Determining speed information

• US 9,958,283 B2
• Filed: 05/25/2016
• Issued: 05/01/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 05/25/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: HERE Global B.V. (Nokia Corporation)
• Original Assignee: HERE Global B.V. (Nokia Corporation)
• Inventors: Anastassov, Anton, Jang, Dongwook, Giurgiu, Gavril
• Primary Examiner(s): Beaulieu, Yonel
• Application Number:
  US15/163,963
• Publication Number:
  US 20170343369A1
• Time in Patent Office: 706 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3492 employing speed data or traffic data, e.g. real-time or historical traffic control systems for road vehicles involving transmission of navigation instructions to the vehicle G08G1/0968
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/0112 from the vehicle, e.g. floating car data [FCD]
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/0125 Traffic data processing
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/0145 for active traffic flow control
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/052 with provision for determining speed or overspeed speed measuring in general G01P
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096725 where the received information generates an automatic action on the vehicle control
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096775 where the origin of the information is a central station
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/12 specially adapted for proprietary or special-purpose networking environments, e.g. medical networks, sensor networks, networks in vehicles or remote metering networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/30 Profiles

Abstract

Methods, apparatuses, systems, and computer program products are presented for determining a speed profile for a selected link of a travel network. Map data representing, at least in part, a travel network is obtained or held available. At least one speed profile for at least one selected link of the travel network is determined at least partially based on speed represented by a plurality of probe data points of one or more probe data sets of a plurality of probe data sets and a weighting function for weighting the speeds represented by the plurality of probe data points of one or more probe data sets of the plurality of probe data sets. The one or more probe data sets are associated with the selected link for which the speed profile is determined.

Claims

1. A method, said method comprising:

obtaining or holding available map data representing, at least in part, a travel network; and

determining at least one speed profile for at least one selected link of said travel network at least partially based on speeds represented by a plurality of probe data points of one or more probe data sets of a plurality of probe data sets and a weighting function for weighting said speeds represented by said plurality of probe data points of one or more probe data sets of said plurality of probe data sets, said one or more probe data sets associated with said selected link for which said speed profile is determined,

wherein;

each probe data point represents a position and a speed, and

said at least one speed profile is at least partially determined by calculating one of one or more weighted mean speeds, one or more weighted speed percentiles, or one or more combinations thereof for said selected link or for one or more subsequent segments of said selected link.

2. The method according to claim 1, said method further comprising:

obtaining or holding available said plurality of probe data sets.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein a speed profile for said selected link represents one speed for said selected link or a plurality of speeds for a plurality of subsequent segments of said selected link.

4. The method according to claim 1, said method further comprising:

weighting one or more speeds represented by one or more probe data points of said plurality of probe data points according to said weighting function by a respective weighting factor being proportional to a speed represented by a respective probe data point of said one or more probe data points that is weighted by said respective weighting factor.

5. The method according to claim 4, wherein said weighting factor is calculated, for each probe data point of the one or more probe data points, based on a probe data point frequency associated with said respective data point, a speed represented by said respective probe data point and a length of said selected link or of a segment of said selected link.

6. The method according to claim 4, wherein said weighting factor is determined, for each probe data point of the one or more probe data points, by determining a reciprocal for a number of probe data points of the respective probe data set representing a position on said selected link or on a segment of said link.

7. The method according to claim 1, wherein said calculating is at least partially based on one or more weighted speeds represented by one or more probe data points of said plurality of probe data points of said one or more respective probe data sets associated with said selected link.

8. The method according to claim 1, said method further comprising:

determining whether one or more probe data sets of said plurality of probe data sets are associated with said selected link based on one or more positions represented by one or more probe data points of said one or more probe data sets.

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

determining, for said selected link of said travel network, a plurality of potential travel paths, wherein each potential travel path of said plurality of potential travel paths for said selected link is at least partially defined by an incoming link of said travel network and an outgoing link of said travel network that are linked by said selected link and a direction of travel from said incoming link to said outgoing link on said selected link, wherein, for each potential travel paths of said plurality potential travel paths, a respective speed profile for said selected link is determined.

10. The method according to claim 1, said method further comprising:

providing or generating speed map data representing an association of said map data and a plurality of speed profiles for links of said travel network, said plurality of speed profiles comprising said at least one speed profile determined for said selected link.

11. The method according to claim 1, said method further comprising:

determining speed information for at least one vehicle; and

providing said speed information to said at least one vehicle.

12. The method according to claim 11, wherein said at least one vehicle is, at least in part, an autonomous vehicle, a highly-assisted-driving vehicle, a vehicle with predictive cruise control, or a combination thereof.

13. The method according to claim 1, wherein said method is performed for a plurality of links of said travel network as selected link.

