Patent Publication Number: US-2021191412-A1

Title: Methods and systems for autonomous vehicle refuelling

Description:
FIELD OF THE DISCLOSURE 
     The present disclosure relates to autonomous vehicles, and in particular relates to the refueling of autonomous vehicles. 
     BACKGROUND 
     Autonomous vehicles are likely to become widely used in coming years. Such autonomous vehicles may be used for many purposes, including autonomous deliveries, autonomous taxicabs, vehicle sharing infrastructures in which the vehicle relocates itself in between users, among other options. 
     Autonomous vehicles would be powered through one or more of a variety of sources. Options may include gasoline, diesel, or electric power, among others. It is foreseen that different autonomous vehicles would use different types of power for various reasons. For example, gas or diesel would allow further travel with today&#39;s technology and provides the needed power for hauling heavy loads. 
     However, if the autonomous vehicle has no passenger or other person associated with it, then refueling may be difficult. For example, in an autonomous delivery vehicle, a company would unlikely want to hire someone to periodically fill up the vehicle with gasoline, as this would create an added expense. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The present disclosure will be better understood with reference to the drawings, in which: 
         FIG. 1  is a block diagram showing an example system for scheduling a vehicle at a refueling station; 
         FIG. 2  is process diagram showing a process at a server for maintaining refueling station information; 
         FIG. 3  is a process diagram showing a process at an autonomous vehicle for scheduling an appointment at a refueling station using a central server; 
         FIG. 4  is a process diagram showing a process at a central server for providing information to an autonomous vehicle; 
         FIG. 5  is a process diagram showing a process at an autonomous vehicle for selecting a refueling station and scheduling an appointment; 
         FIG. 6  is a process diagram showing a process at a refueling station or server for a refueling station for responding to requests from vehicles; 
         FIG. 7  is a process diagram showing a process at an autonomous vehicle for signaling an attendant that the vehicle has arrived at a refueling station and needs refueling; 
         FIG. 8  is a block diagram showing a short-range communications system at a refueling station for alerting an attendant; 
         FIG. 9  is a block diagram showing near field communications readers and tags for securing a fueling port; 
         FIG. 10  is a block diagram showing near field communications readers and tags for providing payment for fueling; 
         FIG. 11  is a process diagram showing a process at a refueling station for providing payment for fueling; and 
         FIG. 12  is a block diagram showing an example computing device capable of being used in accordance with the systems and methods of the present disclosure. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     The present disclosure provides a method at an autonomous vehicle for signaling a refueling attendant, the method comprising: confirming that the autonomous vehicle is proximal to a refueling station; providing a signal to the refueling attendant; waiting for refueling to commence; and if, after a threshold period, refueling has not commenced, repeating the providing the signal. 
     The present disclosure further provides a computing device associated with an autonomous vehicle for signaling a refueling attendant, the computing device comprising: a processor; and a communications subsystem, wherein the computing device is configured to: confirm that the autonomous vehicle is proximal to a refueling station; provide a signal to the refueling attendant; wait for refueling to commence; and if, after a threshold period, refueling has not commenced, repeat the providing the signal. 
     The present disclosure further provides a computer readable medium for storing instruction code for signaling a refueling attendant, which when executed by a processor of a computing device associated with an autonomous vehicle cause the computing device to: confirm that the autonomous vehicle is proximal a refueling station; provide a signal to the refueling attendant; wait for refueling to commence; and if, after a threshold period, refueling has not commenced, repeat the providing the signal. 
     One issue for autonomous vehicle refueling relates to payment for the refueling. In accordance with one embodiment of the present disclosure, payment may be made using short range communications, such as near field communications (NFC). For example, an NFC payment reader may be integrated into a gas line nozzle and a payment card or chip may be included inside a gas door. In this case, when the gas nozzle is inserted far enough into the gas door, the reader and chip may make a connection and payment may be made upon verification of the credentials. Such system avoids a second, separate, system to make a connection for payment purposes. 
