Patent Publication Number: US-2010131194-A1

Title: Map data management using road ghosting characteristics

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS/INCORPORATION BY REFERENCE 
     NOT APPLICABLE. 
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     Certain embodiments of the invention relate to communication systems. More specifically, certain embodiments of the invention relate to a method and system for map data management using road ghosting characteristics. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Map databases are integral to many ITS (Intelligent Transportation Systems) applications in navigation, traffic forecasting, and route planning. For example, a car navigation system is utilized to assist users of mobile devices in finding their way from one location to another typically via algorithms operating on map databases. With the increasing deployment of ITS technology demands for accurate and complete map databases of the nation&#39;s road network are surging. Large scale geographical information and associated attributes are in high demand in order to generate new databases and to update existing databases. The acquisition of such information is mostly realized by aerial photogrammetry or terrestrial surveying using, for example, total stations. 
     Further limitations and disadvantages of conventional and traditional approaches will become apparent to one of skill in the art, through comparison of such systems with some aspects of the present invention as set forth in the remainder of the present application with reference to the drawings. 
     BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     A method and/or system for map data management using road ghosting characteristics, substantially as shown in and/or described in connection with at least one of the figures, as set forth more completely in the claims. 
     These and other advantages, aspects and novel features of the present invention, as well as details of an illustrated embodiment thereof, will be more fully understood from the following description and drawings. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a block diagram of an exemplary communication system for providing map data management using road ghosting characteristics, in accordance with an embodiment of the invention. 
         FIG. 2  is a block diagram illustrating an exemplary mapping service server for providing map data management using road ghosting characteristics, in accordance with an embodiment of the invention. 
         FIG. 3  is a block diagram illustrating an exemplary mobile device that employs map data management using road ghosting characteristics, in accordance with an embodiment of the invention. 
         FIG. 4  is a flow chart illustrating an exemplary ghost data collection procedure, in accordance with an embodiment of the invention. 
         FIG. 5  is a block diagram illustrating an exemplary ghost pathway generator, in accordance with an embodiment of the invention. 
         FIG. 6  is a flow chart illustrating an exemplary ghost map acquisition procedure, in accordance with an embodiment of the invention. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     Certain embodiments of the invention may be found in a method and system for map data management using road ghosting characteristics. In accordance with various embodiments of the invention, a mobile device transmits a map request to a mapping service server to provide a map view or a map image. Upon the receipt of the map request from the mobile device, the mapping service server generates a ghost map based on road ghost characteristic information gathered from a plurality of mobile devices associated with the mapping service server. The created ghost map is transmitted via a supporting communication network and received by the mobile device. The map request comprises mobile device identification information and/or geographical locations of interests of the mobile device. The road ghost characteristic information associated with geographical locations of the mobile device is collected via the user interface of the mobile device. The collected road ghost characteristic information are recorded along with associated geographical locations, date, time, and/or user context, and store inside the mobile device. The mobile device communicates the recorded ghost characteristic information via the supporting communication network to the mapping service server. 
     The mapping service server is operable to overlay gathered ghost characteristic information on associated geographical locations to identify one or more ghost pathways and/or road supplemental information. The supplemental information comprises various details associated with the geographical locations. For example only and without limitation, a particular geographical location may be a gas station and may be located within an accident warning zone. The mapping service server is enabled to merge the characteristics associated with the identified one or more ghost pathways and/or road supplemental information into metadata. Exemplary characteristics associated with the identified one or more ghost pathways comprise various confidence levels of the identified one or more ghost pathways. The mapping service server is operable to select a portion of the metadata relating to the geographical locations of interests indicated in the received map request. The ghost map is generated at the mapping service server by correlating the selected portion of the metadata with geographic locations of interests of said mobile device. The formed ghost map is communicated with the mobile device via the supporting communication network. Upon the receipt of the ghost map, the mobile device displays or otherwise presents the ghost map in a specified format to users via a user interface of the mobile device. 
       FIG. 1  is a block diagram of an exemplary communication system for providing map data management using road ghosting characteristics, in accordance with an embodiment of the invention. Referring to  FIG. 1 , there is shown the system of  FIG. 1  comprises a data communication infrastructure  110 , a Global Navigation Satellite Service (GNSS) satellite infrastructure  120 , a plurality of mapping service servers  130 , of which a mapping service server  110   a  and a mapping service server  110   b  are displayed, a plurality of mobile devices  140 , of which a GNSS enabled notebook  140   a,  a car navigation system  140   b,  a GNSS enabled cell phone  140   c  in a moving car, a GNSS enabled cell phone  140   d,  a GNSS enabled stereo headset  140   e,  and a GNSS enabled smart phone  140   f  are displayed. 
