Method for updating digital maps

• US 8,639,654 B2
• Filed: 12/31/2009
• Issued: 01/28/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 03/16/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Tomtom Global Content B.V (TomTom NV)
• Original Assignee: Tomtom Global Content B.V (TomTom NV)
• Inventors: Bekaert, Tim, Clarysse, Pascal, Vervaet, Gert
• Primary Examiner(s): LE, UYEN T
• Application Number:
  US13/256,688
• Publication Number:
  US 20120197839A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,489 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 707/602
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/206 specially adapted for indoor navigation
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3815 Road data
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3841 Data obtained from two or more sources, e.g. probe vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 29/003 Maps
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 29/10 Map spot or coordinate position indicators; Map reading aids optical projection apparatus per se G03B

Abstract

A method for updating speed limit, service stop location, or other attributes for road segments in a digital map (18) by extrapolating probe data from a subset of probe data which has been profiled to have originated from trustworthy probe traces. Probe measurements from a plurality of probes is collected and profiled against known information. From this, a subset of trustworthy probes is identified, comprising those probe traces which observe the known attribute of interest within an acceptable range for a majority of the driving time. These trustworthy probe traces are tracked during travel on other road segments whose attribute data is unknown or unreliable. A specification for the unknown or unreliable attribute on the other road segments can be extrapolated based on the collected information from all of the trustworthy probe traces as they travel that road segment. The digital map (18) can then be updated by setting attribute information in relation to the extrapolated behavior data. If atypical behavior is noticed in areas where there is high confidence of the particular attribute, then all probe measurements may be categorically rejected as unreliable.

Claims

1. A method for updating certain attribute specifications for road segments in digital maps, by extrapolating probe data from a profiled subset of trustworthy probe traces, said method comprising the steps of:

accessing, by a processing device, a digital map having at least first and second road segments stored on a storage medium, each of the road segments having a common attribute with a respective attribute specification, the specification for the first road segment attribute being known and the specification for the second road segment attribute being unknown or unreliable;

obtaining, by the processing device, data reported from a plurality of probes tracking across both of the first and second road segments, the reported data including attribute information;

matching, by the processing device, each probe trace to a specific road segment in the digital map for a given time while collecting its reported attribute information;

calculating, by the processing device, a correspondence value between the known attribute specification of the first road segment and the reported attribute information for each probe trace matched to the first road segment;

defining, by the processing device, a correspondence threshold for the known attribute specification;

identifying, by the processing device, from among the plurality of probe traces matched to the first road segment a subset of trustworthy probe traces whose calculated correspondence value does not exceed the correspondence threshold;

collecting, by the processing device, the reported attribute information from each trustworthy probe trace when matched to the second road segment;

extrapolating, by the processing device, an attribute specification for the second road segment based on the collected attribute information from all of the trustworthy probe traces when matched to the second road segment; and

updating, by the processing device, the stored digital map by setting the attribute specification for the second road segment in relation to the extrapolated attribute specification.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein said step of defining a correspondence threshold for the attribute specification includes setting a variance range whose mean and median is generally equal to the official specification.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein said step of defining a correspondence threshold for the attribute specification includes establishing a duration factor of 1.0 or less over which the trustworthy probe trace must remain within the correspondence threshold.

4. The method according to claim 1 wherein said step of extrapolating an attribute specification for the second road segment includes developing a classification tree.

5. The method according to claim 4 wherein said step of developing a classification tree includes identifying the median, average and deviation values for the collected attribute information from each trustworthy probe trace when matched to the second road segment.

6. The method according to claim 1 wherein the attribute is a speed limit and the specification is established by a regulating authority.

7. The method according to claim 1 wherein said reported data includes data obtained by transporting each probe in a motor vehicle over the first and second road segments.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein said reported data includes data obtained by transporting each probe in a bicycle over the first and second road segments.

9. The method according to claim 1 further including the step of categorically rejecting, by the processing device, as unreliable all probe traces if a statistical representation of probe measurements indicates atypical behavior in the first road segment.

10. A method for updating the indicated speed limit for road segments in a digital map by extrapolating probe data from a profiled subset of trustworthy probe traces, said method comprising the steps of:

accessing, by a processing device, a digital map having at least first and second road segments stored on a storage medium, each of the road segments having an associated speed limit set by a regulating authority, the speed limit for the first road segment being known and the speed limit for the second road segment being unknown or unreliable;

obtaining, by the processing device, reported data from a plurality of probe traces tracking across both of the first and second road segments, the reported data including velocity information or enabling the derivation of velocity information;

matching, by the processing device, each probe trace to a specific road segment in the digital map for a given time while collecting its reported velocity information;

calculating, by the processing device, a correspondence value between the known speed limit of the first road segment and the reported velocity information for each probe trace matched to the first road segment;

defining, by the processing device, a correspondence threshold for the known speed limit;

identifying, by the processing device, from among the plurality of probe traces matched to the first road segment a subset of trustworthy probe traces whose calculated correspondence value does not exceed the correspondence threshold;

collecting, by the processing device, the reported velocity information from each trustworthy probe trace when matched to the second road segment;

extrapolating, by the processing device, a speed limit for the second road segment based on the collected velocity information from all of the trustworthy probe traces when matched to the second road segment; and

updating, by the processing device, the stored digital map by setting the indicated speed limit for the second road segment in relation to the extrapolated speed limit.

11. The method of claim 10 wherein said step of defining a correspondence threshold for the speed limit includes setting a variance range whose mean and median is the posted speed limit.

12. The method of claim 10 wherein said step of defining a correspondence threshold for the speed limit includes establishing a duration factor of 1.0 or less over which the trustworthy probe trace must remain within the correspondence threshold.

13. The method of claim 10 wherein said step of extrapolating a speed limit for the second road segment includes developing a classification tree.

14. The method of claim 13 wherein said step of developing a classification tree includes identifying the median, average and deviation values for the collected velocity information from the trustworthy probes when matched to the second road segment.

15. The method of claim 10 further including the step of categorically rejecting, by the processing device, as unreliable all probe traces if the average velocity in the first road segment is substantially below the known speed limit.

16. A method for updating service stop indicators for road segments in a digital map by extrapolating probe data from a profiled subset of trustworthy probe traces, said method comprising the steps of:

accessing, by a processing device, a digital map having at least first and second road segments stored on a storage medium, each of the road segments having at least one service stop set by a regulating authority, the service stop location for the first road segment being known and the service stop location for the second road segment being unknown or unreliable;

obtaining, by the processing device, reported data from a plurality of probe traces tracking across both of the first and second road segments, the reported data including position and time stamp information sufficient to derive stop position behavior;

matching, by the processing device, each probe trace to a specific road segment in the digital map for a given time while collecting its reported stop position behavior;

calculating, by the processing device, a correspondence value between the reported stop position behavior for each probe trace matched to the first road segment and the known service stop locations along the first road segment;

defining, by the processing device, a correspondence threshold for the known service stop locations;

identifying, by the processing device, from among the plurality of probe traces matched to the first road segment a subset of trustworthy probe traces whose calculated correspondence value does not exceed the correspondence threshold;

collecting, by the processing device, the reported stop position behavior from each trustworthy probe trace when matched to the second road segment;

extrapolating, by the processing device, a service stop for the second road segment based on the collected stop position behavior from all of the trustworthy probe traces when matched to the second road segment; and

updating, by the processing device, the stored digital map by setting the indicated service stop locations for the second road segment in relation to the extrapolated service stop behavior.