Method of resolving a location from encoded data representative thereof

Abstract

A method, of resolving a location from an ordered list of location reference points being representative of nodes in an encoder digital map and each having attributes representative of a specific line or segment in the encoder digital map emanating from or incident at those nodes, is disclosed. In at least one embodiment, the method includes (i) for each location reference point, identifying at least one candidate node existing in a second digital map, and, using the available attributes of that location reference point, identifying at least one candidate line or segment existing in the second digital map emanating from or incident at the candidate node, (ii) performing a route search within the second digital map between: (a) at least one of said at least one candidate node and the corresponding candidate line or segment emanating therefrom or incident thereat, and (b) at least one of a candidate node for the next location reference point appearing in the list and the corresponding candidate line or segment emanating therefrom or incident thereat, and extracting from the second digital map each line or segment forming part of the route so determined between the candidate nodes, (iii) repeating step (ii) for each consecutive pair of location reference points up to and including the final location reference point appearing in the list. Preferably, the route search is a shortest path route search, most preferably operating on respective pairs of successive candidate nodes, and includes a way of ensuring that the corresponding line or segment of the first of the pair of nodes forms part of the route resulting therefrom.