Method and apparatus for enabling map updates using a blockchain platform

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2020042012-A1
Application number	US-201816053649-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Aug 2, 2018
Priority date	Aug 2, 2018
Publication date	Feb 6, 2020
Grant date	—

Abstract

A semi-public blockchain maintained on one or more nodes in a map cloud platform comprises data for maintaining a global map of a predetermined geographic area. The blockchain also comprises a plurality of data records, where each data record is associated with an update to a global map. When a message associated with a map update to the global map is received, the nodes of the blockchain determine a consensus by evaluating the map update, where the evaluating comprises performing a plurality of proofs including a proof of location, a proof of iterations, a proof of physical delivery and a proof of safety. When consensus is attained and the map update is validated, a data record associated with the map update is generated and added to the blockchain with a timestamp and a link to prior data records in the blockchain.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A method for updating map data using a blockchain, the method comprising:
storing a blockchain, wherein the blockchain is a distributed database including a plurality of data records, each data record being associated with an update to a global map, and wherein further the blockchain comprises data for maintaining the global map of a predetermined geographic area; receiving a message associated with a map update to the global map, wherein the message comprises information pertaining to a map update for a particular route; validating the map update by evaluating a consensus with respect to the map update, wherein the evaluating comprises selecting and performing at least one of a plurality of proofs for the map update; responsive to a successful validation of the map update over at least one of the plurality of proofs, generating a data record associated with the map update; updating the blockchain to include the generated data record to update the global map based on the map update; and electronically transmitting the generated data record to a plurality of nodes in the blockchain.

2 . A method as described in claim 1 , wherein the blockchain is a semi-public distributed database.

3 . A method as described in claim 1 , wherein the receiving the message comprises receiving the message formatted based on a proprietary data format standard of a vendor, and further comprising:
prior to the determining, converting the message from the propriety data format of the vendor to the data format standard compatible with the blockchain.

4 . A method as described in claim 1 , wherein the plurality of proofs comprises one or more proofs selected from the group of proofs comprising:
a proof of location; a proof of iterations; a proof of physical delivery; and a proof of safety.

5 . A method as described in claim 1 , wherein the plurality of proofs comprises one or more proofs selected from the group of proofs comprising: a proof of location, a proof of iterations, a proof of physical delivery and a proof of safety, and wherein the selecting the at least one of the plurality of proofs is based on at least one of available sensor configurations, external conditions and the complexity of the environment.

6 . A method as described in claim 1 , wherein the plurality of proofs comprises one or more proofs selected from the group of proofs comprising: a proof of location, a proof of iterations, a proof of physical delivery and a proof of safety, and wherein the performing the proof of location comprises validating a map update received by a first mobile unit after a location of the first mobile unit is verified by a map update of a second mobile unit.

7 . A method as described in claim 1 , wherein the plurality of proofs comprises one or more proofs selected from the group of proofs comprising: a proof of location, a proof of iterations, a proof of physical delivery and a proof of safety, wherein the performing the proofs of iterations comprises validating a map update received by a first mobile unit after the map update of the first mobile unit is verified by an analogous map update of a second mobile unit, and after a route associated with the map update of the first mobile unit has been verified at least a threshold number of times by one or more mobile units.

8 . A method as described in claim 1 , wherein the plurality of proofs comprises one or more proofs selected from the group of proofs comprising: a proof of location, a proof of iterations, a proof of physical delivery and a proof of safety, wherein the performing a proof of physical delivery comprises:
automating a shipment of data associated with the global map and corresponding map updates to a data center wherein the server is maintained; and adding a tracking number associated with the shipment to the blockchain.

9 . A method as described in claim 1 , wherein the plurality of proofs comprises one or more proofs selected from the group of proofs comprising: a proof of location, a proof of iterations, a proof of physical delivery and a proof of safety, wherein the performing the proof of safety comprises performing multiple iterations for the proof of location and the proof of iterations.

10 . A method as described in claim 1 further comprising processing the blockchain to determine a particular origin for a particular map update.

11 . A method as described in claim 1 further comprising:
processing the blockchain to determine a particular origin for a plurality of map updates; and
responsive to a determination that the plurality of map updates are accurate and based on a determined number of the plurality of map updates, providing a threshold compensation to a vendor associated the said particular origin.

12 . A method as described in claim 1 further comprising:
processing the blockchain to determine a particular origin for a plurality of map updates; and
responsive to a determination that the plurality of map updates are accurate and based on a determined number of the plurality of map updates, providing a threshold degree of global map access to a vendor associated with the particular origin.

13 . A method as described in claim 1 further comprising:
processing the blockchain to determine a particular origin for a plurality of map updates thereto; and
responsive to a determination that the plurality of map updates are accurate and based on a determined number of the plurality of map updates, attributing a reputation score to a vendor associated the said particular origin.

14 . A method as described in claim 1 , wherein the message is received from a vendor associated with a mapping ecosystem comprising the global map, wherein the vendor is selected from a group comprising: one or more original equipment manufacturers (OEMs), one or more global positioning system (GPS) device manufacturers, one or more mapping software providers, one or more autonomous car development platform developers, one or more Tier 1 suppliers, and one or more companies delivering ground truth data.

15 . A method as described in claim 1 , wherein a server at which the message is received is maintained in a cloud platform, wherein the cloud platform comprises servers for storing the blockchain and servers for storing data associated with respective vendors.

16 . A method as described in claim 15 , wherein the cloud platform is managed by a vendor associated with the mapping ecosystem.

17 . A method as described in claim 1 , wherein the message is received from a vehicle, wherein the vehicle is selected from a group consisting of: autonomous vehicles and non-autonomous vehicles.

18 . A method as described in claim 1 further comprising:
receiving a message associated with a request for a map update from a client;
checking a number of tokens in a token account associated with the client to determine if the client has access privileges to the global map; and
responsive to a determination that the client has a threshold number of tokens in the token account, providing a response to the request.

19 . A server based method for maintaining map data, said method comprising:
maintaining, at a server, an electronic map of a geographic area wherein the electronic map is represented as a plurality of data records stored in a blockchain, each data record being associated with an update to the electronic map, wherein the blockchain is a semi-public distributed database; receiving a plurality of map update communications from a plurality of mobile

Assignees

• Nvidia Corp

Inventors

• Zander Justyna

Classifications

• G06F16/2365

  Ensuring data consistency and integrity · CPC title

• G06F16/29 Primary

  Geographical information databases · CPC title

• G06F16/23

  Updating · CPC title

• G06F16/27

  Replication, distribution or synchronisation of data between databases or within a distributed database system; Distributed database system architectures therefor · CPC title

• G01C21/36

  Input/output arrangements for on-board computers · CPC title