DETAILED ACTION
Continued Examination Under 37 CFR 1.114
A request for continued examination under 37 CFR 1.114, including the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e), was filed in this application after final rejection. Since this application is eligible for continued examination under 37 CFR 1.114, and the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e) has been timely paid, the finality of the previous Office action has been withdrawn pursuant to 37 CFR 1.114. Applicant's submission filed on 2/24/26 has been entered, in which Applicant amended claims 1, 3, 12, and 13. Claims 1-13 are pending in this application and have been rejected below.
Notice of Pre-AIA or AIA Status
The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA .
Response to Amendment
Applicant’s amendments are acknowledged.
New 35 USC 103 rejections of claims 1-13 are applied in light of Applicant’s amendments and explanations.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 103 which forms the basis for all obviousness rejections set forth in this Office action:
A patent for a claimed invention may not be obtained, notwithstanding that the claimed invention is not identically disclosed as set forth in section 102 of this title, if the differences between the claimed invention and the prior art are such that the claimed invention as a whole would have been obvious before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to a person having ordinary skill in the art to which the claimed invention pertains. Patentability shall not be negated by the manner in which the invention was made.
The factual inquiries for establishing a background for determining obviousness under 35 U.S.C. 103 are summarized as follows:
1. Determining the scope and contents of the prior art.
2. Ascertaining the differences between the prior art and the claims at issue.
3. Resolving the level of ordinary skill in the pertinent art.
4. Considering objective evidence present in the application indicating obviousness or nonobviousness.
Claims 1, 3-8, 10-16, and 18-20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over U.S. Patent Application Publication Number 2021/0241391 to Carroll et al. (hereafter referred to as Carroll) in view of U.S. Patent Application Publication Number 2020/0065845 to LeBlanc, JR. et al. (hereafter referred to as LeBlanc) and
As per claim 1, Carroll teaches:
A computer-implemented method executed by a gas station management system for managing fuel stocks of at least one gas station, each gas station including at least one fuel tank that stores fuel of a corresponding fuel type and that is equipped with a tank sensor... the gas station management system comprising a processing unit and an input/output interface, the computer-implemented method comprising (Paragraph Number [0031] teaches an example of a filling station where a fuel storage tank inventory management system according to an embodiment of the present invention may be used. A filling station, also commonly known as a service station, petrol filling station, forecourt, garage or gas station, is a fuel supply site selling fuel for road vehicles to customers. The customers may include retail customers, and may typically also include other types of customer, for example customers provided with fuel under a contract, or customers using fuel cards. Paragraph Number [0032] teaches a filling station may sell one or more different fuel types and grades, and each fuel type and grade may be stored in one or more different storage tanks. For clarity and brevity, in the present application each unique combination of a type and a grade of fuel will be referred to as a fuel. Accordingly, different grades of the same type of fuel will be referred to as different fuels herein. Paragraph Number [0063] teaches each fuel storage tank 102 may have a low fuel level sensor and alarm in order to provide a warning that the amount of stored fuel has reached, or dropped below, a predetermined minimum value so that the supply of fuel from the tank can be stopped to avoid providing contaminated or dirty fuel to customers. In such examples the predetermined minimum amount may conveniently be set to be the same as, or slightly above, this minimum value).
the tank sensor configured to output a fuel stock measurement signal indicative of a fuel stock measurement for said fuel tank (Paragraph Number [0063] teaches each fuel storage tank 102 may have a low fuel level sensor and alarm in order to provide a warning that the amount of stored fuel has reached, or dropped below, a predetermined minimum value so that the supply of fuel from the tank can be stopped to avoid providing contaminated or dirty fuel to customers. In such examples the predetermined minimum amount may conveniently be set to be the same as, or slightly above, this minimum value. Paragraph Number [0149] teaches the fuel storage tank may have a low fuel level sensor and alarm in order to provide a warning that the amount of stored fuel has reached, or dropped below, a predetermined minimum value so that the supply of fuel from the tank can be stopped to avoid providing contaminated or dirty fuel to customers. In such examples the threshold reserve amount may conveniently be set to be the same as, or slightly above, this minimum value so that the fuel in the tank is not depleted to a level where the low fuel level sensor and alarm are activated).
for each gas station, receiving, via said input/output interface, a fuel stock measurement signal from each fuel tank of said at least one fuel tank associated with said corresponding fuel type (Paragraph Number [0045] and FIG. 3 illustrates a user interface 5 of the fuel tank inventory management system 1 according to the first embodiment of the invention. Paragraph Number [0053] teaches the user interface 5 is a graphical user interface (GUI) 5 which is rendered and presented to an operator on a visual display 17 of the fuel storage tank inventory management system 1. Paragraph Number [0063] teaches each fuel storage tank 102 may have a low fuel level sensor and alarm in order to provide a warning that the amount of stored fuel has reached, or dropped below, a predetermined minimum value so that the supply of fuel from the tank can be stopped to avoid providing contaminated or dirty fuel to customers. In such examples the predetermined minimum amount may conveniently be set to be the same as, or slightly above, this minimum value. Paragraph Number [0149] teaches the fuel storage tank may have a low fuel level sensor and alarm in order to provide a warning that the amount of stored fuel has reached, or dropped below, a predetermined minimum value so that the supply of fuel from the tank can be stopped to avoid providing contaminated or dirty fuel to customers. In such examples the threshold reserve amount may conveniently be set to be the same as, or slightly above, this minimum value so that the fuel in the tank is not depleted to a level where the low fuel level sensor and alarm are activated).
