving the command, providing information to the customer via the payment terminal in a form different than the information identified in the command.

The method can vary in any number of ways. For example, the method can include, in response to receiving the command, identifying a command pre-programmed at the payment terminal that correspond to the command, and providing the information according to the identified command. For another example, the method can include receiving a second response, at the payment terminal, to the information provided to the customer, translating, at the payment terminal, the second response into a form recognized by the point of sale, and transmitting, over the network using the communication unit, data indicative of the translation from the payment terminal to the point of sale. For yet another example, the command can instruct the payment terminal to provide a receipt for the purchase, and providing the information to the customer via the payment terminal can include the payment terminal providing the receipt in a form unsupported by the point of sale. For another example, the command can instruct the payment terminal to prompt to the customer for purchase of an additional product or service known by the point of sale to be available for purchase, and providing the information to the customer via the payment terminal can include the payment terminal prompting the customer to purchase an additional product or service not known by the point of sale to be available for purchase. For yet another example, the command can instruct the payment terminal to display media identified in the command on a display of the payment terminal, the payment terminal can include a memory having stored therein media that is not supported by the point of sale, and providing the information to the customer via the payment terminal can include the payment terminal causing the display to display the media that is not supported by the point of sale. For still another example, the point of sale can be located inside a store, and the payment terminal can be located outside of the store. For another example, the payment terminal can include a fuel dispenser. For yet another example, the payment terminal can include one of a terminal configured to accept payment for a parking space, a terminal configured to accept payment for a pharmacy item, and a terminal configured to accept payment for groceries to be delivered.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Further, in the present disclosure, like-named components of the embodiments generally have similar features, and thus within a particular embodiment each feature of each like-named component is not necessarily fully elaborated upon. Additionally, to the extent that linear or circular dimensions are used in the description of the disclosed systems, devices, and methods, such dimensions are not intended to limit the types of shapes that can be used in conjunction with such systems, devices, and methods. A person skilled in the art will recognize that an equivalent to such linear and circular dimensions can easily be determined for any geometric shape.

Various exemplary outdoor payment terminals and methods of using outdoor payment terminals are provided. In general, data signals can be transmitted between a payment terminal configured to receive payment information from a customer and a point of sale (POS) configured to authorize the customer's payment and provide various commands, e.g., instructions, to the payment terminal. However, when the payment terminal is replaced with a newer payment terminal or when components of the payment terminal are replaced or upgraded, the new or upgraded payment terminal may have capabilities or functionality beyond that of the POS. As a result, the POS cannot command the payment terminal to utilize to utilize the new or upgraded functionality. In order to overcome this issue, a payment terminal can thus include a translator configured to translate commands transmitted from the POS to the payment terminal. This allows the payment terminal to carry out the type of commands requested by the POS, but to execute commands in a way that accounts for payment terminal functionality unknown to the POS. Accordingly, the translator allows the payment terminal's full functionality to be utilized despite certain function(s) of the payment terminal being unknown to the POS. The translator can also be configured to translate data to be transmitted from the payment terminal to the POS in reply to commands received from the POS, thus allowing the POS to interpret data from the payment terminal.

In certain embodiments, the translator can be pre-programmed with a standard flow of a transaction that the POS typically instructs the payment terminal to execute in order to process a customer payment. The translator can also be pre-programmed with one or more commands corresponding to at least some of the commands the POS may transmit to the payment terminal in the transaction flow. The pre-programmed one or more commands can each be related to functionality of the payment terminal that is unknown to the POS. In response to receiving a command from the POS in the transaction flow, the payment terminal can be configured to determine which of the pre-programmed one or more commands correspond to the received command and, if any, execute the pre-programmed one or more commands. The payment terminal can thus utilize functionality that is unknown to the POS based on commands transmitted from the POS to the payment terminal.

