Patent Description:
While fuel dispensers are designed to withstand any leaks, to the extent a leak occurs it is important to detect the leak and cease operations as soon as possible. Given the highly flammable nature of fuels, such as gasoline, within fuel dispensers, regulations require periodic inspections of fuel dispensers to ensure there are no leaks or malfunctions. During such an inspection, the inspector will access the internal base cabinet of the fuel dispenser to determine if there is any fuel leaking within the housing of the dispenser. This inspection can be an invasive and time-consuming process. The fuel dispenser must be physically opened for the inspection, which means that the fuel dispenser must be shut down and the auditor must be physically onsite. Every inspection thus results in lost time by the auditor and lost profits by the fueling location.

More modern fuel dispensers can include a sensor located in the bottom pan of the base cabinet to detect the presence of water. If the sensor detects a leak, a notice will be sent to the facility. While this can be effective for early leak detection, the facility owner or an inspector must still physically access the fuel dispenser to confirm that a leak has actually occurred.

<CIT> discloses a sensor for detecting leaks in a liquid hydrocarbon dispenser. The document concerns a sensor for detecting leaks in a liquid hydrocarbon dispenser, said sensor comprising a sealed plate arranged at the dispenser base and provided with a collecting container for receiving said liquid hydrocarbons collected by said sealed plate and coming from leaks in the dispenser, said collecting container comprising a sensor at the level of said hydrocarbons, capable of stopping the operation of the dispenser when the hydrocarbon level sensed reaches a predetermined level (N). The invention is useful for protecting the environment against hydrocarbon pollution.

<CIT> discloses a management system for a fuel dispensing facility including a fuel delivery system. The fuel delivery system includes at least one storage tank configured to contain a fuel, at least one dispenser configured to receive the fuel from the at least one storage tank, and a fuel handling system which is configured to one of (<NUM>) deliver the fuel to the at least one storage tank, (<NUM>) receive the fuel from the at least one storage tank, (<NUM>) monitor for a leak within the fuel delivery system, and (<NUM>) monitor for a fuel inventory within the fuel delivery system.

Therefore, a need exists for devices, methods, and systems for detecting and confirming the presence of a leak in a fuel dispenser.

In general, devices for detection of various leaks within fuel dispensers are provided herein, such as through visualization within a fuel dispenser compartment.

The invention is set out in claim <NUM>.

The fuel dispenser can have a variety of different embodiments. For example, the at least one sensor can be configured to detect a change in weight of the bottom pan when fluid is collected in the pan. The control system can also be coupled to the at least one sensor and to the at least one imaging apparatus, and the control system can be configured to control the sensor and activate the imaging apparatus when the sensor detects fluid within the bottom pan. In another example, the control system can receive the at least one image and transmit the image to a remote device. The at least one sensor can be mounted within the base pan. The at least one imaging apparatus can also be mounted to a sidewall of the base cabinet. The at least one sensor can be a pressure sensor. In another example, the at least one imaging apparatus can be configured to take periodic images of the bottom pan. The leak detection assembly can also be configured to automatically disable the pump disposed in the housing upon detection that the amount of sensed fluid is greater than the second threshold within the bottom pan.

In another example, the fuel dispenser can include a pump positioned within the base cabinet and configured to draw a fluid fuel from a reservoir. The control system can be configured to determine an amount of the detected fluid contained within the bottom pan based upon the at least one image and transmit a shutdown signal to the pump when the amount of detected fluid exceeds a second fluid threshold. The shutdown signal can cause the pump to halt draw of fluid fuel from the reservoir upon receipt. In an exemplary embodiment, the fuel dispenser can include a user interface and a pump, and the user interface can be configured to receive the imaging signal from the imaging device, display the at least one image, and receive a first user input after display of the at least one image and transmit a shutdown signal to the pump. The pump can be positioned within the base cabinet and can be configured to draw a fluid fuel from a reservoir prior to receipt of the shutdown signal and halt draw of the fluid fuel from the reservoir upon receipt of the shutdown signal. In another example, the user interface can be mounted to a frame of the fuel dispenser. The fuel dispenser can also include a user interface and a notifier, and the user interface can be configured to receive the imaging signal from the imaging device, display the at least one image, and receive a second user input after display of the at least one image and transmit a notification signal to the notifier. The notifier can be configured to generate at least one notification in response to receipt of the notification signal.

