# US 2019/0315488 A2 · Methods and systems for supplying water to an aircraft > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2019/0315488 A2 - Document ID: US20190315488A2 - Status: Published application - Kind: A2 - Application number: 16/170,640 - Filed: 2018-10-25 - Published: 2019-10-17 - Earliest claimed: 2017-10-27 - Assignees: International Water-Guard Industries, Inc. - Applicants: International Water-Guard Industries Inc. - Inventors: Steven Bis; Krishnan Ramachandran - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20190315488A2 ## CPC - B64D 11/02: Toilet fittings - B64F 1/36: Other airport installations (ground installations for de-icing aircraft B64F5/20) - B67D 7/02: for transferring liquids other than fuel or lubricants - B67D 7/302: {using electrical or electro-mechanical means (B67D7/307 takes precedence)} - C02F 1/008: {Control or steering systems not provided for elsewhere in subclass C02F} - C02F 1/32: with ultraviolet light - E03B 1/00: Methods or layout of installations for water supply (E03B3/00, E03B9/00 take precedence) - E03B 11/00: Arrangements or adaptations of tanks for water supply (water-butts E03B3/03; storage aspects B65D, B65G, F17B, F17C; foundations E02D27/38; construction or assembling of bulk storage containers employing civil engineering techniques E04H7/00; tower aspects E04H12/00) - C02F 2201/001: Build in apparatus for autonomous on board water supply and wastewater treatment (e.g. for aircrafts, cruiseships, oil drilling platforms, railway trains, space stations) - C02F 2209/005: Processes using a programmable logic controller [PLC] - E03B 11/10: for public or like main water supply - Y02A 20/00: Water conservation; Efficient water supply; Efficient water use - B64D: EQUIPMENT FOR FITTING IN OR TO AIRCRAFT; FLIGHT SUITS; PARACHUTES; ARRANGEMENT OR MOUNTING OF POWER PLANTS OR PROPULSION TRANSMISSIONS IN AIRCRAFT - B64F: GROUND OR AIRCRAFT-CARRIER-DECK INSTALLATIONS SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR USE IN CONNECTION WITH AIRCRAFT; DESIGNING, MANUFACTURING, ASSEMBLING, CLEANING, MAINTAINING OR REPAIRING AIRCRAFT, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; HANDLING, TRANSPORTING, TESTING OR INSPECTING AIRCRAFT COMPONENTS, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR - B67D: DISPENSING, DELIVERING OR TRANSFERRING LIQUIDS, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR (cleaning pipes or tubes or systems of pipes or tubes B08B9/02; emptying or filling of bottles, jars, cans, casks, barrels, or similar containers, not otherwise provided for B67C; water supply E03; pipe systems F17D; domestic hot-water supply systems F24D; measuring volume, volume flow, mass flow or liquid level, metering by volume G01F; coin-freed or like apparatus G07F) - C02F: TREATMENT OF WATER, WASTE WATER, SEWAGE, OR SLUDGE (separation in general B01D; special arrangements on waterborne vessels of installations for treating water, waste water or sewage, e.g. for producing fresh water, B63J; adding materials to water to prevent corrosion C23F; treating radioactively-contaminated liquids G21F9/04; regeneration of reactants for recirculation into processes, see the relevant places for the processes) - E03B: INSTALLATIONS OR METHODS FOR OBTAINING, COLLECTING, OR DISTRIBUTING WATER (drilling wells, obtaining fluids in general from wells E21B; pipe-line systems in general F17D) - Y02A: TECHNOLOGIES FOR ADAPTATION TO CLIMATE CHANGE ## Abstract There are described methods and systems for supplying water to an aircraft. A water supply assembly is fluidly coupled to a water storage tank via a supply line. An overflow line is fluidly coupled to the water supply assembly. One or more sensors are configured to determine an amount of water in the water storage tank. One or more processors are communicative with the one or more sensors and configured to: determine a desired amount of water to be contained in the water storage tank; determine from the one or more sensors that an amount of water in the water storage tank corresponds to the desired amount of water; and, in response to determining that the amount of water in the water storage tank corresponds to the desired amount of water, transmit an instruction for causing water being supplied from the water supply assembly to the water storage tank to be diverted to the overflow line. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method for supplying water to an aircraft, comprising: determining a desired amount of water to be contained in a water storage tank onboard an aircraft; supplying water via a supply line to the water storage tank; determining that an amount of water contained in the water storage tank corresponds to the desired amount of water; and in response to determining that the amount of water contained in the water storage tank corresponds to the desired amount of water, diverting the supply of water away from the water storage tank and to an overflow line. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising, prior to determining the desired amount of water to be contained in the water storage tank, receiving a selection of the desired amount of water to be received in the water storage tank. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The method of claim 2, wherein receiving the selection comprises receiving a selection of a volume of water to be contained in the water storage tank. ### Claim 4 (depends on 2, 3) The method of claim 2 or 3, wherein receiving the selection comprises receiving: a selection of a percentage of a volume of the water storage tank to be filled with water; or a selection of a volume of water to be supplied to the water storage tank. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1, 2, 3, 4) The method of any one of claims 1-4, wherein supplying water to the water storage tank comprises supplying water to the water storage tank from a water supply assembly comprising a water supply tank and the supply line. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The method of claim 5, wherein diverting the supply of water comprises activating an overflow valve fluidly coupling the water supply assembly and an overflow line. