Aerial Refueling Boom Vision Guidance for Precise Receptacle Coupling
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current aerial refueling methods rely on human operators for precise boom placement, which can lead to fatigue, reduced visibility, and inaccuracy, potentially causing damage to aircraft, especially stealth-coated ones, and lack the precision required for safe and effective automated refueling.
Innovation Solution
A system combining high integrity relative positioning methods with machine vision systems, using a tanker positioning system, camera suite, and data link to generate safety boundaries and manipulate the refueling boom for precise coupling with the receiver receptacle, ensuring accurate and safe automated boom placement.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If human operators manually control the boom for aerial refueling, then flexibility and adaptability are maintained, but positioning accuracy and operational reliability deteriorate due to fatigue and reduced visibility
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces manual mechanical control with an automated control system that uses machine vision cameras and computer algorithms to detect the receptacle position and control the boom movement, eliminating human fatigue and visibility limitations while maintaining operational flexibility through programmable adaptability
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces machine vision systems and computer vision algorithms as intermediaries between the operator and the boom control system, processing visual information to determine precise positioning and coupling actions, thereby improving accuracy without requiring direct human manipulation
2Adaptability or versatility
If human operators manually place the boom into the receptacle, then adaptability to various conditions is maintained, but operational reliability and safety deteriorate due to potential strikes on aircraft skin
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements continuous feedback loops where machine vision cameras monitor the relative positions of the boom and receptacle, and the control system adjusts boom movement in real-time based on detected position data, ensuring safe coupling while maintaining adaptability to varying operational conditions
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces manual operational judgment with automated computer-controlled decision-making that uses visual feedback to determine when coupling conditions are met, eliminating human error while maintaining adaptability through programmable response to different scenarios
3Device complexity
If current positioning systems are used for aerial refueling, then system complexity is kept low, but positioning accuracy and measurement precision are insufficient for precise boom placement
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces machine vision cameras and computer vision processing as intermediaries to enhance the capabilities of existing positioning systems, using visual markers and image processing to achieve high-precision relative positioning without requiring complex additional hardware
Solution Approach 2:
The patent makes the positioning system multi-functional by using the same machine vision system for both navigation and precise boom-to-receptacle alignment, achieving high measurement precision while avoiding the need for separate specialized positioning systems
Data Source
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AI summary
A system (100) and method (500) for Automated Aerial Refueling (AAR) combining unrelated capabilities to provide a high integrity solution to boom manipulation and insertion to couple with a receiver receptacle. Precise positioning systems on each aircraft coupled via data link (140) provide a high integrity relative positioning solution generating a requisite integrity for positioning yet insufficient for boom insertion. High definition cameras (124) onboard the tanker provide multi-wavelength remote vision digital images used to identify the boom fitting (402) as well as the receptacle (254). Combined with boom position information from the tanker (110), the system determines pixel position inputs from stereo digital images to precisely identify the boom (130) and receptacle (254) and manipulate the boom to insert the boom fitting (402) into the receptacle (254). Constant camera generated feedback and updated relative positioning alerts the system and disconnects the boom should the receiver aircraft (150) stray outside the proper position.