METHOD AND DEVICE FOR FUSION OF TRAFFIC DATA WHEN INFORMATION IS INCOMPLETE

• US 20090287403A1
• Filed: 12/28/2006
• Published: 11/19/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 07/21/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Deutsche Telekom AG
• Original Assignee: Deutsche Telekom AG
• Inventors: Becker, Markus, Fastenrath, Ulrich
• Granted Patent: US 9,076,329 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/117
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/0104 Measuring and analyzing of parameters relative to traffic conditions

Abstract

A method for merging imprecisely localized traffic reports with precisely localized traffic data includes obtaining a plurality of possible positions (x) of the localized traffic reports having imprecise position indications. The plurality of possible positions is evaluated using overlap functions. Substantially precise positions for the localized traffic reports are defined by solving an extremum problem.

Claims

1-7. -7. (canceled)

8. :

A method for merging imprecisely localized traffic reports with precisely localized traffic data, comprising the following steps;

obtaining a plurality of possible positions (x) of the localized traffic reports having imprecise position indications;

evaluating the plurality of possible positions using overlap functions; and

defining substantially precise positions for the localized traffic reports by solving an extremum problem.

9. :

The method according to claim 8, wherein the evaluating includes the steps of;

ascertaining, within a permissible value range, for each of the plurality of possible positions, a function b(x) which indicates a portion of a reported disturbance not refuted by the localized traffic data;

ascertaining, within a permissible value range, for each of the plurality of possible positions, a function n(x) which indicates a portion of the reported disturbance confirmed by the traffic localized data; and

ascertaining, within a permissible value range, for each of the plurality of possible positions, a function w(x) which indicates a portion of the reported disturbance that is refutable by the localized traffic data;

wherein the relation b(x)+w(x)+n(x)=1 applies to all instances of x.

10. :

The method according to claim 9, wherein the evaluating includes the steps of;

weighting b(x), w(x), and n(x) by the following extremum problem;

Ax′

ε

[x₁x₂];

{ƒ

apo(x′

)>

ƒ

apo(x)}{(ƒ

apo(x′

)=ƒ

apo(x))(x′

>

x)},

ƒ

apo(x)=g_bb(x)+g_nn(x)+g_ww(x),

x₁=min(km₁,km₃−

L),

x₂=min(km₁+L,km₃).

Where;

g_b is a weight of criterion “

confirmation”

g_n is a weight of criterion “

gap-closing”

g_w is a weight of criterion “

refutation”

.

11. :

The method according to claim 8, wherein, the substantially precise positions are merged with the precisely localized traffic data so as to obtain a traffic situation estimate.

12. :

The method according to the claim 11, wherein wherever the imprecisely localized traffic report competes with a lack of knowledge from the traffic situation estimate, a relevant portion of the localized traffic report is used as the end product.

13. :

A device for determination of positionally accurate traffic situation data configured to perform a method in accordance with claim 8.

14. :

A computer-readable medium encoded with processing instructions for implementing a method for merging imprecisely localized traffic reports with precisely localized traffic data, the method comprising the following steps;

obtaining a plurality of possible positions (x) of the localized traffic reports having imprecise position indications;

evaluating the plurality of possible positions using overlap functions; and

defining substantially precise positions for the localized traffic reports by solving an extremum problem.