METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR FORMULATING A POSITIONING EXTENT FOR MAP MATCHING

• US 20140244164A1
• Filed: 02/28/2013
• Published: 08/28/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 02/28/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: HERE Global B.V. (HERE Holding Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Navteq B.V. (HERE Holding Corporation)
• Inventors: GALE, William, SULA, Nicholas
• Granted Patent: US 9,500,486 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/446
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/30 Map- or contour-matching

Abstract

An approach is provided for formulating a positioning extent for map matching. The positioning extent platform processes and/or facilitates a processing of a plurality of position data points acquired by at least one positioning system to determine one or more variations in the plurality of position data points with respect to one or more thoroughfare segments. Next, the positioning extent platform determines one or more positioning extents associated with the one or more thoroughfare segments for the at least one positioning system based, at least in part, on the one or more variations.

Claims

1. A method comprising facilitating a processing of and/or processing (1) data and/or (2) information and/or (3) at least one signal, the (1) data and/or (2) information and/or (3) at least one signal based, at least in part, on the following:

a processing of a plurality of position data points acquired by at least one positioning system to determine one or more variations in the plurality of position data points with respect to one or more thoroughfare segments; and

one or more positioning extents associated with the one or more thoroughfare segments for the at least one positioning system based, at least in part, on the one or more variations.

2. A method of claim 1, wherein the (1) data and/or (2) information and/or (3) at least one signal are further based, at least in part, on the following:

at least one centerline for respective segments of the one or more thoroughfare segments; and

a processing of the plurality of position data points to determine one or more threshold distances with respect to the centerline,

wherein the one or more variations are based, at least in part, on one or more position data points within the at least one threshold.

3. A method of claim 2, wherein the one or more threshold distances comprise a left and a right positioning extent with respect to the centerline.

4. A method of claim 2, wherein the one or more threshold distances are determined with respect to a statistical average of positions of the plurality of position data points.

5. A method of claim 1, wherein the (1) data and/or (2) information and/or (3) at least one signal are further based, at least in part, on the following:

a processing of the plurality of position data points to determine one or more positioning errors for respective segments of the one or more thoroughfare segments; and

a repositioning of a probe data point that is proximate to a thoroughfare segment based, at least in part, on the positioning error for the thoroughfare segment,

wherein the one or more variations are based, at least in part, on one or more position data points associated with each respective segment.

6. A method of claim 1, wherein the (1) data and/or (2) information and/or (3) at least one signal are further based, at least in part, on the following:

a correlation of respective positioning extents with the one or more thoroughfare segments based on a size of one or more physical structures proximate to the one or more thoroughfare segments.

7. A method of claim 6, wherein a positioning extent for a thoroughfare segment for which the number of position data points is less than a threshold value is based, at least in part, on the correlation.

8. A method of claim 1, wherein the (1) data and/or (2) information and/or (3) at least one signal are further based, at least in part, on the following:

an intersection extent associated with an intersection of two or more thoroughfare segments based, at least in part, on an intersection of two or more positioning extents of the two or more intersecting thoroughfare segments.

9. A method of claim 1, wherein each of the one or more positioning extents comprises a vertical positioning extent above the one or more thoroughfare segments.

10. A method of claim 1, wherein the (1) data and/or (2) information and/or (3) at least one signal are further based, at least in part, on the following:

a matching of a probe data point to at least one thoroughfare segment based, at least in part, on whether the probe data point is within a respective positioning extent of the at least one thoroughfare segment.

11. An apparatus comprising:

at least one processor; and

at least one memory including computer program code for one or more programs, the at least one memory and the computer program code configured to, with the at least one processor, cause the apparatus to perform at least the following,

process and/or facilitate a processing of a plurality of position data points acquired by at least one positioning system to determine one or more variations in the plurality of position data points with respect to one or more thoroughfare segments; and

determine one or more positioning extents associated with the one or more thoroughfare segments for the at least one positioning system based, at least in part, on the one or more variations.

12. An apparatus of claim 11, wherein the apparatus is further caused to:

determine at least one centerline for respective segments of the one or more thoroughfare segments; and

process and/or facilitate a processing of the plurality of position data points to determine one or more threshold distances with respect to the centerline,

wherein the one or more variations are based, at least in part, on one or more position data points within the at least one threshold.

13. An apparatus of claim 12, wherein the one or more threshold distances comprise a left and a right positioning extent with respect to the centerline.

14. An apparatus of claim 12, wherein the one or more threshold distances are determined with respect to a statistical average of positions of the plurality of position data points.

15. An apparatus of claim 11, wherein the apparatus is further caused to:

process and/or facilitate a processing of the plurality of position data points to determine one or more positioning errors for respective segments of the one or more thoroughfare segments; and

cause, at least in part, a repositioning of a probe data point that is proximate to a thoroughfare segment based, at least in part, on the positioning error for the thoroughfare segment,

wherein the one or more variations are based, at least in part, on one or more position data points associated with each respective segment.

16. An apparatus of claim 11, wherein the apparatus is further caused to:

determine a correlation of respective positioning extents with the one or more thoroughfare segments based on a size of one or more physical structures proximate to the one or more thoroughfare segments.

17. An apparatus of claim 16, wherein a positioning extent for a thoroughfare segment for which the number of position data points is less than a threshold value is based, at least in part, on the correlation.

18. An apparatus of claim 11, wherein the apparatus is further caused to:

determine an intersection extent associated with an intersection of two or more thoroughfare segments based, at least in part, on an intersection of two or more positioning extents of the two or more intersecting thoroughfare segments.

19. An apparatus of claim 11, wherein each of the one or more positioning extents comprises a vertical positioning extent above the one or more thoroughfare segments.

20. An apparatus of claim 11, wherein the apparatus is further caused to:

cause, at least in part, a matching of a probe data point to at least one thoroughfare segment based, at least in part, on whether the probe data point is within a respective positioning extent of the at least one thoroughfare segment.

21-48. -48. (canceled)