Measuring weight and balance and optimizing center of gravity

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11377203-B2
Application number	US-201916539424-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 13, 2019
Priority date	Sep 3, 2018
Publication date	Jul 5, 2022
Grant date	Jul 5, 2022

Abstract

Systems, computer-implemented methods and/or computer program products that facilitate measuring weight and balance and optimizing center of gravity are provided. In one embodiment, a system 100 utilizes a processor 106 that executes computer implemented components stored in a memory 104. A compression component 108 calculates compression of landing gear struts based on height above ground of an aircraft. A gravity component 110 determines center of gravity based on differential compression of the landing gear struts. An optimization component 112 automatically optimizes the center of gravity to a rear limit of a center of gravity margin.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A system, comprising:
a memory that stores computer executable components;
a processor, operably coupled to the memory, and that executes the computer executable components stored in the memory, wherein the computer executable components comprise:
a compression component that receives, from a sensor, a non-contact measurement of a height above ground of an aircraft, and calculates respective compressions of front landing gear struts and back landing gear struts of the aircraft based on the information indicative of the height above ground of the aircraft and based on respective material properties of the front landing gear struts and the back landing gear struts, wherein the respective material properties facilitate determination of a total weight of the aircraft;
a gravity component that determines a center of gravity based on a difference in the respective compressions between the front landing gear struts and the back landing gear struts; and
an optimization component that automatically adjusts the center of gravity to a rear limit of a center of gravity margin.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the sensor is a first sensor, and wherein the system further comprises a second sensor, wherein the first sensor and the second sensor measure the height above ground at multiple locations of the aircraft.

3. The system of claim 1 , further comprising a weight component that calculates the total weight of the aircraft based on a total compression of the front landing gear struts and the back landing gear struts.

4. The system of claim 3 , wherein the weight component also determines whether the total weight is within weight capacity limits.

5. The system of claim 4 , further comprising a notification component that notifies flight crew or cabin crew if the total weight is over the weight capacity limits.

6. The system of claim 1 , wherein the compression component also compensates the respective compressions of the front landing gear struts and the back landing gear struts using airport surface incline maps.

7. The system of claim 2 , wherein the first sensor and the second sensor determine pitch of the aircraft while on ground for determining the center of gravity.

8. The system of claim 1 , further comprising a modeling component that models flight performance to determine the center of gravity in flight.

9. The system of claim 1 , wherein the optimization component automatically adjusts the center of gravity by pumping fuel to increase fuel efficiency in flight by considering location, size and shape of fuel tanks throughout the aircraft.

10. The system of claim 1 , wherein the optimization component also automatically adjusts the center of gravity by pumping fuel to increase fuel efficiency for takeoff by considering location, size and shape of fuel tanks throughout the aircraft.

11. A computer-implemented method, comprising:
receiving, by a system operatively coupled to a processor and from a sensor, a non-contact measurement related to a height above ground of an aircraft;
calculating, by the system, respective compressions of front landing gear struts and back landing gear struts based on the height above ground of the aircraft;
determining, by the system, a center of gravity based on a difference between the respective compressions of the front landing gear struts and the back landing gear struts and based on respective material properties of the front landing gear struts and the back landing gear struts, wherein the respective material properties are indicative of a total mass of the aircraft; and
automatically repositioning, by the system, the center of gravity to a rear limit of a center of gravity margin, wherein the automatically repositioning is facilitated by means of fuel transfer on the aircraft.

12. The computer-implemented method of claim 11 , further comprising measuring the height above ground at multiple locations of the aircraft.

13. The computer-implemented method of claim 11 , further comprising calculating total weight of the aircraft based on total compression of the front landing gear struts and the back landing gear struts.

14. The computer-implemented method of claim 11 , further comprising modeling flight performance to determine the center of gravity in flight.

15. The computer-implemented method of claim 11 , wherein the automatically repositioning the center of gravity comprises pumping fuel to increase fuel efficiency in flight by considering location, size and shape of fuel tanks throughout the aircraft.

16. A non-transitory computer-readable medium for facilitating measuring weight and balance and adjusting a center of gravity, the non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising a computer readable storage medium having program instructions embodied therewith, the program instructions being executable by a processor to cause the processor to:
facilitate receipt of one or more non-contact measurements that indicate a height above ground of an aircraft;
calculate respective compressions of landing gear struts based on the height above ground of the aircraft, wherein the landing gear struts comprise front landing gear struts and rear landing gear struts;
determine the center of gravity based on a differential compression determined between the front landing gear struts and the rear landing gear struts and based on respective material properties of the front landing gear struts and the rear landing gear struts, wherein the respective material properties facilitate a determination of total mass of the aircraft; and
automatically adjust the center of gravity to a rear limit of a center of gravity margin.

17. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 16 , wherein the program instructions are further executable to cause the processor to:
measure the height above ground at multiple locations of the aircraft.

18. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 16 , wherein the program instructions are further executable to cause the processor to:
calculate total weight of the aircraft based on total compression of the front landing gear struts and the rear landing gear struts.

19. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 16 , wherein the program instructions are further executable to cause the processor to:
model flight performance to determine the center of gravity in flight.

20. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 16 , wherein the program instructions are further executable to cause the processor to:
automatically adjust the center of gravity by pumping fuel to increase fuel efficiency in flight by considering location, size and shape of fuel tanks throughout the aircraft.

Assignees

• Ge Aviat Systems Ltd

Inventors

• Parker Edward
• Schwindt Stefan Alexander

Classifications

• B64D31/06

  actuated automatically · CPC title

• B64C17/02 Primary

  by gravity or inertia-actuated apparatus · CPC title

• G01G19/07 Primary

  for weighing aircraft · CPC title

• B64C17/10

  Transferring fuel to adjust trim · CPC title

• G01M1/125 Primary

  of aircraft · CPC title