Aircraft fuel measurement
US10480986B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Jun 22, 2016 |
| Grant date | Nov 19, 2019 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Nov 13, 2037 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG01S17/10
- WIPO fieldMeasurement
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
A method of estimating a quantity of a liquid fuel in a fuel tank of an aircraft is disclosed. A surface of the fuel is illuminated with light so that the light is reflected or scattered by the surface of the fuel onto an array of sensors. The light travels to and from the surface of the fuel via a measurement path containing a transmission medium. A measured time of flight is made at each sensor for the light which travels via the measurement path to that sensor. At least one of the sensors is illuminated with light via a reference path containing a transmission medium with substantially the same refractive index as the transmission medium in the measurement path, the reference path having a known reference distance which does not vary in accordance with the quantity of the fuel.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.