Tomtom Germany Gmbh & Co. Kg

Tomtom Global Content B.v.

Tomtom Navigation B.v.

Tomtom Traffic B.v.

Tomtom North America, Inc.

Heiko Mund

Hannes Scharmann

Oleg Schmelzle

Hans-Ulrich Otto

Clayton Richard Morlock

Sören Sven Sonnenburg

Lucian Ionescu

Przemyslaw Polewski

Clayton Morlock

There is provided a method for generating traffic data indicative of a traffic volume and/or traffic density within a navigable network in an area covered by an electronic map, the electronic map comprising a plurality of segments representing navigable elements of the navigable network. The method generally comprises obtaining data indicative of a count of devices associated with vehicles traversing the navigable element represented by the segment in respect of a given time, wherein the count of devices is based on positional data and associated timing data relating to the movement of a plurality of devices associated with vehicles along the navigable element represented by the segment; and using the determined count data and an scaling coefficient to obtain data indicative of an estimated traffic volume for the segment in respect of the given time, wherein the scaling coefficient is time dependent.

Methods and systems for generating traffic volume data

An improved method for matching traces derived from probe data to one or more line segments in a digital vector map. Points in a probe trace are provisionally matched one-by-one to line segments in the digital vector map to identify all possible matching candidates. A graph of the matching candidates is created having one or more paths. The graph has a plurality of sequential levels corresponding to the points in the probe trace. Each matching candidate is assigned to a level of the graph corresponding with trace point to which it relates. Edges are established between matching candidates in adjacent levels provided they are topologically related to one another. The graph is simplified and scored. The best paths deliver the matching results. The invention allows use of graph theoretic methods to find the best path through the graph, which in turn represents an efficient map matching algorithm. The concepts of this invention may be used in conjunction with longitudinal distance as matching criterion.

Graph based topological map matching

A method for improving and extending an existing road network and generating new networks from statistically relevant amounts of probe data recorded by GPS-enabled navigation devices. New probe data is matched to the existing digital vector map, then the data merged into the existing network using a weighted mean technique. When new roads are detected, appropriate junction points are made with the existing network elements. The updated network data is simplified to improve computing speed and reduce data storage requirements.

Incremental map generation, refinement and extension with GPS traces

A system and method for generating a seamless road network of a large geographical area includes a plurality of GPS probe traces extending across a geographical area. The probe traces are divided into sub-sets base on criteria, such as accuracy. A plurality of threads simultaneously employ the sub-sets traces to generate an independent network of the entire geographical area. The networks generated using sub-sets having a high accuracy are preferred over networks generating using sub-sets having a lower accuracy. The independent networks are combined to form a seamless networks of road segments.

Seamless network generation

Parking lot () locations and geometries are discerned from probe data () and integrated with a digital map () for use in navigation and other map-related activities. The steps of this invention include: identifying the positions in the probe data () where cars are probably parked, detecting the positions of parking lots (), determining the extension and shape of the detected parking lots (), and adjusting the parking lots () into the road network (). Optionally, the parking lot () can be classified and additional attributes computed. Finally, a topological connection of the parking lot () is made to the road network () during which entrances () and exits () are identified.

Parking lot detection using probe data

A method for improving and extending an existing digital road network and generating new networks from statistically relevant amounts of probe data recorded by GPS-enabled navigation devices. New probe data is matched to the existing digital map, then the data merged into the existing network using a time-dependent weight and/or accuracy-dependent weight. A recalculation date is established, and the weight value of a line segment and/or trace is adjusted as a function of the time span relative to the recalculation. The function may include setting a maximal time period divided into bins each having a respective weight reduction factor, or applying decay function. Through this technique, digital maps can be updated and extended without undue influence exerted by old trace data.

Time and/or accuracy dependent weights for network generation in a digital map

A method comprises extracting a local identifier () from an image (), the image () also having positional data () relating to the location at which the image () was captured; and associating the extracted local identifier () with the corresponding positional data () to allow for associating the extracted local identifier with a digital map ().

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Hildesheim, Germany

Heiko Mund