for each corresponding fuel type, calculating an expected stock-out time, via said processing unit, including predicting forecast fuel sales, representative of an expected fuel amount withdrawn, from each fuel tank of said at least one fuel tank associated with said each corresponding fuel type over time, from a current starting date (Paragraph Number [0048] teaches the prediction engine 2 operates on stored data 13 selected from the stored information inputs 7 and site specific characteristics information 12 using predictive tools taken from the data store 3 to generate predicted values of future fuel demand 9 for the fuel stored in each of the fuel storage tanks 102. The predicted values of future fuel demand 9 and the stored fuel information 8 are then provided to the fuel stock predictor 4. The fuel stock predictor 4 uses the predicted values of future fuel demand 9 and stored fuel information 8 to determine predicted amounts 10 of stored fuel in each of the fuel storage tanks 102 of the filling station 100 at different times in the future. The predicted amounts 10 of stored fuel in each of the fuel storage tanks 102 of the filling station 100 at different times in the future are then provided to a window determining unit 11, and may also be stored in the data store 3. The window determining unit 11 determines a safe window 14 for a fuel supply delivery to be made for each of the fuel storage tanks 102 of the filling station 100. In this context a “safe” window means a time window or window of which avoids the corresponding one of the storage tanks 102 inadvertently running dry. Use of the safe windows 14 to schedule fuel deliveries may avoid replenishing the fuel storage tanks 102 at an unnecessarily early time. [0049] The prediction engine 2 may be an expert system in which the different values of the different parameters which can affect fuel demand at the service station 100 are processed using predictive tools stored in the data store 3, and the cumulative effects of all of the different parameters are combined to provide an expected fuel demand value for the fuel in each of the tanks 102 for a future time period).
based on a fuel stock measurement received from said each fuel tank associated with said each corresponding fuel type, determining a current net available stock for said each corresponding fuel type (Paragraph Number [0048] teaches the prediction engine 2 operates on stored data 13 selected from the stored information inputs 7 and site specific characteristics information 12 using predictive tools taken from the data store 3 to generate predicted values of future fuel demand 9 for the fuel stored in each of the fuel storage tanks 102. The predicted values of future fuel demand 9 and the stored fuel information 8 are then provided to the fuel stock predictor 4. The fuel stock predictor 4 uses the predicted values of future fuel demand 9 and stored fuel information 8 to determine predicted amounts 10 of stored fuel in each of the fuel storage tanks 102 of the filling station 100 at different times in the future. The predicted amounts 10 of stored fuel in each of the fuel storage tanks 102 of the filling station 100 at different times in the future are then provided to a window determining unit 11, and may also be stored in the data store 3. The window determining unit 11 determines a safe window 14 for a fuel supply delivery to be made for each of the fuel storage tanks 102 of the filling station 100. In this context a “safe” window means a time window or window of which avoids the corresponding one of the storage tanks 102 inadvertently running dry. Use of the safe windows 14 to schedule fuel deliveries may avoid replenishing the fuel storage tanks 102 at an unnecessarily early time).
based on the current net available stock that is determined and the forecast fuel sales that is predicted, calculating the expected stock-out time as a date at which cumulated forecast fuel sales over time, from the current starting date, exceed the current net available stock (Paragraph Number [0049] teaches the prediction engine 2 may be an expert system in which the different values of the different parameters which can affect fuel demand at the service station 100 are processed using predictive tools stored in the data store 3, and the cumulative effects of all of the different parameters are combined to provide an expected fuel demand value for the fuel in each of the tanks 102 for a future time period. [0054] The GUI 5 comprises a number of different screens which may be selectively rendered on the display 17 in response to operator instructions. In the illustrated embodiment the different screens which can be rendered by the GUI 5 comprise screens indicating the current status of the stocks of fuel in the different storage tanks 102 at the filling station 100 and the predicted status of the stocks of fuel in the different storage tanks 102 at the filling station 100 at different times in the future, including the safe windows for the different storage tanks 102).
predicting a lead duration, representative of a duration between a generation of a fuel purchase order and a corresponding fuel delivery at said each gas station; generating a supply instruction based on the expected stock-out time that is calculated of at least one corresponding fuel type of said each corresponding fuel type and corresponding lead duration that is predicted (Paragraph Number [0074] teaches the current status screen 200 of the GUI 5, which displays information regarding the current status of the stocks of fuel in the different storage tanks 102 at the filling station 100. As is shown in FIG. 3, in the current status screen 200 the button 211a of the button bar 211, labelled “Today” is highlighted to indicate to the operator that the current status is being displayed. [0079] FIG. 4 illustrates a next day status screen 300 displaying predicted information regarding the status of the stocks of fuel stored in the storage tanks 102 at the filling station 100 on the next day, that is, the day following the current day, according to an embodiment. The rendering of the next day status screen 300 by the GUI 5 may be selected by selecting the button 211b of the button bar 211. [0085] In the next day status screen 300 the indicated safe window length value 202 of each tank display area 201 will be the length of the predicted safe window for refilling the corresponding fuel storage tank 102 which will remain at the end of the day that the next day status screen 300 relates to, that is, the day following the current day. For example, in the next day status screen 300 the tank display area 201 a indicates a remaining safe window length value 202a of 1 day for the fuel storage tank 102a. The indicated safe window length value 202 is the length of the safe window 14 determined by the window determining unit 11 which will remain at the end of the day that the next day status screen 300 relates to, that is, the day following the current day).
transmitting, via said input/output interface, said supply instruction that is generated to a fuel delivery facility via said input/output interface (Paragraph Number [0053] teaches the user interface 5 is a graphical user interface (GUI) 5 which is rendered and presented to an operator on a visual display 17 of the fuel storage tank inventory management system 1. In examples where the fuel storage tank inventory management system 1 is be provided by software modules operating on a general purpose computer the visual display 17 may be a visual display of the general purpose computer, or a visual display connected to the general purpose computer. Paragraph Number [0208] teaches the communications device 304 is used by an operator to access and display the results of the predictions and determinations regarding the different filling stations 302 which are stored in the central fuel tank inventory management element 301. The communications device 304 acts as a remote user interface to the central fuel tank inventory management element 301 and comprises a GUI 305 similar to the GUI 5 according to the first embodiment, and presenting similar information regarding the different filling stations 302. This information may be presented using status screens similar to those of the first embodiment. In some examples the GUI 305 may display a separate set of status screens for each of the filling stations 304 based on a selection input by the user or operator).
