Patent ID: 7028561

Claim:
A fuel dispenser that measures the flow rate or volume of fuel dispensed into a vehicle, comprising: a control system; a fuel conduit that is fluidly coupled to fuel; a meter coupled to the fuel conduit, comprising: a meter flow path coupled to a hose that dispenses the fuel to the vehicle; and a pulser that sends a pulser signal in relation to the flow of fuel through the meter flow path to the control system; and a flow switch coupled to the fuel conduit, comprising: a flow switch flow path; and a sensor that communicates a flow switch signal to the control system when the fuel is passing through the flow switch flow path; the flow switch flow path fluidly coupled to the meter flow path such that fuel that passes through the meter flow path also passes through the flow switch flow path; the control system receives the pulser signal and calculates a flow rate or volume of the fuel passing through the meter flow path based on the pulser signal; and the control system detects a flow switch error when the pulser signal is being received and the flow switch signal is not received, or a meter error when the flow switch signal is being received and the pulser signal is not being received.