In an exemplary embodiment, the payment terminal is located outdoors and is configured to communicate with a point of sale (POS) that is located indoors. For example, the POS can be located inside of a store, and the payment terminal can be located outside of the store at the site of the store, e.g., in the store's parking lot, as a kiosk next to the store's front door, etc. POSs are typically located indoors for security reasons. Payment terminals may be located outdoors for any of a variety of reasons, such as because the good(s)/service(s) being paid for are dispensed outdoors by the payment terminal for safety, convenience, or other reasons, because it allows for good(s)/service(s) to be purchased from a merchant when the merchant's store in which the POS is located is closed, etc.

The payment terminal can have a variety of forms. In an exemplary embodiment, the payment terminal includes one of a fuel dispenser configured to accept payment for fuel to be dispensed via the fuel dispenser, and a terminal configured to accept payment for goods and services. Examples of goods and services include a parking space, a pharmacy item, and groceries to be delivered.

For example, in the context of a payment terminal including a fuel dispenser, the fuel dispenser can be configured to provide media to a customer that is unsupported by the POS, such as by the media being in a format unsupported by the POS (e.g., the POS not supporting real time media such as current weather forecasts or current traffic conditions, the POS supporting media in the form of still images but not in the form of video, etc.), or by the POS believing that the fuel dispenser cannot display media in addition to displaying fuel purchase information (e.g., a prompt for a customer to input a personal identification number (PIN) via the fuel dispenser's keypad, an indication that fuel payment has been authorized and that the customer may begin dispensing fuel from the fuel dispenser, etc.) when the fuel dispenser actually is configured to display media in addition to fuel purchase information (e.g., because the fuel dispenser has multiple displays, the fuel dispenser is configured to provide media in one format such as audio and the fuel purchase information in another format such as visual, etc.). The fuel dispenser's translator can be configured to translate a command to provide media received from the POS into a command that allows the fuel dispenser to provide media of the type requested by the POS, e.g., to offer additional good(s) and/or service(s) to the customer for purchase, to display advertisement(s) to the customer during fuel dispensing, etc., in a format unsupported by the POS. Other types of payment terminals can be similarly configured to provide media to a customer that is unsupported by the POS.

For another example in the context of a payment terminal including a fuel dispenser, the fuel dispenser can be configured to prompt a customer with an offer to purchases good(s) and/or service(s) that are not known to the POS, e.g., good(s) and/or service(s) unavailable at the time the POS was programmed and/or installed at the site, e.g., because the site did not yet offer those good(s) and/or service(s) onsite, because the good(s) and/or service(s) are available from a third party vendor that did not yet have a business relationship with the site's merchant, etc. The fuel dispenser's translator can be configured to translate a command to prompt the customer with a purchase offer received from the POS into a command that allows the fuel dispenser to provide an offer to purchase good(s) and/or service(s) unknown to the POS. One example of a service unknown to the POS is a car wash available at the fueling station site, e.g., because an automated car wash machine was installed at the fueling station site at some point after the fueling station opened with the POS onsite, or for other reasons. The fuel dispenser's translator can allow the fuel dispenser to prompt the customer to purchase a car wash at a discounted price due to the customer's authorized fuel purchase. Other types of payment terminals can be similarly configured to prompt a customer with an offer to purchases good(s) and/or service(s) that are not known to the POS.

For yet another example in the context of a payment terminal including a fuel dispenser, the fuel dispenser can be configured to provide a receipt for payment in a form unsupported by the POS, such as by the POS being configured to prompt the fuel dispenser to provide a receipt in the form of a paper receipt and the fuel dispenser being configured to provide a receipt in multiple formats such as paper, email, text, etc. The fuel dispenser's translator can be configured to translate a command to provide a receipt received from the POS into a command that allows the fuel dispenser to provide a receipt in a format unsupported by the POS, e.g., to translate a command to print a paper receipt into a command to prompt the customer to select one of a plurality of different formats in which to receive the receipt, to translate a command to print a paper receipt into a command to email a receipt to the customer and display a message on the fuel dispenser's display indicating that the receipt has been emailed, etc. Other types of payment terminals can be similarly configured to provide a receipt for payment in a form unsupported by the POS.