Certain exemplary embodiments will now be described to provide an overall understanding of the principles of the structure, function, manufacture, and use of the devices and methods disclosed herein. One or more examples of these embodiments are illustrated in the accompanying drawings. Those skilled in the art will understand that the devices and methods specifically described herein and illustrated in the accompanying drawings are non-limiting exemplary embodiments and that the scope of the present invention is defined solely by the claims. The features illustrated or described in connection with one exemplary embodiment may be combined with the features of other embodiments.

Reference throughout the specification to "various embodiments," "some embodiments," "one embodiment," or "an embodiment", or the like, means that a particular feature, structure, or characteristic described in connection with the embodiment is included in at least one embodiment. Thus, appearances of the phrases "in various embodiments," "in some embodiments," "in one embodiment," or "in an embodiment", or the like, in places throughout the specification are not necessarily all referring to the same embodiment. Thus, the particular features, structures, or characteristics illustrated or described in connection with one embodiment may be combined, in whole or in part, with the features structures, or characteristics of one or more other embodiments without limitation.

Devices for detecting various leaks within fuel dispensers are provided herein. The devices can be used with various fuel dispensers, such as a gasoline fuel dispenser at a fueling station. In an exemplary embodiment, a leak detection assembly is provided that is configured to detect fluid within a bottom pan of a base cabinet of a fuel dispenser, and, upon detection of fluid, to activate an imaging apparatus within the base cabinet to cause the imaging apparatus to obtain an image of the bottom pan. The image can be transmitted to an external location, where the image can be viewed to confirm the presence of an actual fluid leak within the fuel dispenser.

In various embodiments, the leak detection mechanism can include at least one sensor and at least one imaging apparatus. For example, a bottom pan can be positioned within the base cabinet and it can collect any fluid leaking into or within the cabinet. One or more sensors within the base cabinet can be configured to detect the presence of fluid within the bottom pan. Various techniques can be used to detect the presence of fluid. When fluid is detected, the sensor(s) can transmit a signal to one or more imaging devices within the base cabinet, thereby causing the imaging device to obtain one or more images of the bottom pan. The image(s) can be transmitted or broadcast to a remote location, such as to the operator of the fueling facility or to someone located remote from the fuel station, wherein the images can be viewed and the presence of fluid can be confirmed. In certain embodiments, when a sensor detects the presence of fluid, the fuel dispenser can be deactivated or turned out to prevent use until the presence of fluid is verified based on the images. In other embodiments, the fuel dispenser can continue to operate until a user verifies the presence of fluid, at which point the user can deactivate the dispenser. In other embodiments, the fuel dispenser can be configured to receive a response from a remote user, either verifying the presence of fluid or indicating that no fluid is present, in which case the fuel dispenser can either turn off or can continue to operate. In yet other aspects, the imaging apparatus can include recognition software that is configured to read the images and identify whether fluid is present in the images. The recognition software can be coupled to the fuel dispenser control system, allowing the recognition software to notify the system if fluid is sensed and verified, allowing the control system to deactivate the fuel dispenser. If fluid is detected and the fuel dispenser is deactivate, appropriate maintenance can be performed on the fuel dispenser to repair the leak. Through use of the leak detection assembly, the cost of inspection can be reduced while the ease of inspection can be increased. For example, shutting down and opening the fuel dispenser will not be required to perform basic inspections, and fuel leaks can be detected and confirmed almost instantaneously.

