SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR AUTOMATED UPDATING OF MAP INFORMATION

• US 20090070031A1
• Filed: 09/07/2007
• Published: 03/12/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 09/07/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: ZERO Infrastructure Mobility Solutions Incorporated
• Original Assignee: On Time Systems, Inc.
• Inventors: Ginsberg, Matthew L.
• Granted Patent: US 9,043,138 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/208
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3811 Point data, e.g. Point of Interest [POI]
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3815 Road data
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3837 Data obtained from a single source
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3844 Data obtained from position sensors only, e.g. from inertial navigation

Abstract

Traffic information readings corresponding to a vehicle are received, the readings including at least a location. The traffic information readings are compared to information already within a map database, and are used to derive additional map information augmenting or correcting that already within the database, the additional map information subsequently being stored in the database. Additional information that is derived includes the presence of stop signs and traffic lights at intersections, the legality of turns at certain times of day, and the connectedness or non-connectedness of road segments.

Claims

1. A system for automatically updating a map database, comprising:

an input subsystem providing vehicle readings, each vehicle reading corresponding to a vehicle and comprising a location of the vehicle;

a map database comprising information associated with roads;

an information inference module for deriving additional traffic-independent information not already stored within the map database and updating the map database to reflect the derived additional information.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein deriving additional information comprises determining the presence or absence of stop signs and traffic lights at a given intersection based upon whether a vehicle stops at the intersection and upon a duration of a stop at the intersection.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein deriving additional information comprises determining the presence or absence of traffic lights at a given intersection based upon vehicles stopping at the intersection at some times and failing to stop at the intersection at other times.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein deriving additional information comprises determining whether traffic lights of a range of adjacent traffic lights are timed relative to one another.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein deriving additional information comprises determining a presence of a connection between a first road segment and a second road segment based upon detecting a transition of a vehicle from the first segment to the second segment.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein deriving additional information comprises determining an absence of a connection between a first road segment and a second road segment based upon failure to detect a transition of a vehicle from the first segment to the second segment, where data from the map database indicates that such a transition is advantageous.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein deriving additional information is based at least in part upon a time of day associated with a vehicle reading.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the additional map information is stored by modifying the map database.

9. A method for automatically updating a map database, comprising:

receiving map information from the map database, the map database comprising information associated with roads;

receiving vehicle readings, each vehicle reading corresponding to a vehicle and comprising a location of the vehicle;

deriving additional traffic-independent information not already stored within the map database; and

updating the map database to reflect the derived additional information.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein deriving additional information comprises determining the presence or absence of stop signs and traffic lights at a given intersection based upon whether a vehicle stops at the intersection and upon a duration of a stop at the intersection.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein deriving additional information comprises determining the presence or absence of traffic lights at a given intersection based upon vehicles stopping at the intersection at some times and failing to stop at the intersection at other times.

12. The method of claim 9, wherein deriving additional information comprises determining whether traffic lights of a range of adjacent traffic lights are timed relative to one another.

13. The method of claim 9, wherein deriving additional information comprises determining a presence of a connection between a first road segment and a second road segment based upon detecting a transition of a vehicle from the first segment to the second segment.

14. The method of claim 9, wherein deriving additional information comprises determining an absence of a connection between a first road segment and a second road segment based upon failure to detect a transition of a vehicle from the first segment to the second segment, where data from the map database indicates that such a transition is advantageous.

15. The method of claim 9, wherein deriving additional information is based at least in part upon a time of day associated with a vehicle reading.

16. The method of claim 9, wherein the additional map information is stored by modifying the map database.

17. A computer readable storage medium storing a computer program executable by a processor for automatically updating a map database, the actions of the computer program comprising:

receiving map information from the map database, the map database comprising information associated with roads;

receiving vehicle readings, each vehicle reading corresponding to a vehicle and comprising a location of the vehicle;

deriving additional traffic-independent information not already stored within the map database; and

updating the map database to reflect the derived additional information.

18. The computer readable storage medium of claim 17, wherein deriving additional information comprises determining the presence or absence of stop signs and traffic lights at a given intersection based upon whether a vehicle stops at the intersection and upon a duration of a stop at the intersection.

19. The computer readable storage medium of claim 17, wherein deriving additional information comprises determining the presence or absence of traffic lights at a given intersection based upon vehicles stopping at the intersection at some times and failing to stop at the intersection at other times.

20. The computer readable storage medium of claim 17, wherein deriving additional information comprises determining whether traffic lights of a range of adjacent traffic lights are timed relative to one another.

21. The computer readable storage medium of claim 17, wherein deriving additional information comprises determining a presence of a connection between a first road segment and a second road segment based upon detecting a transition of a vehicle from the first segment to the second segment.

22. The computer readable storage medium of claim 17, wherein deriving additional information comprises determining an absence of a connection between a first road segment and a second road segment based upon failure to detect a transition of a vehicle from the first segment to the second segment, where data from the map database indicates that such a transition is advantageous.

23. The computer readable storage medium of claim 17, wherein deriving additional information is based at least in part upon a time of day associated with a vehicle reading.

24. The computer readable storage medium of claim 17, wherein the additional map information is stored by modifying the map database.