Road splitting in a map editor

• US 8,650,193 B1
• Filed: 07/23/2010
• Issued: 02/11/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 07/23/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Google LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Google Inc. (Alphabet Inc.)
• Inventors: Pilloff, Mark D.
• Primary Examiner(s): Alam, Hosain
• Assistant Examiner(s): Ahluwalia, Navneet K
• Application Number:
  US12/842,817
• Time in Patent Office: 1,299 Days
• Field of Search: 707800-805, 707/737
• US Class Current: 707/737
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/387 Organisation of map data, e.g. version management or database structures
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/29 Geographical information databases
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 29/106 using electronic means

Abstract

A method and system for editing map data by automatically splitting a road segment into a pair of road segments while maintaining the proper attributes and directionality for each road segment. A road segment that has two directions of travel is selected for splitting. A new road segment is instantiated to represent one of the directions of travel. A direction of travel is assigned to both of the road segments. Attributes that are common to both directions of travel are copied to the new road segment. Attributes that are only associated with the direction of travel of the new road segment are migrated to the new road segment.

Claims

1. A computer implemented method for editing map data, comprising:

storing in a database a plurality of road segments, each road segment associated with a plurality of attributes describing features of the road segment;

receiving a user input selecting a first road segment for splitting from the plurality of road segments, the first road segment corresponding to a road having two directions of travel; and

automatically splitting the first road segment responsive to the user input selecting the first road segment for splitting by;

instantiating a second road segment;

assigning a first direction of travel from the two directions of travel to the first road segment;

assigning a second direction of travel from the two directions of travel to the second road segment, the second direction of travel being different than the first direction of travel;

copying a first set of the attributes of the first road segment to the second road segment, where the first set of the attributes are those common to both the first and second directions of travel;

migrating a second set of the attributes of the first road segment to the second road segment, where the second set of the attributes correspond to the second direction of travel; and

storing the second road segment, the first set of the attributes copied to the second road segment, and the second set of the attributes migrated to the second road segment, to the database.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the first road segment is associated with a first node and a second node.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising;

instantiating a third and fourth nodes, wherein the second road segment is instantiated between the third and fourth nodes.

4. The method of claim 2, further comprising;

instantiating a third node, wherein the second road segment is instantiated between the first and third nodes.

5. The method of claim 3, wherein the nodes are positioned so that a distance between the first and second nodes is equal to a distance between the third and fourth nodes.

6. The method of claim 3, wherein the nodes are positioned so that a distance between the first and third nodes is equal a distance between the second and fourth nodes.

7. The method of claim 3, wherein the nodes are positioned so that a distance between the first and third nodes is equal to a pre-defined distance.

8. The method of claim 3, wherein the nodes are positioned so that a distance between the first and third nodes is based on at least one of the following attributes:

width of a median between the first and second road segments, road width of the first and second road segments, number of lanes in the first and second road segments, priority of the first and second road segments, and speed information for the first and second road segments.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein migrating the second set of attributes comprises copying the second set of attributes from the first road segment to the second road segment and deleting the second set of attributes from the first road segment.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the second set of attributes migrated to the second road segment include at least one of turn restrictions, street name, or a range of street numbers.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the first set of attributes copied to the second road segment include at least one of priority, surface type, usage, or speed information.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the second road segment has a geometry that is based on a geometry of the first road segment.

13. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a user input adjusting a distance between the first and second segments;

updating, in the database, a position of the first and second segments based on the user input.

14. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a user input to connect intersections;

responsive to receiving the user input to connect intersections, instantiating a third road segment connecting the first segment with the second segment, the third road segment corresponding to an intersection; and

storing the third road segment to the database.

15. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

identifying a third road segment, the third road segment sharing a common node with the first road segment; and

displaying the third road segment in highlighted form.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein identifying a third road segment comprises identifying the third road segment based on differences in attributes between the first and third road segments.

17. The method of claim 1, wherein assigning the first direction of travel to the first road segment comprises converting the first road segment from a road segment with two directions of travel to a road segment with one direction of travel.