such that the fuel delivery facility supplies fuel to the each gas station corresponding therewith in accordance with the supply instruction (Paragraph Number [0038] teaches the task of fuel storage tank inventory management may be further complicated by limitations in the amounts of liquid fuels which can be physically delivered by road tanker vehicles. Typically, a road tanker vehicle will have a tank broken up into a number of fixed size tank cells, for example a road tanker vehicle with a fuel capacity of 36,000 liters may have a tank comprising six cells each having a capacity of 6,000 liters. Each cell may hold a different fuel, such as various grades of petrol and diesel fuel, but each cell can hold only a single fuel. It is common for fuel suppliers to only accept fuel orders for a full road tanker vehicle load of fuel, in order to avoid the risk and environmental and financial cost of the additional road tanker vehicle journeys which would be made necessary by making deliveries with road tanker vehicles which are only partly full. As a result, it will commonly only be possible for a user to order fuel in amounts corresponding to the sizes of the cells of the different road tanker vehicles used by their fuel supplier. Paragraph Number [0118] teaches the user can review the fuel order form and edit the information on the fuel order form as desired. When the user is satisfied with the fuel order form the fuel order form is sent to the fuel supplier to instruct the fuel delivery to be made. Claim 15 teaches wherein the predetermined threshold corresponds to the length of time between an order being made for a delivery of the fuel to the filling station and the ordered fuel being delivered to the filling station).
wherein, for said each gas station and said each corresponding fuel type, the current net available stock depends on a sum of, on one hand, the fuel stock measurement measured at said each fuel tank of said each gas station associated with said each corresponding fuel type (Paragraph Number [0102] teaches the fuel storage tank inventory management system 1 is arranged to alert a user when any of the fuel storage tanks 102 approach the end of their respective safe delivery window and there is an urgent need to order fuel to refill that tank in order to avoid the fuel storage tank 102 becoming empty and no longer able to supply fuel. In order to do this, the system 1 compares the length of the calculated safe delivery window for each of the fuel storage tanks 102 to the predetermined threshold of the known length of delay for fuel deliveries recorded in the site-specific characteristics information 12 stored in the data store 3. If any of the fuel storage tanks 102 are determined to have a safe delivery window which is equal to or shorter than the stored length of delay for fuel deliveries the indicated safe delivery window value 203 for that fuel storage tank 102 is highlighted in the status screens 200, 300, 400 displayed on the GUI 5 to draw a user’s attention to them).
Carroll teaches determining fuel stock and stock-out time based on tank sensors and forecast fuel sales but does not explicitly teach incorporating fuel in transit as part of the prediction which is taught by the following citations from LeBlanc:
on another hand, an amount of fuel of said each corresponding fuel type being in transit mode, wherein the in transit mode includes one or more of an amount of fuel being currently decanted, an amount of fuel currently in transit to said each gas station (Paragraph Number [0084] teaches an electronic, digital tag related to specific future delivery transaction described in the present invention to be attached to a physical, otherwise fungible, delivery (shipment) of motor fuels, creating a ‘digital commodity’. In the current embodiment of the present invention, motor fuel suppliers are able to electronically create shipping notices to downstream delivery customers (or merchants) with systemic capabilities to electronically accept the digital transfer of the physical commodity shipped with the details of the previously transacted future delivery transactions uniquely attached for custody transfer of the physical delivery., as illustrated by example in FIGS. 9a-c. FIG. 9a depicts a merchant dashboard displaying upcoming and in-transit deliveries with the capacity to accept deliveries and send real-time, electronic notices to its respective motor fuel customers and suppliers. FIG. 9b depicts a motor fuel supplier application interface where the motor fuel consumer purchases previously transacted can be electronically tagged to a physical shipment and the electronic custody transfer of future delivery transactions can be effectively transferred, tracked, controlled and managed).
Both Carroll and LeBlanc are directed to fuel system management. Carroll discloses determining fuel stock and stock-out time based on tank sensors and forecast fuel sales. LeBlanc improves upon Carroll by disclosing incorporating fuel in transit as part of the prediction. One of ordinary skill in the art would be motivated to further include incorporating fuel in transit as part of the prediction, to efficiently incorporate the entire fuel management system including fuel that has been assigned to a station but has not yet arrived at the station.
Accordingly, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the system and method of determining fuel stock and stock-out time based on tank sensors and forecast fuel sales in Carroll to further utilize incorporating fuel in transit as part of the prediction as disclosed in LeBlanc, since the claimed invention is merely a combination of old elements, and in combination each element merely would have performed the same function as it did separately, and one of ordinary skill in the art would have recognized that the results of the combination were predictable.
As per claim 12, Carroll teaches:
A gas station management system that manages fuel stocks of at least one gas station, wherein each gas station includes at least one fuel tank that stores fuel of a corresponding fuel type, the gas station management system comprising: an input/output interface, a memory, and a processing unit, wherein the input/output interface, the memory and the processing unit are all connected to one another (Paragraph Number [0014] teaches the present disclosure provides a computer implemented method for fuel storage tank inventory management at a filling station, the method comprising: obtaining information regarding the predicted status of a fuel stored in a specific fuel storage tank at a filling station, the obtained information comprising time window information regarding a time window for receiving a delivery of fuel for the fuel storage tank; and rendering a graphical user interface ‘GUI’ arranged to output the time window; wherein the GUI is arranged to display the predicted status of the fuel stored in the fuel storage tank at a selected one of a plurality of different times in response to detection of a selection input by a user; and wherein the displayed status of the fuel stored in the fuel storage tank comprises the remaining length of the time window at the respective one of the plurality of different times. Paragraph Number [0232] teaches such a device may comprise one or more processors which may be microprocessors, controllers or any other suitable type of processors for processing computer executable instructions to control the operation of the device in order to gather and record routing information. In some examples, for example where a system on a chip architecture is used, the processors may include one or more fixed function blocks (also referred to as accelerators) which implement a part of the method in hardware (rather than software or firmware). Platform software comprising an operating system or any other suitable platform software may be provided at the computing-based device to enable application software to be executed on the device).
