Upgrading location-related data

• US 9,014,978 B2
• Filed: 07/18/2013
• Issued: 04/21/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 07/19/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Deutsche Post AG
• Original Assignee: Deutsche Post AG
• Inventors: Josefiak, Frank, Petkov, Filip
• Primary Examiner(s): Cheung, Mary
• Assistant Examiner(s): WONG, YUEN H
• Application Number:
  US13/945,297
• Publication Number:
  US 20140025297A1
• Time in Patent Office: 642 Days
• Field of Search: 701/533, 701/450
• US Class Current: 701/533
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9537 Spatial or temporal dependent retrieval, e.g. spatiotemporal queries
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/047 Optimisation of routes or paths, e.g. travelling salesman problem
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/40 Business processes related to the transportation industry shipping G06Q10/083
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/0112 from the vehicle, e.g. floating car data [FCD]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/52 specially adapted for the location of the user terminal
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/021 Services related to particular areas, e.g. point of interest [POI] services, venue services or geofences

Abstract

For a more efficient utilization of data that are relevant to safety and/or mobility, data are read from a plurality of data sources. The data of each data source sets of coordinates of real locations relevant for a respective aspect can be determined. Based on a respective set of coordinates for each of the real locations a respective area is then defined for each of the data sources, and a value assigned to the area is determined. Overlapping areas defined for a respective data source are aggregated so as to obtain non-overlapping areas with at least one assigned value for each of the data sources. The non-overlapping areas are superposed with the assigned values. The result is a value distribution, which reflects an overall situation with regard to the at least two aspects in a real region. An apparatus, a system, a program and a storage medium are configured accordingly.

Claims

1. A method for upgrading location-related data, the method comprising:

reading data, by a processor, from at least two data sources, wherein on a basis of the data of each of the at least two data sources sets of coordinates of real locations relevant for a respective aspect can be determined;

defining, by the processor, an area based on a set of coordinates for each of the real locations for each of the at least two data sources, and determining at least one value assigned to the area;

for each of the at least two data sources, aggregating overlapping areas defined for the data source so as to obtain non-overlapping areas with at least one assigned value for each of the at least two data sources; and

superposing, by the processor, the non-overlapping areas with the assigned values, which are based on the data from the at least two data sources, so as to obtain a value distribution, which reflects an overall situation with regard to at least two aspects in a real region, wherein the at least two aspects relate to at least one of safety and mobility.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the area defined for a respective set of coordinates for the at least two data sources is a square, a circle, or a polygon.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein a size and/or the at least one value of the area defined for a respective set of coordinates for the at least two data sources has at least one predetermined value, and/or is based on information in the data read from the at least two data sources.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein the at least one value, which is assigned to an area defined for a respective set of coordinates, for the at least two the data sources

is a uniform value for the area, or

is a value that varies over the area, or

comprises a maximum value, which is assigned to at least one center of the area corresponding to the set of coordinates, and further values, which are assigned to the area such that the further values become smaller with increasing distance from the center of the area, either continuously or in stages, or

comprises a plurality of values, which are assigned to the area such that with increasing distance from the real location defined by the set of coordinates, the values become larger either continuously or in stages at least up to a maximum value.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein a point in time is assigned to at least one of the sets of coordinates that can be determined from the data of the at least two data sources, and wherein a size and/or the assigned value of the area for the at least one set of coordinates is determined as a function of the point in time indicated for the at least one set of coordinates.

6. The method according to claim 1, wherein in the course of the aggregation of the areas for at least one of the at least two data sources a uniform value is assigned to all non-overlapping areas.

7. The method according to claim 1, wherein in the course of the aggregation of the areas for at least one of the at least two data sources the values assigned to the defined areas are accumulated in overlapping parts of the defined areas.

8. The method according to claim 1, wherein for at least one of the data sources for each set of coordinates an area with an assigned value is defined, which area has a hole around the location defined by the set of coordinates, and wherein the aggregation for the at least one of the data sources results in a non-overlapping area with holes around all locations defined by the sets of coordinates.

9. The method according to claim 1, further comprising:

detecting a user input, which specifies a weighting for the at least two data sources; and

using the specified weightings for an adjustment of an influence of the at least two data sources on the value distribution.

10. The method according to claim 9, wherein a use of the specified weightings for the adjustment of the influence of the at least two data sources on the value distribution comprises:

weighting the values assigned to the non-overlapping areas for each of the at least two data sources in accordance with the specified weighting before the superposition of the non-overlapping areas;

or

determining the values of the defined areas for each of the at least two data sources taking into account the specified weighting.

11. The method according to claim 1, furthermore comprising storing data relating to the non-overlapping areas and the assigned values for the at least two data sources as a basis for a repeated superposition.

12. The method according to claim 1, wherein the at least two data sources comprise at least one of the following:

a data source, which provides data, from which sets of coordinates can be determined for locations relating to a least one type of event or incident;

a data source, which provides data, from which sets of coordinates can be determined for locations relating to at least one type of local circumstance;

a data source, which provides data, from which sets of coordinates can be determined for locations of at least one type of local situation; and

a data source, which provides data, from which sets of coordinates can be determined for a particular type of facility.

13. The method according to claim 1, further comprising at least one of the following steps:

presenting a three-dimensional profile illustrating the value distribution by means of a display unit;

presenting a three-dimensional profile illustrating the value distribution together with a road network by means of a display unit;

providing the value distribution for a route computation; and

carrying out a route computation taking into account the value distribution.