14. 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 at least:

obtain or hold available map data representing, at least in part, a travel network, and

determine at least one speed profile for at least one selected link of said travel network at least partially based on speeds represented by a plurality of probe data points of one or more probe data sets of a plurality of probe data sets and a weighting function for weighting said speeds represented by said plurality of probe data points of one or more probe data sets of said plurality of probe data sets, said one or more probe data sets associated with said selected link for which said speed profile is determined,

wherein;

each probe data point represents a position and a speed, and

said at least one speed profile is at least partially determined by calculating one of one or more weighted mean speeds, one or more weighted speed percentiles, or one or more combinations thereof for said selected link or for one or more subsequent segments of said selected link.

15. The apparatus according to claim 14, said apparatus further caused to:

obtain or hold available said plurality of probe data sets.

16. The apparatus according to claim 14, wherein a speed profile for said selected link represents one speed for said selected link or a plurality of speeds for a plurality of subsequent segments of said selected link.

17. The apparatus according to claim 14, said apparatus further caused to:

weight one or more speeds represented by one or more probe data points of said plurality of probe data points according to said weighting function by a respective weighting factor being proportional to a speed represented by a respective probe data point of said one or more probe data points that is weighted by said respective weighting factor.

18. The apparatus according to claim 17, wherein said weighting factor is calculated, for each probe data point of the one or more probe data points, based on a probe data point frequency associated with said respective data point, a speed represented by said respective probe data point and a length of said selected link or of a segment of said selected link.

19. The apparatus according to claim 17, wherein said weighting factor is determined, for each probe data point of the one or more probe data points, by determining a reciprocal for a number of probe data points of the respective probe data set representing a position on said selected link or on a segment of said link.

20. The apparatus according to claim 14, wherein said calculating is at least partially based on one or more weighted speeds represented by one or more probe data points of said plurality of probe data points of said one or more respective probe data sets associated with said selected link.

21. The apparatus according to claim 14, said apparatus further caused to:

determine whether one or more probe data sets of said plurality of probe data sets are associated with said selected link based on one or more positions represented by one or more probe data points of said one or more probe data sets.

22. The apparatus according to claim 14, said apparatus further caused to:

determine, for said selected link of said travel network, a plurality of potential travel paths, wherein each potential travel path of said plurality of potential travel paths for said selected link is at least partially defined by an incoming link of said travel network and an outgoing link of said travel network that are linked by said selected link and a direction of travel from said incoming link to said outgoing link on said selected link, wherein, for each potential travel paths of said plurality potential travel paths, a respective speed profile for said selected link is determined.

23. The apparatus according to claim 14, said apparatus further caused to:

provide or generate speed map data representing an association of said map data and a plurality of speed profiles for links of said travel network, said plurality of speed profiles comprising said at least one speed profile determined for said selected link.

24. The apparatus according to claim 14, said apparatus further caused to:

determine speed information for at least one vehicle; and

provide said speed information to said at least one vehicle.

25. The apparatus according to claim 24, wherein said at least one vehicle is, at least in part, an autonomous vehicle, a highly-assisted-driving vehicle, a vehicle with predictive cruise control, or a combination thereof.

26. The apparatus according to claim 14, wherein said apparatus is one of:

a server;

a stationary device;

a module for a device;

a vehicle;

an embedded navigation device of a vehicle.

27. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium including one or more sequences of one or more instructions which, when executed by one or more processors, cause an apparatus to at least perform:

obtaining or holding available map data representing, at least in part, a travel network; and

determining at least one speed profile for at least one selected link of said travel network at least partially based on speeds represented by a plurality of probe data points of one or more probe data sets of a plurality of probe data sets and a weighting function for weighting said speeds represented by said plurality of probe data points of one or more probe data sets of said plurality of probe data sets, said one or more probe data sets associated with said selected link for which said speed profile is determined,

wherein;

each probe data point represents a position and a speed, and

said at least one speed profile is at least partially determined by calculating one of one or more weighted mean speeds, one or more weighted speed percentiles, or one or more combinations thereof for said selected link or for one or more subsequent segments of said selected link.

28. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium according to claim 27, wherein a speed profile for said selected link represents one speed for said selected link or a plurality of speeds for a plurality of subsequent segments of said selected link.

29. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium according to claim 27, further including one or more sequences of one or more instructions which, when executed by one or more processors, cause an apparatus to at least perform:

weighting one or more speeds represented by one or more probe data points of said plurality of probe data points according to said weighting function by a respective weighting factor being proportional to a speed represented by a respective probe data point of said one or more probe data points that is weighted by said respective weighting factor.

30. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium according to claim 27, wherein said calculating is at least partially based on one or more weighted speeds represented by one or more probe data points of said plurality of probe data points of said one or more respective probe data sets associated with said selected link.

31. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium according to claim 27, further including one or more sequences of one or more instructions which, when executed by one or more processors, cause an apparatus to at least perform:

determining, for said selected link of said travel network, a plurality of potential travel paths, wherein each potential travel path of said plurality of potential travel paths for said selected link is at least partially defined by an incoming link of said travel network and an outgoing link of said travel network that are linked by said selected link and a direction of travel from said incoming link to said outgoing link on said selected link, wherein, for each potential travel paths of said plurality potential travel paths, a respective speed profile for said selected link is determined.