Method for transforming probe data across transportation modes

• US 9,984,565 B2
• Filed: 11/01/2016
• Issued: 05/29/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 09/27/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: HERE Global B.V. (Nokia Corporation)
• Original Assignee: HERE Global B.V. (Nokia Corporation)
• Inventors: Stenneth, Leon
• Primary Examiner(s): Badii, Behrang
• Assistant Examiner(s): Testardi, David A
• Application Number:
  US15/340,162
• Publication Number:
  US 20170046951A1
• Time in Patent Office: 574 Days
• 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 1/0129 for creating historical data or processing based on historical data
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/0141 for traffic information dissemination

Abstract

First probe data for a first probe type and second probe data for a second probe type are received and stored. A relationship between the first probe type and the second probe type is determined based on at least a portion of the first probe data and at least a portion of the second probe data. The relationship is categorized based on a property of the travel conditions under which the at least a portion of the first probe data and the at least a portion of the second probe data were collected. First real-time probe data for the first probe type is received. The first real-time probe data is converted into second real-time probe data based on the relationship.

Claims

1. A method for providing, by a traffic information system comprising processing circuitry, memory storing computer program code, and a network interface configured to communicate via at least one network, a second transportation mode parameter corresponding to a second transportation mode based on first real-time probe data corresponding to a first transportation mode, the method comprising:

receiving, by the processing circuitry via the network interface, first probe data for a first probe type, wherein the first probe type corresponds to the first transportation mode, wherein the first probe data is received from a plurality of first probe data collection devices, each first probe data collection device being installed onboard a vehicle corresponding to the first transportation mode, and wherein each first probe data collection device is configured to provide at least one of latitude, longitude, speed, or heading of the corresponding vehicle;

causing, by the processing circuitry, the first probe data to be stored in the memory;

receiving, by the processing circuitry via the network interface, second probe data for a second probe type, wherein the second probe type corresponds to the second transportation mode, wherein the second probe data is received from a plurality of second probe data collection devices, each second probe data collection device being installed onboard a vehicle corresponding to the second transportation mode, and wherein (a) each second probe data collection device is configured to provide at least one of latitude, longitude, speed, or heading of the corresponding vehicle, and (b) the second probe type is different from the first probe type;

causing, by the processing circuitry, the second probe data to be stored in the memory;

executing at least a portion of the computer program code by the processing circuitry to determine a relationship between the first probe type and the second probe type based on at least a portion of the first probe data and at least a portion of the second probe data, wherein the relationship is categorized based on a property of the traffic conditions under which the at least a portion of the first probe data and the at least a portion of the second probe data were collected;

receiving, by the processing circuitry via the network interface, first real-time probe data for the first probe type, wherein the first real-time probe data is received from one or more first probe data collection devices, each first probe data collection device of the one or more first probe data collection devices (a) being installed onboard a vehicle corresponding to the first transportation mode, and (b) configured to provide at least one of a real-time latitude, longitude, speed, or heading of the corresponding vehicle;

executing at least a portion of the computer program code by the processing circuitry to identify a traffic condition corresponding to the first real-time probe data;

executing at least a portion of the computer program code by the processing circuitry to convert the first real-time probe data into second real-time probe data based on the relationship and the traffic condition;

executing at least a portion of the computer program code by the processing circuitry to estimate the second transportation mode parameter based on the second real-time probe data, the second transportation mode parameter comprising at least one of (a) a location, (b) travel time, or (c) speed for the second transportation mode; and

causing the network interface, by the processing circuitry, to transmit a traffic data message comprising the second transportation mode parameter to at least one device onboard a vehicle of the second transportation mode.

2. A method according to claim 1, wherein the first probe type is an abundant probe type and the second probe type is a deficient probe type.

3. A method according to claim 1, wherein the first probe type is a public transit probe type and the second probe type is not public transit probe type.

4. A method according to claim 1, wherein the relationship is categorized based on road congestion.

5. A method according to claim 1, wherein the relationship is categorized based on weather conditions.

6. A method according to claim 1, further comprising:

providing a first real time probe information estimate based on collected first probe data corresponding to the first probe type, wherein the first real time probe information estimate relates to a location, travel time, or speed of a vehicle corresponding to the first transportation mode; and

converting the first real time probe information estimate to second real time probe information by using the determined relationship and based on at least the first real time probe information estimate, in order to estimate a location, travel time, or speed for a vehicle of the second transportation mode.

7. A method according to claim 1, wherein the relationship is determined based at least in part on historical data corresponding to the first probe type and the second probe type, or both.

8. A method according to claim 1, wherein the relationship is specific to a road segment, a city, a time point, or a combination thereof.

