Visualization of traffic patterns using GPS data

• US 8,694,241 B1
• Filed: 10/05/2010
• Issued: 04/08/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 10/05/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Google LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Google Inc. (Alphabet Inc.)
• Inventors: Kadous, Mohammed Waleed, Lookingbill, Andrew, Arfvidsson, Joakim Kristian Olle
• Primary Examiner(s): CAMBY, RICHARD M
• Application Number:
  US12/898,618
• Time in Patent Office: 1,281 Days
• Field of Search: 701/408, 701/409, 701/412, 701/418, 701/422, 701/423, 701/439, 701/450, 701/452, 701/482, 701/489, 701/118, 701/119
• US Class Current: 701/412
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/14 specially adapted for specific applications
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/0112 from the vehicle, e.g. floating car data [FCD]
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/0133 for classifying traffic situation
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/0141 for traffic information dissemination
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/20 Monitoring the location of vehicles belonging to a group, e.g. fleet of vehicles, countable or determined number of vehicles

Abstract

Maps are created that display representations of GPS data generated from a plurality of GPS devices. The GPS data received from the GPS devices is embodied as a representation having descriptive features that visually indicate the location, direction of travel, and speed of travel of the GPS device, and the representation is associated with a road segment on the map. The display of the GPS data from a plurality of GPS devices can be used for editing information about roads on maps and determining preferred routes.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method for visualizing traffic data on a map, comprising:

receiving a plurality of GPS samples from a plurality of GPS devices, each GPS sample comprising a location, a direction of travel and a speed of travel of a GPS device from which the GPS sample is received;

associating selected GPS samples with respective road segments on a map based on the location and the direction of travel in each selected GPS sample;

determining a direction of travel for a road segment based on a plurality of directions of travel from GPS samples associated with the road segment;

identifying a one-way road based on the determined direction of travel of the road segment; and

generating for display on a map containing a road segment a plurality of representations based on the GPS samples associated with the road segment, each generated representation visually indicating the direction of travel, the one-way road, and the speed of travel for the GPS device that provided a GPS sample.

2. The computer implemented method of claim 1, further comprising assigning a graphical attribute of the representation to a physical attribute based on the GPS sample.

3. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising assigning a color to the generated representation, wherein the color represents the direction of travel.

4. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the generated representation is an arrow.

5. The computer-implemented method of claim 4, wherein a length of the arrow represents the speed of travel associated with the GPS sample.

6. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving from a user viewing the display an indication of an average speed for the road segment; and

assigning the average speed to the road segment.

7. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving from a user viewing the display an indication of a turn restriction on the road segment; and

assigning the turn restriction to the road segment.

8. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving from a user viewing the display an indication of a stop signal on the road segment; and

assigning the stop signal to the road segment.

9. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving from a user viewing the display an indication of a level of traffic associated with the road segment; and

assigning the traffic level to the road segment.

10. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving from a user viewing the display an indication of the road segment as a preferred route of travel; and

assigning the road segment as the preferred route of travel.

11. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining an average speed of the road segment based on a plurality of speeds of travel from GPS samples associated with the road segment.

12. The computer implemented method of claim 1, further comprising:

identifying a turn restriction on the road segment based on a plurality of directions of travel from GPS samples associated with the road segment.

13. The computer implemented method of claim 1, further comprising:

identifying a stop signal on a road segment based on a plurality of speeds of travel from GPS samples associated with the road segment.

14. The computer implemented method of claim 1, wherein associating the GPS sample to the road segment is based upon a log probability of the association of the GPS sample to the road segment.

15. A computer-readable storage medium storing executable computer program instructions for visualizing traffic data on a map, the computer program instructions comprising:

receiving a plurality of GPS samples from a plurality of GPS devices, each GPS sample comprising a location, a direction of travel and a speed of travel of a GPS device from which the GPS sample is received;

associating selected GPS samples with respective road segments on a map based on the location and the direction of travel in each selected GPS sample;

determining a direction of travel for a road segment based on a plurality of directions of travel from GPS samples associated with the road segment;

identifying a one-way road based on the determined direction of travel of the road segment; and

generating for display on a map containing a road segment, a plurality of representations based on the GPS samples associated with the road segment, each generated representation visually indicating the direction of travel, the one-way road, and the speed of travel for the GPS device that provided a GPS sample.

16. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 15, the instructions further comprising assigning a color to the generated representation, wherein the color represents the direction of travel.

17. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 15, wherein the generated representation is an arrow.

18. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 17, wherein the length of the arrow represents the speed of travel associated with the GPS sample.

19. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 15, the instructions further comprising:

receiving from a user viewing the display an indication of an average speed for the road segment; and

assigning the average speed to the road segment.

20. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 15, the instructions further comprising:

receiving from a user viewing the display an indication of a turn restriction on the road segment; and

assigning the turn restriction to the road segment.

21. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 15, the instructions further comprising:

receiving from a user viewing the display an indication of a stop signal on the road segment; and

assigning the stop signal to the road segment.

22. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 15, the instructions further comprising:

receiving from a user viewing the display an indication of a level of traffic associated with the road segment; and

assigning the traffic level to the road segment.

23. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 15, the instructions further comprising:

receiving from a user viewing the display an indication of the road segment as a preferred route of travel; and

assigning the road segment as the preferred route of travel.

24. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 15, wherein associating the GPS sample to the road segment is based upon a log probability of the association of the GPS sample to the road segment.

25. A computer system for visualizing traffic data on a map, the system comprising:

a computer processor; and

a computer program executable by the computer processor and performing actions comprising;

receiving a plurality of GPS samples from a plurality of GPS devices, each GPS sample comprising a location, a direction of travel and a speed of travel of a GPS device from which the GPS sample is received;

associating selected GPS samples with respective road segments on a map based on the location and the direction of travel in each selected GPS sample;

determining a direction of travel for a road segment based on a plurality of directions of travel from GPS samples associated with the road segment;

identifying a one-way road based on the determined direction of travel of the road segment; and

generating for display on a map containing a road segment, a plurality of representations based on the GPS samples associated with the road segment, each generated representation visually indicating the direction of travel, the one-way road, and the speed of travel for the GPS device that provided a GPS sample.

26. The system of claim 25, the performed actions further comprising:

assigning a graphical attribute of the representation to a physical attribute based on the GPS sample.

27. The system of claim 25, the performed actions further comprising:

assigning a color to the generated representation, wherein the color represents the direction of travel.

28. The system of claim 25, wherein the generated representation is an arrow.

29. The system of claim 25, wherein a length of the arrow represents the speed of travel associated with the GPS sample.

30. The system of claim 25, the performed actions further comprising:

receiving from a user viewing the display an indication of an average speed for the road segment; and

assigning the average speed to the road segment.

31. The system of claim 25, the performed actions further comprising:

receiving from a user viewing the display an indication of a turn restriction on the road segment; and

assigning the turn restriction to the road segment.

32. The system of claim 25, the performed actions further comprising:

receiving from a user viewing the display an indication of a stop signal on the road segment; and

assigning the stop signal to the road segment.

33. The system of claim 25, the performed actions further comprising:

receiving from a user viewing the display an indication of a level of traffic associated with the road segment; and

assigning the traffic level to the road segment.

34. The system of claim 25, the performed actions further comprising:

receiving from a user viewing the display an indication of the road segment as a preferred route of travel; and

assigning the road segment as the preferred route of travel.

35. The system of claim 25, the performed actions further comprising:

determining an average speed of the road segment based on a plurality of speeds of travel from GPS samples associated with the road segment.

36. The system of claim 25, the performed actions further comprising:

identifying a turn restriction on the road segment based on a plurality of directions of travel from GPS samples associated with the road segment.

37. The system of claim 25, the performed actions further comprising:

identifying a stop signal on a road segment based on a plurality of the speeds of travel from GPS samples associated with the road segment.