The configuration of the fuel dispenser unit <NUM> can vary depending on the exact components included, but in the illustrated embodiment the fuel dispenser <NUM> generally includes a base cabinet <NUM>, an electronics cabinet <NUM>, and various other housing components such as one or more nozzle modules <NUM>, one or more columns <NUM>, a top module <NUM>, and one or more display sections <NUM>. As shown in <FIG>, the base cabinet <NUM> can be placed on the ground at a suitable location for the fuel dispenser <NUM>. The electronics cabinet <NUM> is positioned on top of the base cabinet <NUM>, whereby a user interface unit <NUM> can be located at a suitable height for a user operating the fuel dispenser <NUM>. The user interface unit <NUM> can be configured to allow a user/customer to conduct a transaction at the fuel dispenser <NUM>, and thus can include a variety of input and output devices, such as a keypad or touchscreen, a display for displaying various information (e.g., price, fuel volume, etc.), octane selection buttons, etc. In the illustrated embodiment, two nozzle modules <NUM> are provided, with one on each side of the electronics cabinet <NUM>. Each nozzle module <NUM> can include at least one nozzle boot <NUM> configured to receive a nozzle <NUM>. A corresponding column <NUM> can be placed on top of each nozzle module <NUM>, and the two columns <NUM> can in turn provide support to the top module <NUM>, as illustrated in <FIG>. The display section <NUM> with display surfaces for advertisement and/or informational materials can be optionally placed on top of the top module <NUM> and can partially enclose the top module <NUM>. A person skilled in the art will appreciate that the fuel dispenser <NUM> can have a variety of other configurations, and can have any number of housing components, and <FIG> is just one embodiment a fuel dispenser that can be used with the leak detection assembly disclosed herein.

In some embodiments, the fuel dispenser <NUM> can include a tube arrangement <NUM> and one or more hoses <NUM> connected thereto for transporting fuel from an underground fuel reservoir (not shown) to the nozzles <NUM>. The tube arrangement <NUM> can have a first end coupled to the base cabinet <NUM>, which in turn can communicate with an underground fuel reservoir, and a second end coupled to a hose <NUM>. Each hose <NUM> can be coupled to a corresponding nozzle <NUM> on one or more sides of the fuel dispenser <NUM>. Each of the nozzles <NUM> can be seated in the nozzle boot <NUM> when not in use.

Fuel flow can travel through and be controlled by components located in the base cabinet <NUM> of the fuel dispenser <NUM>. For example, fuel from the underground fuel reservoir can be pumped through a piping network into an inlet or fuel dispensing pipes using one or more fuel pumps and motors located in the base cabinet <NUM>. When fuel is dispensed, it travels through a meter (not shown) located in the base cabinet <NUM>, which is responsive to flow rate or volume. A pulser (not shown) can be employed to generate a signal in response to fuel movement through the meter. A data line provides a signaling path from the pulser to a control system, indicating the flow rate or volume of fuel being dispensed within the meter. As the refueling operation progresses, fuel is delivered through the hose <NUM> and the nozzle <NUM> into a customer's vehicle (not shown).

<FIG> illustrates some of the internal components of the base cabinet <NUM> in more detail, and in particular the components that are effective to transfer fuel from the underground reservoir to a vehicle's fuel tank. In general, fuel pumps and electrical motors utilized by a fuel dispenser unit can be assembled in either a centrifugal pump-motor configuration, where the pumps and motors are submerged beneath the fuel in the underground fuel reservoir; or the pumps and motors can be assembled in a positive displacement configuration such as by using suction pumps and can be mounted above ground and inside a cabinet, as shown in this illustrated embodiment. All such variations of fuel dispensing components can be used in the fuel dispensers discussed herein. As shown in <FIG>, the base cabinet <NUM> includes one or more fuel pumps <NUM> powered by one or more electrical motors <NUM>. The fuel pumps <NUM> can be seated on top of a shelf <NUM> and can be configured to draw fuel from the underground reservoir, and each pump <NUM> can be powered by the electrical motor <NUM> mounted underneath the shelf <NUM>. The fuel is subsequently supplied to a vehicle's fuel tank through the hoses <NUM> and nozzles <NUM>. For example, activation of a switch on the fuel dispenser <NUM> activates the electrically powered motored <NUM> to drive fuel pump <NUM>, causing the fuel to flow therethrough and to eventually be dispensed from the nozzle <NUM> at the end of the dispensing hose <NUM>.

It is possible for one or more components within the housing to leak fuel as it is pumped through the cabinet <NUM> and to the hoses <NUM>. The base cabinet <NUM> can thus include a bottom pan <NUM>, which can be part of the base cabinet <NUM> or which can be a separate pan located within the base cabinet <NUM>. The bottom pan <NUM> can collect any leaking or spilling fuel within the base cabinet <NUM>. The pan <NUM> can be configured to be examined on a repeating basis to ensure that no leaks have occurred and that the internal components of the fuel dispenser <NUM> are operating as expected. However, manual examination can be expensive and time-consuming. Thus in various embodiments, detection of leaks can be accomplished through means other than manual inspection, such as through use of a leak detection assembly.