     A further issue for autonomous refueling involves the actual pumping of the fuel or the attachment of the fuel mechanism. In this case, an attendant needs to know when an autonomous vehicle is present and ready for refueling. This is especially true since most stations today are self-serve. 
     In order to accomplish refueling using an attendant, in accordance with one embodiment of the present disclosure, an autonomous vehicle may have a signaling mechanism such as a flashing light or audio feature in order to get an attendant&#39;s attention. In alternative embodiments, a wireless connection system may be provided in which a device inside an attendant station or associated with an attendant is signaled when a vehicle is ready to be refueled. Such signaling system can also schedule vehicles for refueling to avoid several vehicles arriving at the same time. 
     A further issue for autonomous vehicle refueling involves ensuring a vehicle is receiving the correct fuel from a correct vendor and making the payments to the correct vendor. For example, the owners of the autonomous vehicle do not want to be making payments to anyone that has purchased a gas nozzle and accepting payment for filling the vehicle of something other than the correct fuel. In order to avoid such situation, in one embodiment of the present disclosure, a short-range communication system, such as an NFC reader chip, may be used at the fueling door. In this case, when a communication connection is made, a vehicle may issue challenge and a response from the vendor may be received in order to verify the identity of the vendor. If the response is verified, a fueling door may be opened and payment may be made. Otherwise the fuel door is kept closed and payment is not made. 
     In one embodiment, the short-range communications system may reuse the payment system on a gas nozzle. Other embodiments may include a tap of a separate card or module before the fuel door is opened. 
     Reference is now made to  FIG. 1 , which shows an example architecture in accordance with the embodiments of the present disclosure. In particular, in the embodiment of  FIG. 1 , a vehicle  110  is an autonomous vehicle. As provided in more detail below, vehicle  110  includes a processor and a communications subsystem which allows it to communicate, for example through a access point or base station  120  with Internet  122 . In other embodiments, vehicle  110  may communicate with Internet  122  through any short or long range communications system, including satellite, cellular, Wi-Fi, NFC, among other options. 
     Vehicle  110  may be related to a server  130 . For example, if vehicle  110  is a delivery vehicle, server  130  may be a fleet management server which manages a fleet of such autonomous vehicles. 
     In accordance with the embodiments of the present disclosure, vehicle  110  realizes that it needs fuel. For example, if vehicle  110  is a gas or diesel powered vehicle, it may have sensors within the gas tank, and once a level of gas falls below a threshold, the vehicle  110  may start searching for gas stations at which to refuel. If vehicle  110  is conversely an electric vehicle, it may have monitors on the battery to determine when the battery level falls below a threshold level. 
     Once the threshold for refueling is reached, vehicle  110  may try to locate a gas station or other refueling station. For example, in the embodiment of  FIG. 1 , refueling stations  140  and  142  are shown in the vicinity of vehicle  110 . 
     In accordance with the embodiment of  FIG. 1 , refueling stations  140  and  142  may communicate over Internet  122  with various entities, including a server  150 . The communications between the refueling station  142  and Internet  122  may, for example, be through a wired connection such as Ethernet, or may be over a wireless connection. For example, refueling station  140  may communicate using a base station  144 . 
     Server  150  may be a server or combination of servers that provide functionality for the refueling of autonomous vehicles. In this case, if refueling stations  140  and  142  are capable of handling autonomous vehicles, they may register with server  150  and may further provide a server  150  with updates as to the status and availability for refueling at the station. 
     Similarly, vehicle  110  may register with server  150  and may request information with regard to refueling stations in its vicinity. 
     For example, reference is now made to  FIG. 2 . In the embodiment of  FIG. 2 , a server such as server  150  starts the process at block  210  and proceeds to block  212  in which information from one of a plurality of refueling stations is received. For example, refueling station  140  may signal to server  150  that it is capable of handling autonomous vehicles, that it is capable of handling autonomous vehicles for limited time periods, that it is currently servicing other vehicles and does not have a pump for an autonomous vehicle, details about the station such as where pumps are located and those best suited to autonomous vehicles, among other information. 
