Method and apparatus for processing location-based imaging and trace data

• US 9,097,551 B2
• Filed: 02/28/2013
• Issued: 08/04/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 02/28/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: HERE Global B.V. (Nokia Corporation)
• Original Assignee: HERE Global B.V. (Nokia Corporation)
• Inventors: Dorum, Ole Henry, Alwar, Narayanan
• Primary Examiner(s): MARC-COLEMAN, MARTHE Y
• Application Number:
  US13/781,148
• Publication Number:
  US 20140244153A1
• Time in Patent Office: 887 Days
• Field of Search: 701/409, 701/408, 701/411, 701/412, 701/414, 701/8, 701/24, 701/118, 701/514, 340/988, 348/148, 348/E13.004
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3632 Guidance using simplified or iconic instructions, e.g. using arrows G01C21/365 takes precedence

Abstract

An approach is provided to process imaging data associated with location trace data of one or more links of a road. A processing platform may process and/or facilitate a processing of imaging data associated with location trace data of at least one link of a road to determine maneuvering information for at least one vehicle collecting the imaging data, the location trace data, or a combination thereof. Further, the processing platform may determine whether to cause, at least in part, an adjusting of at least a portion of the location trace data based, at least in part, on the maneuvering information.

Claims

1. A method comprising processing, via a processor, (1) data, (2) information, or (3) at least one signal, the (1) data, (2) information, or (3) at least one signal based, at least in part, on the following:

a processing, via the processor, of imaging data associated with location trace data of at least one link of a road to determine maneuvering information for at least one vehicle collecting the imaging data, the location trace data, or a combination thereof;

at least one determination, via the processor, of whether to cause, at least in part, an adjusting of at least a portion of the location trace data based, at least in part, on the maneuvering information; and

at least one determination of the maneuvering information with respect to a centerline, one or more lane markings, one or more boundaries, or a combination thereof of the at least one link of the road,

wherein the imaging data comprises a plurality of video frames, and

wherein a particular location trace associated with the location trace data is indexed with one of the plurality of video frames corresponding to the particular location trace.

2. A method of claim 1, wherein the (1) data, (2) information, or (3) at least one signal are further based, at least in part, on the following:

at least one determination of location information of the centerline, the one or more lane markings, the one or more boundaries, or a combination thereof based, at least in part, on the imaging data, the location trace data, or a combination thereof.

3. A method of claim 1, wherein the maneuvering information indicates, at least in part, a lane departure maneuver, a ramp exit maneuver, an overtaking maneuver, an obstacle avoidance maneuver, a route departure maneuver, or a combination thereof associated with the at least one vehicle while traveling the at least one link of the road.

4. A method of claim 1, wherein the (1) data, (2) information, or (3) at least one signal are further based, at least in part, on the following:

at least one determination that the maneuvering information indicates, at least in part, a movement of the at least one vehicle above a threshold value,

wherein the adjusting includes, at least in part, a removal of the at least a portion of the location trace data collected at least concurrently with the movement.

5. A method of claim 1, wherein the (1) data, (2) information, or (3) at least one signal are further based, at least in part, on the following:

at least one determination that the maneuvering information indicates, at least in part, a movement of the at least one vehicle above a threshold value; and

an offset to the location of the at least a portion of the location trace data based, at least in part, on the maneuvering information.

6. A method of claim 1, wherein the (1) data, (2) information, or (3) at least one signal are further based, at least in part, on the following:

a comparison of the imaging data with reference to the location trace data based, at least in part, on location information of one or more objects, one or more points of interest, or a combination thereof available in the imaging data.

7. A method of claim 6, wherein the (1) data, (2) information, or (3) at least one signal are further based, at least in part, on the following:

at least one determination of whether a result of the comparison is above a deviation threshold value;

a synchronization of the imaging data and the associated location trace data based, at least in part, on the deviation; and

a recalculation of the offset based, at least in part, on the synchronized imaging data and the associated location trace data.

8. A method of claim 1, wherein the (1) data, (2) information, or (3) at least one signal are further based, at least in part, on the following:

at least one determination that the maneuvering information indicates, at least in part, a movement of the at least one vehicle below a threshold value; and

a validation of the at least a portion of the location trace data collected at least concurrently with the movement.

9. A method of claim 1, wherein the processing of the imaging data is performed as a batch process, a streaming process, or a combination thereof.

10. An apparatus comprising:

at least one processor; and

at least one memory including computer program code for one or more programs,

the at least one memory and the computer program code configured to, with the at least one processor, cause the apparatus to perform at least the following;

process and/or facilitate a processing of imaging data associated with location trace data of at least one link of a road to determine maneuvering information for at least one vehicle collecting the imaging data, the location trace data, or a combination thereof;

determine whether to cause, at least in part, an adjusting of at least a portion of the location trace data based, at least in part, on the maneuvering information; and

determine the maneuvering information with respect to a centerline, one or more lane markings, one or more boundaries, or a combination thereof of the at least one link of the road,

wherein the imaging data comprises a plurality of video frames, and

wherein a particular location trace associated with the location trace data is indexed with one of the plurality of video frames corresponding to the particular location trace.

11. An apparatus of claim 10, wherein the apparatus is further caused to:

determine location information of the centerline, the one or more lane markings, the one or more boundaries, or a combination thereof based, at least in part, on the imaging data, the location trace data, or a combination thereof.

12. An apparatus of claim 10, wherein the maneuvering information indicates, at least in part, a lane departure maneuver, a ramp exit maneuver, an overtaking maneuver, an obstacle avoidance maneuver, a route departure maneuver, or a combination thereof associated with the at least one vehicle while traveling the at least one link of the road.

13. An apparatus of claim 10, wherein the apparatus is further caused to:

determine that the maneuvering information indicates, at least in part, a movement of the at least one vehicle above a threshold value,

wherein the adjusting includes, at least in part, a removal of the at least a portion of the location trace data collected at least concurrently with the movement.

14. An apparatus of claim 10, wherein the apparatus is further caused to:

determine that the maneuvering information indicates, at least in part, a movement of the at least one vehicle above a threshold value; and

cause, at least in part, an offset to the location of the at least a portion of the location trace data based, at least in part, on the maneuvering information.

15. An apparatus of claim 10, wherein the apparatus is further caused to:

cause, at least in part, a comparison of the imaging data with reference to the location trace data based, at least in part, on location information of one or more objects, one or more points of interest, or a combination thereof available in the imaging data.

16. An apparatus of claim 15, wherein the apparatus is further caused to:

determine whether a result of the comparison is above a deviation threshold value;

cause, at least in part, a synchronization of the imaging data and the associated location trace data based, at least in part, on the deviation; and

cause, at least in part, a recalculation of the offset based, at least in part, on the synchronized imaging data and the associated location trace data.

17. An apparatus of claim 10, wherein the apparatus is further caused to:

determine that the maneuvering information indicates, at least in part, a movement of the at least one vehicle below a threshold value; and

cause, at least in part, a validation of the at least a portion of the location trace data collected at least concurrently with the movement.

18. An apparatus of claim 10, wherein the processing of the imaging data is performed as a batch process, a streaming process, or a combination thereof.