Fuel dispenser commerce

Abstract

Systems and processes may provide for commerce at a fuel dispenser. In one general aspect, a system and process at a fuel dispenser may have the ability to present a user interface including data regarding at least one merchant remote from the fuel dispenser's fueling facility and to determine if ordering data corresponding to the remote merchant has been received. If ordering data corresponding to the remote merchant has been received, the system and process may have the ability to present a user interface regarding payment data. The system and process may also have the ability to determine if payment data has been received and, if payment data has been received, generate a message regarding the ordering data for a remote merchant computer.

1 - 21 . (canceled) 
     
     
         22 . A payment processing device, comprising:
 a point-of-sale (POS) module configured to be mounted in a fuel dispenser, the POS module being configured to:
 electronically receive user payment information from a controller for each of a plurality of transactions, 
 authorize payments for each of the transactions using the received user payment information based on locally stored instructions without using an external communication link to an external POS, and 
 electronically communicate each of the authorizations to the controller. 
   
     
     
         23 . The device of  claim 22 , wherein the POS module does not have the external communication link such that the POS module is configured on a full time basis to authorize all of the payments. 
     
     
         24 . The device of  claim 23 , wherein the payment is with one of a card and cash. 
     
     
         25 . The device of  claim 23 , wherein the payment is with a wireless payment mechanism. 
     
     
         26 . The device of  claim 22 , wherein the POS module is configured to communicate with an external facility controller via a network in authorizing the payments. 
     
     
         27 . The device of  claim 24 , wherein, for each of the transactions, the controller is configured to trigger the fuel to be dispensed by the fuel dispenser in response to the authorization. 
     
     
         28 . The device of  claim 22 , wherein the POS module is configured to be operatively coupled with a dispenser manager in the fuel dispenser, the dispenser manager being configured to provide a prompt on a user interface of the fuel dispenser requesting user input of the user payment information. 
     
     
         29 . The device of  claim 22 , wherein the POS module includes hardware configured to be mounted in a housing of the fuel dispenser. 
     
     
         30 . A fuel dispensing system, comprising:
 the fuel dispenser of  claim 22 ; and   the POS module of  claim 22  mounted in the fuel dispenser.   
     
     
         31 . A payment processing system for use in a fuel dispenser, comprising:
 a stand-alone point-of-sale (POS) module configured to be mounted in a fuel dispenser, the stand-alone POS module being configured to:
 electronically receive user payment information from a fuel dispenser controller for each of a plurality of transactions, 
 authorize payments for each of the transactions using the received user payment information based on locally stored instructions in the fuel dispenser, and 
 electronically communicate each of the authorizations to the fuel dispenser controller. 
   
     
     
         32 . The system of  claim 31 , wherein the stand-alone POS module is configured to authorize every one of the payments without using an external communication link to an external POS. 
     
     
         33 . The system of  claim 31 , wherein the stand-alone POS module does not have an external communication link such that the stand-alone POS module is configured on a full time basis to authorize all of the payments. 
     
     
         34 . The system of  claim 31 , wherein the stand-alone POS module is configured on a full time basis to cause data regarding all the authorized payments to be stored in a memory in the fuel dispenser. 
     
     
         35 . The system of  claim 31 , wherein the stand-alone POS module is operable in only a single mode, in which data regarding each one of the authorized payments is stored in a memory in the fuel dispenser. 
     
     
         36 . The system of  claim 31 , wherein the locally stored instructions used by the stand-alone POS module include at least one of rules for authorization of cards, and rules for authorization based on cash provided by the user. 
     
     
         37 . The system of  claim 31 , wherein the stand-alone POS module is configured to be operatively coupled with a dispenser manager in the fuel dispenser, the dispenser manager being configured to provide a prompt on a user interface of the fuel dispenser requesting user input of the user payment information. 
     
     
         38 . A fuel dispensing system, comprising:
 the fuel dispenser of  claim 31 ; and   the stand-alone POS module of  claim 31  mounted in the fuel dispenser.   
     
     
         39 . A method for processing payments, comprising:
 electronically receiving at a point-of-sale (POS) module user payment information from a controller for each of a plurality of transactions, the controller and the POS module being disposed securely in a fuel dispenser;   authorizing payments with the POS module for each of the transactions using the received user payment information based on locally stored instructions without the POS module having an external communication link with an external POS such that the POS module is configured on a full time basis to authorize all of the payments; and   electronically communicating each of the authorizations from the POS module to the controller.   
     
     
         40 . The method of  claim 39 , wherein the POS module is configured to communicate with an external facility controller via a network in authorizing the payments. 
     
     
         41 . The method of  claim 39 , further comprising causing fuel to be dispensed from the fuel dispenser in response to the POS module authorizing a payment. 
     
     
         42 . The method of  claim 39 , further comprising, after the fuel has been dispensed, processing the payment with the POS module using locally stored price data and an amount of the fuel dispensed from the fuel dispenser.