Methods and systems for roadwork extension identification using speed funnels

• US 10,900,804 B2
• Filed: 12/12/2018
• Issued: 01/26/2021
• Est. Priority Date: 12/12/2018
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: HERE Global B.V. (Nokia Corporation)
• Original Assignee: HERE Global B.V. (Nokia Corporation)
• Inventors: Zhang, Zhenhua, Stenneth, Leon
• Primary Examiner(s): Lonsberry, Hunter B
• Assistant Examiner(s): Robert, Daniel M.
• Application Number:
  US16/217,972
• Publication Number:
  US 20200191603A1
• Time in Patent Office: 776 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/30 Map- or contour-matching
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3602 Input other than that of destination using image analysis, e.g. detection of road signs, lanes, buildings, real preceding vehicles using a camera
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3667 Display of a road map G01C21/3614 takes precedence; guidance using 3D or perspective road maps G01C21/3635
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3697 Output of additional, non-guidance related information, e.g. low fuel level G01C21/3679 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3815 Road data
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3841 Data obtained from two or more sources, e.g. probe vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3848 Data obtained from both position sensors and additional sensors
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/0112 from the vehicle, e.g. floating car data [FCD]
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/09623 Systems involving the acquisition of information from passive traffic signs by means mounted on the vehicle G08G1/0967 takes precedence

Abstract

A solution including a method, a system, and a computer program product are provided herein in accordance with at least one example embodiment for identification of at least one road work extension in a geographical location. The solution includes the process of building and accessing of a map for the geographic location curated with the marking of one or more road work zones corresponding to the at least one road work extensions. The method includes the steps of obtaining multiple speed funnels of a route and validating at least one speed funnel based on the sign value of a last learned speed sign of the speed funnel. The method further generates the road work extension data associated with the road work extension based on the last learned speed sign and a result.

Claims

1. A method for determining road work extension data for identification of at least one road work extension, the method comprising:

obtaining one or more speed funnels, each including at least two different learned speed signs;

validating by a processor, at least one speed funnel from the one or more speed funnels, based on a calculated difference between a sign value of a last learned speed sign of each of the one or more speed funnels and a map-matched speed associated with the last learned speed sign;

searching by the processor, in one or more first links downstream of the last learned speed sign of the validated at least one speed funnel, to obtain a result,

wherein the one or more first links includes a downstream link,

wherein the result indicates one of;

determination of a candidate learned speed sign on the downstream link of the one or more first links;

or

a total length of the one or more first links is equal to a threshold distance,

wherein the downstream link is one of a first map-matched link on which the last learned speed sign is positioned or a second link associated with the first map-matched link; and

determining by the processor, the road work extension data associated with the at least one road work extension, based on the last learned speed sign and the result.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein a sign value difference between the candidate learned speed sign and the last learned speed sign is within a non-negative threshold range.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the searching in the first one or more links further comprises determining the downstream link from the one or more first links.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the determining of the downstream link from the one or more first links comprises:

determining one or more third links from the one or more first links based on a link criteria, and

selecting the second link, from the determined one or more third links, as the downstream link,

wherein a heading difference, between the second link and a link preceding the second link in the determined one or more third links, is within a threshold heading range.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the link criteria includes:

a first criterion that an upstream node of each of the one or more third links is same as a downstream node of a corresponding link preceding each of the one or more third links;

a second criterion that a functional class of each of the one or more third links is same as a functional class of the corresponding link preceding each of the one or more third links;

a third criterion that a ramp indicator of each of the one or more third links is same as a ramp indicator of the corresponding link preceding each of the one or more third links; and

a fourth criterion that a total length of the one or more third links is less than the threshold distance.

6. The method of claim 1,

wherein the result indicates the determination of the candidate learned speed sign on the downstream link, and

wherein the determining of the road work extension data further comprises:

identifying a start position of the at least one road work extension based on the last learned speed sign on the first map-matched link; and

identifying an end position of the at least one road work extension as a location of the candidate learned speed sign on the downstream link.

7. The method of claim 6,

wherein the downstream link is the first map-matched link, and

wherein a start offset associated with the candidate learned speed sign is greater than a start offset associated with the last learned speed sign.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one speed funnel is validated based on determining that the calculated difference is greater than a threshold.

