FUEL SURFACE HEIGHT MEASUREMENT
First Claim
1. A method of measuring a height of a fuel surface in an aircraft fuel tank, the method comprising:
- capturing one or more images of the fuel surface, each image including a fuel surface line where the fuel surface meets a structure; and
analysing each image in order to determine a height of the fuel surface line at three or more points in the image, wherein at least one of the fuel surface lines is not straight, and an average angle of that fuel surface line is determined from the points in the image by spatial averaging.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A method of measuring a height of a fuel surface of fuel in an aircraft fuel tank. One or more images of the fuel surface are captured, each image including a fuel surface line where the fuel surface meets a structure. Each image is analysed in order to determine a height of the fuel surface line at three or more points in the image. If the fuel surface line is not a straight line, then an average angle of the fuel surface line can be determined from the points in the image by spatial averaging. Preferably a series of images of the fuel surface are captured over a time period, and an average height of the fuel surface is determined from the series of images by time averaging. The height of the fuel surface line(s) at three or more points is used to determine a volume of the fuel, a mass of the fuel, and/or an attitude of the fuel surface.
29 Citations
17 Claims
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1. A method of measuring a height of a fuel surface in an aircraft fuel tank, the method comprising:
- capturing one or more images of the fuel surface, each image including a fuel surface line where the fuel surface meets a structure; and
analysing each image in order to determine a height of the fuel surface line at three or more points in the image, wherein at least one of the fuel surface lines is not straight, and an average angle of that fuel surface line is determined from the points in the image by spatial averaging. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
- capturing one or more images of the fuel surface, each image including a fuel surface line where the fuel surface meets a structure; and
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13. Apparatus for measuring a height of a fuel surface in an aircraft fuel tank, the method comprising:
- an image capture device arranged to capture one or more images of the fuel surface, each image including a fuel surface line where the fuel surface meets a structure; and
a processor arranged to analyse each image in order to determine a height of the fuel surface line at three or more points in the image, wherein at least one of the fuel surface lines is not straight, and the processor is arranged to determine an average angle of that fuel surface line from the points in the image by spatial averaging. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17)
- an image capture device arranged to capture one or more images of the fuel surface, each image including a fuel surface line where the fuel surface meets a structure; and
Specification