The remainder of the claim limitations are substantially similar to those found in claim 1 and are rejected for the same reasons put forth in regard to claim 1.
As per claim 13, Carroll teaches:
A fuel distribution network comprising: at least one gas station, and a gas station management system that manages each gas station of said at least one gas station, wherein the gas station management system comprises an input/output interface, a memory, and a processing unit, wherein the input/output interface, the memory and the processing unit are all connected to one another (Paragraph Number [0014] teaches the present disclosure provides a computer implemented method for fuel storage tank inventory management at a filling station, the method comprising: obtaining information regarding the predicted status of a fuel stored in a specific fuel storage tank at a filling station, the obtained information comprising time window information regarding a time window for receiving a delivery of fuel for the fuel storage tank; and rendering a graphical user interface ‘GUI’ arranged to output the time window; wherein the GUI is arranged to display the predicted status of the fuel stored in the fuel storage tank at a selected one of a plurality of different times in response to detection of a selection input by a user; and wherein the displayed status of the fuel stored in the fuel storage tank comprises the remaining length of the time window at the respective one of the plurality of different times. Paragraph Number [0232] teaches such a device may comprise one or more processors which may be microprocessors, controllers or any other suitable type of processors for processing computer executable instructions to control the operation of the device in order to gather and record routing information. In some examples, for example where a system on a chip architecture is used, the processors may include one or more fixed function blocks (also referred to as accelerators) which implement a part of the method in hardware (rather than software or firmware). Platform software comprising an operating system or any other suitable platform software may be provided at the computing-based device to enable application software to be executed on the device).
The remainder of the claim limitations are substantially similar to those found in claim 1 and are rejected for the same reasons put forth in regard to claim 1.
As per claim 2, the combination of Carroll and LeBlanc teaches each of the limitations of claim 1.
In addition, Carroll teaches:
further comprising iteratively performing, over time, one or more of said calculating the expected stock-out time, said predicting the lead duration to output an updated expected stockout time, an updated lead duration respectively, or both the updated expected stock-out time and the updated lead duration respectively (Paragraph Number [0139] teaches the prediction engine 2 then determines in block 25 whether the stored information inputs 7 have been processed for all factors. If not, the prediction engine returns to block 24 and repeats the obtaining and processing for the stored information input 7 relating to the next factor. [0152] The prediction engine 2 responds to this by leaving block 27, and returns to block 22 and generates a prediction of future fuel demand for a next specific day of interest, so that the prediction engine 2 repeats the method of blocks 22 to 27 for the next day, including outputting a final adjusted demand value for the next specific day of interest to the fuel stock predictor 4 in block 26. The fuel stock predictor 4 repeats steps 29 and 30 for the final adjusted demand value for the next day of interest to determine a predicted amount of fuel stored in the specific fuel storage tank at the filling station at the end of the next day of interest. The window determining unit 16 obtains the predicted amount of fuel stored at the filling station at the end of the next day of interest from the fuel stock predictor 4 and compares this to the threshold fuel reserve amount in block 31).
wherein said generating the supply instruction is based on one or more of the updated expected stock-out time, the updated lead duration (Paragraph Number [0048] teaches the prediction engine 2 operates on stored data 13 selected from the stored information inputs 7 and site-specific characteristics information 12 using predictive tools taken from the data store 3 to generate predicted values of future fuel demand 9 for the fuel stored in each of the fuel storage tanks 102. The predicted values of future fuel demand 9 and the stored fuel information 8 are then provided to the fuel stock predictor 4. The fuel stock predictor 4 uses the predicted values of future fuel demand 9 and stored fuel information 8 to determine predicted amounts 10 of stored fuel in each of the fuel storage tanks 102 of the filling station 100 at different times in the future. The predicted amounts 10 of stored fuel in each of the fuel storage tanks 102 of the filling station 100 at different times in the future are then provided to a window determining unit 11, and may also be stored in the data store 3. The window determining unit 11 determines a safe window 14 for a fuel supply delivery to be made for each of the fuel storage tanks 102 of the filling station 100. Paragraph Number [0133] teaches the illustrated method 20 starts, in block 21, to generate a prediction of future fuel stock values for a specific single fuel storage tank at the filling station. In general, the system 4 will be operating continuously so that the predictions are continuously updated as new data becomes available, to provide a real time, or near real time prediction).
As per claim 3, the combination of Carroll and LeBlanc teaches each of the limitations of claim 1.
In addition, Carroll teaches:
wherein said each gas station is associated with a corresponding fuel purchase order, and wherein said generating the supply instruction comprises - based on the lead duration that is predicted and each expected stockout time that is calculated associated with said each gas station, sorting the corresponding fuel purchase order of said each gas station (Paragraph Number [0078] teaches in addition to the tank display areas 201 and the button bar 211, each status screen of the GUI 5 further comprises an order button 212. The order button 212 can be selected by the user to instruct the fuel storage tank inventory management system 1 to generate an order for a fuel delivery, as will be discussed in more detail below. Paragraph Number [0101] teaches in the illustrated example the filling station 100 has a fuel supply contract with a fuel supplier requiring a full day’s notice for fuel deliveries, and allowing only the day of delivery to be selected, not the time. As a result, in the illustrated example, if an order for fuel is made on a particular day the earliest day for which the delivery of fuel can be requested and carried out will be two days later, that is, the day after the day after the day on which the order is made, and the order may be delivered at any time on the requested delivery day. As a result, in order to avoid the risk of a fuel storage tank 102 being depleted to a level below the predetermined minimum value it will be necessary to place an order two days before the end of the safe delivery window to ensure that the delivery is made before the end of the safe delivery window. The length of the delay between the submission of an order for fuel delivery and the ordered fuel being delivered will generally be determined by the delivery terms of the fuel supplier, and possibly by practical considerations related to the location of the filling station 100. The length of the delay will be known for any specific filling station 100, and is recorded in the site-specific characteristics information 12 stored in the data store 3.).
