Idle fuel dispenser nozzle warning system that alerts user to replace nozzle in nozzle boot of dispenser

1. An idle fuel dispenser nozzle warning system that alerts a user to replace a nozzle in a nozzle boot of a fuel dispenser, said idle fuel dispenser nozzle warning system comprising:

a computing device that is embedded in a fuel dispensing station, said computing device comprising a processor and a storage disk;

a software program that is installed on the computing device, stored in the storage disk of the computing device, and runs on the processor of the computing device, said software program configured to (i) detect fuel line engagement when fuel starts flowing through a fuel line and a nozzle of the fuel dispensing station, (ii) detect a fuel line disengagement event when fuel stops flowing through the fuel line and the nozzle, (iii) start a timer upon detection of the fuel line disengagement event to track time elapsed since fuel line disengagement, (iv) determine whether a timer reset event comprising one of a fuel line re-engagement and a replacement of the nozzle in a nozzle boot of the fuel dispensing station occurs before the tracked time of the timer exceeds a threshold time duration, (v) reset the timer when the timer reset event occurs before the tracked time exceeds the threshold time duration, and (vi) trigger an alert when the timer reset event does not occur before the tracked time exceeds the threshold time duration; and

a sensory alert warning device that activates a sensory alert when the software program triggers the alert.

2. The idle fuel dispenser nozzle warning system of claim 1 , wherein the sensory alert warning device comprises a spark-free strobe light.

3. The idle fuel dispenser nozzle warning system of claim 2 , wherein the sensory alert comprises a visible light warning that is repeatedly flashed by the spark-free strobe light.

4. The idle fuel dispenser nozzle warning system of claim 1 , wherein the sensory alert warning device comprises an audio speaker.

5. The idle fuel dispenser nozzle warning system of claim 4 , wherein the sensory alert comprises an audible warning sounded out by the audio speaker.

6. The idle fuel dispenser nozzle warning system of claim 1 , wherein the threshold time duration comprises three seconds.

7. An idle fuel dispenser nozzle warning process for detecting a time period of inactivity of flowing fuel through a nozzle removed from a nozzle boot of a fuel dispenser and activating a sensory alarm to remind a user to replace the nozzle in the nozzle boot of the fuel dispenser, said idle fuel dispenser nozzle warning process comprising:

detecting when fuel starts flowing through a fuel line and a nozzle of a fuel dispenser;

monitoring the flow of fuel through the fuel line and the nozzle to detect when the fuel stops flowing;

detecting a first event at which the fuel stops flowing through the fuel line and the nozzle;

determining whether an expected fuel dispenser event occurs before a triggering timer elapses for a timed wait period after the first event at which the fuel stops flowing;

activating an alert when the expected fuel dispenser event does not occur before the triggering timer elapses for the timed wait period after the first event at which the fuel stops flowing; and

resetting, when the expected fuel dispenser event occurs before the triggering timer elapses for the timed wait period after the first event at which the fuel stops flowing, the first event and the triggering timer for the timed wait period.

8. The idle fuel dispenser nozzle warning process of claim 7 , wherein the timed wait period is three seconds.

9. The idle fuel dispenser nozzle warning process of claim 7 , wherein the alert comprises an audible alert warning that is sounded by a speaker device integrated into the fuel dispenser.

10. The idle fuel dispenser nozzle warning process of claim 7 , wherein the alert comprises a visible alert warning that is made by a strobe light that flashes a light on and off for visual warning.

11. The idle fuel dispenser nozzle warning process of claim 7 , wherein the expected fuel dispenser event comprises a replacement of the nozzle in a nozzle boot of the fuel dispenser.

12. The idle fuel dispenser nozzle warning process of claim 7 , wherein the expected fuel dispenser event comprises a re-engagement of the flow of fuel through the fuel line and the nozzle.