Vehicle traffic alert identification system

1 . A system comprising:

communications circuitry;

a user interface (UI); and

processing circuitry disposed within an ownship aircraft,

wherein the processing circuitry is configured to, for each respective vehicle of a plurality of vehicles:

receive, via the communications circuitry while the ownship aircraft is active on one or more runways or taxiways, one or more first locations of the ownship aircraft;

receive, via the communications circuitry, one or more second locations of the respective vehicle;

determine, based at least in part on the one or more first locations and the one or more second locations, that a first path of travel of the ownship aircraft intersects with a second path of travel of the respective vehicle; and

in response to determining that the first path of travel intersects with the second path of travel, generate a collision alert for the respective vehicle, and

wherein the processing circuitry is configured to, for each collision alert for the respective vehicle of the plurality of vehicles:

continuously adjust one or more of the first path of travel based on the one or more first locations of the ownship aircraft or the second path of travel based on the one or more second locations of the respective vehicle;

continuously determining a probability of collision between the ownship aircraft and the respective vehicle based at least in part on the first path of travel and the second path of travel, wherein to determine the probability of collision, the processing circuitry is configured to:

determine, based on the first path of travel and the second path of travel, that the ownship aircraft and the respective vehicle are traveling in a same direction; and

compare a ground speed of the respective vehicle against an operational speed of the ownship aircraft;

continuously compare the probability of collision against a threshold probability;

when the probability of collision is greater than or equal to the threshold probability, cause the UI to output the collision alert, wherein the processing circuitry is configured to determine that the probability of collision is greater than or equal to the threshold probability when the ground speed of the respective vehicle is greater than or equal to the operational speed of the ownship aircraft; and

when the probability of collision is less than the threshold probability, cause the UI to not output the collision alert, wherein the processing circuitry is configured to determine that the probability of collision is less than or equal to the threshold probability when the ground speed of the respective vehicle is less than or equal to the operational speed of the ownship aircraft.

2 . The system of claim 1 ,

wherein the one or more first locations and the one or second locations are relative to the one or more runways,

wherein the one or more runways or taxiways comprises a first runway and a second runway, wherein the first runway intersects with the second runway at a point of intersection, and

wherein the processing circuitry is configured to determine, for each collision alert for the each respective vehicle of the plurality of vehicles, the probability of collision between the ownship aircraft and the respective vehicle when one of the ownship aircraft or the respective vehicle is at the point of intersection.

3 . The system of claim 2 ,

wherein the processing circuitry is configured to, for each collision alert for each respective vehicle of the plurality of vehicles:

determine, based at least in part on the one or more first locations, whether the ownship aircraft is travelling along the first runway towards the point of intersection;

determine, based at least in part on the one or more second locations, whether the respective vehicle is travelling along the second runway towards the point of intersection; and

in response to determining that the one or more of the ownship aircraft or the respective vehicle is travelling away from the point of intersection, determine that the probability of collision between the ownship aircraft and the respective vehicle is less than the threshold probability.

4 . The system of claim 2 , wherein the processing circuitry is configured to, for each collision alert for each respective vehicle of the plurality of vehicles:

determine, based on the one or more second locations, a distance between the ownship aircraft and the respective vehicle when one of the ownship aircraft or the respective vehicle is located at the point of intersection;

compare the distance to a threshold distance;

in response to a determination that the distance is less than or equal to the threshold distance, determine that the probability of collision between the ownship aircraft and the respective vehicle is greater than or equal to the threshold probability; and

in response to a determination that the distance is greater than the threshold distance, determine that the probability of collision between the ownship aircraft and the respective vehicle is less than the threshold probability.

5 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the processing circuitry is configured to, for each collision alert for each respective vehicle of the plurality of vehicles:

determine, based on the one or more first locations and the one or more second locations, that the ownship aircraft and the respective vehicle are travelling in a same direction along a same runway or taxiway of the one or more runways or taxiways;

determine, based on the one or more first locations and the one or more second locations, a distance between the ownship aircraft and the respective vehicle along the same runway or taxiway;

compare the distance against a threshold distance;

in response to a determination that the distance is less than or equal to the threshold distance, determine that the probability of collision between the ownship aircraft and the respective vehicle is greater than or equal to the threshold probability; and; and

in response to a determination that the distance is greater than the threshold distance, determine that the probability of collision between the ownship aircraft and the respective vehicle is less than the threshold probability.

6 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the processing circuitry is configured to, for each collision alert for each respective vehicle of the plurality of vehicles:

determine, based on the one or more first locations and the one or more second locations, that the ownship aircraft and the respective vehicle are travelling in opposite directions along a same runway or taxiway of the one or more runways or taxiways; and

in response to a determination that the one or more of the ownship aircraft or the respective vehicle are travelling in opposite directions along the same runway or taxiway, determine that the probability of collision between the ownship aircraft and the respective vehicle is less than the threshold probability.

