Imaging system for fuel tank analysis
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A method comprising:
- illuminating an interior of a fuel tank with one or more light pulses;
receiving reflected returns of the one or more light pulses at a light sensor array;
producing, by a processing device, three-dimensional image data of the interior of the fuel tank based on the received reflected returns;
identifying, based on the three-dimensional image data, physical features of the interior of the fuel tank;
identifying, based on the three-dimensional image data, a location of the interior of the fuel tank corresponding to an interface of fuel and ullage within the interior of the fuel tank;
identifying, based on the three-dimensional image data, an orientation of the interface of fuel and ullage within the interior of the fuel tank;
producing, by the processing device, a fuel measurement value representing an amount of fuel contained in the fuel tank based on the location of the interior of the fuel tank corresponding to the interface of fuel and ullage within the interior of the fuel tank, the orientation of the interface of fuel and ullage within the interior of the fuel tank, and the physical features of the interior of the fuel tank; and
outputting, by the processing device, an indication of the fuel measurement value;
wherein producing the fuel measurement value based on the location of the interior of the fuel tank corresponding to the interface of fuel and ullage within the interior of the fuel tank comprises;
determining, based on a model of a shape of the fuel tank, a volume of fuel contained within the fuel tank;
wherein the fuel tank is disposed within a wing of an aircraft, the method further comprising;
determining an amount of wing bending of the wing of the aircraft; and
determining an adjusted shape of the fuel tank based on the determined amount of wing bending using a model of the shape of the fuel tank;
wherein producing the fuel measurement value comprises determining the volume of fuel within the fuel tank based on the adjusted shape of the fuel tank.
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Abstract
A method can include illuminating an interior of a fuel tank with one or more light pulses, and receiving reflected returns of the one or more light pulses at a light sensor array. The method can further include producing, by a processing device, three-dimensional image data of the interior of the fuel tank based on the received reflected returns, producing, by the processing device, a fuel measurement value representing an amount of fuel contained in the fuel tank based on the three-dimensional image data, and outputting, by the processing device, an indication of the fuel measurement value.
47 Citations
16 Claims
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1. A method comprising:
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illuminating an interior of a fuel tank with one or more light pulses; receiving reflected returns of the one or more light pulses at a light sensor array; producing, by a processing device, three-dimensional image data of the interior of the fuel tank based on the received reflected returns; identifying, based on the three-dimensional image data, physical features of the interior of the fuel tank; identifying, based on the three-dimensional image data, a location of the interior of the fuel tank corresponding to an interface of fuel and ullage within the interior of the fuel tank; identifying, based on the three-dimensional image data, an orientation of the interface of fuel and ullage within the interior of the fuel tank; producing, by the processing device, a fuel measurement value representing an amount of fuel contained in the fuel tank based on the location of the interior of the fuel tank corresponding to the interface of fuel and ullage within the interior of the fuel tank, the orientation of the interface of fuel and ullage within the interior of the fuel tank, and the physical features of the interior of the fuel tank; and outputting, by the processing device, an indication of the fuel measurement value; wherein producing the fuel measurement value based on the location of the interior of the fuel tank corresponding to the interface of fuel and ullage within the interior of the fuel tank comprises; determining, based on a model of a shape of the fuel tank, a volume of fuel contained within the fuel tank; wherein the fuel tank is disposed within a wing of an aircraft, the method further comprising; determining an amount of wing bending of the wing of the aircraft; and determining an adjusted shape of the fuel tank based on the determined amount of wing bending using a model of the shape of the fuel tank; wherein producing the fuel measurement value comprises determining the volume of fuel within the fuel tank based on the adjusted shape of the fuel tank. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. A system comprising:
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a light source; a light sensor array; at least one processor; and a non-transitory computer-readable memory encoded with instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the system to; illuminate an interior of a fuel tank with one or more light pulses emitted from the light source; produce three-dimensional image data of the interior of the fuel tank based on reflected returns of the one or more light pulses received at the light sensor array; identify, based on the three-dimensional image data, physical features of the interior of the fuel tank; identify, based on the three-dimensional image data, a location of the interior of the fuel tank corresponding to an interface of fuel and ullage within the interior of the fuel tank; identify, based on the three-dimensional image data, an orientation of the interface of fuel and ullage within the interior of the fuel tank; produce a fuel measurement value representing an amount of fuel contained in the fuel tank based on the location of the interior of the fuel tank corresponding to the interface of fuel and ullage within the interior of the fuel tank, the orientation of the interface of fuel and ullage within the interior of the fuel tank, and the physical features of the interior of the fuel tank; and output an indication of the fuel measurement value; wherein the non-transitory computer-readable memory is further encoded with instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the system to produce the fuel measurement value based on the location of the interior of the fuel tank corresponding to the interface of fuel and ullage within the interior of the fuel tank by at least causing the system to; determine, based on a model of a shape of the fuel tank, a volume of fuel contained within the fuel tank; wherein the fuel tank is disposed within a wing of an aircraft; wherein the non-transitory computer-readable memory is further encoded with instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the system to; determine an amount of wing bending of the wing of the aircraft; determine an adjusted shape of the fuel tank based on the determined amount of wing bending using a model of the shape of the fuel tank; and produce the fuel measurement value by determining the volume of fuel within the fuel tank based on the adjusted shape of the fuel tank. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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16. A device comprising:
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at least one processor; and a non-transitory computer-readable memory encoded with instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the device to; produce three-dimensional image data of an interior of a fuel tank based on received reflected returns of one or more light pulses used to illuminate the interior of the fuel tank; identify, based on the three-dimensional image data, physical features of the interior of the fuel tank; identify, based on the three-dimensional image data, a location of the interior of the fuel tank corresponding to an interface of fuel and ullage within the interior of the fuel tank; identify, based on the three-dimensional image data, an orientation of the interface of fuel and ullage within the interior of the fuel tank; produce a fuel measurement value representing an amount of fuel contained in the fuel tank based on the location of the interior of the fuel tank corresponding to the interface of fuel and ullage within the interior of the fuel tank, the orientation of the interface of fuel and ullage within the interior of the fuel tank, and the physical features of the fuel tank; and output an indication of the fuel measurement value; wherein the non-transitory computer-readable memory is further encoded with instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the system to produce the fuel measurement value based on the location of the interior of the fuel tank corresponding to the interface of fuel and ullage within the interior of the fuel tank by at least causing the system to; determine, based on a model of a shape of the fuel tank, a volume of fuel contained within the fuel tank; wherein the fuel tank is disposed within a wing of an aircraft; wherein the non-transitory computer-readable memory is further encoded with instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the system to; determine an amount of wing bending of the wing of the aircraft; determine an adjusted shape of the fuel tank based on the determined amount of wing bending using a model of the shape of the fuel tank; and produce the fuel measurement value by determining the volume of fuel within the fuel tank based on the adjusted shape of the fuel tank.
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Specification