Apparatus for an automated aerial refueling boom using multiple types of sensors
First Claim
1. A system for automated control of a refueling boom coupled to a tanker aircraft, comprising:
- a first inertial measurement unit (IMU) providing inertial measurements for the tanker aircraft;
a first GPS receiver providing a GPS location for the tanker aircraft;
a second IMU providing inertial measurements for a receiver aircraft;
a second GPS receiver providing a GPS location for the receiver aircraft; and
a processor adapted to;
determine an IMU-derived position estimate for the tanker aircraft using the inertial measurements from the first IMU;
determine an IMU-derived position estimate for the receiver aircraft using the inertial measurements from the second IMU;
determine an IMU relative difference between the IMU-derived position estimates;
determine a GPS relative difference between the GPS locations;
determine an absolute difference between the GPS location for IMU-derived position estimate for the tanker aircraft and the GPS location for the tanker aircraft;
filter the absolute difference, the IMU relative difference, and the GPS relative difference to derive both an absolute navigation state error for the tanker aircraft as well as a relative navigation state error between the tanker aircraft and the receiver aircraft;
update an inertial navigation state for the tanker aircraft and an inertial navigation state for the receiver aircraft using the absolute and relative navigation state errors; and
control the refueling boom relative to the receiver aircraft based upon the updated inertial navigation states.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
A system for automated control of a refueling boom coupled to a tanker aircraft is provided. The system includes: a first inertial measurement unit (IMU) providing inertial measurements for the tanker aircraft; a first GPS receiver providing a GPS location for a GPS antenna attached to the tanker aircraft; and a processor adapted to calculate a first inertial navigation state for the tanker aircraft through integration of the inertial measurements, the processor being further adapted to calculate a first inertial navigation state error relative to the GPS location and to filter the first inertial navigation state error and the first inertial navigation state based upon noise characteristics of the first IMU and the first GPS receiver to provide an updated inertial navigation state for the tanker aircraft, the processor being further adapted to control the refueling boom relative to a receiver aircraft based upon the first and updated inertial navigation states.
18 Citations
11 Claims
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1. A system for automated control of a refueling boom coupled to a tanker aircraft, comprising:
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a first inertial measurement unit (IMU) providing inertial measurements for the tanker aircraft; a first GPS receiver providing a GPS location for the tanker aircraft; a second IMU providing inertial measurements for a receiver aircraft; a second GPS receiver providing a GPS location for the receiver aircraft; and a processor adapted to; determine an IMU-derived position estimate for the tanker aircraft using the inertial measurements from the first IMU; determine an IMU-derived position estimate for the receiver aircraft using the inertial measurements from the second IMU; determine an IMU relative difference between the IMU-derived position estimates; determine a GPS relative difference between the GPS locations; determine an absolute difference between the GPS location for IMU-derived position estimate for the tanker aircraft and the GPS location for the tanker aircraft; filter the absolute difference, the IMU relative difference, and the GPS relative difference to derive both an absolute navigation state error for the tanker aircraft as well as a relative navigation state error between the tanker aircraft and the receiver aircraft; update an inertial navigation state for the tanker aircraft and an inertial navigation state for the receiver aircraft using the absolute and relative navigation state errors; and control the refueling boom relative to the receiver aircraft based upon the updated inertial navigation states. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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8. A system for control of a refueling boom coupled to a tanker aircraft, comprising:
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a first IMU providing tanker inertial measurements for the tanker aircraft; a second IMU providing receiver inertial measurement for a receiver aircraft; a first GPS receiver providing a GPS location for the tanker aircraft; a second GPS receiver providing a GPS location for the receiver aircraft; and means for determining an IMU-derived position estimate for the tanker aircraft using the tanker inertial measurements from the first IMU, determining an IMU-derived position estimate for the receiver aircraft using the receiver inertial measurements from the second IMU, determining an IMU relative difference between the IMU-derived position estimates;
determine a GPS relative difference between the GPS locations, determining an absolute difference between the GPS location for IMU-derived position estimate for the receiver aircraft and the GPS location for the receiver aircraft, filtering the absolute difference, the IMU relative difference, and the GPS relative difference to derive both an absolute navigation state error for the receiver aircraft as well as a relative navigation state error between the receiver aircraft and the tanker aircraft, updating an inertial navigation state for the receiver aircraft and an inertial navigation state for the tanker aircraft using the absolute and relative navigation state errors and controlling the refueling boom so as to automatically mate with the receiver aircraft based upon the updated inertial navigation states. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11)
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Specification