Fuel-gauging systems
First Claim
1. A fuel-gauging system for at least two fuel tanks comprising:
- first and second processors associated with respective ones of the tanks;
a fuel-gauging probe in each tank;
connections between an output of each probe and said first and second processors such that said processors provide outputs indicative of fuel quantity in the respective tank;
third and fourth processors;
connections between each of said outputs of said first and second processors and said third and fourth processors such that said third and fourth processors both receive outputs from both of said first and second processors and provide nominally-identical outputs indicative of the fuel quantity in both tanks; and
connections between inputs of said third and fourth processors and said probes without processing by the first or second processor such that, in the event of a failure of said first processor, said third processor is configured to perform in the same way as said first processor and to provide an output to said fourth processor indicative of fuel quantity in said first tank and, in the event of a failure of said second processor, said fourth processor is configured to perform in the same way as said second processor and provide an output to said third processor indicative of fuel quantity in said second tank.
3 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
An ultrasonic fuel-gauging system for an aircraft with three fuel tanks has probes in each tank connected to dual-lane data concentrator circuits. The digital outputs from one lane of the data concentrator circuits are supplied to respective tank circuits, the outputs of which are connected to two input/output circuits. The outputs of the other lanes of the data concentrator circuits are connected directly to one or the other of the two input/output circuits. The tank circuits and input/output circuits are processors of identical construction programmed with different software. If a tank circuit or input/output circuit should fail, its function is taken over by reconfiguration of one of the remaining processors.
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Citations
10 Claims
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1. A fuel-gauging system for at least two fuel tanks comprising:
- first and second processors associated with respective ones of the tanks;
a fuel-gauging probe in each tank;
connections between an output of each probe and said first and second processors such that said processors provide outputs indicative of fuel quantity in the respective tank;
third and fourth processors;
connections between each of said outputs of said first and second processors and said third and fourth processors such that said third and fourth processors both receive outputs from both of said first and second processors and provide nominally-identical outputs indicative of the fuel quantity in both tanks; and
connections between inputs of said third and fourth processors and said probes without processing by the first or second processor such that, in the event of a failure of said first processor, said third processor is configured to perform in the same way as said first processor and to provide an output to said fourth processor indicative of fuel quantity in said first tank and, in the event of a failure of said second processor, said fourth processor is configured to perform in the same way as said second processor and provide an output to said third processor indicative of fuel quantity in said second tank. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
- first and second processors associated with respective ones of the tanks;
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9. A fuel-gauging system comprising:
- three fuel tanks;
three processors associated with respective ones of the tanks;
a fuel-gauging probe in each tank;
means connecting an output of each probe to respective ones of said three processors such that said processors provide outputs indicative of fuel quantity in the respective tank;
two further processors;
connections between each of said outputs of said three processors and inputs of said two further processors such that said two further processors both receive outputs from each of said three processors and provide nominally-identical outputs indicative of the fuel quantity in all three tanks; and
connections between inputs of said two further processors and said probes without processing by the three processors such that, in the event of a failure of one of said three processors, one of said further two processors is configured to perform in the same way as the failed processor and provide an output to the other one of said further processors indicative of fuel quantity in the associated tank. - View Dependent Claims (10)
- three fuel tanks;
Specification