9. The method of claim 1,

wherein the result indicates that the total length of the one or more links is equal to the threshold distance, and

wherein the determining of the road extension data associated with the at least one road work extension comprises:

identifying a start position of the at least one road work extension as a location of the last learned speed sign on the first map-matched link, and

identifying an end position of the at least one road work extension as a link end location of the downstream link,

wherein the downstream link corresponds to end of the one or more links in the downstream of the last learned speed sign.

10. A system for determining road work extension data for identification of at least one road work extension, comprising:

at least one memory configured to store computer program code instructions; and

at least one processor configured to execute the computer program code instructions to;

obtain one or more speed funnels, each including at least two different learned speed signs;

validate at least one speed funnel from the one or more speed funnels, based on a calculated difference between a sign value of a last learned speed sign of each of the one or more speed funnels and a map-matched speed associated with the last learned speed sign;

search in one or more first links in downstream of the last learned speed sign of the validated at least one speed funnel, to obtain a result,

wherein the one or more first links includes a downstream link,

wherein the result indicates one of;

determination of a candidate learned speed sign on the downstream link of the one or more first links;

or

a total length of the one or more first links is equal to a threshold distance,

wherein the downstream link is one of a first map-matched link on which the last learned speed sign is positioned or a second link associated with the first map-matched link, and

determine the road work extension data associated with the at least one road work extension based on the last learned speed sign and the result.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein a sign value difference between the candidate learned speed sign and the last learned speed sign is within a non-negative threshold range.

12. The system of claim 10, wherein to search in the first one or more links, the at least one processor is further configured to determine the downstream link from the one or more first links.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the at least one processor is further configured to:

determine one or more third links from the one or more first links based on a link criteria, and

select the second link, from the determined one or more third links, as the downstream link,

wherein a heading difference, between the second link and a link preceding the second link in the determined one or more third links, is within a threshold heading range.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein the link criteria includes:

a first criterion that an upstream node of each of the one or more third links is same as a downstream node of a corresponding link preceding each of the one or more third links;

a second criterion that a functional class of each of the one or more third links is same as a functional class of the corresponding link preceding each of the one or more third links;

a third criterion that a ramp indicator of each of the one or more third links is same as a ramp indicator of the corresponding link preceding each of the one or more third links; and

a fourth criterion that a total length of the one or more third links is less than the threshold distance.

15. The system of claim 10,

wherein the result indicates the determination of the candidate learned speed sign on the downstream link, and

wherein the at least one processor is further configured to:

identify a start position of the at least one road work extension based on the last learned speed sign on the first map-matched link; and

identify an end position of the at least one road work extension as a location of the candidate learned speed sign on the downstream link.

16. The system of claim 15,

wherein the downstream link is the first map-matched link, and

wherein a start offset associated with the candidate learned speed sign is greater than a start offset associated with the last learned speed sign.

17. The system of claim 10, wherein the at least one processor is further configured to validate the at least one speed funnel based on determining that the calculated difference is greater than a threshold.

18. The system of claim 10, wherein the at least one processor is further configured to:

wherein the result indicates that the total length of the one or more links is equal to the threshold distance, and

wherein the at least one processor is further configured to;

identify a start position of the at least one road work extension as a location of the last learned speed sign on the first map-matched link, and

identify an end position of the at least one road work extension as a link end location of the downstream link,

wherein the downstream link corresponds to end of the one or more links in the downstream of the last learned speed sign.

19. A computer program product comprising at least one non-transitory computer-readable storage medium having stored thereon computer-executable program code instructions which when executed by a computer, cause the computer to carry out operations for determining road work extension data for identification of at least one road work extension, the operations comprising:

obtaining one or more speed funnels, each including at least two different learned speed signs;

validating, by a processor, at least one speed funnel from the one or more speed funnels, based on a calculated difference between a sign value of a last learned speed sign of each of the one or more speed funnels and a map-matched speed associated with the last learned speed sign;

searching by the processor, in one or more first links in downstream of the last learned speed sign of the validated at least one speed funnel to obtain a result,

wherein the one or more first links includes a downstream link, and

wherein the result indicates one of;

determination of a candidate learned speed sign on the downstream link of the one or more first links;

or

a total length of the one or more first links is equal to a threshold distance,

wherein the downstream link is one of a first map-matched link on which the last learned speed sign is positioned, or a second link associated with the first map-matched link, and

determining the road work extension data associated with the at least one road work extension, based on the last learned speed sign and the result.

20. The computer program product of claim 19, wherein a sign value difference between the candidate learned speed sign and the last learned speed sign is within a non-negative threshold range.