Feature detection for automated air-to-air refueling (A3R)
US12361585B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Jan 12, 2022 |
| Grant date | Jul 15, 2025 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Feb 9, 2043 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG06T2207/20084
- WIPO fieldComputer technology
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
Aspects of the disclosure provide solutions for automated air-to-air refueling (A3R) and assisted air-to-air refueling. Examples include: receiving a video frame; generating, from the video frame, a plurality of images having differing decreasing resolutions; detecting, within each of the plurality of images, a set of aircraft keypoints for an aircraft to be refueled; merging the sets of aircraft keypoints into a set of merged aircraft keypoints; based on at least the merged aircraft keypoints, determining a position of a fuel receptacle on the aircraft; and determining a position of a boom tip of an aerial refueling boom. Some examples include, based on at least the position of the fuel receptacle and the position of the boom tip, controlling the aerial refueling boom to engage the fuel receptacle, and for some examples, the video frame is monocular (e.g., provided by a single camera).
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.