The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Jun. 24, 2014
Filed:
Apr. 30, 2007
Stephen M. Stecko, Fullerton, CA (US);
Walton Williamson, Burbank, CA (US);
John F. Takacs, Long Beach, CA (US);
Jason L. Speyer, Los Angeles, CA (US);
Stephen M. Stecko, Fullerton, CA (US);
Walton Williamson, Burbank, CA (US);
John F. Takacs, Long Beach, CA (US);
Jason L. Speyer, Los Angeles, CA (US);
The Boeing Company, Chicago, IL (US);
Sysense, Inc., Burbank, CA (US);
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.