     The process may then proceed to block  214  in which the information about the station sending the message received at block  212  is updated. 
     The process then proceeds to block  220  and ends. 
     Therefore, in accordance with the embodiment of  FIG. 2 , a server such as server  150  may keep a record of a plurality of refueling stations and the capabilities of such refueling stations to handle autonomous vehicles. 
     Referring to  FIG. 3 , a vehicle such as vehicle  110  starts the process at block  310  and proceeds to block  312  in which a check at the vehicle is made to determine whether a threshold for refueling has been met. For example, if the gas tank on the vehicle is less than one quarter full or if the battery on the vehicle indicates less than 50 km remaining then the check at block  312  may be met. Otherwise, the process proceeds back to block  312  until the threshold is met. 
     In other examples the threshold may be combined with other criteria. For example, for an autonomous taxi, the threshold may be met only when the fuel level is below a value and there are no passengers. In this case the threshold fuel level may be set to a higher value to allow for passenger trips to be completed. 
     In other cases, multiple thresholds may exist. For example, when an autonomous taxi detects it is below ⅓ of a tank it may check and defer refueling if a passenger is present. However, if the fuel reading reaches ⅛ of a tank, refueling may be initiated, regardless of whether a passenger is present. 
     In other cases, refueling may occur, regardless of the amount of fuel currently in the vehicle, in preparation for a trip. For example, a taxi may be ⅞ full, but at the end of the day may refuel anyway to prepare for the next day. Similarly, an autonomous delivery vehicle may refuel between deliveries, regardless of fuel level. 
     Other examples and thresholds are possible, and the above examples are provided for illustration only. 
     Once the threshold is met, the process proceeds to block  314  in which the vehicle  110  requests refueling station information from server  150 . The request at block  314  may ask for either a single station or may ask for a variety of choices of stations within a geographic boundary area, for example. The request at block  314  may include the position of the vehicle  110 , along with identifiers. 
     Further, in some cases, the request at block  314  may include other supplemental information. For example, the vehicle  110  may belong to a fleet that has an agreement with a particular owner or brand of refueling stations and in this case, the request at block  314  may indicate a preference for specific brands of stations. In other cases, the request at block  314  may indicate a type of fuel desired, the grade of fuel desired, among other such information. 
     The vehicle  110  then receives information at block  320  about one or more stations that can service the vehicle. In some cases, the information may include supplementary information about the station, such as location of a particular pump that the vehicle should use. 
     Based on the information received at block  320 , the process proceeds to block  322  in which the vehicle may confirm an appointment for refueling with a station chosen from the received station information at block  320 . 
     The process then proceeds to block  330  and ends. 
     At the server side, a process is shown with regard to  FIG. 4 . In the process of  FIG. 4 , the process starts at block  410  and proceeds to block  412  in which a request from a vehicle is received. As indicated with regard to block  314 , the request may include information about the vehicle, the types of stations that the vehicle would like to use, the geographic area of the vehicle, the grade of fuel of the vehicle, how far the vehicle can travel with its remaining fuel, or other information. However, such examples are not limiting, and in other cases more or less information may be provided in the request received at block  412   
     From block  412  the process proceeds to block  420  in which the information about available stations is retrieved. This may be done, for example, utilizing a database search and using criteria received in the message at block  412 . 
     In some cases, if there are no stations within the vicinity of the vehicle matching all of the criteria of message  412 , stations that match a high percentage of the criteria may be returned. In other cases, certain types of criteria may be considered essential, such as a fuel type, while other criteria may be optional, such as a brand of fueling station. Based the provided criteria, results matching as closely as possible may be obtained. 
     From block  420  the process proceeds to block  430  in which the retrieved information is then sent back to the vehicle. Other information such as price of fuel, estimated wait time, or traffic conditions or hazards between the current location of the vehicle and the station, among other possible supplemental information, could be provided in the message of block  430 . 
     From block  430  the process proceeds to block  440  and ends. 