outputting a first supply instruction for processing the corresponding fuel purchase order of said each gas station based on a result of the sorting. (Paragraph Number [0134] teaches in other examples the fuel storage tank inventory management system 1 may only make a prediction in response to an instruction, such an instruction may for example be input by an operator of the fuel storage tank inventory management system 1. Paragraph Number [0054] teaches the GUI 5 comprises a number of different screens which may be selectively rendered on the display 17 in response to operator instructions. In the illustrated embodiment the different screens which can be rendered by the GUI 5 comprise screens indicating the current status of the stocks of fuel in the different storage tanks 102 at the filling station 100 and the predicted status of the stocks of fuel in the different storage tanks 102 at the filling station 100 at different times in the future, including the safe windows for the different storage tanks 102. The information displayed on these screens may assist an operator in scheduling fuel deliveries to the filling station 100).
As per claim 4, the combination of Carroll and LeBlanc teaches each of the limitations of claims 1 and 3.
In addition, Carroll teaches:
wherein said sorting the fuel purchase order of said each gas station comprises for said each gas station and for said each corresponding fuel type, computing a survival duration as a duration between the current starting date and the corresponding expected stock-out time (Paragraph Number [0078] teaches in addition to the tank display areas 201 and the button bar 211, each status screen of the GUI 5 further comprises an order button 212. The order button 212 can be selected by the user to instruct the fuel storage tank inventory management system 1 to generate an order for a fuel delivery, as will be discussed in more detail below. Paragraph Number [0101] teaches in the illustrated example the filling station 100 has a fuel supply contract with a fuel supplier requiring a full day’s notice for fuel deliveries, and allowing only the day of delivery to be selected, not the time. As a result, in the illustrated example, if an order for fuel is made on a particular day the earliest day for which the delivery of fuel can be requested and carried out will be two days later, that is, the day after the day after the day on which the order is made, and the order may be delivered at any time on the requested delivery day. As a result, in order to avoid the risk of a fuel storage tank 102 being depleted to a level below the predetermined minimum value it will be necessary to place an order two days before the end of the safe delivery window to ensure that the delivery is made before the end of the safe delivery window. The length of the delay between the submission of an order for fuel delivery and the ordered fuel being delivered will generally be determined by the delivery terms of the fuel supplier, and possibly by practical considerations related to the location of the filling station 100. The length of the delay will be known for any specific filling station 100, and is recorded in the site-specific characteristics information 12 stored in the data store 3).
for said each gas station, identifying a minimum survival duration as a smallest calculated survival duration for said each gas station (Paragraph Number [0048] teaches the prediction engine 2 operates on stored data 13 selected from the stored information inputs 7 and site-specific characteristics information 12 using predictive tools taken from the data store 3 to generate predicted values of future fuel demand 9 for the fuel stored in each of the fuel storage tanks 102. The predicted values of future fuel demand 9 and the stored fuel information 8 are then provided to the fuel stock predictor 4. The fuel stock predictor 4 uses the predicted values of future fuel demand 9 and stored fuel information 8 to determine predicted amounts 10 of stored fuel in each of the fuel storage tanks 102 of the filling station 100 at different times in the future. The predicted amounts 10 of stored fuel in each of the fuel storage tanks 102 of the filling station 100 at different times in the future are then provided to a window determining unit 11, and may also be stored in the data store 3. The window determining unit 11 determines a safe window 14 for a fuel supply delivery to be made for each of the fuel storage tanks 102 of the filling station 100. In this context a “safe” window means a time window or window of which avoids the corresponding one of the storage tanks 102 inadvertently running dry. Use of the safe windows 14 to schedule fuel deliveries may avoid replenishing the fuel storage tanks 102 at an unnecessarily early time).
for said each gas station, calculating a maximum fulfilment duration as a difference between the minimum survival duration that is identified and the lead duration that is predicted (Paragraph Number [0048] teaches the prediction engine 2 operates on stored data 13 selected from the stored information inputs 7 and site specific characteristics information 12 using predictive tools taken from the data store 3 to generate predicted values of future fuel demand 9 for the fuel stored in each of the fuel storage tanks 102. The predicted values of future fuel demand 9 and the stored fuel information 8 are then provided to the fuel stock predictor 4. The fuel stock predictor 4 uses the predicted values of future fuel demand 9 and stored fuel information 8 to determine predicted amounts 10 of stored fuel in each of the fuel storage tanks 102 of the filling station 100 at different times in the future. The predicted amounts 10 of stored fuel in each of the fuel storage tanks 102 of the filling station 100 at different times in the future are then provided to a window determining unit 11, and may also be stored in the data store 3. The window determining unit 11 determines a safe window 14 for a fuel supply delivery to be made for each of the fuel storage tanks 102 of the filling station 100. In this context a “safe” window means a time window or window of which avoids the corresponding one of the storage tanks 102 inadvertently running dry. Use of the safe windows 14 to schedule fuel deliveries may avoid replenishing the fuel storage tanks 102 at an unnecessarily early time).
arranging the fuel purchase order for said each gas station based on the maximum fulfilment duration of said each gas station respectively (Paragraph Number [0101] teaches in the illustrated example the filling station 100 has a fuel supply contract with a fuel supplier requiring a full day’s notice for fuel deliveries, and allowing only the day of delivery to be selected, not the time. As a result, in the illustrated example, if an order for fuel is made on a particular day the earliest day for which the delivery of fuel can be requested and carried out will be two days later, that is, the day after the day after the day on which the order is made, and the order may be delivered at any time on the requested delivery day. As a result, in order to avoid the risk of a fuel storage tank 102 being depleted to a level below the predetermined minimum value it will be necessary to place an order two days before the end of the safe delivery window to ensure that the delivery is made before the end of the safe delivery window. The length of the delay between the submission of an order for fuel delivery and the ordered fuel being delivered will generally be determined by the delivery terms of the fuel supplier, and possibly by practical considerations related to the location of the filling station 100. The length of the delay will be known for any specific filling station 100, and is recorded in the site-specific characteristics information 12 stored in the data store 3).
