Refueling boom disconnection system
AssigneeThe Boeing Company
InventorsJustin Cleve Hatcher, Timothy Robert Brdar
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A method and apparatus comprising a refueling controller. The refueling controller is configured to receive data about a current rate of movement of a refueling boom while the refueling boom is in contact with a receiver aircraft during flight. The refueling controller is further configured to disconnect the refueling boom from the receiver aircraft based on the current rate of movement of the refueling boom and a current position of the refueling boom.
Claims19
An apparatus comprising:
- a refueling controller configured to receive data about a current rate of movement of a refueling boom while the refueling boom is in contact with a receiver aircraft during flight, identify a position limit based on the current rate of movement of the refueling boom, and disconnect the refueling boom from the receiver aircraft based on the current rate of movement of the refueling boom, the position limit, and a current position of the refueling boom, wherein the current rate of movement includes at least one of a pitch rate, a roll rate, a telescope rate, a lateral rate, or a vertical rate.
A refueling controller for a tanker aircraft, the refueling controller comprising:
- the refueling controller configured to receive data about a current rate of movement of a refueling boom within a volume selected for a receiver aircraft while the refueling boom is in contact with the receiver aircraft during flight;
- identify a number of position limits based on the current rate of movement of the refueling boom;
- determine whether the refueling boom has exceeded a position limit in the number of position limits based on a current position and the current rate of movement of the refueling boom;
- and disconnect the refueling boom of the receiver aircraft if the position limit in the number of position limits has been exceeded.
A method for controlling disconnection of a refueling boom, the method comprising:
- receiving data about a current rate of movement of the refueling boom while the refueling boom is in contact with a receiver aircraft during flight;
- identifying a number of position limits for use in disconnecting the refueling boom based on the current rate of movement of the refueling boom;
- and disconnecting the refueling boom from the receiver aircraft based on the current rate of movement of the refueling boom, the number of position limits, and a current position of the refueling boom, wherein the current rate of movement is selected from at least one of a pitch rate, a roll rate, a telescope rate, a lateral rate, or a vertical rate.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.