     Therefore, in accordance with processes of  FIGS. 2 to 4 , a central server  150  may keep a record of refueling stations, their geographic locations, their capabilities, their scheduling, among other information and may then match requests from vehicles  110  with the appropriate stations. The server may provide a list of one or more available stations back to a vehicle  110  upon request. In this case, if the vehicle receives more than one station it may make a selection based on various criteria including the geographic locations, the price of the fuel, the owner of the station, historical data on previous service, among other options. 
     Referring again to  FIG. 1 , instead of a central server providing information with regard to refueling stations, in some embodiments vehicle  110  may query stations directly or through the use of a fleet management server  130 . 
     Reference is now made to  FIG. 5 , which illustrates a process at a vehicle for locating and booking an appointment with a station. The process starts at block  510  and proceeds to block  512  in which a determination is made on whether or not the vehicle needs to refuel. For example, the refueling may be based on a threshold level of fuel or charge the vehicle has remaining. As with the check at block  312  of  FIG. 3 , other information such as passenger status, upcoming driving needed, time of day, among other information, could also be used in the check of block  512 . 
     If, at block  512 , it is determined that the threshold is not met, then the process may continue to loop back to block  512  until the threshold is met. 
     From block  512 , the process proceeds to block  520  in which a refueling station is located. The location of the station may be based on various criteria including the current location of the vehicle, as well as the location and availability of the refueling stations. For example, vehicle  110  may keep a database of refueling stations that serve autonomous vehicles and may then refer to this database to find a candidate station. In other embodiments, vehicle  110  may query server  130  for available stations in the geographic location to find a candidate station and may receive from server  130  such candidate stations. Other options for determining a candidate refueling station are possible. 
     From block  520 , once a candidate station has been located the process proceeds to block  522  in which a request is sent to the candidate station. Such request may include various information, including but not limited to an indication that the vehicle is an autonomous vehicle, the type of fuel required, and/or the time window for the refueling requested. 
     In response to the message sent at block  522 , the vehicle receives a response at block  524 . The response might contain information such as availability, whether the station has the correct type of fuel or charging station, the price of the fuel, or other such information. 
     A processor on a vehicle  110  may then analyze the response and at block  530  determine whether the candidate station is appropriate and whether it should therefore be used for refueling. For example, if the response received at block  524  indicates that the station is currently not available, that it does not have the appropriate fuel, that it cannot accommodate an autonomous vehicle for a certain time period, or that the price of fuel is higher than a threshold value, the process may proceed from block  530  back to block  520  in which a different candidate station may be located. 
     Conversely, if at block  530  it is determined that the station can meet the autonomous vehicle&#39;s needs, the process may proceed to block  540  in which a appointment with the refueling station may be confirmed. The process then proceeds to block  542  and ends. 
     Reference is now made to  FIG. 6 , which shows a process at the refueling station. The process of  FIG. 6  starts at block  610  and proceeds to block  612  in which the request from the vehicle is received. 
     The process then proceeds to block  620  in which a response is generated based on the contents of the request. For example, if the request asks for a particular time window, for the capabilities with regard to autonomous vehicles, for a particular fuel type or grade, among other information, the response generated at block  620  may be based on the capabilities of the refueling station, previous scheduling at the refueling station, prices at the refueling station, among other information. 
     The response is then sent at block  620  and the process proceeds to block  630  and ends. 
     While the embodiment above shows the query to the actual refueling station, in some cases, the refueling station may be served by a server for either the refueling station itself or for a plurality of refueling stations. For example, a particular vendor may have multiple refueling stations but have a single server providing information back to a vehicle based on the query. Other examples are possible. 
     A vehicle may then arrive at a refueling station. The station may be aware of the vehicle&#39;s arrival based on the appointment confirmed at blocks  322  or  540 . However, in some embodiments the process of  FIGS. 2 to 5  may be omitted and a vehicle may arrive unannounced at a refueling station. 
