System and Method For the Automated Dispatch of Fueling Operations

• US 20120010918A1
• Filed: 09/21/2011
• Published: 01/12/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 09/08/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Varec, Inc. (Leidos Holdings, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Varec, Inc. (Leidos Holdings, Inc.)
• Inventors: Blagg, Derek, Archer, Timothy Lee, Sutcliffe, Warren, Simmons, John Eric
• Granted Patent: US 8,249,907 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/7.13
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06 Resources, workflows, human or project management; Enterprise or organisation planning; Enterprise or organisation modelling
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06311 Scheduling, planning or task assignment for a person or group
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/063112 Skill-based matching of a person or a group to a task

Abstract

An intelligent solution for monitoring, assigning, and accounting fueling operations. An automated dispatch fueling system comprises a fuel management server populated with airport profile and dispatcher configurations. Utilizing information stored in the database and received from external systems, the automated dispatch fueling system can automatically assign and monitor fueling operations.

Claims

1. A system for the automated control of aviation fueling operations, comprising:

an automated dispatch fueling system, comprising;

a fuel management server configured to accept one or more airport profiles and one or more selectable configurations to be utilized for the automatic assignment of fueling operations; and

one or more communication mediums, coupled to the fuel management server, for communicating the assignment of fueling operations to fueling agents, communicating information with an external system, and receiving information regarding the status of fueling operations.

2. The system as recited in claim 1, further comprising a database, coupled to the fuel management server, for storing the one or more airport profiles and the one or more selectable configurations;

3. The system as recited in claim 1, wherein the automated dispatch fueling system further comprises a dispatch client for monitoring and controlling the assignment of fueling operations.

4. The system as recited in claim 1, further comprising an airline gateway system configured to communicate via the one or more communication mediums.

5. The system as recited in claim 1, further comprising an accounting client configured to communicate via the one or more communication mediums.

6. The system as recited in claim 1, further comprising an Aircraft Communications Addressing and Reporting system configured to communicate via the one or more communication mediums.

7. The system as recited in claim 1, further comprising one or more fueling agent client devices configured to communicate via the one or more communication mediums.

8. The system as recited in claim 6, wherein the automated dispatch fueling system automatically assigns fueling operations to the one or more fueling agent client devices via the one or more communication mediums.

9. The system as recited in claim 1, wherein the one or more airport profiles comprises an aircraft identifier, a fueling aircraft identifier, an estimated time to travel between at least two airport gates, and a fueling agent'"'"'s work schedule.

10. The system as recited in claim 1, wherein the one or more selectable configurations comprises a maximum number of consecutive fueling operations to be assigned to a fueling agent.

11. A method for the automated control of aviation fueling operations, comprising:

hosting a fuel management server at a third-party data center;

enabling one or more communication mediums, coupled to the fuel management server, operable to communicate with an airline gateway system, an accounting client, and an Aircraft Communications Addressing and Reporting system; and

transmitting, by the fuel management server, fueling operations to one or more fueling agent client devices.

12. The method as recited in claim 11, further comprising the step of charging a fee for the automated control of fueling operations.