     The data communication infrastructure  110  comprises suitable logic, circuitry and/or code that enable data communications among various communication devices. The data communication infrastructure  110  comprises a wireless network  110   a  and/or Internet  110   b.  The wireless network  110   a  comprise suitable logic, circuitry and/or code that is enabled to provide various wireless data services by using a particular technology such as GSM, UMTS, WiFi, WiMAX, or WLAN/LAN. The Internet  110   b  comprises suitable logic, devices and/or code that enable data communication using Internet Protocols (IP). 
     The GNSS satellite infrastructure  120  comprises suitable logic, circuitry and/or code that provide navigation information to various GNSS receivers. The GNSS receivers, which comprise GPS, GALILEO and/or GLONASS receivers, are integrated within or externally coupled to the mobile devices such as the GNSS enabled notebook  140   a  and the GNSS enabled cell phone  140   d.    
     The mapping service servers  130  comprise suitable logic, circuitry and/or code that are enabled to create and/or update metadata relating to geographic locations of interest based on road ghosting characteristics such as road condition data and traffic data associated with the current geographic locations of the mobile devices  140 . The road ghosting characteristics are really unverified road characteristics associated with geographic locations of interest. Exemplary feedback data comprise information indicating that a road is very slippery when wet, and that there ongoing construction. The feedback data could also show that traffic on a road seems to break down at a particular geographical location and nobody drives on the road beyond that particular geographical location. The mapping service servers  130  are operable to collect such road ghosting characteristics via various resources. In this regard, the mobile devices  140  are utilized to gather various road ghosting characteristic information and record per, for example, user context, geographical locations of interest, date, and time. The mapping service server  130  is enabled to gather the recorded road ghosting characteristics via the data communication infrastructure  110 . The mapping service server  130  is capable of identifying some ghost roads based on the road ghosting characteristics. The characteristic information associated with the identified ghost roads is merged into metadata. The metadata is correlated with or overlaid on the geographic locations of interest and is provided to service participants such as the mobile devices  140  via the data communication infrastructure  110 . 
     The mobile devices  140  comprise suitable logic, circuitry and/or code that enable various data communications via the wireless network  110   b  and/or the Internet  110   a.  The mobile devices  140  are operable to gain access to various mapping services by associating with the mapping service servers  130 . The mobile devices  140  are enabled to collect various road ghosting characteristic information such as, for example, current road condition data and/or current traffic data associated with given geographic locations of the mobile devices  140 . The collected road ghosting characteristics are recorded by the mobile devices  140  as ghost data along with user identifiers or context, geographic locations of interests, date, and time of the day. The mobile devices  140  are operable to store the recorded ghost data and share with other service participants associated with the mapping service servers  130  via the data communication infrastructure  110 . 
     In operation, various road ghosting characteristic information are collected by the mobile devices  140  and recorded along with user identifiers and/or context, geographic locations of interests, date, and time of the day, as ghost data. The recorded ghost data is gathered by the mapping service server  130  via the wireless network  120   b  and/or the internet  120   a.  The mapping service server  130  is operable to identify current road information such as, for example, some ghost roads and problematic roads, by using the collected road ghost characteristic information. The collected road ghost characteristic information is utilized to create and/or update metadata which is overlaid on associated geographic locations of interest with the mobile devices  140 . 
       FIG. 2  is a block diagram illustrating an exemplary mapping service server for providing map data management using road ghosting characteristics, in accordance with an embodiment of the invention. Referring to  FIG. 2 , there is shown an exemplary mapping service server  200  comprising a mapping service processor  202 , a ghosting pathway generator  204 , a ghosting data database  206 , a map database  208 , a subscriber database  210 , and a server memory  212 . 
     The mapping service processor  202  comprises suitable logic, circuitry and/or code that enable control and/or handle data processing operations for the mapping service server  200 . The mapping service processor  202  is enabled to gather road ghosting characteristics from service participants such as the mobile devices  140  to identify ghost pathways relating to geographical locations of interests via the ghosting pathway generator  204 . The mapping service processor  202  merges identified ghost pathways to the geographic locations of interest of a map to share among the service participants. The mapping service processor  202  is operable to manage and control various aspects of communications with service participants. 