9. An apparatus, comprising:

at least one processor;

at least one memory including computer program code; and

a network interface configured to communicate via at least one network;

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;

receive, via the network interface, first probe data for a first probe type, wherein the first probe type corresponds to a first transportation mode, wherein the first probe data is received from a plurality of first probe data collection devices, each first probe data collection device being installed onboard a vehicle corresponding to the first transportation mode, and wherein each first probe data collection device is configured to provide at least one of latitude, longitude, speed, or heading of the corresponding vehicle;

cause the first probe data to be stored in the at least one memory;

receive, via the network interface, second probe data for a second probe type, wherein the second probe type corresponds to a second transportation mode, wherein the second probe data is received from a plurality of second probe data collection devices, each second probe data collection device being installed onboard a vehicle corresponding to the second transportation mode, and wherein (a) each second probe data collection device is configured to provide at least one of latitude, longitude, speed, or heading of the corresponding vehicle, and (b) the second probe type is different from the first probe type;

cause the second probe data to be stored in the at least one memory;

determine a relationship between the first probe type and the second probe type based on at least a portion of the first probe data and at least a portion of the second probe data, wherein the relationship is categorized based on a property of the traffic conditions under which the at least a portion of the first probe data and the at least a portion of the second probe data were collected;

receive, via the network interface, first real-time probe data for the first probe type, wherein the first real-time probe data is received from one or more first probe data collection devices, each first probe data collection device of the one or more first probe data collection devices (a) being installed onboard a vehicle corresponding to the first transportation mode, and (b) configured to provide at least one of a real-time latitude, longitude, speed, or heading of the corresponding vehicle;

identify a traffic condition corresponding to the first real-time probe data;

convert the first real-time probe data into second real-time probe data based on the relationship and the traffic condition;

estimate a second transportation mode parameter based on the second real-time probe data, the second transportation mode parameter comprising at least one of (a) a location, (b) travel time, or (c) speed for the second transportation mode; and

cause the network interface to transmit a traffic data message comprising the second transportation mode parameter to at least one device onboard a vehicle of the second transportation mode.

10. An apparatus according to claim 9, wherein the relationship is categorized based on road congestion.

11. An apparatus according to claim 9, wherein the relationship is categorized based on weather conditions.

12. An apparatus according to claim 9, wherein the at least one memory and the computer program code are further configured to, with the at least one processor, cause the apparatus to perform at least the following:

provide a first real time probe information estimate based on collected first probe data corresponding to the first probe type, wherein the first real time probe information estimate relates to a location, travel time, or speed of a vehicle corresponding to the first transportation mode; and

convert the first real time probe information estimate to second real time probe information by using the determined relationship and based on at least the first real time probe information estimate, in order to estimate a location, travel time, or speed for a vehicle of the second transportation mode.

13. An apparatus according to claim 9, wherein the relationship is determined based at least in part on historical data corresponding to the first probe type and the second probe type.

14. An apparatus according to claim 9, wherein the relationship is specific to a road segment, a city, a time point, or a combination thereof.

15. A computer program product comprising a non-transitory computer-readable medium bearing computer program code embodied therein for use with a computer, the computer program code comprising code portions configured to, when executed by processing circuitry of an apparatus, cause the apparatus to at least:

receive, via a network interface of the apparatus first probe data for a first probe type, wherein the first probe type corresponding first transportation mode, wherein the first probe data is received from a plurality of first probe data collection devices, each first probe data collection device being installed onboard a vehicle corresponding to the first transportation mode, and wherein each first probe data collection device is configured to provide at least one of latitude, longitude, speed, or heading of the corresponding vehicle;

cause the first probe data to be stored in a memory of the apparatus;

receive, via the network interface, second probe data for a second probe type, wherein the second probe type corresponds to a second transportation mode, wherein the second probe data is received from a plurality of second probe data collection devices, each second probe data collection device being installed onboard a vehicle corresponding to the second transportation mode, and wherein (a) each first probe data collection device is configured to provide at least one of latitude, longitude, speed, or heading of the corresponding vehicle and (b) the first probe data is collected as the corresponding vehicle travels along the first road link;

cause the second probe data to be stored in the memory of the apparatus;

determine a relationship between the first probe type and the second probe type based on at least a portion of the first probe data and at least a portion of the second probe data, wherein the relationship is categorized based on a property of the traffic conditions under which the at least a portion of the first probe data and the at least a portion of the second probe data were collected;

receive, via the network interface, first real-time probe data for the first probe type, wherein the first real-time probe data is received from one or more first probe data collection devices, each first probe data collection device of the one or more first probe data collection devices (a) being installed onboard a vehicle corresponding to the first transportation mode, and (b) configured to provide at least one of a real-time latitude, longitude, speed, or heading of the corresponding vehicle;

identify a traffic condition corresponding to the first real-time probe data;

convert the first real-time probe data into second real-time probe data based on the relationship and the traffic condition;

estimate a second transportation mode parameter, the second transportation mode parameter comprising at least one of (a) a location, (b) travel time, or (c) speed for the second transportation mode; and

cause the network interface to transmit a traffic data message comprising the second transportation mode parameter to at least one device onboard a vehicle of the second transportation mode.

16. A computer program product according to claim 15, wherein the relationship is categorized based on road congestion.

17. A computer program product according to claim 15, wherein the relationship is categorized based on weather conditions.

18. A computer program product according to claim 15, wherein the at least one memory and the computer program code are further configured to, with the at least one processor, cause the apparatus to perform at least the following:

provide a first real time probe information estimate based on collected first probe data corresponding to the first probe type, wherein the first real time probe information estimate relates to a location, travel time, or speed of a vehicle corresponding to the first transportation mode; and

convert the first real time probe information estimate to second real time probe information by using the determined relationship and based on at least the first real time probe information estimate, in order to estimate a location, travel time, or speed for a vehicle of the second transportation mode.

19. A computer program product according to claim 15, wherein the relationship is determined based at least in part on historical data corresponding to the first probe type and the second probe type.

20. A computer program product according to claim 15, wherein the relationship is specific to a road segment, a city, a time point, or a combination thereof.