wpts-2 forecourt controller
WPTS-2 forecourt controller is a powerful modern forecourt controller for provision of control over orecourt equipment of petrol stations, petroleum storage depots and fuel delivery trucks:
◆ Petroleum, LPG and CNG dispensers
◆ Automatic tank gauge systems and probes
◆ Price signs
◆ RFID readers
◆ AVI systemWPTS-2 controller knows communication protocols of a great variety of dispensers, ATG systems and probes, price boards, readers and AVI systems allowing to control over any of them in a common way regardless of the brand or communication protocol used, so using the WPTS-2 controller any anagement system (POS system, OPT, mobile application) can use a common way for provision of control over any supported brands in the same way. WPTS-2 controller leads internal database for pumps sales, tanks measurements, in-tank deliveries, alerts, GPS records and fuel attendants› and customers› tags. It allows to generate reports using a web browser and also can automatically upload all the registered records to any remote cloud server and to provide a remote control and monitoring over all forecourt equipment installed on petrol stations, petroleum depots and fuel delivery trucks.
Dimensions of the WPTS-2 controller are extremely small with a size of a credit card, which makes its suitable for nstallation inside any third-party hardware.
Software of the WPTS-2 controller has a lifetime license, no regular fees needed.
Using the WPTS-2 forecourt controller fuel management systems (POS system, OPT, mobile application, remote server) can provide control over any of the fuel dispensers and monitoring over tanks, control price boards and RFID readers on the forecourt in a common single way and should not matter what are the brands of the equipment installed because the WPTS-2 controller undertakes all communication with equipment using its native communication protocols and takes into account all the peculiarities.
This completely simplifies work for a developer of control system: by having implemented communication protocol of the WPTS-2 controller you gain ability to provide control over any of dispensers, ATG systems and probes, price boards and readers supported by WPTS-2 controller in a common way, so the time required for development of the POS system, cash register, payment terminal or mobile applications is significantly reduced.
cONNECTION TO DISPENSER
WPTS-2 controller allows to control over up to 50 different fueling places same time, at this connected dispenser can be of 4 various brands, which use different communication protocols.
Following actions can be performed with fuel dispensers regardless the brand of the dispenser used:
◆ Get dispenser status◆ Start fueling process◆ Stop fueling process◆ Suspend fueling process◆ Resume fueling process◆ Set/get nozzles’ prices◆ Get nozzles’ total counters◆ Get filling information during dispensing process (volume, amount, price)◆ Get transaction information after dispensing process (volume, amount, price)◆ Calculation of product temperature-compensated volume in case if there is ATG system or probe installed in tank◆ All pumps’ sales data can be recorded in WPTS-2 controller for reporting through a web-browser and additionallyuploaded to a remote server for processing and analysis.
cONNECTION TO ATG SYSTEM
WPTS-2 controller allows to monitor same time up to 20 tanks, equipped with probes or ATG systems, at this connection of 3 different brands of probes or ATG systems using different communication protocols is possible same time. Following features are present for any tank regardless of the ATG system or probe used:
◆ Informing probes’ measurements data: product level, water level, temperature, product volume, water volume, product temperature-compensated volume, tank ullage, product density, product mass
◆ In case if the probes do not provide volume measurements – then WPTS-2 controller can provide calculation of product volume based on tank calibration chart and product level, measured by probe◆ Automatic calculation of product temperature-compensated volume in tank◆ Automatic detection of product in-tank deliveries received, it can be done even during pumps fueling process◆ Automatic calculation of product mass◆ Automatic tank leakage detection◆ Automatic track of tank alarms: probe failures, high and low product levels, high water level◆ At communication to ATG consoles WPTS-2 controller can be used for sending fuel dispensers sales data to consoles in order to make console provide tanks reconciliation reports and automatic tanks calibration◆ All tanks’ measurements data can be recorded in WPTS-2 controller for reporting through a web-browser and additionally uploaded to a remote server for processing and analysis.
The WPTS-2 controller supports over 50 different brands of ATG systems and tank probes , here is a list of supported probes and ATG systems communication protocols.
WPTS-2 controller allows to control same time up to 5 price boards each having up to 10 price displays, at this connection of 3 different brands of price-boards using different communication protocols is possible same time.
The WPTS-2 controller automatically provides control over the price-boards: the prices are automatically updated on the price-boards oncethey updated in configuration.
The WPTS-2 controller supports different brands of price boards and poles, here is a list of supported price boards communication protocols.
Connection to Readers
WPTS-2 controller allows to read the RFID identifiers (cards, tags,wrist straps, etc.) same time from up to 51 readers. The readerscan be used as standalone, so as can be linked to pumpsprogrammatically and mounted to pumps (example of the RFIDtag to be used on the pump).
WPTS-2 controller provides leading a list of tags for customersand fuel attendants, which allows to verify the customer or fuelattendant before the filling to avoid unauthorized fillings. In the end of the filling the WPTS-2 controller saves information on the performed transactions together with the read tags to the database allowing to track actions of the customer or fuel attendant and view in reports sales performed by each customeror fuel attendant.