     The ghosting pathway generator  204  comprise suitable logic, circuitry and/or code that may overlay ghosting characteristics such as ghosting road condition data and ghosting traffic data to geographic locations of interest. The overlaid ghosting characteristics are merged into metadata to provide to the mapping service processor  202  for various mapping services. The ghosting pathway generator  204  is enabled to identify various ghosting pathways based on the overlaid ghosting characteristics. Depending on the characteristics of requested mapping services, the ghosting pathway generator  204  provides supplemental information such as, for example, the fastest pathway, the safest pathway, and accident warnings, within the areas of geographical locations of interests. The ghosting pathway generator  204  correlates the identified pathways and associated supplemental information to metadata and pass to the mapping service processor  202 . The ghosting pathway generator  204  is programmed to provide ghosting pathway updates periodically and/or when various mapping service requests received. 
     The ghosting data database  206  comprise suitable logic, circuitry and/or code that comprise details of road ghost characteristic information, for example, traffic pattern changes during a given time period, extra lane added in a given road, and accidents and/or failure of vehicles repeatedly at a particular location. 
     The map database  208  comprise suitable logic, circuitry and/or code that enable storage of map data comprising, for example, coordinate data representative of maps of geographical areas, and some details of facility characteristics, for example, hotels, restaurants, shops or the like, associated with the geographical coordinates of each location. The map database  208  comprises RAM, ROM, low latency nonvolatile memory such as flash memory and/or other suitable electronic data storage capable of storing data and instructions. 
     The subscriber database  210  comprises suitable logic, circuitry and/or code that enable storage of subscriber information pertaining to the mapping service server  130 . The subscriber information comprise, for example, the subscriber identifier, user context, subscriber service profiles, subscriber device configuration information, telephone numbers, and associated location area identifier or postcode. The location area identifier is indicated by various addresses such as, for example, IP address and/or GNSS address associated with the subscribers. The subscriber database  210  comprises RAM, ROM, low latency nonvolatile memory such as flash memory and/or other suitable electronic data storage capable of storing data and instructions. 
     The server memory  212  comprises suitable logic, circuitry, and/or code that enable storage of data and/or other information utilized by the mapping service processor  202 . For example, the server memory  212  is utilized to store processed data generated by the mapping service processor  202 . The server memory  212  is operable to store executable instructions to merge the metadata from the ghosting pathway generator  204  to geographic locations of interests selectively for a particular service request. Some software such as Internet reading software is stored in the memory  212  for communicating ghosting characteristics via the Internet  120   a.  The server memory  212  comprises RAM, ROM, low latency nonvolatile memory such as flash memory and/or other suitable electronic data storage capable of storing data and instructions. 
     In operation, road ghosting characteristic information such as, for example, road condition data and traffic data in terms of geographical locations of interests, date, time, and user context, are collected and recorded as ghost data by the mobile devices  140 . The recorded ghost data is communicated with the mapping service server  200  via the data communication infrastructure  110 . The mapping service processor  202  is operable to gather the ghost data from service participants and store it in the ghost data database  206 . The ghosting pathway generator  204  is enabled to correlate road ghosting characteristics of the ghost data stored in the ghost data database  206  to geographic locations of interest. The characteristics associated with ghosting pathways and other supplemental information such as warnings of high car accident risk roads is provided by the ghosting pathway generator  204  and merged to metadata. The mapping service processor  202  is operable to correlate the metadata with the geographical locations of interests to provide various mapping services to service participants such as the mobile devices  140 . 
       FIG. 3  is a block diagram illustrating an exemplary mobile device that employs map data management using road ghosting characteristics, in accordance with an embodiment of the invention. Referring to  FIG. 3 , there is shown a mobile device  300  comprising a GNSS receiver  302 , a network interface  304 , a processor  306 , a memory  308 , and a user interface  310  comprising components such as image capture, mic, speaker, sensors, key input, and/or display. 
     The GNSS receiver  302  comprise suitable logic, circuitry and/or code that is enabled to receive GNSS satellite broadcast signals and convert them to GNSS baseband signals. THE GNSS baseband signals are suitable for further processing by the processor  306  to determine positional information of the mobile device  300 . 
