METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR ENHANCED VISION IN AERIAL REFUELLING OPERATIONS

• US 20110147529A1
• Filed: 07/16/2010
• Published: 06/23/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 12/18/2009
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: EADS Construcciones Aeronauticas SA (Airbus SE)
• Original Assignee: EADS Construcciones Aeronauticas SA (Airbus SE)
• Inventors: ADARVE LOZANO, Alberto
• Application Number:
  US12/837,547
• Publication Number:
  US 20110147529A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 244/135.A
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 39/00 Refuelling during flight filling or emptying fuel tanks B64D37/14

Abstract

The invention relates to a system for providing enhanced vision of the refuelling scenario in aerial refuelling operations between a tanker aircraft (10) having refuelling means and a receiver aircraft, the system comprising: vision means (1) located in the tanker aircraft (10) that comprise at least two cameras (4) which are spatially separated a distance (90) from each other, directed to the observation of the refuelling area (92) where connection between the tanker aircraft (10) and the receiver aircraft occurs, this refuelling area (92) being located at a distance (91) from the cited cameras (4), and monitoring means (30) that are able to receive and display the images coming from the vision means (1), providing the air-refuelling operator with different images, these images representing different perspectives of the refuelling area (92) observed by said vision means (1), the distance (90) being calculated as a function of the distance (91) and the component (d) of the size of the refuelling area (92) in the direction of observation (93), in order to provide the air-refuelling operator with the optimum depth perception, of the refuelling area (92) at the receiver aircraft, such that the connections between the tanker aircraft (10) and the receiver aircraft are precise and accurate. The invention also relates to a method for providing enhanced vision of the refuelling scenario in aerial refuelling operations between a tanker aircraft (10) and a receiver aircraft, and to an aircraft comprising a system as it has been described.

Claims

1. System for providing enhanced vision of the refuelling scenario in aerial refuelling operations between a tanker aircraft (10) having refuelling means and a receiver aircraft, the system comprising:

vision means (1) located in the tanker aircraft (10) that comprise at least two cameras (4) which are spatially separated a distance (90) from each other, and which are directed to the observation of the refuelling area (92) where connection between the tanker aircraft (10) and the receiver aircraft occurs, this refuelling area (92) being located at a distance (91) from the cited cameras (4); and

monitoring means (30) that are able to receive and display the images coming from the vision means (1), providing the air-refuelling operator with different images, these images representing different perspectives of the refuelling area (92) observed by said vision means (1),

characterized in that

the distance (90) is calculated as a function of the distance (91) and the component (d) of the size of the refuelling area (92) in the direction of observation (93), in order to provide the air-refuelling operator with the optimum depth perception, of the refuelling area (92) at the receiver aircraft, such that the connections between the tanker aircraft (10) and the receiver aircraft are precise and accurate.

2. System according to claim 1, wherein the vision means (1) comprise at least two panoramic cameras (3) that provide the air-refuelling operator at the tanker aircraft (10) with panoramic images showing overview of the surroundings of the tanker aircraft (10) for situational awareness.

3. System according to claim 1, wherein the distance (90) between the cameras (4) is in the range of 300 to 1200 mm.

4. System according to claim 1, also comprising inspecting means (60) located in the tanker aircraft (10) that capture images around the tanker aircraft (10) for close examination view of the receiver aircraft and the refuelling area (92), the inspecting means (60) being configured so as to provide backup images to the cameras (4).

5. System according to claim 4, also comprising processing means located inside the tanker aircraft (10) that capture the images taken from the panoramic cameras (3) and select the desired image which is to be displayed with additional information in a graphic way, superimposed onto the original image from the cameras (4).

6. System according to claim 1, also comprising management means (50) that receive images from the vision means (1) and the inspecting means (60), distributing said images to the monitoring means (30), where they are displayed, the management means (50) also providing a central interface with the rest of the system.

7. System according to claim 1, also comprising recording means (80) that store all image data from vision means (1), also recording interphone audio graphic overlays, separately but synchronized with the image data.

14. Aircraft comprising a system according to claim 1.

8. Method for providing enhanced vision of the refuelling scenario in aerial refuelling operations between a tanker aircraft (10) having refuelling means and a receiver aircraft, the tanker aircraft comprising vision means (1) with at least two cameras (4), which are directed to the observation of the refuelling area (92) where connection between the tanker aircraft (10) and the receiver aircraft occurs, comprising the steps of:

a) determining the average distance (91) between the cameras (4) and the refuelling area (92), in the direction of observation (93);

b) determining the average size (d) of the refuelling area (92) of interest for the operation, in the direction of observation (93), or maximum distance (d) between objects within the refuelling area (92), in the direction of observation (93);

c) calculating the separation (90) between the cameras (4) as a function of the distance (91) determined in step a) and the size or distance (d) determined in step b), in order to provide the air-refuelling operator with the optimum depth perception of the refuelling area (92) at the receiver aircraft, such that the connections between the tanker aircraft (10) and the receiver aircraft are precise and accurate.

9. Method according to claim 8, further comprising the step of obtaining panoramic images from panoramic cameras (3) at the vision means (1) for providing an overview of the surroundings of the tanker aircraft (10) for situational awareness.

10. Method according to claim 8, further comprising the step of displaying the images obtained by the cameras (4) and the panoramic cameras (3) by way of monitoring means (30).

11. Method according to claim 8, further comprising the step of capturing images around the tanker aircraft (10) by inspecting means (60) located in the tanker aircraft (10) for close examination view of the receiver aircraft and the refuelling area (92), this inspecting means (60) being configured so as to provide backup images to the cameras (4) at the vision means (1).

12. Method according to claim 8, further comprising the step of receiving images from the vision means (1) and the inspecting means (60) by management means (50), distributing later said images to the monitoring means (30), where they are displayed, the management means (50) also providing a central interface with the rest of the system.

13. Method according to claim 8, further comprising the step of storing all image data from the vision means (1) by recording means (80), also recording interphone audio graphic overlays, separately but synchronized with the image data.