Computer imaging system and method for remote in-flight aircraft refueling
First Claim
1. A system for mating desired structures of moving vehicles, comprising:
- a locating means for accurately determining the three dimensional position and orientation of a first structure of a first vehicle relative to a second structure of a second vehicle, said locating means having an electrical output which includes position and orientation data;
a display terminal; and
a data processor operably connected to said display terminal, said data processor having a data base including three dimensional configurational data related to said first and second vehicles and being adapted to receive said locating means output and to process said output and the data in said data base to produce an artificial real-time three dimensional image on said display terminal of elements of said first and second structures and said first and second vehicles;
wherein said image may be utilized by a mating system operator to guide said first and second vehicles to a desired mating position.
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Abstract
A visual guidance system and method includes a subsystem which both locates the aircraft and mating structures thereof and also determines their motion and their rate of change of motion. The locating subsystem has an electrical output which feeds the location and motion data to a guidance system computer which utilizes software which combines the data with other data in a database containing the dimensional size and configuration of the aircraft and mating structures. The combined data is converted to a suitable form and fed to the computer monitor which displays the aircraft and mating structures thereof in real time during the refueling operation. The computer and computer monitor are provided with image controls which allow the operator to select the perspective viewing angle as well as the image contrast and color in order to enhance the visual cues provided by the image and facilitate the refueling operation.
142 Citations
19 Claims
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1. A system for mating desired structures of moving vehicles, comprising:
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a locating means for accurately determining the three dimensional position and orientation of a first structure of a first vehicle relative to a second structure of a second vehicle, said locating means having an electrical output which includes position and orientation data; a display terminal; and a data processor operably connected to said display terminal, said data processor having a data base including three dimensional configurational data related to said first and second vehicles and being adapted to receive said locating means output and to process said output and the data in said data base to produce an artificial real-time three dimensional image on said display terminal of elements of said first and second structures and said first and second vehicles; wherein said image may be utilized by a mating system operator to guide said first and second vehicles to a desired mating position. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. A system for in-flight aircraft refueling, comprising:
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a locating means for accurately determining the three dimensional position and orientation of a first structure of a first aircraft relative to a second structure of a second aircraft, said locating means having an electrical output which includes position, orientation, and motion data; a display terminal; and a data processor operably connected to said display terminal, said data processor having a data base including three dimensional configurational data related to said first and second vehicles and being adapted to receive said locating means output and to process said output and the data in said data base to produce an artificial real-time three dimensional image on said display terminal of elements of said first and second structures and said first and second vehicles; wherein said image may be utilized by a mating system operator to guide said first and second vehicles to a desired mating position. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
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Specification