     Reference is now made to  FIG. 7  in which a process from a vehicle&#39;s perspective is provided with regard to the arrival at the refueling station. In particular, the process starts at block  710  and proceeds to block  712  in which a processor on the vehicle confirms that the vehicle has arrived at the refueling station. Such confirmation may be based on a location sensor on the vehicle. For example, if the vehicle is within a geographic boundary of the refueling station, this may indicate that the vehicle is proximal to the station and provide confirmation. In other embodiments, the confirmation at block  712  may be a visual confirmation based on characteristics of the refueling station. In other embodiments, the refueling station may provide a short-range communication signal that may be detected by the vehicle. Other examples are possible. 
     Once the vehicle confirms it has arrived at the refueling station, the process proceeds to block  720  in which a signal is provided to an attendant that the autonomous vehicle needs to be refueled. 
     In accordance with one embodiment of the present disclosure, the signal may be a visual signal to the attendant. For example, this may include a light on the top of the vehicle to signal an attendant, which may start to flash when the vehicle needs to be refueled. The signal may further include the flashing of the front or brake lights of the vehicle. Other visual signals are possible. 
     In other embodiments, the signal may be an audio signal. For example, the vehicle may honk its horn or provide an audible signal through a speaker system on the vehicle. 
     In other embodiments, the audio and visual signals may be combined to get the attention of the attendant. 
     In still further embodiments, the signal may be a wireless signal to the attendant. For example, the attendant station may include a receiver which may provide audio, visual or sensory signals to an attendant that the autonomous vehicle has arrived. 
     For example, reference is now made to  FIG. 8 . In the embodiment of  FIG. 8 , a vehicle  110  may see a short-range communication system associated with the refueling station. In particular, such short-range communication system may have an access point  810  which the vehicle  110  may register with. Upon registration, a station receiver  820  may be provided with the signal that the registration of the vehicle has occurred and may therefore provide an audio, visual or sensory alert to an attendant at the station. 
     In one embodiment, station receiver  820  may be fixed. In other embodiments, the station receiver may be a mobile device carried by an attendant such as mobile device  830 . In some embodiments, mobile device  830  may register to receive alerts. For example, the mobile device  830  may have an application that registers to receive alerts in one embodiment. The registration may include a connection to a particular server in one case. In other cases, registration may include a near field communication (NFC) signal. For example, the mobile device may use NFC to register with the station receiver  820  in order to register the device to receive alerts. Other options are possible. 
     Rather than a short-range communication system, in other cases, vehicle  110  may register with the station receiver  820  using cellular signals or other access points. For example, the station receiver  820  may register with a particular server and vehicle  110  may look up the address of the station receiver utilizing a similar server or through its vehicle or fleet management server  130 . 
     Other options are possible. 
     Referring again to  FIG. 7 , once the signal is provided to the attendant at block  720 , the process proceeds to block  722  in which a delay is introduced. After the delay, the process proceeds to block  730  in which a check is made to determine whether the attendant has started refueling the vehicle. For example, as described below, the refueling may be detected by the fuel nozzle being held in proximity to the fuel door. 
     If the attendant has not started refueling the vehicle then the process proceeds back to block  720  in which the signal is provided again to the attendant. In this way, the signal may be provided with a periodic delay in order to get the attendant&#39;s attention. 
     Once the attendant has started refueling the process proceeds to block  740  and ends. 
     In some cases, multiple vehicles may arrive at a refueling station at the same time. In this case, the signal provided at block  720  may be request for fueling to the refueling station and the response from the station receiver may indicate that the vehicle has been placed in a queue and needs to wait. For example, a designated waiting area may be provided at the station. 
     Once the queue has reached the vehicle, the station receiver  820  may provide a signal to the vehicle to move to a pump. In this case, rather than proceeding to block  730  in which a check is made whether the attendant has started refueling, the signal from the receiver  820  may be sufficient to indicate that the attendant is aware of the vehicle. 
     Other options are possible. 
     Once the attendant has been signaled, refueling may begin. In one embodiment, security at the vehicle may be used to ensure that fraudulent transactions are not occurring. In particular, the vehicle may wish to avoid someone other than a legitimate attendant at the station from accessing the fuel system in order to retrieve payment and also to avoid the vehicle being filled with something other than the desired fuel. In this case, security may be provided at the vehicle refueling port. Reference is now made to  FIG. 9 . 
