Method, apparatus, and system for traffic estimation based on anomaly detection

Abstract

An approach is provided for traffic estimation/detection based on anomaly detection. The approach involves, for instance, retrieving probe data or other sensor data collected from sensors of devices traveling in a geographic area. The approach also involves aggregating the probe or sensor data into a sequence of frames. Each frame comprises a plurality of spatial cells representing the geographic area at a respective time interval. The approach further involves computing a similarity of the sequence to one or more historical sequences comprising historical frames of spatially and temporally binned historical probe data. The approach further involves determining a classification of a traffic state associated with the probe or sensor data as either a normal traffic state or as a traffic anomaly based on the similarity. By way of example, the traffic state of the probe data can then be estimated/predicted based on the classification.