FIG. 1illustrates one embodiment of a system10including a payment terminal12and a POS14configured to communicate with the payment terminal12. In this illustrated embodiment the payment terminal12is located outdoors, e.g., outdoors and outside of a store at a merchant site, and the POS14is located indoors, e.g., inside of the store at the merchant site. The system10also includes a third party payment authorization system16configured to communicate with the POS14to authorize customer payments, as will be appreciated by a person skilled in the art.

The payment terminal12and the POS14are configured to communicate over a network via a first communication link18, and the POS14and the payment authorization system16are configured to communicate over a network via a second communication link20. The first and second communication links18,20can be wired or wireless. Examples of wireless communication include Local-Area-Network (LAN), Wireless LAN (WLAN), Ethernet, Bluetooth, cellular, and the like. Examples of wired communication include a controller area network bus (CAN Bus) connection, an RS485 connection, a current loop connection, and the like. Each of the payment terminal12, POS14, and payment authorization system16includes a communication module22,24,26configured to facilitate electronic communication via its associated communication link(s)18,20and a controller28,30,32configured to control its associated communication module, e.g., to execute software instructions implementing the communication module. The communication modules22,24,26can each include one or more antennas to facilitate communication via its associated communication link(s)18,20.

The payment terminal12includes a translator34, an embedded POS module36, and a payment reader38. The payment reader38is configured to receive payment information from a customer. The payment terminal12is configured to use the received payment information in processing a transaction using the translator34and the POS module36. The payment reader38is configured to be accessible to a customer via an exterior of the payment terminal12to facilitate the customer's payment for good(s) and/or service(s). In at least some implementations the good(s) and/or service(s) are dispensable from the payment terminal12such that the customer receives instant delivery of the paid-for good(s) and/or service(s), e.g., fuel from the payment terminal12as a fuel dispenser, air from the payment terminal12as a compressed air dispenser, parking space reserved via the payment terminal12as a parking terminal, etc. The good(s) and/or service(s) can be received at a later time, however, such as groceries delivered to the customer's residence after payment at the payment terminal12, pharmacy products delivered to the customer's residence after payment at the payment terminal12, etc.

The payment reader38can have a variety of configurations, as will be appreciated by a person skilled in the art. One example of the payment reader38is a card reader configured to interface with a customer's card, e.g., credit card, debit card, etc. Another example of the payment reader38is a mobile payment gateway configured to interface with a customer's mobile terminal such as a mobile phone. The payment reader38can, in at least some embodiments, include multiple types of customer payment interfaces, e.g., both a card reader and a mobile payment gateway. In other embodiments, the payment reader38can include only one type of customer payment interface. The payment reader38including only a mobile payment gateway may allow for avoidance of any change in card reader standards, such as a change to the EMV technical standard, which may be a very costly change and/or may become outdated quickly as technology and consumer preferences change. The controller28is configured to control operation of the payment reader38in this illustrated embodiment, as will be appreciated by a person skilled in the art.

The translator34is a second controller of the payment terminal12in this illustrated embodiment, although in other implementations the translator34can be incorporated into the controller28. The translator34being a second controller may facilitate upgrading of existing payment terminals by allowing addition of the translator34thereto and/or may facilitate replacing the translator34without having to replace the more expensive controller28.

In general, the translator34is configured to translate a command received from the POS14to allow the payment terminal12to utilize functionality of the payment terminal12that is unknown to the POS14, and thus that the POS14is not able to instruct the payment terminal12to use. In response to a command being received by the payment terminal12from the POS14via the first communication link18in the flow of a transaction involving payment for good(s)/service(s), the translator34is configured to perform the translation. The POS module36is configured to be accessed by the translator34to facilitate the translator's translation. The POS module36has stored therein, as pre-programmed information, merchant specific transaction flow data40, regional branding data42, and corporate branding data44. The translator34is also configured to translate data to be transmitted to the POS14in response to the POS's command.

The translation performed by the translator34can include translating and expanding a single element of data or command to multiple elements of data or commands (a 1 to N operation). In other implementations, the reverse can occur where the translator34receives a number of commands or data inputs and translates and combines them to a single data element or command (an N to 1 operation). The translation can be performed by a central processing unit (CPU) that can be embedded in a translator board that is part of the translator34. In other implementations, the translator34can be in a computer chip that can be installed in a circuit board. The translator34can have translation software to facilitate the translation. In some implementations, the translator software can be installed, for example, during the production process, when the translator34is installed on the payment terminal12, as part of an update, or the like.