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The method of claim 6, wherein diverting the supply of water comprises moving the overflow valve from a first position, in which water is prevented from flowing between the water supply assembly and the overflow line, to a second position in which water is prevented from flowing between the water supply assembly and the water storage tank. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7) The method of any one of claims 1-7, further comprising: determining that the aircraft is in a pre-takeoff taxi mode; and in response to determining that the aircraft is in the pre-takeoff taxi mode, moving the overflow valve from the second position to the first position. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The method of claim 8, wherein determining that the aircraft is in the pre-takeoff taxi mode comprises determining that a parking brake of the aircraft is deactivated. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9) The method of any one of claims 1-9, further comprising: prior to determining the desired amount of water to be contained in the water storage tank, determining that the aircraft is in a parked mode. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The method of claim 10, wherein determining the aircraft is in the parked mode comprises determining that a parking brake of the aircraft is activated. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11) The method of any one of claims 1-11, wherein diverting the supply of water comprises diverting the supply of water away from the water storage tank and to a drain mast of the aircraft, via the overflow line. ### Claim 13 (depends on 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12) The method of any one of claims 1-12, wherein determining the desired amount of water to be contained in the water storage tank comprises using historical water consumption data. ### Claim 14 (depends on 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13) The method of any one of claims 1-13, further comprising treating the water at one or more points in the supply line. ### Claim 15 (depends on 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14) The method of any one of claims 1-14, wherein determining that the amount of water in the water storage tank corresponds to the desired amount of water comprises using one or more of: a water level sensor for determining an amount of water contained in the water storage tank; and a flow sensor for determining a rate of flow of water into the water storage tank. ### Claim 16 A system for supplying water to an aircraft, comprising: a water supply assembly; a water storage tank fluidly coupled to the water supply assembly; an overflow line fluidly coupled to the water supply assembly; one or more sensors configured to determine an amount of water in the water storage tank; and one or more processors communicative with the one or more sensors and configured to: determine a desired amount of water to be contained in the water storage tank; determine from the one or more sensors that an amount of water in the water storage tank corresponds to the desired amount of water; and in response to determining that the amount of water in the storage tank corresponds to the desired amount of water, transmit an instruction for causing water being supplied from the water supply assembly to the water storage tank to be diverted away from the water storage tank and to the overflow line. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The system of claim 16, further comprising: a user interface communicative with the one or more processors, wherein the one or more processors are further configured to receive via the user interface a selection of the desired amount of water to be received in the water storage tank. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The system of claim 17, wherein the selection comprises a selection of a volume of water to be contained in the storage tank. ### Claim 19 (depends on 17, 18) The system of claim 17 or 18, wherein the selection comprises: a selection of a percentage of a volume of the water storage tank to be filled with water; or a selection of a volume of water to be supplied to the water storage tank. ### Claim 20 (depends on 16, 17, 18, 19) The system of any one of claims 16-19, wherein the water supply assembly comprises: a water supply tank; and a supply line fluidly coupling the water supply tank and the water storage tank. ### Claim 21 (depends on 20) The system of claim 20, wherein the overflow line is fluidly coupled to the supply line. ### Claim 22 (depends on 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21) The system of any one of claims 16-21, wherein the system further comprises an overflow valve fluidly coupling the water supply assembly and the overflow line. ### Claim 23 (depends on 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22) The system of any one of claims 16-22, wherein the overflow valve is moveable between a first position in which water is prevented from flowing between the water supply assembly and the overflow line, and a second position in which water is prevented from flowing between the water supply assembly and the water storage tank. ### Claim 24 (depends on 23) The system of claim 23, wherein the instruction comprises an instruction to move the overflow valve from the first position to the second position. ### Claim 25 (depends on 22, 23, 24) The system of any one claims 22-24, wherein the one or more processors are further configured to: determine that the aircraft is in a pre-takeoff taxi mode; and in response to determining that the aircraft is in the pre-takeoff taxi mode, transmit an instruction to cause the overflow valve to move from the second position to the first position. ### Claim 26 (depends on 25) The system of claim 25, wherein the one or more processors are further configured to determine that the aircraft is in the pre-takeoff taxi mode by determining that a parking brake of