Ranking of Path Segments Based on Incident Probability

• US 20150160024A1
• Filed: 12/11/2013
• Published: 06/11/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 12/11/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: HERE Global B.V. (Nokia Corporation)
• Original Assignee: HERE Global B.V. (Nokia Corporation)
• Inventors: Fowe, James Adeyemi
• Granted Patent: US 9,200,910 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/34 Route searching; Route guidance
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3461 Preferred or disfavoured areas, e.g. dangerous zones, toll or emission zones, intersections, manoeuvre types, segments such as motorways, toll roads, ferries

Abstract

A route is selected based on the likelihood that an incident will occur while traveling on the route. An apparatus receives request for routing to a destination and identifies alternative routes to the destination. The apparatus selects a time interval based on a current time or another future time selected by a user. A comparison is performed for incident probabilities for the alternative routes and assigned to the time interval. The apparatus selects one of the alternative routes based on the incident probabilities.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

receiving a request for routing to a destination;

identifying a plurality of routes to the destination;

identifying a time interval;

performing a comparison of incident probabilities for the plurality of routes and associated with the time interval; and

selecting one of the plurality of routes based on the incident probabilities.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the incident probabilities include a distance component and an incident rate defined per unit distance.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the incident probability for at least one of the plurality of routes is provided by as a function of historical data and a binary variable.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a risk preference setting, wherein the comparison of the plurality of routes is a function of the risk preference setting.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the risk preference setting indicates either risk averse or risk neutral.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a vehicle type value, wherein the comparison of the plurality of routes is a function of the vehicle type value.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the time interval is a time epoch associated with a time of day or a day of the week.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the time interval is a function of traffic on a road segment.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the time interval is a function of weather, an event, or an accident.

10. 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 at least perform;

identify a plurality of routes, wherein each of the plurality of routes comprises a series of path segments;

determine incident probabilities for the series of path segments at a predetermined time; and

select a preferred route from the plurality of routes based on a comparison of the incident probabilities for the series of path segments.

11. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the computer program code is configured to, with the at least one processor, cause the apparatus to perform:

receive data indicative of a current time; and

select the predetermined time based on the current time.

12. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the computer program code is configured to, with the at least one processor, cause the apparatus to perform:

sum incident probabilities over time for the series of path segments.

13. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the computer program code is configured to, with the at least one processor, cause the apparatus to perform:

access data indicative of a risk preference for a user, wherein the comparison of the incident probabilities is a function of the risk preference for the user.

14. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the risk preference for the user is selected from a low risk aversion level and a high risk aversion level.

15. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the incident probabilities include a distance component and an incident rate defined per unit distance.

16. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the incident probability for at least one of the plurality of routes is provided as a function of historical data and a binary variable for peak travel times.

17. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the incident probability describes a likelihood that the series of path segments includes traffic congestion at the predetermined time.

18. A non-transitory computer readable medium including instructions that when executed are operable to:

identify a plurality of routes comprising path segments;

calculate an incident probability for each of the plurality of routes based on incident rates for the path segments;

perform a comparison of the incident probabilities for the plurality of routes for a predetermined time interval; and

select one of the plurality of routes based on the incident probabilities.

19. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 18, wherein the instructions are configured to:

receive a user risk preference setting, wherein the comparison of the plurality of routes is a function of the risk preference setting.

20. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 18, wherein the incident rates for the path segments are based on historical data for the path segments.