Tom Tom International B.v.

Tomtom Traffic B.v.

Tomtom Navigation B.v.

Geert Hilbrandie

Peter Mieth

Martin Wolf

Ben Rutten

Ralf-Peter Schäfer

Ian Malcom Atkinson

Ian Malcolm Atkinson

Pieter Geelen

Edwin Neef

Rory Jones

Sven Jurgens

Ralf-Peter Schaefer

Mareije Roosen

Sergei Kucheiko

Ralph-Pieter SCHÄFER

A method of creating map data is disclosed, the map data including a plurality of navigable segments representing segments of a navigable route in the area covered by the map with each segment being arranged to have speed data associated therewith. In at least one embodiment, the method includes processing speed data relating to a plurality of the segments of the navigable route covered by the map to generate a set of generated speed profiles, with each generated speed profile within the set being an approximation to traffic speed along one or more of the segments of the navigable route and each speed profile varying with respect to time; and associating at least one speed profile from the set with a navigable segment within the map data.

Method of processing positioning data

A server arranged to process GPS data to generate enhanced map data is disclosed, and comprises a plurality of navigable segments representing segments of a navigable route in an area covered by a map, the server connected with a wireless telecommunications transceiver arranged to receive GPS fixes by wireless telecommunication from a plurality of navigation devices and send the received GPS fixes to the server, the server comprising a processor arranged to generate at least one speed profile for each segment from the GPS fixes from at least two of the plurality of navigation devices, each speed profile comprising an expected speed of travel through the segment, and the server arranged to subsequently cause the transceiver to send the speed profiles to the navigation devices.

A method of processing positioning data to create map data is disclosed, the map data including a plurality of navigable segments representing segments of a navigable route in the area covered by the map with each segment being arranged to have speed data associated therewith. In at least one embodiment, the method includes processing the speed data to categorise the speed data into a plurality of time periods for the navigable segment with which the speed data is associated; and averaging the speed data within each time period in order to generate a measured speed profile for the navigable segment.

A method of processing speed data is disclosed for use in the provision of enhanced map data including a plurality of navigable segments which together may define a navigable route in an area covered by a digital map. In at least one embodiment, the method includes (i) obtaining the speed data for at least one segment, the speed data including the measured speed of travel of a plurality of vehicles through the segment at different times; (ii) generating from the speed data for the at least one segment, data on at least one normal speed profile including an average speed of travel through the segment for a time recurring weekly; (iii) for at least one specified time, generating for the at least one segment data on at least one abnormal speed profile including an expected speed of travel through the segment during the specified time, the specified time being a time that does not occur weekly; and (iv) assigning to the at least one segment of the map data the corresponding normal speed profile and the abnormal speed profile for use by a navigation device in routing algorithms to determine a journey across the area.

Method and machine for generating map data and a method and navigation device for determining a route using map data

A method is disclosed, for processing positioning data to generate map data which includes a plurality of navigable segments representing segments of a navigable route in the area covered by the map, with each segment being arranged to have speed data associated therewith. In at least one embodiment, the method includes classifying the speed data associated with at least some, and generally each, navigable segment having speed data associated therewith into a category of a classification having a plurality of categories into which the speed data can be classified according to a parameter of a navigable segment with which the speed data is associated; generating a category average for each category within the classification; assessing at least some, and generally each, navigable segment within the map data to determine whether there is speed data associated therewith; and if there is no speed data associated with a navigable segment, using the category average, according to the parameter of the navigable segment being processed, as the speed data for the navigable segment being processed.

A server arranged to process GPS data to generate enhanced map data is disclosed. The enhanced map data includes a plurality of navigable segments representing segments of a navigable route in an area covered by a map. In at least one embodiment, the server is connected with a wireless telecommunications transceiver arranged to receive GPS fixes by wireless telecommunication from a plurality of navigation devices and send the received GPS fixes to the server, the server includes a processor arranged to generate at least one speed profile for each segment from the GPS fixes from at least two of the plurality of navigation devices, each speed profile comprising an expected speed of travel through the segment, and the server is arranged to subsequently cause the transceiver to send the speed profiles to the navigation devices.

In one embodiment of the present invention, an end-user can input a correction to a map error, directly on the device. The device is then able to use the correction without external processing of the correction. Hence, it is no longer necessary for an end-user to simply report errors to the map vendor over a web link, then wait for that map vendor to verify the error, update its maps and finally supply the end-user with updates&#x2014;a cycle that can take months and sometimes years to complete. Instead, the navigation device can use the correction immediately. End-users can also share corrections with other end-users and also with a shared remote server that aggregates, validates and distributes corrections.

Growing community of inventors

Amsterdam, Netherlands

Geert Hilbrandie