METHODS OF OBTAINING AND USING POINT OF INTEREST DATA

• US 20170205242A1
• Filed: 05/26/2015
• Published: 07/20/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 05/26/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: TomTom Traffic B.V. (TomTom NV)
• Original Assignee: TomTom Traffic B.V. (TomTom NV)
• Inventors: Van der Laan, Antoine Carl, Schmidt, Gunnar
• Granted Patent: US 10,458,804 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3476 using point of interest [POI] information, e.g. a route passing visible POIs
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3679 Retrieval, searching and output of POI information, e.g. hotels, restaurants, shops, filling stations, parking facilities G01C21/3611 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3685 the POI's being parking facilities
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3691 Retrieval, searching and output of information related to real-time traffic, weather, or environmental conditions arrangements for giving variable traffic instructions G08G1/09
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3694 Output thereof on a road map
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3697 Output of additional, non-guidance related information, e.g. low fuel level G01C21/3679 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3811 Point data, e.g. Point of Interest [POI]
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/29 Geographical information databases
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/0112 from the vehicle, e.g. floating car data [FCD]
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/012 from other sources than vehicle or roadside beacons, e.g. mobile networks
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/0129 for creating historical data or processing based on historical data
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/0141 for traffic information dissemination
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096716 where the received information does not generate an automatic action on the vehicle control
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096741 where the source of the transmitted information selects which information to transmit to each vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096775 where the origin of the information is a central station
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/021 Services related to particular areas, e.g. point of interest [POI] services, venue services or geofences
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/40 for vehicles, e.g. vehicle-to-pedestrians [V2P]

Abstract

Data indicative of a plurality of duration times is obtained, each duration time relating to a dynamic POI of a set of a plurality of dynamic POIs that have a similar location, and are of similar type. Each duration time is in respect of a given time. The data indicative of each duration time is representative of a difference between a time at which the dynamic POI was in an active state and a time at which the dynamic POI was in an inactive state. The obtained duration time data and the associated time data are used to obtain a duration time function indicative of a variation in duration time with respect to time. The duration time function is associated with data indicative of a given geographic location.

Claims

2. (canceled)

3. (canceled)

8. (canceled)

15. (canceled)

16. (canceled)

17. A method of obtaining data indicative of a duration time for a dynamic POI, the duration time being a time that the dynamic POI remains in a first state before changing to a second state following initiation of the first state, the method comprising:

obtaining data identifying a geographic location of the dynamic POI;

accessing a database storing data indicative of a plurality of duration time functions, each duration time function being associated with data indicative of a geographic location, and each duration time function being indicative of a variation in duration time with respect to time; and

obtaining the data indicative of the duration time for the dynamic POI by identifying an applicable duration time function from the database based upon at least the geographic location of the POI, and using the identified duration time function to determine a duration time for the dynamic POI for a time of interest.

1. The method of claim 17, further comprising generating the data indicative of the plurality of duration time functions stored in the database, said generating comprising:

obtaining data indicative of a plurality of duration times for a set of one or more dynamic POIs, each duration time relating to a dynamic POI of the set and being in respect of a given time, wherein the data indicative of each duration time is representative of a difference between a time at which the dynamic POI was in a first state and a time at which the dynamic POI was in a second state;

using the obtained data indicative of the plurality of duration times to obtain a duration time function indicative of a variation in duration time with respect to time; and

associating data indicative of the duration time function with data indicative of a given geographic location.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the duration time data is based upon one or more of:

user reports, third part data, image data, or data indicative of the speed of one or more vehicles in the vicinity of the location of the POI.

5. The method of claim 1, comprising analysing stored data indicative of at least one time at which each of a plurality of dynamic POIs in a geographic region were in first state and at least one time at which each of the plurality of dynamic POIs in the region were in a second state to obtain the data indicative of time at which each of the one or more dynamic POIs of the set of one or more dynamic POIs were in the first and second states.

6. The method of claim 1, comprising obtaining data indicative of a plurality of dynamic POIs in a geographic region, and, for each dynamic POI, data indicative of at least one time at which the POI was in a first state, and at least one time at which the POI was in a second state, clustering the dynamic POIs to provide one or more sets of a plurality of dynamic POIs that are considered to be similar in respect of one or more attributes, and performing the steps of obtaining a duration time function in respect of each set of dynamic POIs.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the one or more attributes include location and type.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of obtaining the duration time function comprises aggregating the data indicative of multiple duration times obtained relating to the set of one or more dynamic POIs.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the duration time function is indicative of the variation in duration time of the dynamic POIs of the set of one or more POIs with respect to time for a given time period.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the location associated with the duration time function is a region.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the location associated with the duration time function is determined based upon the location or locations of the or each dynamic POI of the set of one or more dynamic POI to which the duration time data used to obtain the duration time function relates.

13. The method of claim 1, comprising performing the steps of obtaining data indicative of a duration time function and associating the data indicative of the duration time function with data indicative of a given geographic location in respect of each of a plurality of sets of one or more dynamic POI to provide data indicative of a plurality of duration time functions, each being associated with data indicative of a given geographic area.

14. The method of claim 1, further comprising storing the data indicative of the or each obtained duration time function and its associated data indicative of a given geographic location.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the time of interest is a current time, a time at which the first state of the dynamic POI is to be initiated, or a time of creation of the POI.

19. The method of claim 17, wherein the method comprises using the location of the dynamic POI to identify data indicative of a duration time function from the database that is associated with a geographic location applicable to the location of the dynamic POI, wherein the identified duration time function is a function associated with a geographic location that is a region including the location of the dynamic POI, or at least a portion thereof.

20. The method of claim 17, wherein the database stores data indicative duration time functions specific to dynamic POIs having one or more particular attributes, each duration time function being associated with data indicative of a geographic location, wherein the one or more particular attributes include at least a type of the dynamic POI, and the step of obtaining the data indicative of the duration time for the dynamic POI comprises using data indicative of the type of the dynamic POI to identify data indicative of a duration time function that is in respect of dynamic POIs of the same or similar type as the dynamic POI, and which is associated with data indicative of a geographic location applicable to the location of the dynamic POI, and using the duration time function to identify the duration time for the dynamic POI for a time of interest.

21. The method of claim 17, wherein the first and second states are active and inactive states of the dynamic POI respectively.

22. The method of claim 17, wherein the or each dynamic POI is selected from:

a speed limit enforcement device, a parking space or area, a traffic jam, an electric vehicle charging station, an area of construction or roadworks, dynamic signage, or an area affected by weather or other environmental condition.

23. The method of claim 17, further comprising transmitting the obtained data indicative of a duration time for the dynamic POI to one or more remote device.

25. A non-transitory computer readable medium comprising instructions which, when executed by a computing device comprising one or more processors and a data repository, cause the computing device to carry out the method of claim 17.

24. A system for obtaining data indicative of a duration time for a dynamic POI, the duration time being a time that the dynamic POI remains in a first state before changing to a second state following initiation of the first state, the system comprising at least one processor arranged to:

obtain data identifying a geographic location of the dynamic POI;

access a database storing data indicative of a plurality of duration time functions, each duration time function being associated with data indicative of a geographic location, and each duration time function being indicative of a variation in duration time with respect to time; and

obtain the data indicative of the duration time for the dynamic POI by identifying an applicable duration time function from the database based upon at least the geographic location of the POI, and using the identified duration time function to determine a duration time for the dynamic POI for a time of interest.