     In the embodiment of  FIG. 9 , a vehicle  110  includes an NFC reader  910 . NFC reader  910  may be on or around the fuel port on the vehicle. In this case, a system may be provided in which the door to the refueling port may be locked until an NFC challenge is successfully completed 
     Specifically, in one embodiment, an attendant at a refueling station may have an NFC enabled smart card  912  which includes an NFC chip associated with it. The attendant may, prior to fueling, place the NFC enabled smart card  912  in the vicinity of the NFC reader  910 . The NFC reader  910  may then provide a challenge to the NFC enabled smart card  912  and may receive a response back. The response may then be verified prior to the fuel door being opened. 
     For example, in one embodiment, the NFC reader may provide a challenge to the NFC enabled smart card  912  and may compare the response with an expected response. For example, reader  910  would generate a random number and send it to the NFC enabled smart card  912 . The NFC enabled smart card  912  would sign the number (or “challenge”) with a private key and then the reader  910  would verify the challenge with a public key. Thus, in some embodiments, the challenge in response may be based on encryption/signing or security algorithms. 
     In other embodiments, an NFC enabled smart card  920  may be associated with a fuel nozzle  922 . Thus, instead of using a separate card, the NFC enabled smart card  920  may be placed in the vicinity of NFC reader  910  by holding the fuel nozzle close to the vehicle. NFC enabled smart card  920  may similarly be challenged or asked to provide information back to reader  910 , as described above with regards to the NFC enabled smart card  912 . 
     In other embodiments, other locations for an NFC enabled smart card are possible. 
     In still further embodiments, those skilled in the art will appreciate that other short range communications technologies instead of an NFC enabled smart card could be utilized to verify the fuel provider. 
     While the above challenges may be passive, in some cases, information, for example based on the booking or based on codes exchanged between the vehicle and the station, may be utilized as part of the challenge. 
     Once the NFC reader  910  verifies the information at either NFC enabled smart card  912  or  920 , the fuel door may be opened at the vehicle  110 . 
     In other embodiments, the fuel door of the vehicle may be opened without requiring short range security verification. 
     Once the fuel door is opened, payment for the fueling may occur. Reference is now made to  FIG. 10 . 
     In the embodiment of  FIG. 10 , a reader  1012  can be included on the fuel nozzle  1010 . In particular, in the example of  FIG. 10 , the reader  1012  is shown at the front of the fuel nozzle handle. However, in other embodiments it might be somewhere else on fuel nozzle  1010 . 
     The reader  1012  on the fueling nozzle  1010  may then be placed in proximity to the fuel port when fueling nozzle  1010  is inserted into the fuel line on vehicle  110 . 
     In this case, an NFC enabled payment card  1020  associated with the vehicle may act as an NFC chip for the payment transaction as described below. For example, the NFC enabled payment card  1020  may be provided near the fuel port of vehicle  110 . 
     In other embodiments, other locations for an NFC enabled payment card are possible. 
     In still further embodiments, those skilled in the art will appreciate that other short range communications technologies instead of an NFC enabled payment card could be utilized to verify the fuel provider. 
     Reader  1012  may then interact with the NFC enabled payment card  1020  to obtain payment. Thus, when the fuel nozzle is inserted far enough into the fuel line of the vehicle, the reader and NFC enabled payment card may make a connection and payment may be made. 
     In one embodiment, the payment card  1020  may not be activated until a fuel door is opened or authentication of the vendor has been completed. This prevents NFC communications prior to the authentication for additional security for the payment system. 
     In other embodiments, the payment card  1020  may be located in a layer of materials that prevents the card from being read. For example, the fuel door may be lined or comprise a material to ensure the card cannot be read without access to inside of the fuel door. Such system assumes that the fuel door has a locking mechanism to prevent access until an event such as a vendor authentication has occurred. Such embodiment prevents NFC communications while the fuel door is closed and thereby provides additional security for the payment system by avoiding someone walking by the vehicle and scamming the payment card  1020 . 
