Validating map data corrections

• US 9,057,613 B2
• Filed: 08/22/2013
• Issued: 06/16/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 10/07/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: TomTom Navigation B.V (TomTom NV)
• Original Assignee: TomTom International BV (TomTom NV)
• Inventors: Gruijters, Paulus, Lukassen, Robert
• Primary Examiner(s): ARTHUR JEANGLAUDE, GERTRUDE
• Application Number:
  US13/973,258
• Publication Number:
  US 20130338917A1
• Time in Patent Office: 663 Days
• Field of Search: 701/409, 701/411, 701/413, 701/418, 701/431, 701/445, 701/517, 701/532, 701/522, 340/992, 340/993, 340/995.12, 340/995.16
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/36 Input/output arrangements for on-board computers
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3856 Data obtained from user input
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3885 Transmission of map data to client devices; Reception of map data by client devices
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/29 Geographical information databases

Abstract

A system for validating a correction to map data for a geographic location, the system comprising: a processing resource; and a navigation device; wherein the processing resource comprises: a user request generator that is configured to generate a user request for transmission to the navigation device; a transmitter for transmitting the generated user request to the navigation device; and a receiver for receiving a user response from said navigation device; and the navigation device comprises: a receiver for receiving the user request transmitted from the processing resource; a user request module configured to present said received user request to a user of the navigation device; a user response module for capturing a user response to said presented user request, and a transmitter for transmitting said captured user response to said processing resource.

Claims

1. A server configured for use in a system for use in the validation of a correction to map data for a geographic location, the server being in communication with a transmitter and a receiver for communicating with a plurality of navigation devices, and the server comprising:

a route log configured to store navigation routes travelled by the plurality of navigation devices; and

a processing resource comprising;

a device selection module configured to select a set of one or more navigation devices for which a route is stored in said route log that includes a location within a predetermined distance from a geographic location associated with a correction to map data;

a user request generator that is configured to generate a user request to validate the correction for transmission by the transmitter to the selected set of one or more navigation devices; and

a response review module that is configured to analyse user responses received by the receiver to validate said correction.

2. A server according to claim 1, wherein said device selection module is configured to select a set of one or more navigation devices for which a route is stored in said route log that includes the geographic location associated with said correction.

3. A server according to claim 1, wherein said device selection module is configured to dynamically adjust the predetermined distance depending on the number of routes in the route log including the geographic location associated with the correction.

4. A server according to claim 3, wherein said device selection module is configured to adjust the predetermined distance such that the predetermined distance is decreased as the number of routes in the route log including the geographic location associated with the correction increases.

5. A server configured for use in a system for use in the validation of a correction to map data for a geographic location, the server being in communication with a transmitter and a receiver for communicating with a plurality of navigation devices, and the server comprising a processing resource comprising:

a device selection module configured to select a set of one or more navigation devices which have a current geographic location within a predetermined distance of a geographic location associated with a correction to map data;

a user request generator that is configured to generate a user request to validate the correction for transmission by the transmitter to the selected set of one or more navigation devices; and

a response review module that is configured to analyse user responses received by the receiver to validate said correction.

6. A method of operating a server for use in the validation of a correction to map data for a geographic location, the server being in communication with a transmitter and a receiver for communicating with a plurality of navigation devices, and the server comprising a route log configured to store navigation routes travelled by the plurality of navigation devices, the method comprising:

selecting a set of one or more navigation devices for which a route is stored in said route log that includes a location within a predetermined distance from a geographic location associated with a correction to map data;

generating a user request to validate the correction for transmission by the transmitter to the selected set of one or more navigation devices; and

analysing user responses received by the receiver to validate said correction.

7. A method according to claim 6, wherein said selecting comprises selecting a set of one or more navigation devices for which a route is stored in said route log that includes the geographic location associated with said correction.

8. A method according to claim 6, further comprising dynamically adjusting the predetermined distance depending on the number of routes in the route log including the geographic location associated with the correction.

9. A method according to claim 8, wherein the predetermined distance is adjusted such that the predetermined distance is decreased as the number of routes in the route log including the geographic location associated with the correction increases.

10. A non-transitory computer readable medium comprising a computer program including computer readable instructions that, when executed by a processing resource of a server, cause the server to perform the method of claim 6.

11. A method of operating a server for use in the validation of a correction to map data for a geographic location, the server being in communication with a transmitter and a receiver for communicating with a plurality of navigation devices, the method comprising:

receiving a current geographic location of the plurality of navigation devices;

selecting a set of one or more navigation devices which have a current geographic location within a predetermined distance of a geographic location associated with a correction to map data;

generating a user request to validate the correction for transmission by the transmitter to the selected set of one or more navigation devices; and

analysing user responses received by the receiver to validate said correction.

12. A non-transitory computer readable medium comprising a computer program including computer readable instructions that, when executed by a processing resource of a server, cause the server to perform the method of claim 11.