7 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the processing circuitry is configured to, for each collision alert for each respective vehicle of the plurality of vehicles:

determine that the respective vehicle is traveling along or landing on a first runway of the one or more runways or taxiways;

determine that the ownship aircraft is stationary;

determine a minimum distance between the ownship aircraft and the first runway; and

compare the minimum distance between the ownship aircraft and the first runway against a threshold distance;

in response to a determination that the minimum distance is less than or equal to the threshold distance, determine that the probability of collision between the ownship aircraft and the respective vehicle is greater than or equal to the threshold probability; and

in response to a determination that the minimum distance is greater than the threshold distance, determine that the probability of collision between the ownship aircraft and the respective vehicle is less than the threshold probability.

8 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the communications circuitry is configured to retrieve the one or more second locations from an Automatic Dependent Surveillance-Broadcast (ADS-B) system of each respective vehicle of the plurality of vehicles.

9 . The system of claim 1 , wherein for each respective vehicle of the plurality of vehicles, the respective collision alert comprises information corresponding to the respective vehicle, the information comprising one or more of: a direction of travel of the respective vehicle, a current location of the respective vehicle, a speed of the respective vehicle, or a distance between the ownship aircraft and the respective vehicle.

10 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the processing circuitry is configured to:

continuously monitor the one or more first locations for the ownship aircraft; and

for each respective vehicle of the plurality of vehicles:

continuously monitor the one or more second locations of the respective vehicle;

continuously adjust, based on changes to at least one of the one or more first locations or the one or more second locations, the probability of collision between the ownship aircraft and the respective vehicle;

continuously compare an adjusted probability of collision against the threshold probability;

when the adjusted probability of collision is greater than or equal to the threshold probability, cause the UI to output the collision alert; and

when the adjusted probability of collision is less than the threshold probability, cause the UI to not output the collision alert.

11 . A method comprising:

receiving, by processing circuitry of a system and via communications circuitry of the system, one or more first locations of an ownship aircraft while the ownship aircraft is active on one or more runways or taxiways;

receiving, by the processing circuitry and via the communications circuitry, one or more second locations of each vehicle of a plurality of vehicles;

for each respective vehicle of the plurality of vehicles:

determining, by the processing circuitry and based at least in part on the one or more first locations, that a first path of travel of the ownship aircraft intersects with a second path of travel of the respective vehicle;

in response to determining that the first path of travel intersects with the second path of travel, generating, by the processing circuitry, a collision alert for the respective vehicle; and

for each collision alert for the respective vehicle of the plurality of vehicles:

continuously adjusting one or more of the first path of travel based on the one or more first locations of the ownship aircraft or the second path of travel based on the one or more second locations of the respective vehicle;

continuously determining, by the processing circuitry, a probability of collision between the ownship aircraft and the respective vehicle based at least in part on the first path of travel and the second path of travel, wherein determining the probability of collision between the ownship aircraft and the respective vehicle comprises:

determining, by the processing circuitry and based on the first and second paths of travel, that the ownship aircraft and the respective vehicle are traveling in a same direction; and

comparing, by the processing circuitry, a ground speed of the respective vehicle against an operational speed of the ownship aircraft;

continuously comparing, by the processing circuitry, the probability of collision against a threshold probability, wherein the processing circuitry determines that the probability of collision is greater than or equal to the threshold probability when the ground speed of the respective vehicle is greater than or equal to the operational speed of the ownship aircraft, and wherein the processing circuitry determines that the probability of collision is less than or equal to the threshold probability when the ground speed of the respective vehicle is less than or equal to the operational speed of the ownship aircraft;

when the probability of collision is greater than or equal to the threshold probability, causing, by the processing circuitry, a user interface (UI) of the system to output the collision alert; and

when the probability of collision is less than the threshold probability, causing, by the processing circuitry, the UI to not output the collision alert.

12 . The method of claim 11 ,

wherein the one or more first locations and the one or more second locations are relative to the one or more runways or taxiways,

wherein the one or more runways or taxiways comprises a first runway and a second runway, wherein the first runway intersects with the second runway at a point of intersection, and

wherein for each collision alert for the respective vehicle of the plurality of vehicles, determining, by the processing circuitry, the probability of collision between the ownship aircraft and the respective vehicle comprises determining, by the processing circuitry, the probability of collision between the ownship aircraft and the respective vehicle when one of the ownship aircraft or the respective vehicle is at the point of intersection.

13 . The method of claim 12 , wherein the method further comprises, for each collision alert for each respective vehicle of the plurality of vehicles:

determining, by the processing circuitry and based at least in part on the one or more first locations, whether the ownship aircraft is travelling along the first runway towards the point of intersection;

determining, by the processing circuitry and based at least in part on the one or more second locations, whether the respective vehicle is travelling along the second runway towards the point of intersection; and

in response to determining that one or more of the ownship aircraft or the respective vehicle is travelling away from the point of intersection, determining, by the processing circuitry, that the probability of collision between the ownship aircraft and the respective vehicle is less than the threshold probability.

