Importance

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Abstract

A fueling transaction system that holds open a customer account after a pay-at-the-pump transaction is authorized. If the customer wishes to select non-fuel goods and services within the associated convenience store or restaurant, she may do so within a pre-programmed allotment of time. If the customer does not wish to purchase non-fuel items or fails to do so within the system time constraints, the system will simply time-out and close the customer's transaction. The initial customer account information or necessary identification may be provided through the customer's card using the dispenser's card reader or via the customer's transponder in an RFID environment. After the initial pre-authorization, the dispenser provides the customer with a code or other indicia linking a subsequent transaction within a convenience store or restaurant to the authorized fueling transaction. The code may be presented to the customer in any manner, but is preferably provided as a code number or scanable bar code printed by the dispenser printer. The printed code is then tendered by the customer or scanned to effect the purchase of a customer's products and links the purchase amount to the previously authorized card or account. The system contemplated in the present invention may be modified to include a self-service or other substantially dedicated scanning or checkout area to expedite pre-authorized customer transactions.

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First Claim