When a command is received by the payment terminal12from the POS14in the flow of a transaction involving payment for good(s)/service(s), the translator34is configured to access the POS module36to determine if one or more other commands should be executed instead of or in addition to the received command. The merchant specific transaction flow data40includes possible commands that the POS14may transmit to the payment terminal12in the flow of the transaction involving payment for good(s)/service(s) and, for each of the possible commands, one or more other commands that should be executed in addition to or instead of the received command. The merchant specific transaction flow data40is specific to the merchant providing the good(s)/service(s) since different merchants can have different transaction flows due to, e.g., different kinds of POSs, different advertising strategies of different merchants, different customer loyalty programs for different merchants, etc. In other implementations, the transaction flow data40need not be merchant specific, which may reduce cost of the POS module36since it need not be customized for a particular merchant but can instead be implemented with default, merchant-neutral programming.

The merchant specific transaction flow data40includes a conversion table, e.g., a lookup table, database, or other conversion data, that provides the basis for the translation by correlating each of the possible commands in the flow either with no other commands, such that the received command is executed as provided by the POS14, or with one or more other commands, such that the one or more other commands are additionally or alternatively executed as provided in the conversion table. The conversion table is stored in a dedicated memory, or the like, of the translator34or stored on another dedicated memory, or the like, elsewhere on the payment terminal12. The conversion table is configured to be read by the translator34to identify the one or more other commands, if any, to be executed.

The merchant specific transaction flow data40can be captured manually based on current transaction flow being driven from the POS14. The manual capture can be performed by, e.g., marking pages of the transaction during a set of test transactions to identify the transaction flow. Once the flow is identified the flow's sequence of events, e.g., sequence of commands, can be stored in the conversion table. This default flow can be modified to be merchant specific by editing the sequence of events based on the particular merchant's preferred flow. For example, a merchant may desire for the flow to be modified based on good(s) and/or service(s) offered by the merchant at the site of the payment terminal12. For example, in the instance of the payment terminal12including a fuel dispenser, the merchant may offer multiple car wash tiers available for redemption at a car wash at the same site as the payment terminal12. The flow may thus be modified for the payment terminal12to cause a customer prompt to be provided via the payment terminal12after the customer has input payment information for fuel asking if the customer would like to add on any of the car wash tiers to the customer's fuel purchase, e.g., to add a command for car wash tier prompting in response to receiving a command from the POS14to prompt for fuel payment information from the customer. Further, another command may be added for the payment terminal12to provide a particular advertisement related to the car wash when providing the car wash tiers prompt.

The command received from the POS14can in some instances be affected by region, e.g., affected by a region in which the payment terminal12is geographically located, and/or affected by corporate affiliation, e.g., affected by the particular merchant providing the payment terminal12. For example, a command from the POS14instructing the payment terminal12to provide media during the payment transaction can be affected by region, such as when the media is entertainment in which case playing a local radio station via the payment terminal12may be preferable to playing national radio programming, or when the media is an advertisement in which case an advertisement for a good or service available for purchase on site or at a nearby establishment may be preferable to another good or service to help encourage the purchase. A command to provide media can be similarly affected by corporate affiliation, e.g., providing an advertisement for a good or service offered by the same merchant the customer is currently attempting to purchase from via the payment terminal12. For another example, a command from the POS14instructing the payment terminal12to provide a receipt for an authorized payment may be affected by corporate affiliation, such as if the receipt is to include a logo of the merchant, in which case the current logo design should be used.

