Patents Assigned to Flying J, Inc.
  • Patent number: 7783435
    Abstract: Disclosed are methods, systems, and computer program products for determining a volume of liquid product in a manifold set of tanks. The method includes identifying a plurality of book volumes of liquid product in the manifold set of tanks. The method further includes identifying a plurality of measured physical volumes of liquid product in the manifold set of tanks, each measured physical volume being associated with one book volume of the plurality of book volumes. Following collecting the volumes, the method includes determining a variance between each measured physical volume of the plurality of measured volumes and each book volume of the plurality of book volumes and then using those variances to generate an expected variance to each of the plurality of measured physical volumes, the combination of the expected variance and the measured physical volume being the volume of the liquid product in the manifold set of tanks.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 8, 2007
    Date of Patent: August 24, 2010
    Assignee: Flying J, Inc.
    Inventors: John D. Hillam, Thierry J. Guillerm, Aaron R. Peterson
  • Patent number: 7689371
    Abstract: Disclosed are methods, systems, and computer program products for collecting and communicating temperature and volume data directly from a dispenser for use during a book to physical reconciliation process. The temperature and volume readings can be received directly from a dispenser by at least one of a retail system and a central inventory management system. The method can include collecting flow data indicative of a volume of a liquid product dispensed from the dispenser at a plurality of times during a defined time interval and collecting temperature data indicative of a temperature of the liquid product dispensed from the dispenser at the plurality of times during the defined interval. Once collected, the temperature data and the flow data can be transmitted to at least one of a retail system and a central inventory management system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 19, 2007
    Date of Patent: March 30, 2010
    Assignee: Flying J, Inc.
    Inventors: Vincent J. Memmott, John D. Hillam, Gary I. Shellabarger
  • Patent number: 7574385
    Abstract: Disclosed is methods, systems, and computer program products for monitoring and reporting liquid product dispenser transaction states for book to physical reconciliation purposes. The method can provide virtual real-time status of sales transactions in order to perform liquid product fuel reconciliation regardless of ongoing sales. The method can include receiving a request to perform the liquid product book to physical reconciliation for one or more storage tanks at a retail facility. Once the requested is received, the method can entail identifying a duration for accumulation of measurement data used for the reconciliation and during the identified duration, monitoring the status of one or more dispensers that dispense liquid product from the one or more storage tanks. Based on the status of the one or more dispensers, the method can include updating either a physical inventory or a book value to appropriately determine the book to physical reconciliation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 18, 2005
    Date of Patent: August 11, 2009
    Assignee: Flying J, Inc.
    Inventors: John D. Hillam, Gary I. Shellabarger
  • Patent number: 7546256
    Abstract: Disclosed is a virtual real-time liquid product book to physical reconciliation process within a dynamic environment. The method can include receiving a request to perform a liquid product book to physical reconciliation process for one or more storage tanks at a retail facility. Once received, the status of one or more liquid product dispensers corresponding to the one or more storage tanks can be identified. A plurality of measurements can be made while the one or more liquid product dispensers are in an active state and dispensing the liquid product. With the data indicative of the plurality of measurements, the method can automatically perform the liquid product book to physical reconciliation process.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 18, 2005
    Date of Patent: June 9, 2009
    Assignee: Flying J, Inc.
    Inventors: John D. Hillam, Jon M. Scoleri, Gary I. Shellabarger
  • Patent number: 7536264
    Abstract: Disclosed are methods, systems, and computer program products for balancing net inventory using a dynamic expansion coefficient of liquid product relative to the temperature changes with density. The method can include receiving an API gravity report that includes a measurement of a specific gravity and a temperature of the product reported at a rack. Utilizing the API gravity report, the method can include maintaining correct densities of the liquid product by utilizing a plurality of expansion coefficients to dynamically convert a gross volume measurement to a net volume measurement for transactions of liquid product in a tank and at a dispenser in order to maintain a net perpetual book balance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 18, 2005
    Date of Patent: May 19, 2009
    Assignee: Flying J, Inc.
    Inventors: John D. Hillam, Vincent J. Memmott
  • Publication number: 20070143062
    Abstract: Disclosed are methods, systems, and computer program products for collecting and communicating temperature and volume data directly from a dispenser for use during a book to physical reconciliation process. The temperature and volume readings can be received directly from a dispenser by at least one of a retail system and a central inventory management system. The method can include collecting flow data indicative of a volume of a liquid product dispensed from the dispenser at a plurality of times during a defined time interval and collecting temperature data indicative of a temperature of the liquid product dispensed from the dispenser at the plurality of times during the defined interval. Once collected, the temperature data and the flow data can be transmitted to at least one of a retail system and a central inventory management system.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 19, 2007
    Publication date: June 21, 2007
    Applicant: Flying J, Inc.