14. An apparatus for upgrading location-related data comprising a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium having instructions therein, that when executed by a computing device, cause the computing device to perform the following:

read data from at least two data sources, wherein on a basis of the data of each of the at least two data sources sets of coordinates of real locations relevant for a respective aspect can be determined;

define an area based on a set of coordinates for each of the real locations for each of the at least two data sources, and determining at least one value assigned to the area;

for each of the at least two data sources, aggregate overlapping areas defined for a data source so as to obtain non-overlapping areas with at least one assigned value for each of the at least two data sources; and

superpose the non-overlapping areas with the assigned values, which are based on the data from the at least two data sources, so as to obtain a value distribution, which reflects an overall situation with regard to at least two aspects in a real region, wherein the at least two aspects relate to at least one of safety and mobility.

15. The apparatus according to claim 14, wherein the area defined for a respective set of coordinates for at least one of the data sources is a square, a circle, or a polygon.

16. The apparatus according to claim 14, wherein a size and/or the at least one assigned value of the area defined for the respective set of coordinates for the at least two data sources has at least one predetermined value, and/or is based on information in the data read from the at least two data sources.

17. The apparatus according to claim 14, wherein the at least one assigned value, which is assigned to an area defined for a respective set of coordinates, for the at least two data sources:

is a uniform value for the area, or

is a value that varies over the area, or

comprises a maximum value, which is assigned to at least one center of the area corresponding to the set of coordinates, and further values, which are assigned to the area such that the further values become smaller with increasing distance from the at least one center of the area, either continuously or in stages, or

comprises a plurality of values, which are assigned to the area such that with increasing distance from the real location defined by the set of coordinates, the values become larger either continuously or in stages at least up to a maximum value.

18. The apparatus according to claim 14, wherein the apparatus assigns a point in time to at least one of the sets of coordinates that can be determined from the data of the at least two data sources, wherein a size and/or the assigned value of the area for the at least one set of coordinates is determined as a function of the point in time indicated for the at least one set of coordinates.

19. The apparatus according to claim 14, wherein the apparatus, in a course of the aggregation of the areas for at least one of the at least two data sources, assigns a uniform value to all non-overlapping areas.

20. The apparatus according to claim 14, wherein the at least one memory and the at least one program are configured, together with the at least one processor, to cause the apparatus to, in the course of the aggregation of the areas for at least one of the at least two data sources, accumulate the values assigned to the defined areas in overlapping parts of the defined areas.

21. The apparatus according to claim 14, wherein the apparatus defines the at least two data sources for each set of coordinates a respective area with an assigned value, which the area has a hole around the real location defined by the sets of coordinates, and wherein the aggregation for the at least one of the two data sources results in a non-overlapping area with holes around the real locations defined by the sets of coordinates.

22. The apparatus according to claim 14, wherein the apparatus further performs the following:

detect a user input, which specifies a weighting for the at least two data sources; and

use the specified weightings for an adjustment of an influence of the at least two data sources on the value distribution.

23. The apparatus according to claim 22, wherein the use of the specified weightings for the adjustment of the influence of the at least two data sources on the value distribution comprises:

weighting the values assigned to the non-overlapping areas for each of the at least two data sources in accordance with the specified weighting before the superposition of the non-overlapping areas;

or

determining the values of the defined areas for each of the at least two data sources taking into account the specified weighting.

24. The apparatus according to claim 14, wherein the at least one memory and the at least one program are furthermore configured, together with the at least one processor, to cause the apparatus to store data relating to the non-overlapping areas and the assigned values for the at least two data sources as a basis for a repeated superposition.

25. The apparatus according to claim 14, wherein the at least two data sources comprise at least one of the following:

a data source, which provides data, from which sets of coordinates can be determined for locations relating to a least one type of event or incident;

a data source, which provides data, from which sets of coordinates can be determined for locations relating to at least one type of local circumstance;

a data source, which provides data, from which sets of coordinates can be determined for locations of at least one type of local situation; and

a data source, which provides data, from which sets of coordinates can be determined for a particular type of facility.

26. The apparatus according to claim 14, wherein the non-transitory computer-readable storage medium having instructions therein, that when executed by a computing device, cause the computing device to additionally execute at least one of the following:

present a three-dimensional profile illustrating the value distribution by means of a display unit;

present a three-dimensional profile illustrating the value distribution together with a road network by means of a display unit;

provide the value distribution for a route computation; and

carry out a route computation taking into account the value distribution.

27. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium having instructions therein, that when executed by a computing device, cause the computing device to perform the following:

read data from at least two data sources, wherein on a basis of the data of each of the at least two data sources sets of coordinates of real locations relevant for a respective aspect can be determined;

define an area based on a set of coordinates for each of the real locations for each of the at least two data sources, and determining at least one value assigned to the area;

for each of the at least two data sources, aggregate overlapping areas defined for the data source so as to obtain non-overlapping areas with at least one assigned value for each of the at least two data sources; and

superpose the non-overlapping areas with the assigned values, which are based on the data from the at least two data sources, so as to obtain a value distribution, which reflects an overall situation with regard to the at least two aspects in a region, wherein the at least two aspects relate to at least one of safety and mobility.