     Payment may be based on a challenge and response and may, for example, include a prepayment prior to refueling. The prepayment can then be converted into a payment once fueling has finished and the amount of fuel has been registered. In some embodiments, the payment or prepayment may be done through the booking system instead. 
     Similarly, for electric vehicles, the NFC enabled payment card  1020  can be associated with the recharging port and the reader  1012  may be part of the charging cable. In this case, payment can be made in a similar way to the gas payment system described above. 
     Once fueling has completed, a payment system for the station can complete the transaction by identifying the amount of fuel or duration of charge provided, and thereby complete the transaction. 
     In accordance with one embodiment of the present disclosure, vehicle  110  may also have sensors to detect the amount of fuel added to the vehicle. This may be either the duration and amount of charge added or the amount of gasoline or diesel fuel added to the vehicle. Such detection can be used to compare the charges made against the charges expected, and could lead to dispute resolution mechanisms in cases of large discrepancies. 
     Reference is now made to  FIG. 11 , which shows a process from the refueling station&#39;s perspective. The process of  FIG. 11  starts a block  1110  and proceeds to block  1112  in which the NFC reader associated with the fuel nozzle provides a payment challenge to the vehicle. As described above, the challenge may be made to payment card that is associated with the fuel tank of the vehicle. 
     The reader then receives a response a block  1120  and the response is verified at block  1122 . 
     Once the response is verified, a payment authorization may be made at block  1130 . For example, such payment authorization may include communications between a refueling station and a bank or credit card company based on the payment information received at block  1120 . The payment may, for example, be a preauthorization for a certain dollar amount. Further, in some cases a maximum amount may be configured based on an amount of fuel needed and the price of the fuel. 
     The process then proceeds to block  1140  in which the fueling occurs. 
     Once fueling is completed or the maximum dollar amount has been reached, the process then proceeds to block  1150  in which the payment is finalized. In particular, the authorized payment may be for a maximum amount of fuel that is allowed to be transferred to the vehicle but the fueling at block  1140  may be less than this amount. Therefore, payment will be based on the amount of fuel actually transferred to the vehicle and the payment may be finalized based on this actual amount at block  1150 . 
     From block  1150  the process proceeds to block  1160  and ends. 
     The above description therefore provides for methods and systems for refueling autonomous vehicles. 
     The autonomous vehicle  110 , as well as server  130 , server  150 , processors at fueling stations  140  and  142 , receiver station  820 , device  830  may user any computing device. For example, one simplified computing device that may perform the embodiments described above is provided with regards to  FIG. 12 . 
     In  FIG. 12 , computing device  1210  includes a processor  1220  and a communications subsystem  1230 , where the processor  1220  and communications subsystem  1230  cooperate to perform the methods of the embodiments described herein. 
     The processor  1220  is configured to execute programmable logic, which may be stored, along with data, on the computing device  1210 , and is shown in the example of  FIG. 12  as memory  1240 . The memory  1240  can be any tangible, non-transitory computer readable storage medium, such as optical (e.g., CD, DVD, etc.), magnetic (e.g., tape), flash drive, hard drive, or other memory known in the art. In one embodiment, processor  1220  may also be implemented entirely in hardware and not require any stored program to execute logic functions. 
     Alternatively, or in addition to the memory  1240 , the computing device  1210  may access data or programmable logic from an external storage medium, for example through the communications subsystem  1230 . 
     The communications subsystem  1230  allows the computing  1210  to communicate with other devices or network elements. The communications subsystem  1230  may use one or more of a variety of communications types, including but not limited to cellular, satellite, Bluetooth™, Bluetooth™ Low Energy (BLE), Wi-Fi, wireless local area network (WLAN), wireless personal area networks (WPAN), near field communications (NFC), ZigBee or any other IEEE 802.15 low power technology, wired connections such as Ethernet or fiber, among other options. 