wherein said outputting the first supply instruction includes outputting an instruction to process the fuel purchase order of said each gas station in an ascending order of their maximum fulfilment duration (Paragraph Number [0101] teaches in the illustrated example the filling station 100 has a fuel supply contract with a fuel supplier requiring a full day’s notice for fuel deliveries, and allowing only the day of delivery to be selected, not the time. As a result, in the illustrated example, if an order for fuel is made on a particular day the earliest day for which the delivery of fuel can be requested and carried out will be two days later, that is, the day after the day after the day on which the order is made, and the order may be delivered at any time on the requested delivery day. As a result, in order to avoid the risk of a fuel storage tank 102 being depleted to a level below the predetermined minimum value it will be necessary to place an order two days before the end of the safe delivery window to ensure that the delivery is made before the end of the safe delivery window. The length of the delay between the submission of an order for fuel delivery and the ordered fuel being delivered will generally be determined by the delivery terms of the fuel supplier, and possibly by practical considerations related to the location of the filling station 100. The length of the delay will be known for any specific filling station 100, and is recorded in the site-specific characteristics information 12 stored in the data store 3).
As per claim 5, the combination of Carroll and LeBlanc teaches each of the limitations of claim 1.
In addition, Carroll teaches:
wherein said generating the supply instruction includes, for said each gas station, comparing at least one corresponding buffer duration, based on the expected stock-out time associated with said corresponding fuel type, to at least one predetermined threshold (Paragraph Number [0048] teaches the prediction engine 2 operates on stored data 13 selected from the stored information inputs 7 and site specific characteristics information 12 using predictive tools taken from the data store 3 to generate predicted values of future fuel demand 9 for the fuel stored in each of the fuel storage tanks 102. The predicted values of future fuel demand 9 and the stored fuel information 8 are then provided to the fuel stock predictor 4. The fuel stock predictor 4 uses the predicted values of future fuel demand 9 and stored fuel information 8 to determine predicted amounts 10 of stored fuel in each of the fuel storage tanks 102 of the filling station 100 at different times in the future. The predicted amounts 10 of stored fuel in each of the fuel storage tanks 102 of the filling station 100 at different times in the future are then provided to a window determining unit 11, and may also be stored in the data store 3. The window determining unit 11 determines a safe window 14 for a fuel supply delivery to be made for each of the fuel storage tanks 102 of the filling station 100. In this context a “safe” window means a time window or window of which avoids the corresponding one of the storage tanks 102 inadvertently running dry. Use of the safe windows 14 to schedule fuel deliveries may avoid replenishing the fuel storage tanks 102 at an unnecessarily early time).
outputting a second supply instruction to generate a fuel purchase order for said each gas station based on a result of the comparing. (Paragraph Number [0101] teaches in the illustrated example the filling station 100 has a fuel supply contract with a fuel supplier requiring a full day’s notice for fuel deliveries, and allowing only the day of delivery to be selected, not the time. As a result, in the illustrated example, if an order for fuel is made on a particular day the earliest day for which the delivery of fuel can be requested and carried out will be two days later, that is, the day after the day after the day on which the order is made, and the order may be delivered at any time on the requested delivery day. As a result, in order to avoid the risk of a fuel storage tank 102 being depleted to a level below the predetermined minimum value it will be necessary to place an order two days before the end of the safe delivery window to ensure that the delivery is made before the end of the safe delivery window. The length of the delay between the submission of an order for fuel delivery and the ordered fuel being delivered will generally be determined by the delivery terms of the fuel supplier, and possibly by practical considerations related to the location of the filling station 100. The length of the delay will be known for any specific filling station 100, and is recorded in the site-specific characteristics information 12 stored in the data store 3).
As per claim 6, the combination of Carroll and LeBlanc teaches each of the limitations of claims 1 and 5.
In addition, Carroll teaches:
wherein, for said each gas station and for said each corresponding fuel type, the at least one corresponding buffer duration is equal to a difference between, on one hand, a duration between the current starting date and the expected stock-out time, and, on another hand, the lead duration associated with said each gas station. (Paragraph Number [0048] teaches the prediction engine 2 operates on stored data 13 selected from the stored information inputs 7 and site-specific characteristics information 12 using predictive tools taken from the data store 3 to generate predicted values of future fuel demand 9 for the fuel stored in each of the fuel storage tanks 102. The predicted values of future fuel demand 9 and the stored fuel information 8 are then provided to the fuel stock predictor 4. The fuel stock predictor 4 uses the predicted values of future fuel demand 9 and stored fuel information 8 to determine predicted amounts 10 of stored fuel in each of the fuel storage tanks 102 of the filling station 100 at different times in the future. The predicted amounts 10 of stored fuel in each of the fuel storage tanks 102 of the filling station 100 at different times in the future are then provided to a window determining unit 11, and may also be stored in the data store 3. The window determining unit 11 determines a safe window 14 for a fuel supply delivery to be made for each of the fuel storage tanks 102 of the filling station 100. In this context a “safe” window means a time window or window of which avoids the corresponding one of the storage tanks 102 inadvertently running dry. Use of the safe windows 14 to schedule fuel deliveries may avoid replenishing the fuel storage tanks 102 at an unnecessarily early time.).
As per claim 7, the combination of Carroll and LeBlanc teaches each of the limitations of claims 1, 5, and 6.