<FIG> illustrates one embodiment of a fuel dispenser <NUM> similar to fuel dispenser <NUM>. The illustrated fuel dispenser <NUM> includes a base cabinet <NUM> and an electronics cabinet <NUM> that is fluidly isolated from the base cabinet <NUM>. The illustrated dispenser <NUM> also includes one or more nozzle modules <NUM>, one or more columns and a top module (not shown), one or more display sections <NUM>, and a control system <NUM> in the electronics cabinet <NUM> for operating the fuel dispenser <NUM>. As with fuel dispenser <NUM>, the base module <NUM> includes one or more fuel pumps <NUM> powered by one or more electrical motors <NUM>. The fuel pumps <NUM> can be seated on top of a shelf <NUM> and can be configured to draw fuel from an underground reservoir. The fuel is subsequently supplied to a vehicle's fuel tank through the hoses <NUM> and nozzles <NUM>.

The illustrated fuel dispenser <NUM> can also have a bottom pan <NUM> located at the bottom of the base cabinet <NUM> to collect any leaking or spilling fuel within the base cabinet <NUM>. The bottom pan <NUM> can take a variety of forms, depending on the fuel dispenser <NUM>. The bottom pan can be a simple flat pan with a lip thereon such that the bottom pan <NUM> can collect fluid therein. The bottom pan <NUM> can be made from a variety of materials, such as one or more plastics, metals, polymers, etc. While the bottom pan <NUM> can be manually examined if required, a leak detection assembly can be incorporated into the base cabinet <NUM> to reduce or prevent the need for manual inspection. The leak detection assembly can include one or more sensors <NUM> and one or more imaging devices <NUM>.

The one or more sensors <NUM> can be disposed within the base cabinet <NUM> and can be configured to detect a possible leak, such as being configured to detect fluid in the bottom pan <NUM>. The sensors <NUM> can take a variety of forms, such as being pressure sensors, weight sensors, or fluid sensors. The term "sensor" is used herein to refer to any device or method for detecting the presence of fluid, and other methods include hydrostatic testing, infrared testing, laser technology, etc. For example, there can be liquid and/or water sensors, such as a mesh, placed in the pan or in the bottom of the cabinet such that a signal and/or alarm is triggered when a certain amount of the mesh has been covered, such as more than <NUM>%, more than <NUM>%, etc., and/or weight sensors, for example, using a variety of balancing or spring mechanisms involving two or more contacts that come into contact with each other if enough weight from leaking fluid enters the pan to depress or unbalance the balancing or spring mechanism(s). In the embodiment shown in <FIG>, the one or more sensors <NUM> are pressure sensors that are formed in or positioned under the bottom pan <NUM>. If fluid leaks inside the base cabinet <NUM> and is collected in the bottom pan <NUM>, the sensors <NUM> can detect the change in weight of the pan <NUM> and can be configured to determine that a possible leak has occurred based on the change in weight. However, in other embodiments the sensors can be disposed in the pan itself or in a bottom of the base cabinet <NUM> generally and they can be configured to detect the presence of fluid.

The one or more imaging devices <NUM> can be installed within the base cabinet <NUM> and they can be configured to view the bottom pan <NUM>. The imaging devices <NUM> can be actuated by the sensors <NUM> or by the control system <NUM>, as discussed below, to take images of the bottom pan <NUM> upon detection of a possible leak within the base cabinet <NUM> by the sensors <NUM>. However, the imaging devices <NUM> can also be configured to take images of the pan <NUM> on a periodic basis, such as once a month, once a week, once a day, etc.. This can be set by the manufacturer, installer, and/or a later user. The imaging devices <NUM> can also be configured to take real-time images and/or show a constant video stream of the bottom pan <NUM>. The imaging devices <NUM> can have a variety of different forms or variations, as needed to operate within the constricted space and low light levels of an interior of the base cabinet <NUM>, such as low light cameras commonly found in a variety of low light scenarios. For example, the imaging devices <NUM> can be in the form of cameras that are disposed at various points within the base cabinet <NUM>, for example on one or both sidewalls within the interior of the base cabinet <NUM> with a view of the bottom pan <NUM> or integrated with the bottom pan <NUM>. <FIG> illustrates a camera on one sidewall of the base cabinet <NUM>, with the camera being oriented toward the bottom pan <NUM>. The imaging devices <NUM> can be in communication with the sensors <NUM> and/or with the control system <NUM>.

