Geographical location aggregation from multiple sources

• US 8,898,002 B2
• Filed: 11/27/2012
• Issued: 11/25/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 11/27/2012
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Lenny Insurance Limited (TATA Motors Limited)
• Original Assignee: CloudCar, Inc.
• Inventors: Barrett, Peter, Draganic, Zarko
• Primary Examiner(s): Tarcza, Thomas
• Assistant Examiner(s): PIPALA, EDWARD J
• Application Number:
  US13/686,894
• Publication Number:
  US 20140149032A1
• Time in Patent Office: 728 Days
• Field of Search: 701/36, 701/116, 701/29.1, 701/29.3, 701/29.6, 701/31.4, 701/31.5, 701/31.7, 701/31.9, 701/32.3, 701/32.4, 701/32.5, 701/32.7, 701/33.2, 701/33.4, 701/33.6, 701/33.7, 701/33.9, 701/33.8, 701/34.1, 701/34.2, 701/34.4, 701/400, 701/408, 701/409, 701/412, 701/418, 701/423, 701/425, 701/426, 701/430, 701/438, 701/439, 701/445, 701/446, 701/450, 701/451, 701/461, 701/462, 701/466, 701/467, 701/468, 701/469, 701/472, 701/483, 701/484, 701/485, 701/494, 701/495, 701/500, 701/501, 701/505, 701/510, 701/516, 701/522, 701/527, 701/537, 701/300, 340/988, 340/989, 340/993, 340/995.12, 340/995.1, 340/995.14, 340/995.17, 340/995.18, 340/995.28, 340/995.25, 455/426.1, 455/427, 455/452.2, 455/454, 455/456.1, 455/456.2, 455/456.3, 455/456.5, 455/456.6, 455/457
• US Class Current: 701/408
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/26 specially adapted for navigation in a road network
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3841 Data obtained from two or more sources, e.g. probe vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3844 Data obtained from position sensors only, e.g. from inertial navigation

Abstract

Systems and methods for obtaining geographical location data from multiple sources and aggregating the geographical location data are disclosed. A particular embodiment includes: receiving geo-location data from a plurality of geo-location data collectors, at least one of the plurality of geo-location data collectors being in data communication with an in-vehicle geo-location data source, at least one of the plurality of geo-location data collectors being in data communication with a geo-location data source in a mobile device; collecting reliability data corresponding to one or more of a plurality of geo-location data sources corresponding to the plurality of geo-location data collectors; collecting map data including information related to geographical features associated with the geo-location data; and aggregating, by use of a data processor, the geo-location data from the plurality of geo-location data collectors based on the reliability data and the map data to produce a resulting geo-location fix.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

receiving geo-location data from a plurality of geo-location data collectors, at least one of the plurality of geo-location data collectors being in data communication with an in-vehicle geo-location data source, at least one of the plurality of geo-location data collectors being in data communication with a geo-location data source in a mobile device;

collecting reliability data corresponding to one or more of a plurality of geo-location data sources corresponding to the plurality of geo-location data collectors;

collecting map data including information related to geographical features associated with the geo-location data;

identifying, by use of a data processor and a first action processor, the geo-location data from a particular one of the plurality of geo-location data collectors based on the reliability data and the map data to produce a single resulting best fit geo-location fix;

aggregating, by use of the data processor and a second action processor, the geo-location data from the plurality of geo-location data collectors based on the reliability data and the map data to produce a single resulting composite geo-location fix, the aggregating including combining the geo-location data from a plurality of geo-location data collectors to produce the single resulting composite geo-location fix representing an aggregate geo-location fix derived from multiple geo-location data collectors; and

using pre-configured data to select either the resulting best fit geo-location fix or the resulting composite geo-location fix.

2. The method as claimed in claim 1 wherein the in-vehicle geo-location data source is in data communication with an electronic control unit (ECU) of a vehicle.

3. The method as claimed in claim 1 wherein the in-vehicle geo-location data source is a dead reckoning subsystem.

4. The method as claimed in claim 1 wherein the in-vehicle geo-location data source is a global positioning device (GPS).

5. The method as claimed in claim 1 wherein the geo-location data source in the mobile device is a global positioning device (GPS).

6. The method as claimed in claim 1 wherein the geo-location data collector in data communication with the geo-location data source in the mobile device is implemented in a mobile device application.

7. The method as claimed in claim 1 wherein at least one of the plurality of geo-location data collectors being in data communication with a network-based geo-location data source, the network-based geo-location data source being in data communication with the Internet.

8. A system comprising:

one or more data processors; and

a cloud-based vehicle information and control ecosystem, executable by the one or more data processors, to;

receive geo-location data from a plurality of geo-location data collectors, at least one of the plurality of geo-location data collectors being in data communication with an in-vehicle geo-location data source, at least one of the plurality of geo-location data collectors being in data communication with a geo-location data source in a mobile device;

collect reliability data corresponding to one or more of a plurality of geo-location data sources corresponding to the plurality of geo-location data collectors;

collect map data including information related to geographical features associated with the geo-location data;

identify the geo-location data from a particular one of the plurality of geo-location data collectors based on the reliability data and the map data to produce a single resulting best fit geo-location fix;

aggregate the geo-location data from the plurality of geo-location data collectors based on the reliability data and the map data to produce a single resulting composite geo-location fix, the aggregating including combining the geo-location data from a plurality of geo-location data collectors to produce the single resulting composite geo-location fix representing an aggregate geo-location fix derived from multiple geo-location data collectors; and

use pre-configured data to select either the resulting best fit geo-location fix or the resulting composite geo-location fix.

9. The system as claimed in claim 8 wherein the in-vehicle geo-location data source is in data communication with an electronic control unit (ECU) of a vehicle.

10. The system as claimed in claim 8 wherein the in-vehicle geo-location data source is a dead reckoning subsystem.

11. The system as claimed in claim 8 wherein the in-vehicle geo-location data source is a global positioning device (GPS).

12. The system as claimed in claim 8 wherein the geo-location data source in the mobile device is a global positioning device (GPS).

13. The system as claimed in claim 8 wherein the geo-location data collector in data communication with the geo-location data source in the mobile device is implemented in a mobile device application.

14. The system as claimed in claim 8 wherein at least one of the plurality of geo-location data collectors being in data communication with a network-based geo-location data source, the network-based geo-location data source being in data communication with the Internet.

15. A non-transitory machine-useable storage medium embodying instructions which, when executed by a machine, cause the machine to:

receive geo-location data from a plurality of geo-location data collectors, at least one of the plurality of geo-location data collectors being in data communication with an in-vehicle geo-location data source, at least one of the plurality of geo-location data collectors being in data communication with a geo-location data source in a mobile device;

collect reliability data corresponding to one or more of a plurality of geo-location data sources corresponding to the plurality of geo-location data collectors;

collect map data including information related to geographical features associated with the geo-location data;

identify the geo-location data from a particular one of the plurality of geo-location data collectors based on the reliability data and the map data to produce a single resulting best fit geo-location fix;

aggregate the geo-location data from the plurality of geo-location data collectors based on the reliability data and the map data to produce a single resulting composite geo-location fix, the aggregating including combining the geo-location data from a plurality of geo-location data collectors to produce the single resulting composite geo-location fix representing an aggregate geo-location fix derived from multiple geo-location data collectors; and

use pre-configured data to select either the resulting best fit geo-location fix or the resulting composite geo-location fix.

16. The machine-useable storage medium as claimed in claim 15 wherein the in-vehicle geo-location data source is in data communication with an electronic control unit (ECU) of a vehicle.