The conversion table identifies commands affected by region and/or corporate affiliation, thereby prompting the translator34to access the regional branding data42for commands identified as being affected by region and to access the corporate branding data44for commands identified as being affected by corporate affiliation. The translator34can thus execute the type of command provided by the POS14by instead executing the one or more other commands identified in the conversion table that include regional branding and/or corporate branding. For example, a POS command to display an advertisement on the payment terminal12while the POS14is communicating with the payment authorization system16to authorize payment information received via the payment reader38can be executed by the payment terminal12to display a regionally branded advertisement that is unknown to the POS14. For another example, a POS command to provide a receipt for payment can be executed by the payment terminal12to include thereon the merchant's corporate logo as identified in the corporate branding data44despite the logo being unknown to the POS14. The regional branding data42and the corporate branding data44can each be configured to be updated on demand, either locally or remotely, to help ensure that the data42,44is up to date.

A command from the POS14to the payment terminal12can be, for example, a hex code or strings, octets, binary code, analog electrical pulses, or the like that can be interpreted by the payment terminal's controller28as a command and set to the translator34for further processing. In at least some implementations, the translator34can have a single format, or otherwise limited number of formats, that it is able to translate. Accordingly, there can be multiple translators34at the payment terminal12that can be concurrently installed to each handle different types of translation. The conversion table can store commands according to vendor, model, or the like. A single conversion table can include commands in different formats, or multiple conversion tables can be provided each dedicated to a certain format.

In at least some instances, the POS14expects a reply from the payment terminal12in response to a command transmitted by the POS14, e.g., a reply indicating that the command has been executed so the POS14can provide the next instruction in the transaction flow. If the payment terminal12executes the command received from the POS14without translation, the payment terminal12can transmit a reply to the POS14according to usual procedures. If the payment terminal12executes the command received from the POS14with translation such that one or more other commands are executed instead of or in addition to the received command, the translator34can format the reply to be in a form expected by the POS14, e.g., in a form that does not reflect the executed one or more other commands that are unknown and unable to be understood by the POS14. The transaction flow may this proceed smoothly.

To facilitate N to 1 translation, the translator34includes a buffer for an array to store incoming commands received from the POS14by the payment terminal12until the required number of commands is received for combination into the single command. For example, when the translator34receives a partial command, the conversion table can identify this as a partial command. The translator34is configured to wait until other partial commands have been received which together can be combined into a single command. That single command can then be translated by the translator34with identified command(s) then being executed.

A command from the POS14to the payment terminal12may be in a format incompatible with the payment terminal12. For example, the command may be only for certain model(s) of payment terminals of which the payment terminal12is not one, e.g., because the payment terminal12is made by a different manufacturer than manufacturers recognized by the POS14. In such a case, the translator34can be configured to translate the command from the format as transmitted to a second format compatible with the payment terminal12. The translator34can be similarly configured to translate commands from the second format to the format compatible with the POS14so the payment terminal12can transmit commands to the POS14that the POS can understand and process. Embodiments of translating data between formats are described in U.S. Pat. Pub. 2018/0009652 entitled “Fuel Dispenser Communication” filed Jul. 11, 2016, which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety.

FIG. 2illustrates one embodiment of a payment terminal in the form of a fuel dispenser102.FIG. 3illustrates a system100including a plurality of the fuel dispensers102at a fueling site, e.g., a fueling station or the like. A store101including a POS103is also located at the fueling site, with the POS103being configured to communicate with each of the fuel dispensers102via a first communication link105and with a third party payment authorization system107via a second communication link109. As will be appreciated by a person skilled in the art, the system100can include a forecourt controller (not shown) disposed along the first communication link105between the dispensers102and the POS103. Exemplary forecourt controllers are described in, for example, U.S. Pat. Pub. No. 2014/0100692 entitled “System And Method To Process Transactions At Retail Fueling Stations Using A Mobile Device” filed Mar. 29, 2013, and U.S. Pat. No. 6,360,138 entitled “Pump And Customer Access Terminal Interface Computer Converter To Convert Traditional Pump And Customer Access Terminal Protocols To High Speed Ethernet Protocols” filed Apr. 6, 2000, which are hereby incorporated by reference in their entireties.