     The network interface  304  comprises suitable logic, circuitry and/or code that are enabled to transmit and/or receive radio signals over a wired and/or wireless network. In this regard, the communicated radio signals comprise navigational information communicated with various mapping service servers  110 . 
     The processor  306  comprise suitable logic, circuitry and/or code that are enabled to process received satellite signals as well as signals communicated with a supporting communication network. The processor  306  is operable to process road ghosting characteristics collected via the user interface  308  and record as ghost data along with geographical locations of interests, user context, date, and/or time of the day into the memory  310 . The ghost data is shared with the mapping service servers  110  to support various mapping services. The processor  306  is enabled to request a mapping service to particular geographical locations of interests from the mapping service servers  110 . For example, the processor  306  is configured to communicate current geographical location of the mobile device  300  with the mapping service server  110   a  to acquire complete map data of special interest such as a complete map comprising possible ghost pathways indicating problematic pathways of the surrounding areas of the mobile device  300 . 
     The user interface  308  comprises suitable logic, circuitry and/or code that service the mobile device  300  via entering user inputs and/or presenting various services to users. The user interface  308  comprise a microphone, a speaker, a keypad, a screen, a image capture, a touch screen, a light, a voice recognition system, and/or any other type of interfaces that are employed in the mobile device  300 . 
     The memory  310  comprises suitable logic, circuitry, and/or code that enable storage of data and/or other information utilized by the processor  306 . For example, the memory  310  is utilized to store processed data generated by the processor  302 . The memory  310  is also utilized to store information, such as mobile device configuration information, that is utilized to control various operations of the mobile device  300 . Additionally, the memory  310  stores some executable instructions for running various applications on the mobile device  300 . Various mapping services received from the mapping service servers  110  are stored in the memory  310 . 
     In operation, the mobile device  300  is enabled to gain access to various mapping services such as a map view for particular geographical areas of interest from a mapping service server  110   a.  The information from the received mapping services may be store into the memory  310 . The processor  306  is operable to coordinate the memory  310  and the user interface  308  to present the received mapping services to users via the user interface  308 , accordingly. The mobile device  300  is enabled to collect various road ghosting characteristics via the user interface  308 . The collected road ghosting characteristics are recorded as ghosting data along with the geographical locations of interests, user context, date, and time of the day. The processor  306  processes the collected recorded ghosting data and share with the mapping service servers  110  via the network interface  304 . The mobile device  300  is operable to gain access to mapping services for desired geographical locations of interests from the mapping service servers  110 . For example, the current location of the mobile device  300 , which is provided by the GNSS receiver  302 , is communicated to the mapping service servers  110  for generation of a map view indicating information such as the ghost roads and the safest road within the surrounding areas of the mobile device  300 . 
       FIG. 4  is a flow chart illustrating an exemplary ghost data collection procedure, in accordance with an embodiment of the invention. Referring to  FIG. 4 , the exemplary steps start with the step  402 , where the mapping service server  200  request the mobile device  300  to provide road ghosting characteristic information. In step  404 , the mobile device  300  collect road ghosting characteristics such as road conditions data and traffic data associated with the current geographical locations of the mobile devices  140 . In step  406 , the collected road ghosting characteristics is recorded as ghost data along with geographic locations of interests, date, time of the day, and user context. In step  408 , the ghost data is communicated with the mapping service server  200  via the data communication infrastructure  110 . In step  410 , the mapping service server  200  receives the ghosting data and store in the ghost data database  206 . The exemplary steps end in step  412 . 
       FIG. 5  is a block diagram illustrating an exemplary ghost pathway generator, in accordance with an embodiment of the invention. Referring to  FIG. 5 , the exemplary steps start with the step  502 , where the mapping service server  200  receive mapping service request from the mobile device  300 . In step  504 , the ghosting pathway generator  204  is enabled to upload the ghost data from the ghost data database  206 . In step  506 , the ghost data is overlaid on geographical locations of interests relating to the received mapping service request. In step  508 , the ghosting pathway generator  204  is operable to determine possible ghosting pathways by analyzing the ghost data. The determined ghost pathways are categorized such as one-way pathway and walk-way based on the characteristics of the ghost data. In step  510 , the supplemental information is determined based on the ghost data. In step  512 , the ghosting pathway generator  204  merges the characteristics associated with the determined ghosting pathways and associated supplemental Information into metadata and store in the map data database  208 . The exemplary steps stop in step  514 . 
