Fuel dispenser communication
Various systems, devices, and methods are provided for facilitating communication between a forecourt controller and a fuel dispenser. In certain aspects, a fuel controller translator is provided for translating commands transmitted between the forecourt controller and the fuel dispenser. For example, where the forecourt controller transmits commands that are compatible with the payment terminal, but not with the fuel controller, the fuel controller translator can translate the commands received from the forecourt controller into a format compatible with the fuel controller. Conversely, the fuel controller translator can translate commands received from the fuel controller into a format that is compatible with the forecourt controller.
1. A fuel dispenser, comprising:
a housing comprising:
a pump compartment with fuel dispensing components disposed therein and a fuel controller disposed within the pump compartment and configured to control dispensing of fuel by the fuel dispensing components;
an electronics compartment including a payment terminal configured to process payment for fuel dispensed by the fuel dispensing components;
a translator board having at least one programmable processor, the translator board connected by a first wire to an external source and connected by a second wire to the fuel controller; and
a non-transient machine-readable medium storing instructions which, when executed by the at least one programmable processor, configure the fuel dispenser to perform operations comprising:
receiving a command from an external source, the command having a first format;
reading a conversion table stored in a memory, the conversion table including a plurality of entries, each of the entries corresponding to a different type of fuel controller;
selecting a one of the plurality of entries that corresponds to a type of the fuel controller that is connected by the second wire to the translator board;
determining, based on the selected one of the plurality of entries, a second format for the command; and
transmitting the command in the second format to the fuel controller.
2. The fuel dispenser of claim 1 , wherein the instructions, when executed by the at least one programmable processor, also configure the fuel dispenser to perform operations comprising:
receiving a second command in the second format from the fuel controller;
translating the second command into the first format compatible with the external device; and
transmitting the translated second command in the first format to the external device.
3. The fuel dispenser of claim 1 , wherein the instructions, when executed by the at least one programmable processor, also configure the fuel dispenser to perform operations comprising:
combining a plurality of commands in the first format into a single command in the second format, the translated command comprising the single command.
4. The fuel dispenser of claim 1 , wherein the instructions, when executed by the at least one programmable processor, also configure the fuel dispenser to perform operations comprising:
expanding a command in the first format into a plurality of commands in the second format, the transmitted command comprising the plurality of commands.
5. The fuel dispenser of claim 1 , wherein the external source is a point-of-sale system configured to control operation of a component of the fuel dispenser.
6. The fuel dispenser of claim 1 , wherein the different types of fuel controllers are different based on the fuel controllers each being a different model of fuel controller; and
the selected one of the plurality of entries corresponds to a model of the fuel controller that is connected by the second wire to the translator board.