As shown inFIGS. 2 and 4, the fuel dispenser102includes an electronics compartment104and a pump compartment106. The electronics compartment104has therein electronics for facilitating payment for fuel and for facilitating the dispensing of the fuel. The electronics include, for example, a fuel controller111configured to control dispensing of the fuel from the pump compartment, a communication unit113configured to electronically communicate wired and/or wirelessly over a network, a display108configured to show information (e.g., media content, payment information, etc.) thereon, a memory115configured to store data therein, a payment reader116(including, e.g., a card reader, a keypad, a mobile phone Bluetooth communication unit, etc.) configured to receive customer payment data and process customer payment, and a translator118. Similar components can be located on the other side of the electronics compartment104that is obscured from view inFIG. 2. The fuel dispenser102can be configured for mobile payment instead of or in addition to payment through the payment terminal and hence need not include the payment terminal.

The pump compartment106has therein a pump120configured to pump fuel from a fuel tank or other reservoir and has therein a fuel meter122configured to monitor fuel flow. The pump compartment106can include other elements to facilitate fuel dispensing, such as valves, a vapor recovery system, etc., as will be appreciated by a person skilled in the art. The pump compartment106is isolated from the electronics compartment104within the fuel dispenser102to facilitate safety, security, and/or maintenance, as will also be appreciated by a person skilled in the art. Fuel is thus not allowed to flow from the pump compartment106to the electronics compartment104and instead flows from the pump compartment106through hoses110to nozzles112for dispensing. As will be appreciated by a person skilled in the art, the nozzles112are each configured to dispense fuel from the fuel dispenser102as pumped therefrom by the pump120.

The fuel dispenser102is configured to be connected to the fuel tank or other reservoir containing fuel. When filling up the tank of a motor vehicle, the fuel is pumped from the tank or reservoir by the pump120located in the pump compartment106and to a nozzle112via a fuel pipe (not shown) and a fuel hose110. When each fuel hose110is not in use, the fuel hose110hangs along the fuel dispenser102, and its associated nozzle112is seated in a nozzle boot114. The illustrated fuel dispenser102includes four hoses110and four nozzles112on one side of the dispenser102and four hoses110and four nozzles112on the other side of the dispenser102, but as will be appreciated by a person skilled in the art, the fuel dispenser102can include any number of hoses110and nozzles112. A person skilled in the art will also appreciate that the fuel dispenser102can have various other configurations.

FIG. 5illustrates one embodiment of a method200of using a payment terminal. The method200is described with respect to the system100ofFIG. 3and the fuel dispenser102ofFIGS. 2-4, but the method200can be similarly implemented in other systems and with other payment terminals described herein.

In the method200the POS103transmits202a command over the first communication link105to the fuel dispenser102in a flow of a transaction involving customer payment for good(s)/service(s) via the fuel dispenser102. A plurality of commands are transmitted from the POS103to the fuel dispenser102over the course of the transaction, but only one command transmission202is shown here for ease of explanation.

The fuel dispenser102receives204the command via the communication unit113. The translator118translates206the received command as described herein, e.g., uses a conversion table to determine whether to execute208the command as received or to instead or additionally execute208one or more other commands as identified in the conversion table. The fuel dispenser102, e.g., the controller111thereof, determines210whether a reply to the POS103is needed, a determination which is based on the nature of the transmitted command202, as will be appreciated by a person skilled in the art. For example, a command to provide a receipt via the fuel dispenser102may not require a reply to the POS103if no error is encountered providing the receipt, with the POS103assuming that the receipt is properly provided unless informed otherwise by the fuel dispenser102. For another example, a command to provide an advertisement on the display108may not require a reply because the POS103will assume that the advertisement is displayed. For yet another example, a command to prompt a customer to provide a PIN via the fuel dispenser's payment reader116may require a reply to the POS103, e.g., for the input PIN to be provided to the POS103.

If no reply is determined210to be needed, the fuel dispenser102awaits212further instruction from the POS103.

If a reply is determined210to be needed, the fuel dispenser102, e.g., the controller111thereof, determines214whether translation of the reply is needed. Translation is not needed if the command was executed208as received, in which case the controller111prepares and transmits216a reply to the POS103. The POS103processes218the reply and continues the transaction flow. Translation is needed if one or more other commands were executed, in which case the translator118translates218the reply into a form expected by the POS103, transmits216the translated reply for processing220by the POS, and then awaits212further instruction.