     As such, a communications subsystem  1230  for wireless communications will typically have one or more receivers and transmitters, as well as associated components such as one or more antenna elements, local oscillators (LOs), and may include a processing module such as a digital signal processor (DSP). As will be apparent to those skilled in the field of communications, the particular design of the communication subsystem  1230  will be dependent upon the communication network or communication technology on which the sensor apparatus is intended to operate. 
     Communications between the various elements of the computing device  1210  may be through an internal bus  1260  in one embodiment. However, other forms of communication are possible. 
     The embodiments described herein are examples of structures, systems or methods having elements corresponding to elements of the techniques of this application. This written description may enable those skilled in the art to make and use embodiments having alternative elements that likewise correspond to the elements of the techniques of this application. The intended scope of the techniques of this application thus includes other structures, systems or methods that do not differ from the techniques of this application as described herein, and further includes other structures, systems or methods with insubstantial differences from the techniques of this application as described herein. 
     While operations are depicted in the drawings in a particular order, this should not be understood as requiring that such operations be performed in the particular order shown or in sequential order, or that all illustrated operations be performed, to achieve desirable results. In certain circumstances, multitasking and parallel processing may be employed. Moreover, the separation of various system components in the implementation descried above should not be understood as requiring such separation in all implementations, and it should be understood that the described program components and systems can generally be integrated together in a signal software product or packaged into multiple software products. In some cases, functions may be performed entirely in hardware and such a solution may be the functional equivalent of a software solution 
     Also, techniques, systems, subsystems, and methods described and illustrated in the various implementations as discrete or separate may be combined or integrated with other systems, modules, techniques, or methods. Other items shown or discussed as coupled or directly coupled or communicating with each other may be indirectly coupled or communicating through some interface, device, or intermediate component, whether electrically, mechanically, or otherwise. Other examples of changes, substitutions, and alterations are ascertainable by one skilled in the art and may be made. 
     While the above detailed description has shown, described, and pointed out the fundamental novel features of the disclosure as applied to various implementations, it will be understood that various omissions, substitutions, and changes in the form and details of the system illustrated may be made by those skilled in the art. In addition, the order of method steps is not implied by the order they appear in the claims. 
     When messages are sent to/from an electronic device, such operations may not be immediate or from the server directly. They may be synchronously or asynchronously delivered, from a server or other computing system infrastructure supporting the devices/methods/systems described herein. The foregoing steps may include, in whole or in part, synchronous/asynchronous communications to/from the device/infrastructure. Moreover, communication from the electronic device may be to one or more endpoints on a network. These endpoints may be serviced by a server, a distributed computing system, a stream processor, etc. Content Delivery Networks (CDNs) may also provide may provide communication to an electronic device. For example, rather than a typical server response, the server may also provision or indicate a data for content delivery network (CDN) to await download by the electronic device at a later time, such as a subsequent activity of electronic device. Thus, data may be sent directly from the server, or other infrastructure, such as a distributed infrastructure, or a CDN, as part of or separate from the system. 
     Typically, storage mediums can include any or some combination of the following: a semiconductor memory device such as a dynamic or static random access memory (a DRAM or SRAM), an erasable and programmable read-only memory (EPROM), an electrically erasable and programmable read-only memory (EEPROM) and flash memory; a magnetic disk such as a fixed, floppy and removable disk; another magnetic medium including tape; an optical medium such as a compact disk (CD) or a digital video disk (DVD); or another type of storage device. Note that the instructions discussed above can be provided on one computer-readable or machine-readable storage medium, or alternatively, can be provided on multiple computer-readable or machine-readable storage media distributed in a large system having possibly plural nodes. Such computer-readable or machine-readable storage medium or media is (are) considered to be part of an article (or article of manufacture). An article or article of manufacture can refer to any manufactured single component or multiple components. The storage medium or media can be located either in the machine running the machine-readable instructions, or located at a remote site from which machine-readable instructions can be downloaded over a network for execution. 
     In the foregoing description, numerous details are set forth to provide an understanding of the subject disclosed herein. However, implementations may be practiced without some of these details. Other implementations may include modifications and variations from the details discussed above. It is intended that the appended claims cover such modifications and variations.