14 . The method of claim 12 , further comprising, for each collision alert for each respective vehicle of the plurality of vehicles:

determining, by the processing circuitry and based on the one or more second locations, a distance between the ownship aircraft and the respective vehicle when one of the ownship aircraft or the respective vehicle is located at the point of intersection;

comparing, by the processing circuitry, the distance to a threshold distance;

in response to a determination that the distance is less than or equal to the threshold distance, determining, by the processing circuitry, that the probability of collision between the ownship aircraft and the respective vehicle is greater than or equal to the threshold probability; and

in response to a determination that the distance is greater than the threshold distance, determining, by the processing circuitry, than the probability of collision between the ownship aircraft and the respective vehicle is less than the threshold probability.

15 . The method of claim 11 , further comprising, for each collision alert for each respective vehicle of the plurality of vehicles:

determining, by the processing circuitry and based on the one or more first locations and the one or more second locations, that the ownship aircraft and the respective vehicle are travelling in a same direction along a same runway or taxiway of the one or more runways or taxiways;

determining, by the processing circuitry and based on the one or more first locations and the one or more second locations, a distance between the ownship aircraft and the respective vehicle along the same runway or taxiway;

comparing, by the processing circuitry, the distance against a threshold distance;

in response to a determination that the distance is less than or equal to the threshold distance, determining, by the processing circuitry, that the probability of collision between the ownship aircraft and the respective vehicle is greater than or equal to the threshold probability; and

in response to a determination that the distance is greater than the threshold distance, determining, by the processing circuitry, that the probability of collision between the ownship aircraft and the respective vehicle is less than the threshold probability.

16 . The method of claim 11 , further comprising:

continuously monitor the one or more first locations for the ownship aircraft; and

for each respective vehicle of the plurality of vehicles:

continuously monitoring, by the processing circuitry the one or more second locations of the respective vehicle;

continuously adjusting, by the processing circuitry and based on changes to at least one of the one or more first locations or the one or more second locations, the probability of collision between the ownship aircraft and the respective vehicle;

continuously comparing, by the processing circuitry, an adjusted probability of collision against the threshold probability;

when the adjusted probability of collision is greater than or equal to the threshold probability, causing, by the processing circuitry, the UI to output the collision alert; and

when the adjusted probability of collision is less than the threshold probability, causing, by the processing circuitry, the UI to not output the collision alert.

17 . A non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising instructions that, when executed by processing circuitry of a system of an ownship aircraft when the ownship aircraft is active on one or more runways or taxiways, causes the processing circuitry to:

receive, from communications circuitry of the system, one or more first locations of the ownship aircraft;

receive, via the communications circuitry, one or more second locations of each vehicle of a plurality of vehicles;

for each respective vehicle of the plurality of vehicles:

determine, based at least in part on the one or more first locations and the one or more second locations, that a first path of travel of the ownship aircraft intersects with a second path of travel of the respective vehicle;

in response to a determination that the first path of travel intersects with the second path of travel, generate a collision alert for the respective vehicle; and

for each collision alert for the respective vehicle of the plurality of vehicles:

continuously adjust one or more of the first path of travel based on the one or more first locations of the ownship aircraft or the second path of travel based on the one or more second locations of the respective vehicle;

continuously determine a probability of collision between the ownship aircraft and the respective vehicle based at least in part on the first path of travel and the second path of travel, wherein to determine the probability of collision, the instructions causes the processing circuitry to:

determine, based on the first path of travel and the second path of travel, that the ownship aircraft and the respective vehicle are traveling in a same direction; and

compare a ground speed of the respective vehicle against an operational speed of the ownship aircraft;

continuously compare the probability of collision against a threshold probability;

wherein the instructions causes the processing circuitry to;

determine that the probability of collision is greater than or equal to the threshold probability when the ground speed of the respective vehicle is greater than or equal to the operational speed of the ownship aircraft; and

determine that the probability of collision is less than or equal to the threshold probability when the ground speed of the respective vehicle is less than or equal to the operational speed of the ownship aircraft;

when the probability of collision is greater than or equal to the threshold probability, cause a user interface (UI) of the system to output the collision alert; and

when the probability of collision is less than the threshold probability, cause the UI to not output the collision alert.

18 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 17 , comprising instructions that, when executed, causes the processing circuitry to:

continuously monitor the one or more first locations for the ownship aircraft; and

for each respective vehicle of the plurality of vehicles:

continuously monitor the one or more second locations of the respective vehicle;

continuously adjust, based on changes to at least one of the one or more first locations or the one or more second locations, the probability of collision between the ownship aircraft and the respective vehicle;

continuously compare an adjusted probability of collision against the threshold probability;

when the adjusted probability of collision is greater than or equal to the threshold probability, cause the UI to output the collision alert; and

when the adjusted probability of collision is less than the threshold probability, cause the UI to not output the collision alert.