Targeted Ad for Gas Station Customers using Echo Sounder on Fuel Pump Nozzle and Nearby Camera

Authors: 
Vikrant Maheshwari, Vipul Chotaliya

Abstract:
Disclosed is a targeted advertisement system for gas stations that utilizes computer vision and fuel-level sensing technology to display personalized ads during the fueling process. While customers fill their gas tanks—typically an idle moment—sensors and nearby cameras gather contextual data including vehicle type, customer demographics, and estimated fueling duration. Using this information, the system selects and displays relevant ads on pump-attached screens to maximize engagement and potential upsell opportunities.

Background:
At many fuel stations, customers passively wait during the fueling process. Some stations use large displays at the pump to show generic ads or news clips, but these are not customized for the viewer. This represents a missed opportunity for retailers to target messaging at a time when the customer is stationary and attentive.

If retailers could identify:

1. Approximate time needed to fill the gas tank
2. Car background and type
3. Phone type or brand
4. Demographic indicators like ethnicity, family presence (e.g., kids), etc.

Then they could display relevant, real-time targeted ads that increase the likelihood of customer engagement. Current systems do not offer this level of targeting or make use of the available customer dwell time during fueling.

Description:
This invention integrates fuel pump sensors, computer vision, and machine learning to capture environmental and user-specific context at the pump.

System Workflow:

1. Arrival and Setup:
   • Customer parks at a gas station and begins fueling
2. Computer Vision Capture:
   • Nearby cameras identify:
     • Car make/model/type
     • Stickers, accessories, or personal items (e.g., “baby on board”)
     • Passengers, including presence of children or family members
     • Visible phone/device model
     • Customer's demographic indicators (approximated using vision models)
3. Sensor-Based Fuel Analysis:
   • The fuel pump nozzle is equipped with echo sounder or digital depth sensors
   • These sensors:
     • Detect initial fuel tank level
     • Monitor flow rate
     • Estimate total fuel required and time remaining to complete fueling
4. Targeted Ad Delivery:
   • Software uses the above inputs to select context-specific ads
   • For example:
     • A family car might receive kid-friendly product promotions
     • A luxury vehicle might trigger ads for premium goods or services
     • An identified short fueling time (e.g., 2 minutes) results in brief, impactful messages
   • Ads are displayed in real-time on pump-mounted screens
5. Optional Analytics and Consent Mechanism:
   • The system can anonymize data or request opt-in for long-term personalization
   • Metrics on ad engagement can be collected for ROI tracking

By combining fuel-level estimation with customer profiling via computer vision, the system creates a real-time, targeted advertising opportunity during a highly underutilized retail moment—gasoline refueling

Usages:

• Gas/fuel stations with screen-based advertising
• Automated customer segmentation for pump-based retail environments
• Interactive or responsive ad networks integrated with physical retail hardware

Enabling Technology:

• Echo sounder/digital depth sensors
• Computer vision with object and facial detection (privacy-preserving)
• Vehicle recognition systems
• Real-time content decision engines and display systems

TGCS Reference 1749