<FIG> illustrates a simplified diagram of the leak detection mechanism of the fuel dispenser <NUM> with the control system <NUM>. As shown in <FIG>, the control system <NUM> includes one or more processors <NUM> that can control the operation of the control system <NUM>. The processor(s) <NUM> can include any type of microprocessor or central processing unit (CPU), including programmable general-purpose or special-purpose microprocessors and/or any one of a variety of proprietary or commercially available single or multi-processor systems. The control system <NUM> can also include one or more memories <NUM>, which can provide temporary storage for code to be executed by the processor(s) <NUM> or for data acquired from one or more users, storage devices, and/or databases, such as the images from the one or more imaging devices <NUM> or the data from the one or more sensors <NUM>. The memory <NUM> can include read-only memory (ROM), flash memory, one or more varieties of random access memory (RAM) (e.g., static RAM (SRAM), dynamic RAM (DRAM), or synchronous DRAM (SDRAM)), and/or a combination of memory technologies. The various elements of the control system <NUM> can be coupled to a bus system <NUM>. The illustrated bus system <NUM> is an abstraction that represents any one or more separate physical busses, communication lines/interfaces, and/or multi-drop or point-to-point connections, connected by appropriate bridges, adapters, and/or controllers. The control system <NUM> can also include one or more network interface(s) and/or switch(es) <NUM>, one or more input/output (IO) interface(s) <NUM> that can include one or more interface components, and one or more storage device(s) <NUM>.

The network interface(s) <NUM> can enable the control system <NUM> to communicate with remote devices, e.g., remote networks for storing images taken by the imaging devices <NUM> and/or notification systems for notifying a user of a possible leak detected by the sensors <NUM>, over a network, such as communication with cloud servers. The network interface(s) <NUM> can be, for non-limiting example, remote desktop connection interfaces, various Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol (TCP/IP) mechanisms, Ethernet adapters, and/or other local area network (LAN) adapters, etc. The IO interface(s) <NUM> can include one or more interface components to connect the control system <NUM> with other electronic equipment, such as the sensors <NUM> and/or the imaging devices <NUM>. For non-limiting example, the IO interface(s) <NUM> can include high-speed data ports, such as universal serial bus (USB) ports, <NUM> ports, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, etc. Additionally, the control system <NUM> can be accessible to a human user, and thus the IO interface(s) <NUM> can include displays, speakers, keyboards, pointing devices, and/or various other video, audio, or alphanumeric interfaces separate and distinct from the inputs and displays configured for use by a customer of the fuel dispenser <NUM>. The storage device(s) <NUM> can include any conventional medium for storing data in a non-volatile and/or non-transient manner. The storage device(s) <NUM> can thus hold data and/or instructions in a persistent state, i.e., the value(s) are retained despite interruption of power to the computer system <NUM>. The storage device(s) <NUM> can include one or more hard disk drives, flash drives, USB drives, optical drives, various media cards, diskettes, compact discs, and/or any combination thereof and can be directly connected to the control system <NUM> or remotely connected thereto, such as over a network. In an exemplary embodiment, the storage device(s) <NUM> can include a tangible or non-transitory computer readable medium configured to store data, e.g., a hard disk drive, a flash drive, a USB drive, an optical drive, a media card, a diskette, a compact disc, etc..

During normal operation of the fuel dispenser <NUM>, a user can use the fuel dispenser <NUM> by interacting with the electronics module <NUM> and pumping fuel using the nozzles <NUM>. During operation, the one or more imaging devices <NUM> can take images of the pan <NUM> on a periodic, repeating basis or only when activated, and they can transmit the images to a remote storage device either directly or using the control system <NUM>. The one or more sensors <NUM> can continuously or periodically monitor the bottom pan <NUM>, but may take no action during normal operation. If a leak is detected, for example if the sensors <NUM> detect a change in weight of the bottom pan <NUM>, the sensors <NUM> can activate the imaging devices <NUM> and/or the notification system in the control system <NUM>. The imaging devices <NUM> can be directly activated by the sensors <NUM> or can be activated by the control system <NUM> in response to detection of a leak by the sensors <NUM>. Upon activation, the imaging devices <NUM> can take one or more images of the pan <NUM> and transmit the image(s) to the remote storage device, as discussed in detail above. A user is thus notified of the possible leak in the base cabinet <NUM> by the notification system and can then access the images of the bottom pan <NUM> by accessing the remote storage device. The user can then take appropriate action depending on the scenario and the severity of the leak.

