Method for the automated dispatch of fueling operations

• US 8,055,526 B2
• Filed: 09/08/2006
• Issued: 11/08/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 09/08/2006
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Varec, Inc. (Leidos Holdings, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Varec, Inc. (Leidos Holdings, Inc.)
• Inventors: Sutcliffe, Warren, Simmons, John Eric, Blagg, Derek, Archer, Timothy Lee
• Primary Examiner(s): PATS, JUSTIN
• Application Number:
  US11/517,655
• Publication Number:
  US 20080065449A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,887 Days
• Field of Search: 705/7.13, 705/7.14
• US Class Current: 705/7.14
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06 Resources, workflows, human or project management; Enterprise or organisation planning; Enterprise or organisation modelling
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06311 Scheduling, planning or task assignment for a person or group
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/063112 Skill-based matching of a person or a group to a task

Abstract

An intelligent solution for monitoring, assigning, and accounting fueling operations. An automated dispatch fueling system comprises a fuel management server populated with airport profile and dispatcher configurations. Utilizing information stored in the database and received from external systems, the automated dispatch fueling system can automatically assign and monitor fueling operations.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method for the automated control of fueling operations for the aviation industry, comprising:

creating a first airline profile for a first airline to be accessed by a fuel management server, wherein the first airline profile comprises a fueling equipment identifier, an estimated time to travel between at least two airport gates, first airline aircraft information including an identifier about the first airline'"'"'s aircraft arriving to or departing from an airport, and first airline fueling agent information about first airline fueling agents available to be assigned fueling operations, the first airline fueling agent information comprising work schedules of each of the first airline fueling agents and qualifications of each of the first airline fueling agents;

creating a second airline profile for a second airline to be accessed by the fuel management server, wherein the second airline profile comprises a second fueling equipment identifier, a second estimated time to travel between at least two airport gates, second airline aircraft information including an identifier about the second airline'"'"'s aircraft arriving to or departing from the airport, and second airline fueling agent information about second airline fueling agents available to be assigned fueling operations, the second airline fueling agent information comprising work schedules of each of the second airline fueling agents and qualifications of each of the second airline fueling agents;

creating fuel assignment rules to be accessed by the fuel management server, the fuel assignment rules comprising;

a rule specifying that fueling agents must be qualified to be assigned to utilize certain fueling equipment;

a rule specifying that fueling agents must be qualified to be assigned to refuel certain aircraft; and

a rule limiting the number of back-to-back fueling operations assigned to a fueling agent;

determining, by the fuel management server, fueling operations for the first and second airlines based upon the first and second airline profiles and the fuel assignment rules; and

assigning, by the fuel management server, the fueling operations without manual interaction (1) for the first airline to at least one of the first airline fueling agents, and (2) for the second airline to at least one of the second airline fueling agents.

2. The method as recited in claim 1, further comprising the steps of:

monitoring, by the fuel management server, the fueling operations assigned to the at least one of the first airline fueling agents;

monitoring, by the fuel management server, at least one external system;

updating, by the fuel management server, the first airline aircraft information with information received from the at least one external system; and

automatically re-assigning, by the fuel management server, fueling operations for the first airline based upon the updated first airline aircraft information.

3. The method as recited in claim 1, further comprising the steps of:

monitoring, by the fuel management server, the fueling operations assigned to the one or more first airline fueling agents;

monitoring, by the fuel management server, at least one external system;

receiving a change in the first airline aircraft information from the at least one external system; and

automatically alerting a dispatcher of the change in the first airline aircraft information.

4. The method as recited in claim 1, further comprising the step of automatically sending, by the fuel management server, completed fueling operation data to an accounting service.

5. The method as recited in claim 1, further comprising the step of automatically transmitting, by the fuel management server, completed fueling operation data to an Aircraft Communications Addressing and Reporting system.

6. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the step of creating the fuel assignment rules comprises obtaining an indication as to whether to assign international fueling operations to one or more of the first aircraft or second aircraft fueling agents.

7. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the step of creating the fuel assignment rules comprises obtaining a strategy to be used for the assignment of fueling operations.

8. The method as recited in claim 5, wherein the step of creating the first airline profile further comprises obtaining estimated fueling times for an aircraft.

9. The method as recited in claim 1, further comprising the steps of:

monitoring, by the fuel management server, the fueling operations assigned to the at least one of the second airline fueling agents;

monitoring, by the fuel management server, at least one external system;

updating, by the fuel management server, the second airline aircraft information with information received from the at least one external system; and

automatically re-assigning, by the fuel management server, fueling operations for the second airline based upon the updated second airline aircraft information.