The Boeing Company

Thomas Edward Speer

Richard Donovan Jones

Dan John Clingman

Justin Cleve Hatcher

Jeffrey Lee Musgrave

Joshua Lee Downs

Tyler Martin Anderson

An apparatus comprising a refueling controller. The refueling controller is configured to receive a number of operator commands for moving a refueling boom on a tanker aircraft in a desired direction. The number of operator commands defines at least one of an azimuth movement and an elevation movement of the refueling boom during flight of the tanker aircraft. The refueling controller is further configured to generate a number of intermediate commands for moving the refueling boom in the desired direction as defined by the number of operator commands. The number of intermediate commands defines at least one of a roll movement and a pitch movement such that the refueling boom moves in the desired direction.

Refueling boom control system

A method and apparatus comprising a refueling controller. The refueling controller is configured to receive a number of operator commands for moving a refueling boom on a tanker aircraft in a desired direction. The number of operator commands defines at least one of an azimuth movement and an elevation movement of the refueling boom during flight of the tanker aircraft. The refueling controller is further configured to generate a number of intermediate commands for moving the refueling boom in the desired direction as defined by the number of operator commands. The number of intermediate commands defines at least one of a roll movement and a pitch movement such that the refueling boom moves in the desired direction.

A towed sensor array maneuvering system and methods are disclosed. A towed airborne vehicle comprising a sensor array is actively maneuvered via a plurality of surfaces coupled thereto. The surfaces are controlled such that a desired path is tracked based on and as a function of desired tracking parameters.

Towed sensor array maneuvering system and methods

In one embodiment a method to provide electrical power to an aerial refueling drogue, wherein the aerial refueling drogue comprises a plurality of piezoelectric patches disposed on flexible members, comprises deploying the aerial refueling drogue into an airstream and harvesting energy produced by the piezoelectric patches. Other embodiments may be described.

Drogue with power generator

In one embodiment an aerial refueling drogue comprises a coupling having a channel formed therethrough, a shroud, and a piezoelectric energy collection system. Other embodiments may be described.

In accordance with one or more embodiments, systems and methods for in-flight fuel delivery include an aerial refueling device adapted to provide fuel to a receiver aircraft, an optical component adapted to capture images of the aerial refueling device and the receiver aircraft, an operator input component adapted to interface with an operator and capture control signals as input from the operator, and a display component adapted to display images. A controller is adapted to receive the captured images and the captured control signals, process the control signals by generating graphic display symbology, process the images by generating a combined image having the generated graphic display symbology superimposed on the images, and display the combined image on the display component for viewing by the operator. The controller is adapted to superimpose the graphic display symbology on a portion of the images obscured by the aerial refueling device.

System and method for displaying aerial refueling symbology

Methods and computer program products are provided for controlling a plurality of control effectors of an aerodynamic vehicle based upon the mode shape direction of one or more structural modes excited by actuation of the control effectors. For example, control of the actuation of the control effectors may be provided to emphasize actuation of those control effectors that affect a structural mode having a mode shape direction that is substantially orthogonal to the mode shape of the structural mode. By affecting a structural mode in such a manner that the mode shape direction is substantially orthogonal to the mode shape of the structural mode, control structure interaction (CSI) is avoided without having to design a stiffer aerodynamic vehicle and without having to filter the sensor input and/or the actuator commands, unless it is otherwise desirable to do so.

Method and computer program product for controlling an aerodynamic vehicle having at least one structural mode

Aerial refueling systems and associated methods are disclosed. A system in accordance with one embodiment of the invention includes an operator input device configured to receive operator inputs and direct a first input signal corresponding to a target position for an aerial refueling device. A sensor can be positioned to detect a location of at least one of the aerial refueling device and a receiver aircraft, and can be configured to direct a second input signal. A controller can be operatively coupled to the operator input device and the sensor to receive the first and second input signals and direct a command signal to adjust the position of the aerial refueling device in response to both the first and second input signals, unless either or both of the input signals are absent or below a threshold value. Accordingly, the system can respond to both automatically generated sensor data and data input by an operator. A fully automated version of the system can be installed on an unmanned aircraft having additional capabilities, for example, electronic surveillance and/or jamming capabilities.

Systems and methods for automatically and semiautomatically controlling aircraft refueling

Vehicle control systems and methods for sizing such systems are disclosed. In one embodiment of the invention, an actuator mechanism capability is selected, at least one operating requirement is selected, and the required number, size, and locations of a plurality of control surfaces needed to satisfy the at least one operating requirement are determined. In another embodiment, a set of control laws is selected, at least one operating requirement is selected, and the number size, and location of a plurality of control surfaces needed to satisfy the at least one operating requirement are determined.

Vehicle control systems and corresponding sizing methods

An air vehicle assembly and a corresponding method for launching an air vehicle assembly are provided, along with corresponding control systems and methods. The air vehicle assembly may include a plurality of air vehicles releasably joined to one another during a portion of the flight, such as during take-off and landing. By being releasably joined to one another, such as during take-off and landing, the air vehicles can rely upon and assist one another during the vertical take-off and landing while being designed to have a greater range and higher endurance following the transition to forward flight, either while remaining coupled to or following separation from the other air vehicles. By taking into account the states of the other air vehicles, the control system and method also permit the air vehicles of an air vehicle assembly to collaborate.

Air vehicle assembly and an associated control system and method

A flightpath guidance system and method is disclosed for using moving waypoints for a curved route plan such as a Bezier curve. The actual location of a vehicle and a leading target point along the path are used to provide commanded guidance of the vehicle along the path and to correct for disturbances from the intended route. Waypoints along the path may be moving with respect to the reference frame in which the vehicle is measured. Curved flightpath guidance using moving waypoints may be used for aerial rendezvous and refueling, multiple vehicle applications such as formation flying and battlefield formation grouping, and carrier landing. Further application includes air traffic control and commercial flight guidance systems.

Bezier curve flightpath guidance using moving waypoints

A method and computer program product are provided for estimating the states of a dynamic system based upon a combination of first and second feedback signals. The first feedback signal is based upon anticipated state changes and is typically represented by a state propagation model. The second feedback signal is based upon the difference between the anticipated and actual measurements of the sensors. This difference may be weighted based upon a predetermined criteria, such as the credibility of the actual measurements and/or the degree to which outlying sensor measurements are to be discounted. The weighted difference is converted into a corresponding change in the state estimates. At least one feedback signal may then be modified to define its relative contribution to the state estimates. The first and second feedback signals are thereafter combined to produce the state estimates, subject generally to limitations upon the permissible changes in the state estimates.

Method and computer program product for estimating at least one state of a dynamic system

A method and computer program product are provided for controlling the actuators of an aerodynamic vehicle to affect a desired change in the time rate of change of the system state vector. The method initially determines the differences between anticipated changes in the states of the aerodynamic vehicle based upon the current condition of each actuator, and desired state changes. The differences between the anticipated and desired state changes may be weighted based upon a predetermined criteria, such as the importance of the respective states and/or the weight to be attributed to outliers. The differences between the anticipated and desired state changes are converted to the corresponding rates of change of the actuators. These changes in the actuators may be limited to within predefined bounds. Control signals are then issued to the actuators to affect the desired change in the time rate of change of the system state vector.

Growing community of inventors

Des Moines, WA, United States of America

Thomas Edward Speer