In addition, Carroll teaches:
wherein, for said each gas station, said comparing includes comparing a smallest corresponding buffer duration to a first predetermined threshold of the at least one predetermined threshold (Paragraph Number [0013] teaches in a second aspect, the present disclosure provides a computer implemented system for fuel storage tank inventory management at a filling station, the system comprising: obtaining means arranged to obtain information regarding the predicted status of fuel stored in one or more fuel storage tanks, the obtained information comprising time window information regarding a time window for receiving a delivery of fuel for the fuel storage tank before the amount of fuel stored in the fuel storage tank is predicted to fall below a predetermined threshold; and display means arranged to display a time window for receiving a delivery of fuel in response to detection of a selection input by a user, wherein the time window for receiving a delivery of fuel to the fuel storage tank varies in response to the selection input by the user; and the display means being further arranged to display, in addition to said time window information, a message actuation whereby generation of a message to trigger fuel supply at a displayed time or time window can be triggered from the same display).
wherein, for said each gas station, said outputting the second supply instruction includes generating the fuel purchase order for said each gas station if the smallest corresponding buffer duration is lower than the first predetermined threshold (Paragraph Number [0048] teaches the prediction engine 2 operates on stored data 13 selected from the stored information inputs 7 and site specific characteristics information 12 using predictive tools taken from the data store 3 to generate predicted values of future fuel demand 9 for the fuel stored in each of the fuel storage tanks 102. The predicted values of future fuel demand 9 and the stored fuel information 8 are then provided to the fuel stock predictor 4. The fuel stock predictor 4 uses the predicted values of future fuel demand 9 and stored fuel information 8 to determine predicted amounts 10 of stored fuel in each of the fuel storage tanks 102 of the filling station 100 at different times in the future. The predicted amounts 10 of stored fuel in each of the fuel storage tanks 102 of the filling station 100 at different times in the future are then provided to a window determining unit 11, and may also be stored in the data store 3. The window determining unit 11 determines a safe window 14 for a fuel supply delivery to be made for each of the fuel storage tanks 102 of the filling station 100. In this context a “safe” window means a time window or window of which avoids the corresponding one of the storage tanks 102 inadvertently running dry. Use of the safe windows 14 to schedule fuel deliveries may avoid replenishing the fuel storage tanks 102 at an unnecessarily early time).
wherein the fuel purchase order includes a first amount of fuel that is greater than 0, and greater than a predetermined minimum amount, for a first fuel type which is associated with the smallest corresponding buffer duration (Paragraph Number [0101] teaches in the illustrated example the filling station 100 has a fuel supply contract with a fuel supplier requiring a full day’s notice for fuel deliveries, and allowing only the day of delivery to be selected, not the time. As a result, in the illustrated example, if an order for fuel is made on a particular day the earliest day for which the delivery of fuel can be requested and carried out will be two days later, that is, the day after the day after the day on which the order is made, and the order may be delivered at any time on the requested delivery day. As a result, in order to avoid the risk of a fuel storage tank 102 being depleted to a level below the predetermined minimum value it will be necessary to place an order two days before the end of the safe delivery window to ensure that the delivery is made before the end of the safe delivery window. The length of the delay between the submission of an order for fuel delivery and the ordered fuel being delivered will generally be determined by the delivery terms of the fuel supplier, and possibly by practical considerations related to the location of the filling station 100. The length of the delay will be known for any specific filling station 100, and is recorded in the site-specific characteristics information 12 stored in the data store 3).
As per claim 8, the combination of Carroll and LeBlanc teaches each of the limitations of claims 1 and 5-7.
In addition, Carroll teaches:
wherein, for said each gas station, said outputting the second supply instruction further includes determining the first amount of fuel so as to minimize an expected stock-out time deviation after delivery of the first amount of fuel to said each gas station (Paragraph Number [0102] teaches the fuel storage tank inventory management system 1 is arranged to alert a user when any of the fuel storage tanks 102 approach the end of their respective safe delivery window and there is an urgent need to order fuel to refill that tank in order to avoid the fuel storage tank 102 becoming empty and no longer able to supply fuel. In order to do this, the system 1 compares the length of the calculated safe delivery window for each of the fuel storage tanks 102 to the predetermined threshold of the known length of delay for fuel deliveries recorded in the site-specific characteristics information 12 stored in the data store 3. If any of the fuel storage tanks 102 are determined to have a safe delivery window which is equal to or shorter than the stored length of delay for fuel deliveries the indicated safe delivery window value 203 for that fuel storage tank 102 is highlighted in the status screens 200, 300, 400 displayed on the GUI 5 to draw a user’s attention to them).
As per claim 9, the combination of Carroll and LeBlanc teaches each of the limitations of claims 1 and 5-7.
In addition, Carroll teaches:
wherein, for said each gas station, the comparing further includes comparing each buffer duration to a second predetermined threshold of the at least one predetermined threshold (Paragraph Number [0148] teaches the window determining unit 16 obtains the predicted amount of fuel stored at the filling station at the end of the day of interest from the fuel stock predictor 4 and compares this to a threshold fuel reserve amount in block 31. The threshold reserve amount is a predetermined positive value in order to prevent the amount of fuel in the tank being fully depleted, and to prevent the amount of fuel in the tank being depleted below a minimum safe value. Generally, impurities, such as dirt, tend to accumulate in the bottoms of fuel storage tanks over time so that it is generally preferred not to deplete the amount of fuel in the tank below a predetermined level in order to avoid providing contaminated or dirty fuel to customers. In the illustrated example the effective tank capacity 205 is calculated by taking away the unusable tank capacity from the actual absolute tank capacity).
