TECHNICAL FIELD

The present disclosure relates to methods and systems for a computer-implemented method of anticipating and avoiding vehicle collisions. More particularly, the present disclosure relates to methods and systems for vehicle contact prediction and auto brake activation.

BACKGROUND

Aircraft wingtip collisions have become a key concern in the aviation industry as airport terminal utilization by airlines and consumers grows. Airports may experience operational disruptions when one or more aircrafts are involved in a collision. Further, airframe damage may result in a significant loss for airlines in terms of repair cost and time.

Various hardware deployment solutions and/or aircraft-based solutions have been proposed (e.g., wingtip radars coupled with image processing systems) to address this concern. However, most of the aircraft-based solutions rely on radar visibility to detect and prevent wingtip collisions, requiring hardware installations on aircrafts. Further, imaging-based technology may not be effective under poor visibility due to natural causes and/or non-detectable objects (e.g., non-radiating (i.e., RAM coated) objects). Furthermore, most of the proposed and current solutions are capable of detection only, requiring aircraft crew to take action in response to a notification or an alert.

Therefore, there is a need for a comprehensive, airport-centric solution leveraging existing technology and infrastructure of the airports, providing a cost effective hot spot detection and post-detection guidance system.

The background description provided herein is for the purpose of generally presenting the context of the disclosure. Unless otherwise indicated herein, the materials described in this section are not prior art to the claims in this application and are not admitted to be prior art, or suggestions of the prior art, by inclusion in this section.

Further, while the background description was provided in the context of an aircraft and an airport, it would be obvious to one of ordinary skill in the pertinent art that the same need may exist in other contexts, including but not limited to a traffic involving motor vehicles (e.g., motorcycles, cars, trucks, buses, etc.), railed vehicles (e.g., trains, trams, subways, etc.), watercraft (e.g., ships, boats, yachts, etc.), spacecraft, and any other vehicles or moving machines. Therefore, the exemplary embodiment of the current disclosure may not be limited to aircraft/airport deployment, but may also be integrated with other machines, systems, components, or any other environment or context in which the aforementioned need may exist.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

One embodiment provides a computer implemented method for predicting a hot spot, the method comprising: receiving, by a hot spot prediction system, vehicle characteristics associated with a vehicle and traffic data; determining, by the hot spot prediction system, a hot spot and an estimated arrival time at the hot spot based on the vehicle characteristics and the traffic data; receiving, by an auto brake application system, the hot spot and the estimated arrival time; determining, by the auto brake application system, a safe stop time based on the vehicle characteristics, the hot spot and the estimated arrival time; sending, by the auto brake application system, a notification to the vehicle based on determining that the vehicle can stop within the safe stop time; and performing, by the auto brake application system, an action in response to receiving a confirmation from the vehicle.

One embodiment provides a system for predicting a hot spot. The system may comprise a hot spot prediction system comprising one or more processors configured to receive vehicle characteristics associated with a vehicle and traffic data; and determine a hot spot and an estimated arrival time at the hot spot based on the vehicle characteristics and the traffic data; and an auto brake application system comprising one or more processors configured to receive the hot spot and the estimated arrival time; determine a safe stop time based on the vehicle characteristics, the hot spot and the estimated arrival time; send a notification to the vehicle based on determining that the vehicle can stop within the safe stop time; and perform an action in response to receiving a confirmation from the vehicle.

One embodiment provides a non-transitory computer readable medium for predicting a hot spot. The non-transitory computer readable medium may store instructions that, when executed by one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to perform a method comprising: receiving, by a hot spot prediction system, vehicle characteristics associated with a vehicle and traffic data; determining, by the hot spot prediction system, a hot spot and an estimated arrival time at the hot spot based on the vehicle characteristics and the traffic data; receiving, by an auto brake application system, the hot spot and the estimated arrival time; determining, by the auto brake application system, a safe stop time based on the vehicle characteristics, the hot spot and the estimated arrival time; sending, by the auto brake application system, a notification to the vehicle based on determining that the vehicle can stop within the safe stop time; and performing, by the auto brake application system, an action in response to receiving a confirmation from the vehicle.