The various elements illustrated in <FIG> of the control system <NUM> are exemplary elements, and not all of the elements need be present in other embodiments of the control system. A control system can also include any of a variety of other software and/or hardware components, including by way of non-limiting example, operating systems and database management systems. Although the exemplary control system <NUM> is depicted and described herein, it will be appreciated that this is for sake of generality and convenience. In other embodiments, the computer system may differ in architecture and operation from that shown and described here. Additionally, the control system associated with a leak detection assembly does not have to be the same control system as the fuel dispenser. For example, <FIG> illustrates a leak detection assembly with one or more sensors <NUM> and one or more imaging devices <NUM> similar to the leak detection assembly discussed above and that can be incorporated into a fuel dispenser similar to the fuel dispenser <NUM>. When a leak is detected by any one of the sensors <NUM>, the sensor(s) <NUM> can either transmit a signal to one or more imaging devices <NUM> or the imaging devices <NUM> can continuously monitor the sensors <NUM> to determine when a sensed condition changes, i.e., when a leak is detected or an alarm has been triggered, as illustrated in step <NUM>.

In other aspects, the sensors <NUM> can be coupled to a control system <NUM> and the sensors <NUM> can either send a signal to the control system <NUM> notifying the control system <NUM> that a leak has been detected, as illustrated in step 280a, or the control system <NUM> can control and monitor the sensors <NUM> to detect the presence of a leak. In certain embodiments, the control system <NUM> can control the sensors <NUM> to cause the sensors to continuously or periodically measure or otherwise determine if a leak is present, for example by comparing the amount of fluid detected to a preset threshold amount that represents a definite leak as illustrated in step <NUM> as opposed to a few drops of fluid. Once the control system <NUM> is notified or detects a leak, the control system <NUM> can transmit an activation signal to the one or more imaging devices <NUM> at step <NUM>, thereby activating the imaging devices <NUM> to generate one or more images of a bottom pan <NUM> at step <NUM>. The image(s) can be a still image or a video taken for a period of time. Once the imaging devices <NUM> have obtained the image(s), the imaging devices <NUM> can perform a number of different steps, as will be discussed in more detail below, for example with respect to <FIG>.

As shown in <FIG>, the imaging devices <NUM> can transmit the images to a user interface <NUM> at step <NUM>. The user interface <NUM> can take a variety of forms and have a variety of components similar to the control system <NUM> discussed above. For instance, the interface <NUM> can take the form of a remotely placed interface such as a computer of the owner of the fuel dispenser <NUM> and/or the display section <NUM> of the electronics cabinet <NUM> of the fuel dispenser <NUM>. When the user interface <NUM> receives the images, the user interface <NUM> can take a variety of steps either automatically in reaction to the received images or in response to user input when a user interacts with the interface <NUM>. For example, the user interface <NUM> can generate notification or shutdown signals at step <NUM>, and can transmit the notification signal to a notifier <NUM> at step 288a for generation of a notification at step 288y to a user and/or can transmit the shutdown signal to one or more pumps <NUM> at step 288b to shut down the pump <NUM> at step 288z. While the shutdown signal is illustrated herein as shutting down the pump <NUM>, shut down of the fuel pump can be achieved in a variety of ways. For example, power to the pump <NUM> can be turned off, one or more valves can be incorporated into the fuel dispenser <NUM> and serve as shutoff valves, etc. The user interface <NUM> can also display the images on the user interface <NUM> or on a remote device at step <NUM>.

