Automated receiver aircraft identification (ARAI) for in-flight refueling

• US 8,567,723 B2
• Filed: 11/18/2009
• Issued: 10/29/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 04/08/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: The Boeing Co.
• Original Assignee: The Boeing Co.
• Inventors: Oman, Eric P., Scholes, Dallas S., Etzkorn, Karen M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Tran, Khoi
• Assistant Examiner(s): LIN, ABBY YEE
• Application Number:
  US12/620,599
• Publication Number:
  US 20120153084A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,441 Days
• Field of Search: 244/135.A, 244/135.R, 244/117, 244/135.B, 244/135.C, 701/29.1, 701/29.3, 701/29.6, 701/33.4, 701/123, 701/3, 137/258
• US Class Current: 244/135.A
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 39/00 Refuelling during flight filling or emptying fuel tanks B64D37/14

Abstract

An aerial identification and fuel inventory control system is disclosed. An RFID transponder mounted on a refueling aircraft transmits an identifier identifying the refueling aircraft in proximity to a fuel delivery aircraft. Substantially just prior to a start of fueling the refueling aircraft, the identifier is automatically logged in the fuel inventory control system. Upon completion of the fueling, a quantity of off-loaded fuel associated with the identifier is automatically logged in the fuel inventory control system. A fueling report may be automatically generated.

Claims

1. A system for automatically reporting aerial refueling data, the system comprises:

a Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) transponder coupled to a refueling aircraft and operable to automatically transmit identification information for the refueling aircraft;

an RFID transceiver coupled to a fuel delivery aircraft and operable to automatically receive the identification information;

a data recorder module operable to automatically record refueling data for the refueling aircraft; and

a fuel inventory control system operable to electronically build and transmit at least one transaction for a refueling to a billing system, and comprising;

a range detector module operable to automatically generate an end-refueling indicator after a beginning of the refueling when the refueling aircraft is outside a RFID range of the fuel delivery aircraft where the RFID transponder conveys information back to the RFID transceiver; and

a report generator module coupled to the data recorder module and operable to automatically generate a refueling report in response to the end-refueling indicator.

2. The system for automatically reporting aerial refueling data according to claim 1, wherein the data recorder module is further operable to automatically measure a duration of refueling.

3. The system for automatically reporting aerial refueling data according to claim 1, wherein the range detector module is further operable to:

generate an in-range indicator when the refueling aircraft is within the RFID range of the fuel delivery aircraft; and

generate an out-of-range indicator when the refueling aircraft is out of the RFID range of the fuel delivery aircraft.

4. The system for automatically reporting aerial refueling data according to claim 3, further comprising a display operable to:

display the in-range indicator when the refueling aircraft is within the RFID range of the fuel delivery aircraft;

cancel the in-range indicator in response to the out-of-range indicator; and

display the out-of-range indicator if the in-range indicator is canceled.

5. The system for automatically reporting aerial refueling data according to claim 3, wherein the report generator module is further operable to generate the refueling report in response to the out-of-range indicator.

6. The system for automatically reporting aerial refueling data, according to claim 1, wherein the refueling report comprises at least one data item selected from the group consisting of:

a fuel type, a fuel quantity transferred, a pump speed, a duration of a refueling operation, an aircraft tail number, an aircraft type, and an aircraft group.

18. The system for automatically reporting aerial refueling data according to claim 1, wherein the data recorder module is further operable to record the identification information.

19. The system for automatically reporting aerial refueling data according to claim 1, wherein the data recorder module is further operable to automatically record the refueling data in response to the fuel delivery aircraft establishing a contact with the refueling aircraft for refueling.

7. A method for automatically reporting aerial refueling data, the method comprises:

automatically transmitting Radio Frequency identification (RFID) identification information for the refueling aircraft from an RFID tag coupled thereto;

automatically receiving the RFID identification information at an RFID reader coupled to a fuel delivery aircraft;

activating the RFID tag to establish a wireless radio communication with the RFID reader in response to establishing a contact between the refueling aircraft and a fuel delivery aircraft for a refueling;

generating an in-range indicator indicating the refueling aircraft is within a RFID range of the fuel delivery aircraft, while the RFID tag is wirelessly communicating with the RFID reader;

generating an out-of-range indicator indicating the refueling aircraft is out of the RFID range of the fuel delivery aircraft, if the RFID tag is not wirelessly communicating with the RFID reader;

providing an end-refueling indicator when the refueling aircraft is outside the RFID range of the fuel delivery aircraft;

automatically recording refueling data for the refueling aircraft in response to the end-refueling indicator; and

automatically electronically building and transmitting at least one transaction to a billing system.

8. The method for automatically reporting aerial refueling data according to claim 7, further comprising automatically initiating generation of a refueling report at a beginning of the refueling.

9. The method for automatically reporting aerial refueling data, according to claim 7, further comprising automatically measuring a duration of refueling.

10. The method for automatically reporting refueling aerial data according to claim 7, further comprising:

displaying the in-range indicator when the refueling aircraft is within the RFID range of the fuel delivery aircraft;

canceling the in-range indicator when the refueling aircraft is out of the RFID range of the fuel delivery aircraft; and

displaying the out-of-range indicator if the in-range indicator is canceled.

11. The method for automatically reporting aerial refueling data according to claim 7, further comprising automatically generating a refueling report in response to the-end-refueling indicator.

12. The method for automatically reporting aerial refueling data according to claim 7, further comprising transferring fuel to the refueling aircraft via a boom.

13. The method for automatically reporting aerial refueling data according to claim 7, further comprising transferring fuel to the refueling aircraft via a hose and drogue.

14. The method for automatically reporting aerial refueling data, according to claim 7, wherein the refueling report comprises at least one data item selected from the group consisting of:

a fuel type, a fuel quantity transferred, a pump speed, a duration of a refueling operation, an aircraft tail number, an aircraft type, and an aircraft group.

15. A fuel inventory control system for aerial refueling, the system comprising:

a Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) reader operable to identify a refueling aircraft to obtain an identifier;

refueling means operable to refuel the refueling aircraft;

an RFID tag coupled to the refueling aircraft and operable to be activated in response to establishing a contact for refueling to establish a wireless radio communication with the RFID reader to provide an established wireless communication;

range detector means operable to automatically;

generate an in-range indicator indicating the refueling aircraft is within a RFID range of a fuel delivery aircraft while the RFID tag is wirelessly communicating with the RFID reader via the established wireless communication;

generate an out-of-range indicator indicating the refueling aircraft is out of the RFID range of the fuel delivery aircraft if the RFID tag is not wirelessly communicating with the RFID reader; and

provide an end-refueling indicator when the refueling aircraft is outside the RFID range of the fuel delivery aircraft; and

data recording means operable to automatically log;

the identifier of the refueling aircraft; and

refueling data in response to the end-refueling indicator.

16. The fuel inventory control system, according to claim 15, wherein the refueling data comprises at least one data item selected from the group consisting of:

an amount of fuel off-loaded on the refueling aircraft, a fuel type, a fuel quantity transferred, a pump speed, a duration of a refueling operation, an aircraft tail number, an aircraft type, and an aircraft group.

17. The fuel inventory control system according to claim 15, further comprising a reporting means operable to automatically generate a refueling report when the refueling is completed.