    Inventors: Vincent Memmott, John Hillam, Gary Shellabarger
  • Publication number: 20070143067
    Abstract: Disclosed are methods, systems, and computer program products for determining a volume of liquid product in a manifold set of tanks. The method includes identifying a plurality of book volumes of liquid product in the manifold set of tanks. The method further includes identifying a plurality of measured physical volumes of liquid product in the manifold set of tanks, each measured physical volume being associated with one book volume of the plurality of book volumes. Following collecting the volumes, the method includes determining a variance between each measured physical volume of the plurality of measured volumes and each book volume of the plurality of book volumes and then using those variances to generate an expected variance to each of the plurality of measured physical volumes, the combination of the expected variance and the measured physical volume being the volume of the liquid product in the manifold set of tanks.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 8, 2007
    Publication date: June 21, 2007
    Applicant: Flying J, Inc.
    Inventors: John Hillam, Thierry Guillerm, Aaron Peterson
  • Patent number: 7197409
    Abstract: Disclosed are systems, methods, and computer program products to compensate for surface movement of liquid product within one or more tanks during a liquid product book to physical reconciliation process. A plurality of measurement data at a plurality of times can be received. Each measurement data represents a volume of liquid product within the tank. The volume of liquid product represented by the measurement data can be compared against at least one predetermined volume identified as being unreliable. Following eliminating the measurement data that is unreliable, a sample mean and a standard deviation for the remaining measurement data are calculated and then used to filter the remaining measurement data by eliminating any measurement data that has a value plus or minus a predetermined number of the standard deviations from the standard mean for the second set of measurement data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 18, 2005
    Date of Patent: March 27, 2007
    Assignee: Flying J, Inc.
    Inventors: John D. Hillam, Jon M. Scoleri, Gary L. Shellabarger
  • Patent number: 7185683
    Abstract: Disclosed are methods, systems, and computer program products to prevent a delivery vehicle from making an unauthorized delivery of liquid product to a liquid product storage tank at a retail store facility. A retail system and/or a centralized inventory management system can monitor one or more tanks at the retail facility for liquid product delivery from the carrier. The retail system and/or the centralized inventory management system can automatically interrupt delivery of liquid product when the delivery vehicle begins to delivery the liquid product to an unauthorized tank.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 18, 2005
    Date of Patent: March 6, 2007
    Assignee: Flying J, Inc.
    Inventors: John D. Hillam, Richard D. Peterson
  • Patent number: 7181361
    Abstract: Disclosed are methods, systems, and computer program products for collecting and communicating temperature and volume data directly from a dispenser for use during a book to physical reconciliation process. The temperature and volume readings can be received directly from a dispenser by at least one of a retail system and a central inventory management system. The method can include collecting flow data indicative of a volume of a liquid product dispensed from the dispenser at a plurality of times during a defined time interval and collecting temperature data indicative of a temperature of the liquid product dispensed from the dispenser at the plurality of times during the defined interval. Once collected, the temperature data and the flow data can be transmitted to at least one of a retail system and a central inventory management system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 18, 2005
    Date of Patent: February 20, 2007
    Assignee: Flying J, Inc.
    Inventors: Vincent J. Memmott, John D. Hillam, Gary I. Shellabarger
  • Patent number: 7178561
    Abstract: Disclosed are methods, systems, and computer program products for performing temperature standardization of the volume of a liquid product from a distributor to a consumer. Using a volume measurement device and a temperature measurement device located at a rack, a storage tank, and a dispenser, a gross volume and temperature of the liquid product at, respectively, the rack, the storage tank, and the dispenser can be measured. Volume data indicative of the gross volume and temperature data indicative of the temperature can be generated. A time-stamp system at each of the rack, the storage tank, and the dispenser allocates a time-stamp to each of the volume data and the temperature data so that a reconciliation process can use each of the time-stamps, the temperature data, and the volume data to reconcile gross to net volumes at a single point in time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 18, 2005
    Date of Patent: February 20, 2007
    Assignee: Flying J, Inc.
    Inventors: Vincent J. Memmott, John D. Hillam, Richard D. Peterson
  • Patent number: 7177780
    Abstract: Disclosed are methods, systems, and computer program products for determining a volume of liquid product in a manifold set of tanks. The method includes identifying a plurality of book volumes of liquid product in the manifold set of tanks. The method further includes identifying a plurality of measured physical volumes of liquid product in the manifold set of tanks, each measured physical volume being associated with one book volume of the plurality of book volumes. Following collecting the volumes, the method includes determining a variance between each measured physical volume of the plurality of measured volumes and each book volume of the plurality of book volumes and then using those variances to generate an expected variance to each of the plurality of measured physical volumes, the combination of the expected variance and the measured physical volume being the volume of the liquid product in the manifold set of tanks.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 18, 2005
    Date of Patent: February 13, 2007
    Assignee: Flying J, Inc.
    Inventors: John D. Hillam, Thierry J. Guillerm, Aaron R. Peterson