Alternatively or additionally, the imaging devices <NUM> can also transmit the images to the control system <NUM> at step 286a. The control system <NUM> can receive or obtain the image(s) from the one or more imaging devices <NUM>, and it can take various steps based on the images. In one embodiment, the control system <NUM> can analyze the image(s) at step <NUM>, e.g., using visual recognition software, to identify whether any fluid is present in the image(s) and/or if fluid in the image meets a predefined threshold amount of fluid. If fluid is not present and/or the fluid present does not meet the threshold required, the control system <NUM> can do nothing, it can perform a reset function or other function, and/or it can notify a remote user that a false-alarm occurred by generating a notification signal at step <NUM> and sending it to the notifier <NUM> at step <NUM>, which in turn can generate a notification for a user at step 288y. If fluid is present, the control system <NUM> can deactivate, i.e., turn off, the fuel dispenser <NUM> and/or an individual pump <NUM> by sending a shutdown signal, for example to one or more pumps <NUM> at step <NUM> to shut down the pump <NUM> at step 288z to prevent further use. Alternatively or additionally, the control system <NUM> can send a notification signal to the notifier <NUM> at step <NUM>, which again can generate a notification to notify an on-site or to a remote user at step 288y. The control system <NUM> can also optionally send one or more images to the user interface <NUM> at step <NUM> to allow one or more users to view the images, for example after the control system <NUM> has analyzed the images at step <NUM>.

The control system <NUM> itself can include various transmitting or broadcasting means therein, as discussed above with respect to the control system <NUM>, so that a user, such as a merchant who owns the fuel dispenser and/or an authorized service organization, can be notified of the possible leak. For example, the control system <NUM> can transmit a signal through a wired connection or wirelessly using various techniques.

In various other embodiments, the one or more sensors can also be configured to take additional actions, such as automatically disabling or shutting down the fuel dispenser and/or one or more individual pumps to prevent additional leaking while the user addresses the current leak rather than proceeding through imaging the pan <NUM>.

In certain embodiments, a particular imaging device can be activated based on detection of a leak by one of the sensors. For example, each sensor can be located within a particular region of the bottom pan, and each region can be associated with an imaging device configured to capture images of that region. If the sensor within a particular region detects a leak, the imaging device associated with that region can be activated to capture an image of that particular region.

Claim 1:
A fuel dispenser (<NUM>), comprising:
a base cabinet (<NUM>) having fuel dispensing components that include at least one motor and at least one pump (<NUM>) therein, the at least one pump (<NUM>) being configured to receive fuel from a storage tank and the at least one motor being configured to drive the at least one pump (<NUM>) to deliver the fuel to at least one hose (<NUM>) on the fuel dispenser (<NUM>) for dispensing the fuel, the base cabinet (<NUM>) having a bottom pan (<NUM>) configured to receive any fluid leaking within the base cabinet (<NUM>);
an electronics housing (<NUM>) isolated from the base cabinet (<NUM>) and containing a control system (<NUM>) configured to control the fuel dispensing components; and
a leak detection assembly comprising
at least one sensor (<NUM>) disposed within the base cabinet (<NUM>) and configured to detect the presence of fluid within the bottom pan (<NUM>), the at least one sensor (<NUM>) being configured to measure an amount of detected fluid within the bottom pan (<NUM>),
an imaging apparatus (<NUM>) disposed within the base cabinet (<NUM>) and operatively coupled to the sensor (<NUM>) such that the imaging apparatus (<NUM>) is activated when the amount of detected fluid is greater than a first threshold, the imaging apparatus (<NUM>) obtaining at least one image of the bottom pan (<NUM>) when the imaging apparatus (<NUM>) is activated and being configured to transmit the at least one image to a remote device upon activation of the imaging apparatus (<NUM>) for verifying the presence of fluid within the bottom pan (<NUM>), and
a control system (<NUM>) configured to:
compare the amount of fluid detected within the bottom pan (<NUM>) by the at least one sensor (<NUM>) to a first threshold,
determine the amount of the detected fluid contained within the bottom pan (<NUM>) based upon the at least one image,
transmit a notification signal to the remote device when the amount of detected fluid is less than a second threshold, and
transmit a shutdown notification signal to the remote device when the amount of detected fluid exceeds the second threshold;
wherein the control system (<NUM>) is configured to activate the imaging apparatus (<NUM>); and
wherein the notification signal characterizes the amount of detected fluid being less than the second threshold as indicating a false alarm event.