Defining travel paths in parking areas

• US 9,291,466 B2
• Filed: 03/25/2015
• Issued: 03/22/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 03/12/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: United Parcel Service Of America Incorporated (United Parcel Service Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: United Parcel Service Of America Incorporated (United Parcel Service Incorporated)
• Inventors: Davidson, Mark J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Marc, McDieunel
• Application Number:
  US14/668,382
• Publication Number:
  US 20150198450A1
• Time in Patent Office: 363 Days
• Field of Search: 701/438, 701/450, 701/533, 188/79.54
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/32 Structuring or formatting of map data
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/34 Route searching; Route guidance

Abstract

Computer program products, methods, systems, apparatus, and computing entities are provided for defining travel paths in parking areas. In one embodiment, travel paths in parking areas are defined by connecting street networking connection points within the parking areas. In another embodiment, such defined travel paths are merged with actual paths traveled by vehicles in the parking areas.

Claims

1. A method for defining travel paths in parking areas, the method comprising:

for a parking area in which there is at least one travel path for the parking area that is not represented on a digital map, defining, by one or more processors, a first set of one or more travel paths in the parking area by identifying one or more paths traversed by one or more vehicles in the parking area based at least in part on telematics data collected while the one or more vehicles were traversing the parking area; and

updating, via the one or more processors, the digital map to include a representation of the first set of one or more travel paths in the parking area.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

identifying one or more street network connection points for the parking area, the one or more street network connection points providing the ability to enter the parking area from a street network, exit the parking area to the street network, or both; and

defining a second set of one or more travel paths in the parking area by connecting the one or more street network connection points in the parking area.

3. The method of claim 2 further comprising merging the first set of one or more travel paths with the second set of one or more travel paths.

4. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

identifying a known obstruction in the parking area; and

removing travel paths defined in the parking area that overlap with the known obstruction.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein removing the travel paths defined in the parking area that overlap with the known obstruction further comprises removing travel paths defined in the parking area that are within a configurable distance of the known obstruction.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein defining the second set of travel paths in the parking area by connecting the one or more street network connection points in the parking area further comprises defining travel paths in the parking area using one selected from the group consisting of a grid, a lattice, and a matrix.

7. An apparatus comprising at least one processor and at least one memory including computer program code, the at least one memory and the computer program code configured to, with the processor, cause the apparatus to at least:

for a parking area in which there is at least one travel path for the parking area that is not represented on a digital map, define a first set of one or more travel paths in the parking area by identifying one or more paths traversed by one or more vehicles in the parking area based at least in part on telematics data collected while the one or more vehicles were traversing the parking area; and

update the digital map to include a representation of the first set of one or more travel paths in the parking area.

8. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the memory and computer program code are further configured to, with the processor, cause the apparatus to:

identify one or more street network connection points for the parking area, the one or more street network connection points providing the ability to enter the parking area from a street network, exit the parking area to the street network, or both; and

define a second set of one or more travel paths in the parking area by connecting the one or more street network connection points in the parking area.

9. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the memory and computer program code are further configured to, with the processor, cause the apparatus to merge the first set of one or more travel paths with the second set of one or more travel paths.

10. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the memory and computer program code are further configured to, with the processor, cause the apparatus to:

identify a known obstruction in the parking area; and

remove travel paths defined in the parking area that overlap with the known obstruction.

11. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein removing the travel paths defined in the parking area that overlap with the known obstruction further comprises removing travel paths defined in the parking area that are within a configurable distance of the known obstruction.

12. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein defining the second set of travel paths in the parking area by connecting the one or more street network connection points in the parking area further comprises defining travel paths in the parking area using one selected from the group consisting of a grid, a lattice, and a matrix.

13. A computer program product comprising at least one non-transitory computer-readable storage medium having computer-readable program code portions stored therein, the computer-readable program code portions comprising:

an executable portion configured to, for a parking area in which there is at least one travel path for the parking area that is not represented on a digital map, define a first set of one or more travel paths in the parking area by identifying one or more paths traversed by one or more vehicles in the parking area based at least in part on telematics data collected while the one or more vehicles were traversing the parking area; and

an executable portion configured to, update the digital map to include a representation of the first set of one or more travel paths in the parking area.

14. The computer program product of claim 13 further comprising:

an executable portion configured to identify one or more street network connection points for the parking area, the one or more street network connection points providing the ability to enter the parking area from a street network, exit the parking area to the street network, or both; and

an executable portion configured to define a second set of one or more travel paths in the parking area by connecting the one or more street network connection points in the parking area.

15. The computer program product of claim 14 further comprising an executable portion configured to merge the first set of one or more travel paths with the second set of one or more travel paths.

16. The computer program product of claim 13 further comprising:

an executable portion configured to identify a known obstruction in the parking area; and

an executable portion configured to remove travel paths defined in the parking area that overlap with the known obstruction.

17. The computer program product of claim 16, wherein removing the travel paths defined in the parking area that overlap with the known obstruction further comprises removing travel paths defined in the parking area that are within a configurable distance of the known obstruction.

18. The computer program product of claim 13, wherein defining the second set of travel paths in the parking area by connecting the one or more street network connection points in the parking area further comprises defining travel paths in the parking area using one selected from the group consisting of a grid, a lattice, and a matrix.