the aircraft is deactivated. ### Claim 27 (depends on 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26) The system of any one of claims 16-26, wherein the one or more processors are further configured to determine that the aircraft is in a parked mode. ### Claim 28 (depends on 27) The system of claim 27, wherein the one or more processors are further configured to determine that the aircraft is in the parked mode by determining that a parking brake of the aircraft is activated. ### Claim 29 (depends on 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28) The system of any one of claims 22-28, wherein the overflow valve comprises a motorized valve. ### Claim 30 (depends on 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29) The system of any one of claims 16-29, further comprising an aircraft drain mast fluidly coupled to the overflow line. ### Claim 31 (depends on 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30) The system of any one of claims 16-30, wherein the one or more sensors comprise at least one of: a water level sensor for determining an amount of water contained in the water storage tank; and a flow sensor for determining a rate of flow of water into the water storage tank. ### Claim 32 (depends on 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31) The system of any one of claims 16-31, wherein the one or more processors are further configured to determine the desired amount of water to be contained in the water storage tank by using historical water usage data. ### Claim 33 (depends on 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32) The system of any one of claims 16-32, further comprising a treatment apparatus for treating water at one or more points in the water supply assembly. ### Claim 34 A non-transitory computer-readable medium having stored thereon computer program code, wherein the computer program code is configured, when executed by a computer, to cause the computer to carry out a method comprising: determining a desired amount of water to be contained in a water storage tank; determining an amount of water contained in the water storage tank; determining that the amount of water in the water storage tank corresponds to the desired amount of water; and in response to determining that the amount of water in the water storage tank corresponds to the desired amount of water, transmitting an instruction for causing a supply of water to the water storage tank to be diverted away from the water storage tank and to an overflow line. ### Claim 35 (depends on 34) The computer-readable medium of claim 34, wherein determining the desired amount of water comprises determining the desired amount of water from a selection of the desired amount of water to be received in the water storage tank. ### Claim 36 (depends on 35) The computer-readable medium of claim 35, wherein the selection comprises a selection of a volume of water to be contained in the water storage tank. ### Claim 37 (depends on 35, 36) The computer-readable medium of claim 35 or 36, wherein the selection comprises: a selection of a percentage of a volume of the water storage tank to be filled with water; or a selection of a volume of water to be supplied to the water storage tank. ### Claim 38 (depends on 34, 35, 36, 37) The computer-readable medium of any one of claims 34-37, wherein transmitting the instruction comprises transmitting an instruction for activating an overflow valve fluidly coupling a water supply assembly and the overflow line. ### Claim 39 (depends on 38) The computer-readable medium of claim 38, wherein transmitting the instruction comprises transmitting an instruction for moving the overflow valve from a first position in which water is prevented from flowing between the water supply assembly and the overflow line, to a second position in which water is prevented from flowing between the water supply assembly and the water storage tank. ### Claim 40 (depends on 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39) The computer-readable medium of any one of claims 34-39, wherein the method further comprises: determining that the aircraft is in a pre-takeoff taxi mode; and in response to determining that the aircraft is in the pre-takeoff taxi mode, transmitting an instruction to cause the overflow valve to move from the second position to the first position. ### Claim 41 (depends on 40) The computer-readable medium of claim 40, wherein determining that the aircraft is in the pre-takeoff taxi mode comprises determining that a parking brake of the aircraft if deactivated. ### Claim 42 (depends on 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41) The computer-readable medium of any one of claims 34-41, wherein the method further comprises: prior to determining the desired amount of water to be contained in a water storage tank, determining that the aircraft is in a parked mode. ### Claim 43 (depends on 42) The computer-readable medium of claim 42, wherein determining the aircraft is in the parked mode comprises determining that a parking brake of the aircraft is activated. ### Claim 44 (depends on 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43) The computer-readable medium of any one of claims 34-43, wherein determining the desired amount of water to be contained in the water storage tank comprises using historical water usage data. ### Claim 45 A kit of parts comprising: an overflow valve; and instructions for fluidly coupling the overflow valve to a water supply assembly and an overflow line, the water supply assembly comprising a water supply tank fluidly coupled to a supply line fluidly coupled to a water storage tank onboard an aircraft, wherein the overflow valve is moveable between a first position in which water is prevented from flowing between the water supply assembly and the overflow line, and a second position in which water is prevented from flowing between the water supply assembly and the water storage tank. ### Claim 46 (depends on 45) The kit of parts of claim 45, wherein the instructions are further for coupling the overflow valve to the supply line.