for said each gas station, and for each second fuel type, the fuel purchase order further including a respective second amount of fuel that is greater than 0, and greater than the predetermined minimum amount (Paragraph Number [0048] teaches the prediction engine 2 operates on stored data 13 selected from the stored information inputs 7 and site specific characteristics information 12 using predictive tools taken from the data store 3 to generate predicted values of future fuel demand 9 for the fuel stored in each of the fuel storage tanks 102. The predicted values of future fuel demand 9 and the stored fuel information 8 are then provided to the fuel stock predictor 4. The fuel stock predictor 4 uses the predicted values of future fuel demand 9 and stored fuel information 8 to determine predicted amounts 10 of stored fuel in each of the fuel storage tanks 102 of the filling station 100 at different times in the future. The predicted amounts 10 of stored fuel in each of the fuel storage tanks 102 of the filling station 100 at different times in the future are then provided to a window determining unit 11, and may also be stored in the data store 3. The window determining unit 11 determines a safe window 14 for a fuel supply delivery to be made for each of the fuel storage tanks 102 of the filling station 100. In this context a “safe” window means a time window or window of which avoids the corresponding one of the storage tanks 102 inadvertently running dry. Use of the safe windows 14 to schedule fuel deliveries may avoid replenishing the fuel storage tanks 102 at an unnecessarily early time).
wherein said each second fuel type is a fuel type, distinct from the first fuel type, for which the each buffer duration is lower than the second predetermined threshold (Paragraph Number [0032] teaches a filling station may sell one or more different fuel types and grades, and each fuel type and grade may be stored in one or more different storage tanks. For clarity and brevity, in the present application each unique combination of a type and a grade of fuel will be referred to as a fuel. Accordingly, different grades of the same type of fuel will be referred to as different fuels herein. Paragraph Number [0102] teaches the fuel storage tank inventory management system 1 is arranged to alert a user when any of the fuel storage tanks 102 approach the end of their respective safe delivery window and there is an urgent need to order fuel to refill that tank in order to avoid the fuel storage tank 102 becoming empty and no longer able to supply fuel. In order to do this, the system 1 compares the length of the calculated safe delivery window for each of the fuel storage tanks 102 to the predetermined threshold of the known length of delay for fuel deliveries recorded in the site-specific characteristics information 12 stored in the data store 3. If any of the fuel storage tanks 102 are determined to have a safe delivery window which is equal to or shorter than the stored length of delay for fuel deliveries the indicated safe delivery window value 203 for that fuel storage tank 102 is highlighted in the status screens 200, 300, 400 displayed on the GUI 5 to draw a user’s attention to them).
As per claim 10, the combination of Carroll and LeBlanc teaches each of the limitations of claims 1, 5-7, and 9.
In addition, Carroll teaches:
wherein, for said each gas station, said outputting the second supply instruction further includes determining said respective second amount of fuel so as to minimize an expected stock-out time deviation after delivery of the first amount of fuel and of said respective second amount of fuel to said each gas station (Paragraph Number [0102] teaches the fuel storage tank inventory management system 1 is arranged to alert a user when any of the fuel storage tanks 102 approach the end of their respective safe delivery window and there is an urgent need to order fuel to refill that tank in order to avoid the fuel storage tank 102 becoming empty and no longer able to supply fuel. In order to do this, the system 1 compares the length of the calculated safe delivery window for each of the fuel storage tanks 102 to the predetermined threshold of the known length of delay for fuel deliveries recorded in the site-specific characteristics information 12 stored in the data store 3. If any of the fuel storage tanks 102 are determined to have a safe delivery window which is equal to or shorter than the stored length of delay for fuel deliveries the indicated safe delivery window value 203 for that fuel storage tank 102 is highlighted in the status screens 200, 300, 400 displayed on the GUI 5 to draw a user’s attention to them).
As per claim 11, the combination of Carroll and LeBlanc teaches each of the limitations of claim 1.
In addition, Carroll teaches:
wherein said computer-implemented method is executed by a computer, therein which a computer program comprising instructions cause the computer to carry out the computer-implemented method (Paragraph Number [0232] teaches such a device may comprise one or more processors which may be microprocessors, controllers or any other suitable type of processors for processing computer executable instructions to control the operation of the device in order to gather and record routing information. In some examples, for example where a system on a chip architecture is used, the processors may include one or more fixed function blocks (also referred to as accelerators) which implement a part of the method in hardware (rather than software or firmware). Platform software comprising an operating system or any other suitable platform software may be provided at the computing-based device to enable application software to be executed on the device).
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments filed 2/24/2026 have been fully considered but they are not fully persuasive.
Applicant argues that the previously cited references do not teach the newly amended portions including the new limitations recited by the independent claims. (See Applicant’s Remarks, 2/24/2026, pgs. 14-18). Examiner respectfully disagrees. Examiner notes that new citations from the previously cited Carroll reference and citations from the newly cited LeBlanc reference have been applied to the newly presented claim limitations as indicated in the above in the new 103 rejections. As such, Applicant’s arguments directed towards the previous rejection are moot. In response to Applicant’s arguments, Examiner directs Applicant to review the new citations and explanations provided in the new 103 rejections presented above.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to MATTHEW H. DIVELBISS whose telephone number is (571) 270-0166. The fax phone number is 571-483-7110. The examiner can normally be reached on M-Th, 7:00 - 5:00. Examiner interviews are available via telephone, in-person, and video conferencing using a USPTO supplied web-based collaboration tool. To schedule an interview, applicant is encouraged to use the USPTO Automated Interview Request (AIR) at http://www.uspto.gov/interviewpractice. If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Jerry O'Connor can be reached on (571) 272-6787.
Information regarding the status of an application may be obtained from the Patent Application Information Retrieval (PAIR) system. Status information for published applications may be obtained from either Private PAIR or Public PAIR. Status information for unpublished applications is available through Private PAIR only. For more information about the PAIR system, see http://pair-direct.uspto.gov. Should you have questions on access to the Private PAIR system, contact the Electronic Business Center (EBC) at 866-217-9197 (toll-free). If you would like assistance from a USPTO Customer Service Representative or access to the automated information system, call 800-786-9199 (IN USA OR CANADA) or 571-272-1000.
/M.H.D/Examiner, Art Unit 3624
/Jerry O'Connor/Supervisory Patent Examiner,Group Art Unit 3624