Systems and Methods for Identifying Traffic Intersection Restrictions

• US 20150134233A1
• Filed: 12/31/2012
• Published: 05/14/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 12/31/2012
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Google LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Google Inc. (Alphabet Inc.)
• Inventors: Wolf, Daniel
• Application Number:
  US13/731,933
• Publication Number:
  US 20150134233A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/118
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/387 Organisation of map data, e.g. version management or database structures
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3896 Transmission of map data from central databases
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/0112 from the vehicle, e.g. floating car data [FCD]
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/0133 for classifying traffic situation
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096775 where the origin of the information is a central station
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/0969 having a display in the form of a map

Abstract

Embodiments include a computer-implemented method for determining restrictions at an intersection of two roads. The method includes receiving location data from one or more devices used to traverse the intersection via a plurality of paths, identifying the plurality of paths through the intersection from the location data, classifying each of the plurality of paths through the intersection according to a type of path through the intersection, obtaining a count for a type of path through the intersection based on the plurality of classified paths, identifying a potential restriction for the type of path through the intersection based at least in part on the count of the plurality of paths of that type used to traverse the intersection, and storing the potential restriction for that type of path through the intersection in association with map feature data for the intersection.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method for determining restrictions at an intersection of two roads, comprising:

receiving location data from one or more devices used to traverse the intersection via a plurality of paths;

identifying the plurality of paths through the intersection from the location data;

classifying each of the plurality of paths through the intersection according to a type of path through the intersection;

obtaining a count for a type of path through the intersection based on the plurality of classified paths;

identifying a potential restriction for the type of path through the intersection based at least in part on the count of the plurality of paths of that type used to traverse the intersection; and

storing the potential restriction for that type of path through the intersection in association with map feature data for the intersection.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

comparing the potential restriction to existing restrictions for the traffic intersection to determine whether the potential restriction conflicts with the existing restrictions for the traffic intersection; and

in response to determining that the potential restriction does not conflict with the existing restrictions for the traffic intersection, maintaining the existing restrictions for the traffic intersection.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

comparing the potential restriction to existing restrictions for the traffic intersection to determine whether the potential restriction conflicts with the existing restrictions for the traffic intersection; and

in response to determining that the potential restriction conflicts with the existing restrictions for the traffic intersection, updating the existing restrictions for the traffic intersection to reflect the potential restriction.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein identifying the plurality of paths through the intersection from the location data comprises grouping the location data according to a given time period and a common identifier associated therewith.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein classifying each of the plurality of paths through the intersection according to a type of path through the intersection comprises classifying each of the plurality of paths according to an entrance and an exit of the intersection.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein identifying a potential restriction for the type of path through the intersection based at least in part on the count of the plurality of paths of that type used to traverse the intersection comprises identifying a potential restriction for the traffic intersection based at least in part on a number of times the path has been traversed

7. The method of claim 1, wherein identifying a potential restriction for the type of path through the intersection based at least in part on the count of the plurality of paths of that type used to traverse the intersection comprises:

comparing the count obtained over a given period of time to a threshold; and

in response to determining that the count is less than the threshold value, determining that the type of path corresponds to a potential path restriction for the intersection

8. The method of claim 1, wherein identifying a potential restriction for the type of path through the intersection based at least in part on the count of the plurality of paths of that type used to traverse the intersection comprises:

determining, from a plurality of counts of all types of paths through the intersection, a percentage of the type of path through the intersection; and

determining that the type of path corresponds to a potential path restriction when the percentage is less than a threshold.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a request for navigational assistance;

providing navigational assistance that directs a user away from the potential path restriction.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a request for navigational assistance;

identifying a route that includes the potential path restriction;

identifying an alternate route that does not include the potential path restriction; and

providing navigational assistance corresponding to the alternate route.

11. A system comprising:

one or more memories storing instructions; and

one or more processors coupled to the one or more memories and configured to execute the instructions stored thereon to perform the following steps for determining turn restrictions at an intersection of two roads;

receiving location data indicative of obtained from one or more devices used to traverse the intersection via a plurality of paths traversed used to traverse the intersection by a plurality of users;

identifying paths traversed by users based on the received location data;

identifying a subset of the plurality of paths used to traverse a traffic through the intersection from the location data;

classifying each of the plurality of paths through the intersection according to a type of path through the intersection;

obtaining a count for a type of path through the intersection based on the plurality of classified paths;

identifying a potential turn restriction for the type of path through the traffic intersection based at least in part on the subset of the count of the plurality of paths of that type used to traverse the traffic intersection; and

storing the potential restriction for that type of path through the intersection in association with the traffic map feature data for the intersection.

12. A non-transitory computer readable medium comprising program instructions stored thereon that are executable by a processor to cause the following steps for determining turn restrictions at an intersection of two roads:

receiving location data indicative of obtained from one or more devices used to traverse the intersection via a plurality of paths traversed used to traverse the intersection by a plurality of users;

identifying paths traversed by users based on the received location data;

identifying a subset of the plurality of paths used to traverse a traffic through the intersection from the location data;

classifying each of the plurality of paths through the intersection according to a type of path through the intersection;

obtaining a count for a type of path through the intersection based on the plurality of classified paths;

identifying a potential turn restriction for the type of path through the traffic intersection based at least in part on the subset of the count of the plurality of paths of that type used to traverse the traffic intersection; and

storing the potential restriction for that type of path through the intersection in association with the traffic map feature data for the intersection.