Method and apparatus for path based map matching

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11015941-B2
Application number	US-201815990264-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 25, 2018
Priority date	May 25, 2018
Publication date	May 25, 2021
Grant date	May 25, 2021

Abstract

A method map matches probe data to a candidate road segment or node. Methods may include: searching for candidate road segments or nodes for each probe data point to be matched to, where searching for candidate road segments or nodes includes: searching within a predefined radius of each probe data point for road segments or nodes and in response to no road segments or nodes being found within the predefined radius of the respective probe data point, iteratively increasing the predefined radius and searching again until a predefined maximum radius is reached or at least two road segment candidates or node candidates are found; map matching each probe data point to a respective road segment candidate or node candidate based on the road segment candidate or node candidate found in the search; and generating a path based on the map matched probe data points from a respective probe.

First claim

That which is claimed:

1. A mapping system comprising:
a memory comprising map data; and
processing circuitry configured to:
receive a plurality of probe data points, each probe data point received from a respective probe apparatus of a plurality of probe apparatuses, each probe apparatus comprising one or more sensors and being onboard a respective vehicle, wherein each probe data point comprises location information associated with the respective probe apparatus;
search for candidate road segments or nodes for each probe data point to be matched to, wherein the processing circuitry configured to search for candidate road segments or nodes comprises processing circuitry configured to:
search within a predefined radius of each probe data point for road segments or nodes; and
in response to no road segments or nodes being found within the predefined radius of the respective probe data point, iteratively increase the predefined radius and search again until a predefined maximum radius is reached or at least two road segment candidates or node candidates are found;

map match each probe data point to a respective road segment candidate or node candidate based on the road segment candidate or node candidate found in the search in response to at least two road segment candidates or node candidates being found;
generate a path based on the map matched probe data points from a respective probe;
cause storage of the map matched path in the memory;
update map data based, at least in part, on the map matched path; and
facilitate at least one of route navigation or at least semi-autonomous driving based on the updated map data.

2. The mapping system of claim 1 , wherein each probe data point comprises a location, a speed, and a timestamp, wherein only probe data points satisfying a predetermined speed threshold are used to generate the path.

3. The mapping system of claim 1 , wherein each probe data point comprises a location, a speed, and a timestamp, and each probe apparatus generates a sequence of probe data points, the processing circuitry further configured to:
generate a trajectory for a probe apparatus based on a first probe data point and a next probe data point in a sequence of at least two probe data points received from the probe apparatus in response to a distance between the first probe data point and the next probe data being less than a predefined multiple of the greater of the speed of the first probe data point and the next probe data point multiplied by the time difference between the first probe data point and the next probe data point.

4. The mapping system of claim 1 , wherein each probe data point comprises a location, a speed, and a timestamp, and each probe apparatus generates a sequence of probe data points, the processing circuitry further configured to:
separate a first probe data point from a next probe data point in a sequence of at least two probe data points received from the probe apparatus into different trajectories for the probe apparatus in response to a distance between the first probe data point and the next probe data being more than a predefined multiple of the greater of the speed of the first probe data point and the next probe data point multiplied by the time difference between the first probe data point and the next probe data point.

5. The mapping system of claim 1 , wherein the processing circuitry configured to search for candidate road segments or nodes for each probe data point to be matched to further comprises causing the apparatus to:
determine as a candidate, from two or more substantially parallel roads having different directions of travel, a road segment or node having a direction of travel that is less than ninety degrees away from a heading of the probe data point.

6. The mapping system of claim 1 , wherein the processing circuitry configured to search for candidate road segments or nodes for each probe data point to be map matched to further comprises processing circuitry configured to:
determine that a respective probe data point is within a predefined distance of an intersection; and
exclude the respective probe data point from inclusion in the generation of the path in response to the probe data point being proximate the intersection.

7. The mapping system of claim 1 , wherein the processing circuitry configured to map match each probe data point to a respective road segment candidate or node candidate based on the road segment candidate or node candidate found in the search comprises processing circuitry configured to discard a probe data point from the path in response to determining that a heading of the probe data point conflicts with a direction of the map matched road segment or node.

8. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein causing the apparatus to map match each probe data point to a respective road segment candidate or node candidate based on the road segment candidate or node candidate found in the search comprises causing the apparatus to discard a probe data point from the path in response to determining that a heading of the probe data point conflicts with a direction of the map matched road segment or node.

9. An apparatus comprising at least one processor and at least one memory including computer program code, the at least one memory and computer program code configured to, with the at least one cause the apparatus to at least:
receive a plurality of probe data points, each probe data point received from a respective probe apparatus of a plurality of probe apparatuses, each probe apparatus comprising one or more sensors and being onboard a respective vehicle, wherein each probe data point comprises location information associated with the respective probe apparatus;
search for candidate road segments or nodes for each probe data point to be matched to, wherein causing the apparatus to search for candidate road segments or nodes comprises causing the apparatus to:
search within a predefined radius of each probe data point for road segments or nodes; and
in response to no road segments or nodes being found within the predefined radius of the respective probe data point, iteratively increase the predefined radius and search again until a predefined maximum radius is reached or at least two road segment candidates or node candidates are found;

map match each probe data point to a respective road segment candidate or node candidate based on the road segment candidate or node candidate found in the search in response to at least two road segment candidates or node candidates being found;
generate a path based on the map matched probe data points from a respective probe;
cause storage of the map matched path in the at least one memory;
update map data based, at least in part, on the map matched path; and
facilitate at least one of route navigation or at least semi-autonomous driving based on the updated map data.

10. The apparatus of claim 9 , wherein each probe data point comprises a location, a speed, and a timestamp, wherein only probe data points satisfying a predetermined speed threshold are used to generate the path.

11. The apparatus of claim 9 , wherein causing the apparatus to search for candidate road segments or nodes for each probe data point to be matched to further comprises causing the apparatus to:
determine as a candidate, from two or more substantially parallel roads having different directions of travel, a road segment or node having a direction of travel that is less than ninety degrees away from a heading of the probe data point.

12. The apparatus of claim 9 , wherein causing the apparatus to search for candidate road segments or nodes for each probe data point to be map

Assignees

• Here Global Bv

Inventors

• Mao Qi
• Chen Qin
• Boddhu Sanjay Kumar

Classifications

• G01C21/3844

  Data obtained from position sensors only, e.g. from inertial navigation · CPC title

• G01C21/3841 Primary

  Data obtained from two or more sources, e.g. probe vehicles · CPC title

• G01C21/30 Primary

  Map- or contour-matching · CPC title

• G01C21/362

  received from an external device or application, e.g. PDA, mobile phone or calendar application · CPC title

• G01C21/32 Primary

  Structuring or formatting of map data · CPC title