# US 9,038,954 B2 · Refueling boom disconnection system > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 9,038,954 B2 - Document ID: US9038954B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 13/555,756 - Filed: 2012-07-23 - Published: 2014-01-23 - Granted: 2015-05-26 - Earliest claimed: 2012-07-23 - Assignees: The Boeing Company - Applicants: Justin Cleve Hatcher; Timothy Robert Brdar - Inventors: Justin Cleve Hatcher; Timothy Robert Brdar - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US9038954B2 ## CPC - B64D 39/06: Connecting hose to aircraft; Disconnecting hose therefrom - B64D: EQUIPMENT FOR FITTING IN OR TO AIRCRAFT; FLIGHT SUITS; PARACHUTES; ARRANGEMENT OR MOUNTING OF POWER PLANTS OR PROPULSION TRANSMISSIONS IN AIRCRAFT ## 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. ## Claims ### Claim 1 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. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, wherein in being configured to disconnect the refueling boom from the receiver aircraft based on the current rate of movement of the refueling boom and the current position of the refueling boom, the refueling controller is configured to determine whether the refueling boom has reached the position limit based on the current rate of movement of the refueling boom and the current position of the refueling boom and automatically disconnect the refueling boom from the receiver aircraft when the refueling boom has reached the position limit. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the position limit is based on the current rate of movement of the refueling boom. ### Claim 4 (depends on 2) The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the position limit is based on the current rate of movement of the refueling boom and a current direction of movement of the refueling boom. ### Claim 5 (depends on 2) The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the position limit selected for the current rate of movement covers a distance from a boundary of a volume selected for the receiver aircraft, wherein the distance for the position limit is based on the current rate of movement of the refueling boom. ### Claim 6 (depends on 2) The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the position limit is selected based on an operator input. ### Claim 7 (depends on 5) The apparatus of claim 5, wherein the volume is selected as one in which desired operation of the refueling boom occurs. ### Claim 8 (depends on 2) The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the position limit is part of a number of position limits that have an outer position boundary and an inner position boundary. ### Claim 9 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. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The refueling controller of claim 9, 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. ### Claim 11 (depends on 9) The refueling controller of claim 9, wherein the number of position limits has an outer position boundary and an inner position boundary with respect to the volume. ### Claim 12 (depends on 9) The refueling controller of claim 9, wherein a disconnector in the refueling controller is configured to receive the data about the current rate of movement of the refueling boom within the volume selected for the receiver aircraft while the refueling boom is in contact with the receiver aircraft during flight; identify the number of position limits based on the current rate of movement of the refueling boom; determine whether the refueling boom has exceeded the position limit in the number of position limits based on the 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. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The refueling controller of claim 12, wherein the disconnector is comprised of at least one of hardware or software. ### Claim 14 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. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The method of claim 14 wherein disconnecting the refueling boom from the receiver aircraft based on the current rate of movement of the refueling boom and the current position of the refueling boom comprises: determining whether the refueling boom has exceeded the position limit in the number of position limits based on the current position and the current rate of movement of the refueling boom; and disconnecting the refueling boom of the receiver aircraft if the position limit in the number of position limits has been exceeded. ### Claim 16 (depends on 14) The method of claim 14, wherein receiving the data about the current rate of movement of the refueling boom while the refueling boom is in contact with the receiver aircraft during flight and disconnecting the refueling boom from the receiver aircraft based on the current rate of movement of the refueling boom and the current position of the refueling boom comprises: receiving, by a refueling controller, the data about the current rate of movement of the refueling boom while the refueling boom in contact with the receiver aircraft during flight; and disconnecting, by the refueling controller, the refueling boom from the receiver aircraft based on the current rate of movement of the refueling boom and the current position of the refueling boom. ### Claim 17 (depends on 14) The method of claim 14 wherein identifying the number of position limits for use in disconnecting the refueling boom based on the current rate of movement of the refueling boom comprises: identifying the number of position limits for use in disconnecting the refueling boom based on the current rate of movement of the refueling boom, wherein the number of position limits is identified from position limits received from at least one of a database or an operator. ### Claim 18 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, wherein a band defines the position limit within a section of a volume selected for the receiver aircraft, wherein the band is configured to selectively activate based on the current rate of movement of the refueling boom, and wherein the refueling controller is configured to disconnect the refueling boom from the receiver aircraft when the refueling boom is within the band and the band is active. ### Claim 19 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the position limit selected for the current rate of movement covers a distance from a boundary of a volume selected for the receiver aircraft, wherein the distance for the position limit is based on the current rate of movement of the refueling boom, and wherein the distance includes an inner band and an outer band.