18. A computer implemented method for editing map data, comprising:

storing in a database a plurality of road segments, each road segment associated with a plurality of attributes describing features of the road segment;

receiving a user input selecting a first road segment for splitting from the plurality of the road segments, the first road segment corresponding to lanes of a road having one direction of travel; and

automatically splitting the first road segment responsive to the user input selecting the first road segment for splitting by;

instantiating a second road segment;

assigning a direction of travel to the second road segment, such that second road segment has a direction of travel that corresponds to the one direction of travel of the lanes of the road;

copying attributes of the first road segment to the second road segment; and

storing the second road segment and the attributes copied to the second road segment, to the database.

19. A system for editing map data, comprising:

a non-transitory computer-readable medium storing modules that include;

a database interface module configured to store in a database a plurality of road segments, each road segment associated with a plurality of attributes describing features of the road segment;

a segment selection module configured to receive a user input selecting a first road segment for splitting from the plurality of road segments, the first road segment corresponding to a road having two directions of travel; and

a segment splitting module configured to automatically split the first road segment responsive to the user input selecting the first road segment for splitting by;

instantiating a second road segment;

assigning a first direction of travel from the two directions of travel to the first road segment;

assigning a second direction of travel from the two directions of travel to the second road segment, the second direction of travel being different than the first direction of travel;

copying a first set of the attributes of the first road segment to the second road segment, where the first set of the attributes are those common to both the first and second directions of travel;

migrating a second set of the attributes of the first road segment to the second road segment, where the second set of the attributes correspond to the second direction of travel; and

storing the second road segment, the first set of the attributes copied to the second road segment, and the second set of the attributes migrated to the second road segment, to the database; and

a processor to execute the modules.

20. A system for editing map data, comprising:

a non-transitory computer-readable medium storing modules that include;

a database interface module configured to store in a database a plurality of road segments, each road segment associated with a plurality of attributes describing features of the road segment;

a segment selection module configured to receive a user input selecting a first road segment for splitting from the plurality of the road segments, the first road segment corresponding to lanes of a road having one direction of travel; and

a segment splitting module configured to automatically split the first road segment responsive to the user input selecting the first road segment for splitting by;

instantiating a second road segment;

assigning a direction of travel to the second road segment, such that the second road segment has a direction of travel that corresponds to the one direction of travel of the lanes of the road;

copying attributes of the first road segment to the second road segment; and

storing the second road segment, and the attributes copied and migrated to the second road segment, to the database; and

a processor to execute the modules.

21. A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing instructions, the instructions when executed by a processor cause the processor to:

store in a database a plurality of road segments, each road segment associated with a plurality of attributes describing features of the road segment;

receive a user input selecting a first road segment for splitting from the plurality of road segments, the first road segment corresponding to a road having two directions of travel; and

automatically split the first road segment responsive to the user input selecting the first road segment for splitting by;

instantiating a second road segment;

assigning a first direction of travel from the two directions of travel to the first road segment;

assigning a second direction of travel from the two directions of travel to the second road segment, the second direction of travel being different than the first direction of travel;

copying a first set of the attributes of the first road segment to the second road segment, where the first set of the attributes are those common to both the first and second directions of travel;

migrating a second set of the attributes of the first road segment to the second road segment, where the second set of the attributes correspond to the second direction of travel; and

storing the second road segment, the first set of the attributes copied to the second road segment, and the second set of the attributes migrated to the second road segment, to the database.

22. A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing instructions, the instructions when executed by a processor cause the processor to:

store in a database a plurality of road segments, each road segment associated with a plurality of attributes describing features of the road segment;

receive a user input selecting a first road segment for splitting from the plurality of the road segments, the first road segment corresponding to lanes of a road having one direction of travel; and

automatically split the first road segment responsive to the user input selecting the first road segment for splitting by;

instantiating a second road segment;

assigning a direction of travel to the second road segment, such that second road segment has a direction of travel that corresponds to the one direction of travel of the lanes of the road;

copying attributes of the first road segment to the second road segment; and

storing the second road segment and the attributes copied to the second road segment, to the database.