       FIG. 6  is a flow chart illustrating an exemplary ghost map acquisition procedure, in accordance with an embodiment of the invention. Referring to  FIG. 6 , the exemplary steps start with the step  602 , where the mobile device  300  request a map service from the mapping service server  200 . The mobile device  300  send associated geographical locations of interest and user information together with the service request. In step  604 , the mapping service server  200  select searching restrictions based on characteristics of the received service request. In step  606 , the mapping service processor  202  upload the latest metadata from the map data database  208  and filter the metadata based on the selected searching restrictions. In step  608 , the mapping service processor  202  generate a ghost map by correlating the filtered metadata with the geographical locations indicated by the received service request and deliver to the mobile device  300  via the data communication infrastructure  110 . In step  610 , the mobile device  300  display or otherwise present the received ghost map via the user interface  308  and store in the memory  310 . The exemplary steps stop in step  612 . 
     Aspects of a method and system for map data management using road ghosting characteristics are provided. In accordance with various embodiments of the invention, a mobile device such as the GNSS enabled cell phone  140   d  in the system of  FIG. 1  transmit a map request for a mapping service to a mapping service server such as the mapping service server  130   a.  Upon receipt of the map request from the GNSS enabled cell phone  140   d,  the mapping service server  130   a  create ghost map based on road ghost characteristic information gathered from a plurality of mobile devices associated with the mapping service server  130   a.  The created ghost map is transmitted via the data communication infrastructure  110  and received by the GNSS enabled cell phone  140   d  via the network interface  304 . The map request comprises mobile device identification information and/or geographical locations of interests of the user of the GNSS enabled cell phone  140   d.  The road ghost characteristic information associated with geographical locations of the GNSS enabled cell phone  140   d  is collected via the user interface  308 . The collected road ghost characteristics is recorded along with associated geographical locations, date, time of the day, and/or user context, and stored in the memory  310 . 
     The GNSS enabled cell phone  140   d  is operable to communicate the recorded ghost characteristic information via the data communication infrastructure  110  to the mapping service server  130   a.  The ghost pathway generator  204  of the mapping service server  130   a  is operable to overlay gathered ghost characteristic information on associated geographical locations to identify one or more ghost pathways and/or road supplemental information via the ghost pathway generator  204 . The ghost pathway generator  204  merges the characteristics associated with the identified one or more ghost pathways and/or road supplemental information into metadata. The mapping service server  130   a  is operable to select a portion of the metadata relating to the geographical locations of interests indicated in the received map request. The ghost map is generated by the mapping service processor  202  by correlating the selected portion of the metadata with geographic locations of interests of said mobile device. The formed ghost map is communicated with the GNSS enabled cell phone  140   d  via the data communication infrastructure  110 . Upon the receipt of the ghost map, the GNSS enabled cell phone  140   d  displays or otherwise present presents the ghost map to users via the user interface  308  of the with a preferred format. The presentation may occur in audio and/or visual format. 
     Another embodiment of the invention may provide a machine and/or computer readable storage and/or medium, having stored thereon, a machine code and/or a computer program having at least one code section executable by a machine and/or a computer, thereby causing the machine and/or computer to perform the steps as described herein for map data management using road ghosting characteristics. 
     Accordingly, the present invention may be realized in hardware, software, or a combination of hardware and software. The present invention may be realized in a centralized fashion in at least one computer system, or in a distributed fashion where different elements are spread across several interconnected computer systems. Any kind of computer system or other apparatus adapted for carrying out the methods described herein is suited. A typical combination of hardware and software may be a general-purpose computer system with a computer program that, when being loaded and executed, controls the computer system such that it carries out the methods described herein. 
     The present invention may also be embedded in a computer program product, which comprises all the features enabling the implementation of the methods described herein, and which when loaded in a computer system is able to carry out these methods. Computer program in the present context means any expression, in any language, code or notation, of a set of instructions intended to cause a system having an information processing capability to perform a particular function either directly or after either or both of the following: a) conversion to another language, code or notation; b) reproduction in a different material form. 
     While the present invention has been described with reference to certain embodiments, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes may be made and equivalents may be substituted without departing from the scope of the present invention. In addition, many modifications may be made to adapt a particular situation or material to the teachings of the present invention without departing from its scope. Therefore, it is intended that the present invention not be limited to the particular embodiment disclosed, but that the present invention will include all embodiments falling within the scope of the appended claims.