Identifying a candidate part of a map to be updated

• US 20130013599A1
• Filed: 11/17/2010
• Published: 01/10/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 11/18/2009
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Vodafone Group PLC
• Original Assignee: Vodafone Group PLC
• Inventors: Lindstrom, Joe
• Application Number:
  US12/927,556
• Publication Number:
  US 20130013599A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 707/737
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3811 Point data, e.g. Point of Interest [POI]
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3815 Road data
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3844 Data obtained from position sensors only, e.g. from inertial navigation

Abstract

A method for identifying a candidate part of a map to be updated. The method comprises receiving position data relating to a plurality of reroute points and determining one or more clusters of reroute points based on the position data. The method further comprises determining cluster features, determining a weight for each of the clusters and generating reroute cluster position data which is transmitted in a last step of the method. By determining clusters of reroute points and corresponding weights, a candidate part of a map to be updated may be identified in an efficient way. A corresponding device and computer program product are also provided.

Claims

1. A method performed in a device for identifying at least one candidate part of a map to be updated, comprising:

receiving position data relating to a plurality of reroute points;

determining, by a processing unit, one or more clusters of reroute points based on said position data;

determining, by said processing unit, one or more cluster features for each of said clusters;

determining, by said processing unit, a weight for each of said one or more clusters based on said one or more cluster features;

generating, by said processing unit, reroute cluster position data pertaining to said one or more clusters and said weight for each of said one or more clusters; and

transmitting said reroute cluster position data.

2. The method according to claim 1, further comprising:

receiving attributes relating to said reroute points which are comprised in said one or more clusters of reroute points, wherein at least one of said one or more cluster features is determined by using said attributes.

3. The method according to claim 2, wherein said attributes comprise map object data associating each reroute point with at least one map object on said map.

4. The method according to claim 3, wherein said at least one map object which is associated with a reroute point comprises a road located closest to the reroute point on said map and said map object data comprises the distance from the reroute point to said road.

5. The method according to claim 3, wherein said at least one map object which is associated with a reroute point comprises a point of interest.

6. The method according to claim 2, wherein said attributes comprise traffic amount data associating each reroute point with an amount of traffic.

7. The method according to claim 2, wherein said attributes comprise user data associating each reroute point with a user and wherein said one or more cluster features comprise the percentage of unique users in the cluster.

8. The method according to claim 1, wherein at least one of said one or more cluster features is related to the geographical distribution of reroute points in the cluster.

9. The method according to claim 1, further comprising:

determining, by said processing unit, one or more selected clusters by using said weight for each of said one or more clusters, wherein said generating reroute cluster position data pertains to said one or more selected clusters.

10. The method according to claim 2, further comprising at least one of:

removing a sub-set of said position data prior to said determining one or more clusters, said sub-set of said position data corresponding to a sub-set of said plurality of reroute points; and

assigning said sub-set of said position data a specific attribute prior to said determining one or more clusters, said sub-set of said position data corresponding to a sub-set of said plurality of reroute points.

11. The method according to claim 10, further comprising:

receiving traffic information relating to positions of known traffic problems, wherein said sub-set of said position data comprises positions of reroute points which are closer to said positions of known traffic problems than a predetermined distance.

12. The method according to claim 10, further comprising:

receiving points of interest data relating to positions of points of interest, wherein said sub-set of said position data comprises positions of reroute points which are closer to said positions of points of interest than a predetermined distance.

13. The method according to claim 1, further comprising:

receiving information relating to at least one previously known cluster;

identifying, among said one or more clusters of reroute points;

clusters of reroute points corresponding to said at least one previously known cluster; and

removing, from said one or more clusters, the identified clusters of reroute points corresponding to said at least one previously known cluster.

14. A device for identifying at least one candidate part of a map to be updated, comprising:

a receiver for receiving position data relating to a plurality of reroute points;

a processing unit arranged to determine one or more clusters of reroute points based on said position data, to determine one or more cluster features for each of said clusters, to determine a weight for each of said one or more clusters based on said one or more cluster features, and to generate reroute cluster position data pertaining to the one or more clusters and the weight for each of said one or more clusters; and

a transmitter for transmitting said reroute cluster position data.

15. The device according to claim 14, wherein the receiver further receives attributes relating to said reroute points which are comprised in said one or more clusters of reroute points, wherein at least one of said one or more cluster features is determined by using said attributes.

16. The device according to claim 14, wherein said processing unit determines one or more selected clusters by using said weight for each of said one or more clusters, and wherein said generating reroute cluster position data pertains to said one or more selected clusters.

17. A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing computer software for identifying at least one candidate part of a map to be updated, the computer software comprising:

executable code that receives position data relating to a plurality of reroute points;

executable code that determines, by a processing unit, one or more clusters of reroute points based on said position data;

executable code that determines, by said processing unit, one or more cluster features for each of said clusters;

executable code that determines, by said processing unit, a weight for each of said one or more clusters based on said one or more cluster features;

executable code that generates, by said processing unit, reroute cluster position data pertaining to said one or more clusters and said weight for each of said one or more clusters; and

executable code that transmits said reroute cluster position data.

18. The non-transitory computer-readable medium according to claim 17, wherein the computer software further comprises:

executable code that receives attributes relating to said reroute points which are comprised in said one or more clusters of reroute points, wherein at least one of said one or more cluster features is determined by using said attributes.

19. The non-transitory computer-readable medium according to claim 18, wherein, wherein the computer software further comprises at least one of:

executable code that removes a sub-set of said position data prior to said determining one or more clusters, said sub-set of said position data corresponding to a sub-set of said plurality of reroute points; and

executable code that assigns said sub-set of said position data a specific attribute prior to said determining one or more clusters, said sub-set of said position data corresponding to a sub-set of said plurality of reroute points.

20. The non-transitory computer-readable medium according to claim 17, wherein the computer software further comprises:

executable code that determines one or more selected clusters by using said weight for each of said one or more clusters, and wherein said generating reroute cluster position data pertains to said one or more selected clusters.