A Forecourt Device Controller (FDC) is a software application that interfaces to forecourt devices (e.g., fuel dispenser, tank gauge, car wash, price pole) in a retail petroleum location. The FDC Specification replaces proprietary protocols that exist between the Point of Sale (POS) and forecourt devices and allows a POS to use standard messaging to interface to the FDC, which provides for device control and enables exchange of device status and data. A standard interface eliminates the need to implement multiple protocols and/or determine the model/version of a particular forecourt device. This reduces complexity and therefore reduces the cost of development, maintenance, and validation.
The FDC Specification includes XML schema for communication between a Forecourt Device Controller and one or more POS systems including messages to:
- Provide logical device states to inform about the current condition of a device;
- Provide information about and allow configuration of a device and its settings (e.g., fueling limits, service modes, prices);
- Allow for control of a device (e.g., reserve or authorize a dispenser, obtain a carwash code);
- Provide data reporting from a device (e.g., tank levels); and
- Provide information about state changes and alarms through unsolicited messages
This global specification is built on a previous version of the IFSF FDC standard, adding adaptions for use in North America, while simplifying the associated schema.