Connection to Automatic Vehicles Identification
Systems (AVI Systems)
systems (AVI systems), which allow to automatically identify the vehicle once the pump nozzle is inserted inside the vehicle’s tank. These systems are used for 3 main purposes:
◆ To automatically identify the vehicle without interaction of the driver◆ To automatically check the account linked to the vehicle (remains of balance, personal loyalty program or discounter, etc)◆ To prevent fuel thefts (filling will not start to a different vehicle and a possibility to cheat during the fueling process is eliminated)Once the pump nozzle is inserted in the vehicle’s tank - the management system can automatically know the vehicle’s ID and check its account in order to provide it with its personal discount or loyalty policy and start the fueling process, so all is done automatically without the driver’s interaction. During the filling the WPTS-2 controller is constantly checking the vehicle tag and in case if the pump nozzle is removed from the vehicle (in order to steal the fuel by filling a canister or some other vehicle) - then the WPTS-2 controller automatically pauses the filling, the filling will be automatically resumed once the nozzle is inserted back into the initial vehicle’s tank (when the initial tag is detected again). WPTS-2 controller allows flexible configuration for petrol station to state which pump nozzles are equipped with the AVI system and which are not. It allows to install the AVI system only on part of the dispensers (for example those, which are appointed for the fleet customers). In the end of the filling the WPTS-2 controller saves information on the performed transactions together with the detected vehicle tags to its database allowing to track vehicles in reports and to upload the data to a remote server.
Wireless Communication
The WPTS-2 controller can be connected to all forecourt equipment in a wireless way using a WFC wireless forecourt communicator, which allows communication with any brand of dispensers (fuel, LPG, CNG), tank probes and consoles, price poles in a wireless way without a need to put any cables.
WFC communicator has a rich set of electric interfaces on board (various types of current loop interfaces, voltage driven interfaces,RS-485, RS-422, RS-232) suiting to connection of any dispenser brand. Communication with WFC communicator is done over a secured Wi-Fi network. Configuration of WFC communicator is done using a web browser.
The WFC communicator works in conjunction with the WPTS-2 forecourt controller, where the WFC communicator provides wireless communication and connection to devices using various hardware interfaces and the WPTS-2 controller manages communication with the connected devices (dispensers, ATG consoles and probes, price poles, readers and AVI systems).
At this you can locate a separate WFC communicator for each of the forecourt devices you need to communicate with. Or you can unite several such devices to use the same single WFC communicator if the used communication interface allows it, for example if these devices are using the RS-485 interface and the same communication protocol.
Dimensions of the WFC communicator board are extremely small with a size of a credit card, which makes its suitable for installation inside any third-party hardware.
Communication to a Remote Server
Being installed on petrol stations without static IP-addresses or in the mobile fuel delivery truck sometimes there is a task to Comunicate to a remote server to gather information for reporting, to receive some updates in configuration or even for remote control from a server. For such tasks the WPTS-2 controller can itself establish connection to a remote server by its IP-address.
WPTS-2 controller is able to constantly communicate with remote server without a need to have a static IP-address for upload of data to the remote server online for reporting and analysis. WPTS-2 controller can connect to a remote server itself and upload all the data in JSON format, which is convenient for processing, so any third-party servers can easily implement support of WPTS-2 controller to work with its data. The remote server at this request to make any modification in the WPTS-2 controller, for example to update fuel grades prices or to update a list of allowed fuel attendants tags. Also, WPTS-2 controller can establish constant connection to a remote server using the WebSocket protocol (according to RFC 6455) with a purpose to allow the server to execute any requests it needs like setting/getting configuration, provision of control over pumps and tanks, getting reports, etc. This application is important when a remote server should completely control WPTS-2 controller.
Integration with Bank Payment Terminals
WPTS-2 controller can be used together with bank payment terminals mounted inside the pumps or handheld terminals brought by the fuel attendants. The payment terminal application is to process the customer’s bank card and give a command to the WPTS-2 controller for starting a filling with required order limit, the WPTS-2 controller is to perform the filling and stop on the ordered dose with informing the payment terminal on the performed transaction details, payment terminal is to withdraw the cost of fuel dispensed from the customer’s account and to print a customer’s receipt.
Monitoring Over Petrol Station Activity and Alerts
While working on the station (being connected to management systems or standalone), the WPTS-2 controller is able to monitor everything happening on the station, save it and upload to the customer’s remote server for remote control, reporting, analysis, instant technical support and maintenance.The WPTS-2 controller will pass through all communication with saving of all important events to its databasewith automatic upload to a remote server:
◆ Performed pump transactions◆ Changes of fuel measurements in tanks◆ Performed in-tank deliveries◆ Found alerts and errors in connected equipment◆ Real time status of all connected equipment◆ GPS records of the route (if installed inside fuel delivery trucks)
All this data is automatically collected and immediately uploaded to a remote server for reporting and analysis.
Web server
WPTS-2 controller has a built-in web-server, which allows to communicate with it as locally, so as remotely using HTTP or HTTPS protocols.
Web-server allows to make full control of WPTS-2 controller including control over pumps, monitoring over tanks, reporting, configuration, diagnostics, firmware update, others. A web-server has a responsive modern graphical user interface, so computers, tablets, mobile devices or any other devices with a web browser can connect to WPTS-2 controller and display its web server pages in a convenient way.
Communication with the web-server is done using HTTP POST requests with data formatted in JSON format, so implementation of this protocol should be easy for any third-party system.
Web-server has adoptive interface and was developed to suit to various types of mobile devices: PCs, laptops, tablets, smartphones.