Position/time synchronization of unmanned air vehicles for air refueling operations

• US 8,843,301 B2
• Filed: 04/22/2013
• Issued: 09/23/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 11/13/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: The Boeing Co.
• Original Assignee: The Boeing Co.
• Inventors: Spinelli, Charles B., Hanbey, Glenn
• Primary Examiner(s): Jabr, Fadey
• Assistant Examiner(s): Mahne, Kevin P
• Application Number:
  US13/868,083
• Publication Number:
  US 20140142840A1
• Time in Patent Office: 519 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 701/120
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 39/00 Refuelling during flight filling or emptying fuel tanks B64D37/14
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/104 involving a plurality of aircrafts, e.g. formation flying traffic control systems for aircraft G08G5/00
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/0008 with other aircraft
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/0021 located in the aircraft
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/0043 Traffic management of multiple aircrafts from the ground G08G5/003 takes precedence; data processing specially designed for resource management, e.g. scheduling or allocating time, human or machine resources G06Q10/06
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/0052 for cruising combined instruments indicating more than one navigational value G01C23/00
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/0069 specially adapted for an unmanned aircraft
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/0078 for monitoring traffic from the aircraft radar or analogous systems specially adapted for traffic control G01S13/91

Abstract

A system and methods for coordinating positioning of vehicles in motion is disclosed. The method graphically presents displayed synchronization parameters on a display screen such that a user determines a planned position of a first vehicle on a planned path in order to arrive at a predetermined position at a correct time. The method further synchronizes the first vehicle with the planned position on the planned path using the displayed synchronization parameters and performs a rendezvous between the first vehicle and a second vehicle.

Claims

1. An aircraft position synchronization system comprising:

a processor module connected to a memory module wherein the memory module includes instructions that when executed performs the method of;

calculating a planned position on an orbit pattern of a first aircraft in flight; and

calculating a calculated bank angle based on one or more performance parameters of at least one second aircraft such that the first aircraft intercepts a planned position-time projection vector at the planned position if the first aircraft is turned with the calculated bank angle.

2. The system of claim 1, further comprising coordinating the first aircraft with the at least one second aircraft in flight.

3. The system of claim 2, further comprising computing an actual position-time projection vector for the first aircraft and the at least one second aircraft and guide the first aircraft and the at least one second aircraft to a rendezvous position.

4. The system of claim 2, further comprising receiving a position of the at least one second aircraft;

and

coordinating the planned position of the first aircraft with the at least one second aircraft based on the position of the at least one second aircraft.

5. The system of claim 2, further comprising commanding the first aircraft to perform a banked turn with a second bank angle if the planned position is missed by the at least one second aircraft.

6. The system of claim 1, further comprising communicating the performance parameters between the first aircraft and the at least one second aircraft.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the first aircraft is a UAV and the at least one second aircraft is a UAV.

8. The system of claim 1, further comprising calculating a current position of the first aircraft.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the first aircraft is a tanker aircraft and the at least one second aircraft is a receiver aircraft.

10. The system of claim 1, further comprising displaying:

the orbit pattern;

the planned position and at least one planned velocity vector moving in real-time along the orbit pattern;

the planned position-time projection vector;

an actual position of the first aircraft; and

at least one actual position-time projection vector of the first aircraft based on at least one bank angle of the first aircraft, such that a user determines the planned position of the first aircraft on the planned position-time projection vector in order to arrive at a predetermined position at a correct time.

11. A method for synchronizing aircraft positions in flight by action of an aerial refueling synchronization and rendezvous system, the method comprising:

calculating by action of a processor a planned position on an orbit pattern of a first aircraft in flight and a planned position-time projection vector comprising at least one planned velocity vector of the planned position-time projection vector;

calculating a calculated bank angle by action of the processor such that the first aircraft intercepts the planned position-time projection vector if the first aircraft turns with the calculated bank angle;

continuously and automatically receiving performance information of a second aircraft for a duration of a sync event and automatically adjusting the calculated bank angle based on the performance information until synched;

directing by action of the processor the first aircraft to turn early at the calculated bank angle from a current position to reach a future point ahead of the planned position on the planned position-time projection vector; and

directing by action of the processor the first aircraft to intercept the planned position.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising directing the first aircraft to rendezvous with the second aircraft.

13. The method of claim 11, further comprising calculating with the processor:

the planned position-time projection vector of the first aircraft in time increments;

effects of winds on the at least one planned velocity vector of the planned position-time projection vector of the first aircraft; and

an actual position-time projection vector in time increments of the first aircraft.

14. The method of claim 13, further comprising displaying on a display module:

the planned position-time projection vector of the first aircraft in time increments;

the effects of the winds on the at least one planned velocity vector of the planned position-time projection vector of the first aircraft; and

the actual position-time projection vector in time increments of the first aircraft.

15. A method of coordinating positioning of vehicles in motion by action of an aerial refueling synchronization and rendezvous system, the method comprising:

calculating a current position of a first vehicle by action of a processor;

calculating a planned position of the first vehicle by action of the processor;

calculating a calculated turn angle with the processor such that the first vehicle intercepts a planned position-time projection vector when turned with the calculated turn angle;

directing by action of the processor the first vehicle to turn at the calculated turn angle from the current position to reach a future point ahead of the planned position on the planned position-time projection vector;

directing by action of the processor the first vehicle to intercept the planned position on the planned position-time projection vector in anticipation of a sync event;

synchronizing by action of the processor the first vehicle with the planned position;

continuously and automatically receiving performance information of a second vehicle for a duration of the sync event and automatically adjusting the calculated turn angle based on the performance information until synched to the planned position; and

performing a rendezvous between the first vehicle and the second vehicle by action of the processor.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the step of performing the rendezvous comprises:

communicating performance parameters between the first vehicle and the second vehicle; and

determining a turn angle for the first vehicle for turning ahead of the planned position to allow rendezvous with the second vehicle.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the performance parameters comprise at least one member selected from the group consisting of:

a first vehicle velocity, a first vehicle coordinates, a second vehicle indication of contact with the first vehicle, a second vehicle actual position, a second vehicle coordinates, a second vehicle velocity, a second vehicle waypoints, timing information, altitude, and a second vehicle waypoints desired velocities.

18. The method of claim 15, further comprising calculating with the processor:

the planned position-time projection vector of the first vehicle in time increments;

effects of winds on a planned velocity vector of the planned position-time projection vector of the first vehicle; and

an actual position-time projection vector in time increments of the first vehicle.

19. The method of claim 18, further comprising displaying on a display module:

the planned position-time projection vector of the first vehicle in time increments;

the effects of the winds on the planned velocity vector of the planned position-time projection vector of the first vehicle; and

the actual position-time projection vector in time increments of the first vehicle.

20. The method of claim 15, further comprising directing the first vehicle to perform a banked turn with a second bank angle if the planned position is missed by the second vehicle.